Friend wants a Wheel Gun

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ConcealCarryNY

New member
A friend of mine has almost completed the long process of obtaining a pistol permit in the state of New York. He is interested in purchasing a revolver for home defense and was looking to see what gun makers would be a good choice. I being mostly an auto guy came here to see what advice could be gleaned. He is looking for a full frame .357 with a 4 or 5 inch barrel. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
 
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gfen

New member
S&W 686, 586, or 681.
Ruger GP100.
Taurus, but I apologize I don't know their numbering system.

I own a 681, a fixed sight, 4" .357 magnum L frame. Wouldn't trade it for anything else.

Lots of people are going to advise against new S&W with the ILS. YMMV. My personal preferences are to buy older S&Ws without the lock.
 
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BikerRN

New member
For Home Defense, and if I wanted a .357 Mag, I would go with a Smith & Wesson 686.

You get adjustable sights, stainless steel for ease of care and ammunition versatility 38 spl and 357 mag). Since this is an L-Frame it will also be able to handle a steady diet of .357 Magnum rounds, something the K-Frames can't do.

The 686 is a great choice, IMO. I have one too.

Biker
 
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gb_in_ga

New member
I've got a 4" S&W 686 -- one of the original square butt ones, no dash. For home defense, you would be hard pressed to get any better than that in a revolver. Or anything else, for that matter.

Personally, if I were to be buying right now to fill the niche that your friend is looking to fill, I'd be considering the following:

USED: Any S&W K Frame .38 Spl or .357 Mag or L Frame .357 Mag with a 3" or 4" barrel if it is in decent working condition. Look for those that are pre-lock. Also consider the medium frame Rugers, such as the GP-100s and the Security Sixes in the same barrel lengths. Don't be afraid to look for Law Enforcement trade-ins, there's some good deals to be had there.

Colts are nice, but are pricey. If your friend wants to pay the price, they are decent guns.

Used Taurus's are out there, but in the used market you can get LE trade in S&Ws for similar prices so why bother?

NEW: Right now, if it were me and I were to limit myself to just the new gun market, my list is really short. In my mind the field is down to 1 -- Ruger GP-100. I'm not really sold on the reliability of the Taurus revolvers, gun to gun -- yes, some are good but I'm still not convinced that they are ALL consistently good. That makes me uneasy about recommending them as a first, and perhaps only, HD gun (Their PT-92 is another matter, but that is an autoloader). S&W has alienated me, and IMHO has taken the wrong direction in their manufacturing processing as well as their PR efforts. So, as much as I like the guns that they made in the past, I'm not buying any new ones from them.
 
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tube_ee

New member
Used, quality .357

Ruger Security Six (best bang/buck in all handgundom, IMHO)
Colt Trooper MK III
S&W K-frame (Smith experts give model#s, I don't know 'em)

All are available for small green, especially compared to a new gun. Any would be a lifetime investment. All are equal to if not better than any wheelguns made today.

For new guns, go Ruger or S&W, but you're not getting a better gun, you're just paying more.

--Shannon
 
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Taurus_9mm

New member
Any of the aforementioned -- S&W 686, Ruger GP100 or Security Six or a Taurus. I picked up a Taurus Tracker .357 LNIB for $260.00 and it's been a gem. I don't think your friend could go wrong with any of the makers.

You can sometimes find Colt King Cobras on the aftermarket but the ones I've seen generally start at around $500 and go north from there. :D

One example:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=66920517
 
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slow944

New member
Dan Wesson Model 15-4

I've got a Dan Wesson Model 15-4 in blued that I'll put up against any of those guns, and if he doesn't like the barrel length he can buy another barrel in lenghts from 2" to 15". and with a simple tool can replace it in 2 mins. DW is the GGrandson of DB Wesson so it's in the blood. They are owned by CZUSA now and make fine guns again.:D
 
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SIGSHR

New member
I have both the Dan Wessons, I recommend especially in an area where getting a pistol permit is a hassle.
 
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Webleymkv

New member
Don't overlook the N-Frame S&Ws. The Model 27 is one of the finest revolvers ever made, on par with the Colt Python in the estimation of many. Because of their large size, N-frame guns can easily digest a steady diet of full power .357 Magnum ammo. While the M27 is rather pricey, it's matte-finished sibling the M28 can be found fairly reasonably if one looks hard enough. The M27 was available with 3 1/2,4,5,6,6 1/2,8 3/8, and very early ones (i.e. Registered Magnums) 8 3/4" barrels while the M28s wore only 4 or 6" barrels. My first revolver was a Model 28-2 purchased about 2 years ago for $250. The bluing had quite a bit of holster wear, but it's the best shooting revolver I own (or at least the one I'm most capable with). The only down side to the N-frames is that they can be difficult to conceal, but it can be done if one puts one's mind to it.
 
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18DAI

New member
I'd go with a S&W pre lock K-frame Magnum. My second choice, would be a pre lock 686. Plenty of each out there still, but the K-frames are rising in price faster than the L-frames, in my area anyway. Good luck with the search. Regards 18DAI.
 
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DeathRodent

New member
S&W has those 8 shot (& 7 shot) revolvers I always thought they'd be great for home defense - 8 rounds of .357 & I think you can get a 5 inch barrel

Hey Slow944 I have a Dan Wesson also 6" barrel - Can you tell me where to get a barrel and barrel wrench? The only ones I oculd find were on EBAY for around what I paid for my gun.
 
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22-rimfire

New member
Your friend has suffered through the handgun permit process, so I would guess he is not necessarily looking for the least expensive 357 revolver around. My recommendation would be a 4" Smith & Wesson Model 27 or a 4" Model 686. If price is truly not an issue, dig up a 4" Colt Python in good condition. There are lots of choices.

My home defense revolver is a 3" GP100 (357 mag). Price is an issue with me.
 
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CU74

New member
For home defense, (not carry) I second the many Smith & Wesson "L" frame recommendations. My bedside revolver is a Smith 585-3 with 4" barrel. I also have a Smith 686-3 and a Colt Trooper, both with 4" barrels. I chose the 585 for the nightstand because it has the smoothest trigger of the three.

Another good choice would be any of the "K" frame Smiths - Models 13, 19, 65 or 66. They are smaller and lighter, which may be an advantage. However, they won't digest a prolonged, steady diet of .357 Magnum loads. That said, if your friend wants to practice with .38 Special loads and just fire a few .357 loads for "personal calibration" before loading with .357 Magnum cartridges for home defense, a "K" frame would suffice. (The "K" frame would be the preferred carry gun.)

I would NOT recommend the larger "N" frame Smiths,(Model 27 and 28) not because they aren't good revolvers, but because the "L" frame is the most handy size. The bigger "N" frame is heavier and more bulky, and in .357 caliber won't do anything the "L" frame won't do just as well.
 
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karlsgunbunker

New member
Taurus makes a .45acp revolver
Tracker 445. CDNN has them for $299 on closeout.

I bought one in SS and one in Ti (no longer available).
Great revolver and a nice potent round.
 
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LDThornton

New member
The "L" frame Smith & Wesson 686 is a great choice but I prefer the "K" frame Smith & Wesson stainless model 66. Fits my hand more comfortably.
 
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