I also want a good Plinker 9mm Revolver

[Pat Riot]

Regarding a 9mm revolver, I also want a 9mm revolver pretty much along the lines of @sparkyv

I am seriously considering a Chiappa Rhino. It’s not “traditional” but it is a 9mm revolver.

I considered a convertible SA Ruger, I have a convertible New Vaquero .45. I had Ruger make me a .45 ACP cylinder for it. I also had a single six .22 that looked like a Vaquero. It wasn’t an accurate gun at all. It was pretty but worthless to me. I sold it. I like the looks of the Blackhawk, but I like dedicated guns with dedicated ammo. And I just plain hate swapping cylinders and an extra cylinder is just one more thing to keep track of.

Moon clips aren’t as cumbersome or weighty like a cylinder.

Do a filter for 9mm on this link. The MSRPs are high, but a gun store near me has the 6” model SAR for $979. Trying to figure out how to purchase it on my budget.

Firearms

www.chiappafirearms.com

 

[Mike in Western Oregon]

I think Tallball has your answer. Go get a used Ruger GP100 or SW 66 or 686 and have TK Custom machine the cylinder for 9 mm and moonclips. Now you have a very durable 9 mm plinker.

 

[sparkyv]

This fits the bill, but none in inventory.

Well, there is these:

Buy Charter Arms Pitbull 42 9mm Revolver Online

CHARTER PITBULL 9MM SS 4.2" AS9mm

www.budsgunshop.com

I have had that 4.2" bulldog on order for a year and have searched the web for one during that year.
Should just email Charter and ask...

.

The Ti cylinder adds undesirable cost and requires special attention to cleaning (and totally unnecessary, IMO).

I thought for a second the S&W 986 might fit the bill for you, but turns out it has a titanium cylinder. Just out of curiosity, why would that feature be such a deal breaker? I have the JM 929 and the thing is sweet.

The TK Customs option may be the answer. I will look into this; MANY THANKS!

The Taurus 692 bbl is too short; won't work with my Magnetospeed. Porting is unnecessary in 9mm, IMO, plus the blast will damage my Magnetospeed.

TK Custom will turn a S&W 357 into a 9mm for you, if you want. I think they charge $250 or something.

The Taurus 692 seems to be the other answer, if you happen to run across one.

The complaints about ported barrels seem exaggerated to me. I have a couple of revolvers with ports and barely notice the difference. YMMV.

I like this possibility; I knew of Chiappa, but hadn'tconsidered them to fit my need???
Never seen one in person, but they are spendy (MSRP).

I am seriously considering a Chiappa Rhino. It’s not “traditional” but it is a 9mm revolver.

 

[sparkyv]

Well, the cylinder conversion is $350, but still, this is the most attractive option for me so far. I do like my Smith & Wessons, and a converted M66 is most likely the Goldilocks solution for me!

TK Custom will turn a S&W 357 into a 9mm for you, if you want. I think they charge $250 or something.

 

[Pat Riot]

Well, the cylinder conversion is $350, but still, this is the most attractive option for me so far. I do like my Smith & Wessons, and a converted M66 is most likely the Goldilocks solution for me!

Be sure and read their restrictions. I considered this then changed my mind.
I do toy with the idea of of having them convert my 442 so I could use moon clips, but I don’t think I would want the pressure restrictions of a 9mm conversion on a .357 Magnum revolver. It’s like hamstringing your revolver, in my opinion.

 

[Monster Zero]

New thread; don’t want to hijack this thread: https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/whats-a-good-plinker-9mm.926973/

I've not found the configuration I'd like in a 9mm revolver. Besides being a fun range gun, I’d like one for two reasons; so I don’t have to chase down my brass, and to chronograph my reloads with the basic Magnetospeed. I would like a decent DA model with a 4 to 5” bbl, with a full hammer, with a cylinder made of non-exotic material, and no silly porting. Is that really too much to ask? Or perhaps I’m the only firearms enthusiast who has these requirements in a 9mm revolver. Anyone else want one like this? Any suggestions?

Consider a Blackhawk convertible, .357/9mm?

 

[sparkyv]

I only use standard pressure rounds in my 9mms. For 10mm and 44RM I let the dogs loose!

Be sure and read their restrictions. I considered this then changed my mind.
I do toy with the idea of of having them convert my 442 so I could use moon clips, but I don’t think I would want the pressure restrictions of a 9mm conversion on a .357 Magnum revolver. It’s like hamstringing your revolver, in my opinion.

 

[Brian Williams]

I got a 940 cylinder from S&W when they still had them and had it installed on a 642, but it fits my S&W 60-4 as well.
That 60-4 is terrific, 3" barrel, adjustable sights and quite pocketable. This is what S&W should make.

