Ultimate .38 Spl To Own (If You Could Only Have One)

[Mr. Mosin]

If you could only have one .38 Spl revolver, to do anything you wanted to do in your day to day life; what would it be, and why ?

The only stipulation is that your choice must be a *dedicated* .38 Spl. No .357's w/ .38's in em.

My choice would probably be a variation of the last issued FBI service revolver:

A 3" heavy barreled, round butt Mdl 64. Quick to handle, big enough to readily soak recoil, small enough to conceal, and the round butt allows for an absolute smorgasbord of grips to be fitted.

 

[mcb]

I have carried this Model 10 for several years as my woods/tractor gun. I think it would be hard to beat a Model 10 or Model 64 with a 3" or 4" heavy barrel. It's light enough to carry easy, but heavy enough to shoot well and the fix sights make is robust to hard use.

 

[Rexster]

The most important .38 Special revolvers, in my life, are a pair of S&W 2” K-Frames, Models 64-3 and 64-4. So, if the stipulations of the original post are that this scenario means this would be my only .38 Special revolver, well, the answer is obvious. If I am choosing my only handgun, period, well, I would have to modify my answer, to something with more-visible sights, and a longer barrel.

 

[murf]

a combat masterpiece is all i need.

murf

 

[Kleanbore]

a combat masterpiece is all i need.

murf

Yep!

I really, really wanted one back in '64 and '65, but SAC AP and other USG buys made them unavailable.

 

[MacAR]

K38 Masterpiece, 6". Or a Colt Officer's Model Match with 6" barrel. Either would suit me just fine.

Mac

 

[murf]

i got lucky and inherited a 4 inch combat masterpiece from my father. which means i have been shooting it since i was a wee tyke. if you miss it's not the gun!

murf

 

[merlynski]

Colt Diamondback, 4". Had one years ago, should NEVER have parted with it.

 

[wcwhitey]

Model 15, 4”.

 

[Jim Watson]

I am with you on the Combat Masterpiece aka Model 15. The adjustable sights will just have to take care of themselves, the typical hog wallow fixed revolver sight is just not distinct enough for me.
It doesn't have to be that way.

There is a centerfold gunsmith putting a more streamlined high visibility fixed sight on his ultra deluxe police surplus cutdown to the cult object Three Inch Roundbutt.

 

[Jimfern]

 

[.38 Special]

Kind of hard to argue with a Combat Masterpiece. I'd give an awful lot of thought to an Outdoorsman, though - assuming the OP lets us sneak in a .38/44!

 

[Sistema1927]

.38 Special only? The one on the right:


3" S&W 64-8. However, I would feel well served with (L) the SP-101 in .327 Fed Mag, or the (C) Kimber K6S in .357 Mag. Any of these 3" revolvers would do the job, and I wouldn't feel under gunned carrying the .38.

 

[MedWheeler]

I'd be fine with my Model 67, purchased for nostalgia reasons, as a 67 was the first sidearm I was issued when I was sworn in back in 1987. I shot that one quite well, but have yet to shoot the one I currently own. Mine is actually a 67-1, but I think that one back then was likely a "no-dash"; I only have one picture of me holding it from back then, and I can't make out any orange on the front sight...

...but, I have my dad's old Undercover .38, made the same year in which I was born. I'd have to stick with that because, well, it was my dad's.

(I also have two other Undercovers, one of which I bought that same day I was issued the 67 and my badge, as a OD/BU gun.)

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

M15

 

[GooseGestapo]

Mod-14,15, 67. 4”
Must have adjustable sights due to different weight bullets and different grips shooting to different POI.
What I know now 40yrs down the road, I could be happy forevermore with my Heavy barrel Mod-14 4”.
I held a PPC national record with service revolver for two relays til #@&&#@! Phil Hemphill beat me by 1X to set current record.

I just will not shoot heavy +P’s through my target guns, though.

 

[lee n. field]

If you could only have one .38 Spl revolver, to do anything you wanted to do in your day to day life; what would it be, and why ?

The only stipulation is that your choice must be a *dedicated* .38 Spl. No .357's w/ .38's in em.

My choice would probably be a variation of the last issued FBI service revolver:

A 3" heavy barreled, round butt Mdl 64. Quick to handle, big enough to readily soak recoil, small enough to conceal, and the round butt allows for an absolute smorgasbord of grips to be fitted.

Taurus 856 Defender 3" will do that, in a slightly more petite package. Yeah, I know, "euuu Taurus".

Anyway, the real answer depends on how you anticipate using it, and carrying it. What's it for?

 

[Haywood]

If I could only have one it would be a very tough decision between my 442 or bobbed 37. I’ll have to think on that a while. The 442 has always been my favorite but, the 37 has been growing on me. I carry them both every day. I guess I’ll have to get back to you.

 

[NeroM]

M10.
All one actually needs,
Nothing you don't.

 

[Iggy]

I have run the gamut through all kinds of 38s, but have thinned the herd down to a pre-WWII 38/44 Outdoorsman and a 5 inch 38/44 nickel Outdoorsman.
They will handle powder-puffs to screamers and dadgum good looking too.

 

[303 hunter]

Mine would be my 1989 production 3” Ruger SP101. Plenty strong enough for anything needed, and very accurate.

 

[barnett]

Would have to be my Diamondback. (4”)

 

[ThomasT]

It looks like most here have told you the same thing I have told you many times over in the emails we trade. Get a model 15 if you want the ultimate 38 Special. I hope you can find one with the $600 you have coming and then find some ammo. But you will never find one at Academy Sports. You will have a hard time finding one at a gun store too unless you time it just right. They don't sit on the shelf that long.

 

[GBExpat]

If you could only have one .38 Spl revolver, to do anything you wanted to do in your day to day life; what would it be, and why ? ...

A century-old Smith & Wesson Model of 1905 Hand-Ejector (4th change) with a 5" or 6" barrel would be fine for me, thank you.

I have found that I am a bit more accurate with the longer barrel and I prefer the look of these pistols over some of the later .38spc revolvers that suffer (to my eye) from TMS (TooMuchSteel).

Here is a pic of two that I acquired a couple of years ago ... after I stripped them to apply some TLC.



Alas, I never thought to take another pic after they were repaired and fully clothed.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Colt Diamondback, 4"

That's a good one, alright. I still have one and really like shooting it but if it could only be one (which I still say is unAmerican!) it'd have to be a Detective Special. I have 3" and 2" models and would be hard pressed to choose between them but the slightest nod has to go to the 3", just because it fits a back pocket so darned well.