revolver for a lifetime

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Hello friends and neighbors // As stated the Ruger sixes are great in this roll. I'd prefer the Security Six of those three.

Another option, that has been carried daily by many, is the S&W Model 28-Highway Patrol- SW28highwaypatrol357.jpg (1976)
Heavy but it will get the job done, over and over and...well you understand.
 
S&W 642 for me

I agree that the rugers are a very good firearm and will last a long time.
But they are heavy, My choice is a S&W m642.
You can't find to many 38 that will come close to a S&W 642.
Lots of k frame S&W are out there if you want some weight in your pocket.
I like the S&W m65 3 inch heavy barrel with a round but.
 
Either of these will do for a life time!

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And yes they are mine. I got the 66 about 20 years or so ago. The Security Six about 12 years ago.

Deaf
 
I have a DAO SP101 that I bought when their quality seemed a little better, and it may very well stick around for the rest of my life. I haven't even stuck on fancy grips, so I haven't gotten around to taking a picture yet.

If I didn't have that, a 3" model 60 or a Charter Police Undercover would fit the bill for me. So long as it works well, is American, and shoots .38+p, I'd be happy.
 
S&W M10, they have served folks well since 1899 with a lot of older ones still kicking about.
 
This is a tough thing to say for a die-hard S&W fan but, if I had to choose a revolver for any occasion, I'd go with an old Colt Police Positive Special. The things are very accurate, point well and have a great trigger pull. And, .38 SPL is just fine for me. For most purposes, I'd use the home-altered K-frame Pachmayr but if I had to carry all the time, I'd put the original grips back on. It weighs a good 10 ounces less than a 4" Model 10 so it'd be fine for carry.

ColtPPSwithK-framePachmayrgriprt.jpg

ColtPPS01.jpg
 
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"Last a lifetime" points me towards something all steel, probably stainless for ease of maintenance and feeling better about using it in nasty weather (going to happen at least a couple of times in a lifetime). For carry, you want as small as possible. Price should not be too much of an issue as it is a lifetime gun. Here is my short list:

S&W (Pre-lock & pre-MIM preferred for all)
Model 60 - .357 Mag, 2" or 3" barrel.
Model 65 - 3" barrel
Model 66 - 2.5" or 3" (rare) barrel.
Model 686 - 2.5" or 3" (rare) barrel.

Ruger (stainless steel versions where applicable)
SP101 - .357 Mag, 2.75" barrel
Speed Six - .357 Mag
GP100 - 3" barrel (might be too big...)

Colt (stainless steel versions where applicable)
SFVI or DSII - .38 special
Magnum Carry - rare
Lawman
Python (expensive & heavy)
King Cobra
 
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A 3"er for a lifetime huh? I'm gonna have to say either the Ruger GP100, SP101, or a SW 66/19.

If forced to pick one of these, I guess I would go with the GP!
 
I'm not sure the Rugers mentioned in this thread are too heavy to carry?? Rugers are darn good fighting guns in that size plus they will handle all the .357's you want to shoot!
You don't see em shot loose very often and their stainless will last as long as any Smith or Colt given the same care.

Plus they are less expensive and I believe they are better built than the newer Smiths....
Worth taking a long hard look at to be sure.
 
OK, just for fun, I'll toss in a 32-1 (2" bbl.) or 33-1 (4" bbl.) in .38 S&W. . .depending on how big my pocket is :) I'd load 'em up with 158g LSWC for the 4", which shoots pretty much to point of aim, and the 200g slugs for the snubbie--a close-range defense proposition.

38SWcartridgeand150gbulletphotos20MAR10004.jpg

38SWcartridgeandbulletphotos21FEB10004.jpg

38SWcartridgeandbulletphotos21FEB10003.jpg
 
Given these constraints (what a fun game it is to play, too), I'd choose one of the Ruger .357s in stainless, and happily plan to shoot nothing but .38sp out of it except once in a while for function check and fun ;) Money saved over certain of the other options would go toward ammo / reloading gear.

timothy

timothy
 
Talking strictly centerfire weapons it would be S&W 329 'Night Guard' in caliber .44Mag. Anyone care to guess why?
 
Ruger Speed Six with a 2.75" barrel.

Too big for pocket carry, obviously, but carries easily with a good belt and holster. Light enough for carry, but heavy enough to handle .357 loads. Sturdier than a comparable K-frame. :)

TMann

Not mine, but a nice stainless Speed Six with original Ruger grips:

SpeedSix1.jpg
Looks just like mine. Great gun!!
 
I'm an autoloader pistol guy - but my nightstand gun is a mid-1970's vintage S&W 10-5 M&P in .38. No safety to mess with, no worry if a round is chambered - and dead-on reliable. Although carry is an option with this, I probably never will. Sorry for the whiting out from the flash reflecting off of the bluing - I'm a shooter, not a photographer. :D

Smith10-5MandP2inchMid-70s.jpg
 
My Dan Wesson 15-2 is a tank of a pistol for toughness, and it is incredibly smooth & accurate. Plus, I can swap the 4" for a 2" for carry. Every DW I have ever handled has been consistently smooth and accurate.
 
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