 

[Tallball]

I wasn't willing to have my Match Champion or Model 28 converted, otherwise I would have gone the TK Custom route. Eventually I would have come upon an affordable Model 66 or whatever and had it converted, but rolled the dice on the Alf Proj instead. It works fine for a lot less $$. No complaints.

I save about $15 per box of ammo by shooting 9mm instead of 38 special. Something like a Blackhawk convertible cylinder (or even a Taurus 905) will pay for itself quickly if you don't reload.

 

[Tilos]

What baffles me is the MSRP of the RIA 38SP M200 is $249 and the 9mm AL9.0 MSRP is $899...
With the only difference I can see, other than barrel length, is the AL9.0 has an adjustable rear sight.
How is that worth an additional $ 650.??
I would pay a premium for 9mm but not 3 1/2 times as much.
$899 is up there in Ruger money territory, even more than Taurus or Charter arms.
I have an M206 38SP as a house gun and it is decent for what I paid for it.
$900 for the 9mm version, no way.
jmo,
.

 

[InTheSwamp]

It should be fun to shoot, but they pricey for a 9mm fun gun.

 

[James K2020]

Not a DA but plenty of fun as a plinker. 9mm cylinder was under $200.

 

[sparkyv]

...and none of you please suggest the $5k Korth Mongoose. Yes, it fits the bill, but it just costs too many bills! Not happening.



Alf Proj AL9.0, none in stock.

 

[jmorris]

But you know what? If even 5% of 9mm revolver owners use it and like it, that's reason enough it should be available in some quantity.

If you don't like rimmed 9mm, don't use it, but don't tell others who would use it to pound sand.

I'm not telling anyone to pound sand just saying successful manufactures make things people want to buy, good or bad and they tend to stop making things people don't buy. The 9x20R was actually in service from 1922-1963, before the 9x19 took over, in a semiauto.

I make 380 shot rounds myself because there isn't enough market to support any mfg's interest.

The OP can get what he wants, there just isn't the market to make them a full on production item. Low demand often means custom production, like this.

Smith & Wesson 9mm Revolver Rechambering

Send your Smith & Wesson Model 686, 627, 66, or 60 revolver to TK Custom. Your S&W will accept 9mm rounds after installing the 9mm revolver cylinder.

tkcustom.com

Its not too much to ask, if you ask the right people.

Edit: If you do get one converted to 9mm, I'd be interested in the velocity difference between it and your same length pistol barrels (with no cylinder gap). A thread on it with photos too.

 

[Tallball]

@Tilos

I hope I'm correctly assuming that the RIA 38 special revolvers are made in the Philippines by RIA. I've seen and handled them. They're like the old Colts, but more crudely made, IIRC.

The AL9.0 is made in the Czech by "Alfaproj". I have one. It's not like the RIA ones at all. Totally different revolver.

Hence the price difference. They're different designs produced by different companies in different countries.

Apparently RIA is the US distributor for Alfaproj, or something like that.

 

[cfullgraf]

I thought for a second the S&W 986 might fit the bill for you, but turns out it has a titanium cylinder. Just out of curiosity, why would that feature be such a deal breaker? I have the JM 929 and the thing is sweet.

The current Performance Center 986 has a titanium cylinder.

My early production standard 986 has a stainless cylinder. They were available with 4” and 2-1/2” barrels. They might show up on the used market here and there.

Get a good set of moon clip tools, I recommend BMT Equipped tools but they are expensive. Other tools are available at the expense of ease in loading the moon clips.

My 986’s are great revolvers.

Also, I have an SP101 chambered in 9mm. I like it as well but Ruger had two separates runs of the guns and I’ve found not all manufactures’s moon clips fit both versions of the handguns.

 

[Tallball]

There seems to always be some focus on moonclips in these threads. I shoot 9mm and 45acp revolvers a lot, and even have one in 40 caliber. I rarely use moonclips at the range.

Most of my semi-auto caliber revolvers will empty all or most of the brass just by tapping the butt. Even with the "sticky" Alfaproj, it takes less time in the end to just push the empties out with a small screwdriver or wooden dowel.

If someone wants a 9mm revolver for plinking/practice, they don't have to worry about moonclips. Buy a few and use them if you want, but they're not a necessity.

 

[halfmoonclip]

Edit: If you do get one converted to 9mm, I'd be interested in the velocity difference between it and your same length pistol barrels (with no cylinder gap). A thread on it with photos too.

It's late, and I don't have time to dig through my records, but I do have data on the same loads, in autos and revolvers. Not identical guns, though. I'll try to track it down on the weekend.

