What S&W revolver didn't you like?

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firestar

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I am a big S&W revolver fan and for the most part, I like there guns but I had a S&W 63 SS 4" .22lr revolver that left me cold. It was a solid gun and shot well and gave me no problems but it looked like it was finished with coarse sandpaper and had a very stiff trigger. Overall it just wasn't as smooth as Smiths are famous for being. It was made in 1978 which I hear was a low point in S&W guns.

What other S&W revolvers just didn't seem to live up to the S&W reputation? I want to know so I can avoid them if possible.
 
I have only owned two S&W revolvers. A 6" 586 and a 442. Of the two, I would most definitely say that I liked the 442 the least. But, looking back, I am not sure that I gave myself enough time to get used to it. It was the best, as far as size, carry gun that I ever had. I just couldn't hit with it. Probably me and not the gun. I should have kept it. I still feel bad about letting the 586 go. But, my 4" GP100 helps soothe the pain a great deal. :)
 
Noooo...it's not you. It's the gun. I had a 442 also and HATED it. Not only couldn't I get used to the recoil, but I couldn't hit the side of a barn with it. Sold it and got Langdon Tactical work on my Berettas. Best move I made thus far.... www.langdontactical.com

The 686 4" brought me back to revolvers. I swear I love this gun as much as my Berettas and never thought I'd say that about revolvers. :eek: Now I'm looking to get a Lady Smith 65, Model 60 3", 66 F Comp and a couple of 686 snubbies in six and seven shot. Thankfully, having been cured of the bad experience with my 442, I now realize that a good revolver can be a beautiful thing...:D
 
Maybe I just got lucky, but all S&W Revolvers I ever owned were great. ( 19, 66, 617, 25, 27, 28, 29, 629, 686 ) Never had a problem. There wasn't a single one I didn't like.
 
This is easy. I didn't like the M-88. Wha? They don't go up that high? Well, I guess that answers the question then!:D
 
I'm not as into revolvers as semi-autos, but I have a 629 .44 Mag with 3" barrel that I love. Used to have a 66 .357 with 3" barrel. It looked too cowboy-ish for my tastes, so I sold it. It shot great, but just didn't fit me. I only like snubby revolvers for some reason...
 
The 629 Mountain Gun. Just too darn light to shoot, great to carry. I didn't hate myself that much, so it had to go.
 
Interesting - I also had a 63 I purchased back in the late 70's that I never could warm up to. I don't recall any issues with the fit/finish or action, but I was seriously disappointed in the way it shot. I got patterns rather than groups. Still not sure if it was me or the gun.

One of the few guns I've sold off. Never regretted it.
 
K 38

I had one issued to me in the early `70's and had to qualify with it: 60 rounds. I finally convinced the boss to allow me to continue carrying my Python and put the Smith away. In the mid `80's, the agency switched to Sig and we were able to buy them for $135.00. I bought mine because a buddy wanted a house gun for his mother. He got it for the same price as I paid for it. After 10 to 13 years in my possession, it had only 60 rounds through it. It was in the original box and still had the factory waxed paper.

I ran into my buddy a few weeks ago and asked about it. He sold it, after his mother passed away, and made a nice profit.

Why did I dislike it? It was not a Python! It still have the "snake" after 38 years. It still shoots as well as the day I bought it,

John
 
Mastrogiacomo,

Noooo...it's not you. It's the gun.
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I have no problems at all shooting very accurately with my 442, but a snubby Airweight DAO J-frame is definitely not a beginner's gun. For some perverse reason some gun store clerks seem to delight in putting these little guns in the hands of new shooters because, hey, they're small and light and cute... and have long triggers, tiny grips, a short sight radius and vicious recoil with +P ammo. Why a gun that is best suited to experienced revolver shooters and is designed to fill a very narrow and specialized purpose is so often sold to novices as an all-around handgun is something that leaves me baffled.
 
I'm with Ala Dan here .. I have yet to meet a Smith I could really dislike! However ... I do doubt very much I would find much enjoyment from the Scandiums ... lightweights are just not for me ..... no offence to the guns but not for me.
 
I've only owned one Smith, a 586 4". The gun looked great but It wasn't a good shooter. I sold it for a King Cobra 4" and was much happier.
 
For some perverse reason some gun store clerks seem to delight in putting these little guns in the hands of new shooters because, hey, they're small and light and cute... and have long triggers, tiny grips, a short sight radius and vicious recoil with +P ammo.
Click to expand...

Too true. I've been helping my wife pick out a gun for the past couple months and she gravitated to j-frames at first, claiming my GP100 and similar sized guns were too big and heavy.

When we went to the range for the first time, we took my Gp100, my S&W 36, and my dad's S&W 10. We started with the largest and went down in size, shooting the exact same load (standard velocity 38s). It was a good object lesson on how the size and weight of the gun affects recoil. Even though she was more accurate with the 36, she preferred shooting the GP100.

Now she wants to lay claim to my GP100 :what: :scrutiny:

Chris
 
I don't care for any of the new Scandium and/or Titanium guns. Too light, the jury is still out on longevity and they just don't look right:scrutiny:
 
Haven't run accross any yet, but I gotta say, I'm not real excited by the new internal lock versions.

Joe
 
Haven't run accross any yet, but I gotta say, I'm not real excited by the new internal lock versions.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the "zit" really gets on my last aesthetic nerve, too. (Plus the little Rube Goldberg-esque popup flag that says "locked" is just too goofy for words. Someone needs to be beaten for that. :scrutiny: )
 
I have a problem loving the small J and I frames. Would never turn one down but I do like the larger grips of the others.
 
I am not sure I have ever heard anyone bash the 442/642 before. Many tout them has the best pocket gun ever made. Interesting... I love mine.

I also love my 686 and I will never part with my 625.

On the hunt for another 625 and maybe a 610...
 
I haven't met a S&W revo I didn't like ;) That's not to say I don't have preferences. I like the steel framed version more than the lightweight & ultra-lightweight guns, I like the med to large framed guns vs. the smaller ones & I like the ones w/o the silly lock on them
 
I really like all (only four) of my Smith revolvers a great deal. They are all N frames. Interestingly -- at least to me -- my favorites are the oldest (a 30+ year old P&R’ed five inch 27-2 in .357 magnum) and the newest (a four inch 625-9 Mountain Gun in .45 “long†Colt). The workmanship and accuracy of these two revolvers is nothing less than superb. Putting aside the detestable politics of the Clinton Administration, I really feel Smith’s quality and customer-orientation has recently (the last six months or so) improved.
 
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