.38 Revolvers?

Ok so I want to pick up a .38 revolver. I go shooting with friends fairly often but I don't have my own gun and I have determined that I like shooting pistols better then rifles and that I like revolvers over semi autos. So I was wondering what suggestions there were as far as picking up a .38? It isn't going to be a carry gun so I don't want a snub nose. Basically I want a simple revolver that goes boom everytime I want it to.

I assume you mean a double-action. Learning to shoot double-action, the way the gun was designed to be shot, is challenging, but very satisfying. You need one with a smooth action. That means Smith & Wesson. (Or at least it always has. If someone says the new ones aren't up to historical standards, so be it.)

I have revolvers from Smith and Wesson, Ruger (single and double action) and Taurus. The S&W are very good. The Rugers have the strongest frames. Almost every gun in the Taurus catalog is basically a copy of someone else's. The Tauruses are cheap, but the quality is not as good.

For a non carry revolver, I prefer the Ruger by a fair margin.

chuckles wrote: I assume you mean a double-action.

I wouldn't mind single or double-action.

If you're going to shoot a lot, you will quickly get tired of loading and unloading a single action revolver.

Woody wrote: If you're going to shoot a lot, you will quickly get tired of loading and unloading a single action revolver.

I am pretty used to it. The revolver I shoot the most right now is a single action.

The Miata of .38 revolvers is the Smith & Wesson J-frame. Smith assigns letters to their frames to indicate how big they are: J-frames are smallest, and hold 5 shots of .38 or .357. K-frames are bigger, and hold 6 shots of the same caliber. Then there are larger frame guns, but I don't think you need a .38 any bigger than a K-frame. Note that the lighter the frame and shorter the barrel, the worse the recoil will be.

Note too that a .357 can fire .38 special rounds, but a .38 Special gun can't fire .357 Magnum rounds. That, to me, is a reason to buy the .357.

Smiths are great guns and have worked for decades and decades. Some people don't like the trigger pull in DA mode, but otherwise I've heard few complaints.

If you don't want a Smith, check out the Ruger SP101. It's a bit cheaper than the Smith, and I believe it holds 6 shots of .357. It's a quality weapon but doesn't have Smith's legacy.

Both are good weapons, but if it were my money, I'd get a K-frame S&W with a 4-inch (or bigger) barrel, chambered in .357 Magnum.

The SP101 is a 5 shot. The GP100 is a six shot and is substantially larger. I love them.

The trigger guard on S&W K frames tend to dig into the side of my middle finger.

I liked the Ruger Service Six I fired.

That's old school!

Woody wrote: That's old school!

I like old school.

Budsgunshop.com often has S&W police trade in .38s for around $250

93EXCivic wrote: I liked the Ruger Service Six I fired.

That is the revolver that I own. I love it. Its been a tough gun that has 30 years on it.

So I know that S&W and Ruger are good guns. I have heard mixed reviews about Taurus and I have only fired a Judge and I didn't like it. I am guessing other brands like Rossi and such are kinda crap.

The main issue that I've found with the Taurus is that they're not as nicely finished. The polished ones look too shiny and cheap. That can be an issue if you shoot outside. They're still good guns and I've had very good experiences in dealing with the manufacturer.

93EXCivic wrote: So I know that S&W and Ruger are good guns. I have heard mixed reviews about Taurus and I have only fired a Judge and I didn't like it. I am guessing other brands like Rossi and such are kinda crap.

I just bought a Rossi .38 special and with the limited amount of shooting I've done, it appears to be more accurate than my Dad's Ruger LC9 pistol.

Judging from what the Rossi website says, it's safe to assume that the quality of Rossi and Taurus revolvers is identical:

Revolvers sold by BrazTech with the Rossi name are manufactured in a brand new facility owned by Taurus in SaoLeopoldo, Brazil. Much of the tooling and many of the machines were acquired from Rossi during negotiations between the companies.