Mark, I've a pistol caliber revolver jones, and the two I like best are a Chiappa and a Smith 986. The Smith is the longer barreled version, and it is fun to shoot. I got mine used, and it was still moderately expensive.
The Chiappa is fun as well. I need to shoot them more at camp, so as not to have to police brass.
BTW, I've 5 Ti cylindered guns, and none have been a particular problem cleaning. The trick is not to get carried away, and leave the carbon on the cylinder face alone. Actually, I do that on all my revos anymore; it just comes back.
BTW, nines in really light guns can have a surprisingly sharp recoil. I load 147 9mms for the 940; recoil feels much more like a .38 Spl in a 640.
As regards the rimmed 9, I'd be surprised if Starline doesn't make a run every so often. It does beg the question of what shell holder would work.
I've been loading .45ARs, with lighter bullets, for a 325. That can be a surprising handful with .45ball.
Moon

 

[Orkanen]

I'd suggest a Manurhin MR73, despite what it costs. They come in various barrel lengths as .38/.357, a 9mm cylinder being optional. Try one and you'll understand why.

 

[cfullgraf]

I'd suggest a Manurhin MR73, despite what it costs. They come in various barrel lengths as .38/.357, a 9mm cylinder being optional. Try one and you'll understand why.

I’m very happy with my Manurhin MR32 (32 caliber version of the MR73) but the price is not for the faint of heart.

 

[HB]

I was introduced to reloading because I had to feed a 642. Even on a single stage press, reloading .38s is well worth the time and effort to produce affordable ammo but more importantly, much more accurate ammo than the junk that passes for factory ammunition. It is so nice to be able to tailor my rounds from extremely low recoil to hot.

I understand why people want a revolver that takes more afforadable ammo. But for the price of a 9mm revolver, you can get a basic reloading setup and load 500 rounds which will far outperform 9mm fmj.

I think 9mm revolvers are akin to wanting a double action .22lr with a light trigger… it just isn’t going to happen. Kind of like a lever action 30-06. To get that performance, you have to make compromises.

 

[TTv2]

I was introduced to reloading because I had to feed a 642. Even on a single stage press, reloading .38s is well worth the time and effort to produce affordable ammo but more importantly, much more accurate ammo than the junk that passes for factory ammunition. It is so nice to be able to tailor my rounds from extremely low recoil to hot.

I understand why people want a revolver that takes more afforadable ammo. But for the price of a 9mm revolver, you can get a basic reloading setup and load 500 rounds which will far outperform 9mm fmj.

I think 9mm revolvers are akin to wanting a double action .22lr with a light trigger… it just isn’t going to happen. Kind of like a lever action 30-06. To get that performance, you have to make compromises.

There's two flaws in your logic here: first is there are a great many whose handguns are all in 9mm, so what sense does it make for them to get into reloading for a caliber that is frankly not cost effective to reload for? Second, there are several options for a 9mm revolver, a light .22 rimfire trigger revolver is an oxymoron, none of them can be like that.

I do reload for the .38, however I haven't done it for a long time because when I'm reloading it's usually for .32, .45, or 10mm.

 

[IWAC]

Well, there is these:
There is the RIA:

AL9.0 Standard 9mm 6rd

The AL9.0 Standard 9MM offers the finest in precision with low recoil. Only the best from Rock Island Armory and Armscor.

www.armscor.com

.

The Revolver Guy did a good review of these, but...the price is right there with Smith & Wesson, or Ruger, with .38 Spl./357 Magnum, either of which can be loaded to whatever level desired, and can use heavier bullets if needed. Of course, I am a .38/357 fan. ymmv!

 

[Orkanen]

There's two flaws in your logic here: first is there are a great many whose handguns are all in 9mm, so what sense does it make for them to get into reloading for a caliber that is frankly not cost effective to reload for? Second, there are several options for a 9mm revolver, a light .22 rimfire trigger revolver is an oxymoron, none of them can be like that.

Every active member of my club reloads their own ammo. Some also reloads 9mm. A Magtech 9mm 124gr FMJ round costs from 3.59 and up. Equally, a Magtech .38S 148gr FMJ round, 6.06 and up. Cap, projectile and powder, 9mm and .38S, 2.31. I normally run through 100 - 150 rounds on an average day of target practice. That twice a week and an ammo plant will soon pay for itself. I guess that's what I get for living in a high cost country.

 

[HB]

There's two flaws in your logic here: first is there are a great many whose handguns are all in 9mm, so what sense does it make for them to get into reloading for a caliber that is frankly not cost effective to reload for? Second, there are several options for a 9mm revolver, a light .22 rimfire trigger revolver is an oxymoron, none of them can be like that.

I do reload for the .38, however I haven't done it for a long time because when I'm reloading it's usually for .32, .45, or 10mm.

Maybe I wasn’t very clear. .38 is the one I am suggesting is best to reload. I don’t load for 9mm because primers are 10¢ these days and factory fmj is 30¢ a shot. Factory .38 is 50¢ a round and higher quality handloads can be loaded for 25¢.

If there was a market for 9mm revolvers, they would be more popular.