need help selecting a revolver

crossada

crossada

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i am planning on getting a revolver in the coming year and would like some advice from the gun guys around here. my primary uses would be for plinking and a trail gun while hiking. i think i have read just about every thread on the subject the search engine would bring up but i have some specific questions.

first off i am not a gun guy meaning i don't have much experience shooting hand guns. i have read on here that getting a heavy caliber is a bad idea for the novice shooter as it can cause bad habits. with that being said i only want to buy one gun and would like a caliber that is versatile and powerful.

i'm undecided if i want a single action or double. i'm leaning towards single action because i figure it is more simple? plus the "cowboy" look is appealing to me. i really like the looks of the ruger vaquero models which come in .357 and .45. a local sporting goods store has several vaqueros in the discontinued .44 mag too.

any advice people can give on caliber, barrel lengths, and brands would be very helpful to me. as far as a price point i would rather buy a quality gun that is dependable off the shelf instead of a bargain that will have problems in the long run. buy once, cry once is my motto when it comes to gear.

thanks in advance!
 
I'd go with a .357 w/ 4" barrel - good compromise between accuracy & portability, and it can shoot cheaper .38 caliber bullets for plinking.
 
Flotsam said:
I'd go with a .357 w/ 4" barrel - good compromise between accuracy & portability, and it can shoot cheaper .38 caliber bullets for plinking.
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I totally agree. :thumbup:

You'd be hard pressed to do better then a Ruger. :cool:
 
I love my Rugers!!
I have Vaqueros and Blackhawks. The Vaq will be if you don't want adj. sights.
357 would be a good choice because you can shoot 38s and still power it up if need be.
If you're looking for your very first gun....get a .22 and shoot a few bricks!!
I also vote for single action, I love them...I only have 2 double actions.
 
My favorite trail gun would be the S&W Mountain Gun in 45 Colt. But these are hard to find. They made it in 44 Mag also but I like the 45 better. I know a friend that could hand load some cast bullets for that 45 that would bring tears to your eyes but thats another story. :D

I have a Taurus bought this year I like a lot too. Its the first Taurus I've bought that I like. All titanium. They call it, "The Judge" and its available in several barrel lengths. Mine is the blued 3". The Judge shoots 45 Colt, and 410 Gauge shells or slugs up to 2.5" long. It was hard at first to find good sheaths for them but they are more readily available now. I have a pancake style molded fit one that I like bought off ebay.

I tell ya a lot of folks shoot this one down for being a novelty only and that could be if you plan to use it as a shot gun. Although I've been able to knock branches off trees at 20 yards with mine and #6 shot I can't say its all that impressive past maybe 10 or 12 feet with the shotgun loads. Even the #4 is not that super but this one really impressed me with how well it shoots the 45 Colt loads and if you like plinking its lots of fun with the Cowboy loads too. Its sold as a close and personal self defense gun. I got it because it was just so cool I had to have it, novelty or not but truth be told I like it! Most of the folks shooting it down as a novelty would pee their pants if the thing was pointed at them. I'd say look it over for your trail gun. A longer barrel option than my 3" may suit that need better but I wouldn't hesitate to carry it. I know the next time ole slim (snakes) comes sticking his head out when I'm cutting firewood he'll get introduced to my Judge right quick I can tell ya that! :D

STR
 
.357 with a 6 inch barrel. Little on the heavy side but alittle more accurate at 50 yards. Just my 2 cents :D
 
.357 all the way and you can't go wrong with a Ruger. I also would go with a 4" but 6" is fine if you prefer it.

.357 for these reasons:

It is a great defensive round for man or beast

You can shoot .38's all day long

You can buy shotshell snake rounds

You can buy a lever gun later in the same caliber

You can buy a concealed carry later in the same caliber
 
If you like the vaguroes, one in 45 colt with a 4 5/8" barrel should be great. I would like to have another S&W Mtn. in 45 colt. Great gun!
 
Man, I saw a Ruger revolver in .17HMR that held 9 rounds at the show yesterday. I want one bad, thats a great round!!! More punch then .22mag, and light enough to be accurate out of a small revolver!!
 
thanks for the great replies so far guys. i want to add that i won't need to conceal the gun for where i hike if that changes things.
 
I have several recommendations.

I'm a Ruger guy myself, but for rifles---particularly the Mini-14. I also have an Alaskan Guide in .454 Cassull, which I enjoy greatly. However, for wheelguns in general, I prefer Smith & Wesson.

I like the four-inch .357 Magnum Model 686, which is a heavy, seven-shot, double action stainless revolver. This is a gun that makes you feel confident in its knock-down power, built construction, and overall solidity.

My favorite pair of guns that Smith & Wesson makes is the ultralight 300-series, including the 351PD in .22 Magnum, which weighs in at under a pound and is constructed of the lightest material possible. Also included in this series is the Model 329PD, which is in .44 Magnum and weighs only a couple of ounces more than its .22 WMR counterpart! These are ultralight; the .44 Magnum would make a great trail gun in bear country, whereas the .22 Magnum would work well everywhere else, and is a very fun plinker.

Overall, though, I don't think you could go wrong with a Smith or a Ruger.
 
Ruger Blackhawk for a single action, not as "Cowboy" as the Vaquero but you will like the adj sights for when you plink with light .38 specials.

If you go double action I would suggest the S&W 66 with 4" brl. Not as robust as the larger frame 686 or any offering by Ruger but will still last a lifetime.
 
.357, 2-4" barrel, full size handle - Uses 2 different popular calibers in both powerful and not so powerful rounds. As far as double or single I would suggest double for your only gun because the single action kinda loses its luster after a bit. You can still have the acurracy of a single with a double if you cock it first or more practice.

I would reccomend against .45 Colt because ammo can be hard to find as well as expensive.
 
I like the Ruger GP100 stainless, 4 inch barrel. Great all-arounder. The single actions are fun also, but it's hard to beat the versatility of the .357.
 
My ideal would be a S&W model 60, 2 1/8in bbl in .357. Stainless. Oh man I want one. Or a .357 Colt Python in blue to match my commander.

For a woods gun, the .357 model 60 is tops for me.
 
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