Based on what he's said in the past, Hess seems to think they're tolerable

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/when-i-reach-for-my-revolver/46701/page1/

Dr. Hess wrote: Taurus are not "knock offs." They bought the factory from Beretta with the rights to continue to make the same models. They licensed the S&W designs, I think. Quality from Taurus was (is) better than S&W or Beretta. And they have a life time no-bs warranty. Got a problem? Fed Ex it to them, they fix it, they send it back. Don't even need a FFL to do it. The Taurus 92's are a serious bargain these days. The mag is different (hole in a slightly different place or configuration), but otherwise they are identical to the Baretta 92's. Sell used for around three bills.

In reply to JoeyM:

Thanks for showing me those threads. I thought there was a thread from someone who had bought a Rossi. I do kinda want to be on the lower end of the price scale because I would like to get a Mosin as well and I don't want to spend a ton of money.

You need one of those! Smith and Wesson model 29! So much want, so much $

For general target and plinking use, you'll want at least a 4" barrel, preferably a 5" or 6". Just get a .357, two guns for the price of one isn't bad in this case(unlike the Judge and Governor). Just to add to what others have already stated:

Ruger GP100: reliable as a rock. Could be used as a hammer and go on to fire many more rounds. Could outlive your grandchildren if cared for properly. Not quite as slick or pretty as the Smiths, but every bit as functional and shoots well above it's price point.

Smith K and L frame: 686, 686+(7 rounds), err... All the others.... Great guns out of the box. Slightly smoother action than the Rugers, finished much better. Could appreciate in value if it's something special and is kept up. I'd avoid N frame .357s like the Highway Patrolman, they're monsters.

Colt King Cobra/Python: beautiful guns with incredibly smooth, precise action. They're also NLA, and the world knows it; you could get two NIB GP100s and a bunch of ammo for the price of a well kept Python. Nearly too valuable to use, many end up as shelf queens.

My pick is the GP100. Smiths are nicer, though you're looking at a 25-30% price increase for NIB equivalent models. Is the Brazilian stuff okay? Probably. A Cavalier and a Miata do the same job, too.

.38 revolvers are easy to shoot, fun and plentiful. But I'd still look into a .357. Beefier gun and easier to hold plus they'll shoot either .38 or .357. Shoot .38 for fun at the range and have some .357 rounds for when you really need some stopping power, like home protection. 2-in-1 deal. Lots of choices out there, choose one that fits you and catches your eye. Everyone has their favorite choice, find yours.

Personally, I like plinking with .22's. About the cheapest range caliper you can get and very easy to handle. Can even pick up .22 real cheap. Everyone needs at least one. Pick up one to plink for cheap while you're shopping for a .357/.38.

I've got a S&W 10-5 with a 4" barrel... late 1800's designe and about as common as you can get (same gun police and military used for years and years)... Inherited it from an uncle its not a bad little gun I don't shoot it often and I really need/want a Hogue rubber grip for it.

that being said... for target shooting i'd rather a .22 of some sort... super cheap to shoot...

As others have mentioned get a 357 instead then you can shoot either or. If you dont mind something older hunt up a Dan Wesson Model 15 or 715, preferably one manufactured in Monson. Mine has the smoothest double action I have ever tried and in single action it is a light and crisp trigger. There is a reason that back in the day these were the gun of choice for competition shooting.

As I mentioned in another thread you can change out the barrel in minutes giving you the option of a longer barrel for targets and a shorter barrel to carry if you want. When changing the grip you change the whole grip not just scales which allows you to change size and shape to fit your hand.

Smith and Wesson 686 is the Miata of double action revolvers. Lots of extra parts available if you want to pimp it out. Top gunsmith for them is probably Ron Power, though he's getting up there in years. Lots of parts at brownells.com . I like them better than Ruger's revolvers (had SP101 and Security Six).

Smith model 10.

Joey

rebelgtp wrote: As others have mentioned get a 357 instead then you can shoot either or. If you dont mind something older hunt up a Dan Wesson Model 15 or 715, preferably one manufactured in Monson.

How much does one of those run? I was looking and I was seeing prices from $300 to $500. How do I tell if it is manufactured in Monson and why is that important?