...for a .44mag double action revolver. Not exactly sure why, but do you really need a reason? I'm not really well versed on revolvers, I know enough to get by without embarrassing myself, but I think it would be fun to get into them a bit, and having a friend with the stuff to reload .44mag doesn't hurt either. Plus it seems to be a relatively forgiving caliber to cut my teeth on for rolling my own. (Not gonna short-cycle a revolver with a light load after all...)
Any suggestions for a decent gun that's not going to break the bank? Looking more for a duty sized gun, not a little snubby or a long hunting piece.
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Maybe strange for a former Marine 0331, I'm much more of a wheel gun fan than semi-auto oriented. That said, I have drunk the Glock KoolAid and revere my 23.
.44 is literally a blast to shoot and having a pal to help you reload will save you the eighty-five cents to buck-plus per shot that factory ammo runs these days. If you can't get it done with five or six rounds of .44, it might not need doing! I have always loved Ruger DA wheelies because they are less expensive than Smiths or Colts but have better fit and finish than Taurus or Charter Arms. A good used Redhawk with a 4" barrel should be get-able for $300 or so and a well used Ruger is hardly broken in. Versus a Smith or Colt, they are not as finely tuned perhaps (triggers aren't gritty but there's 'crawl' during the break-in period) but they are machined with a solid receiver, a frame like a veritable bank vault. No sideplates means more strength for handling a steady diet of hot .44 and less likelihood of the dreaded kaboom.
I'll finish by saying that the .357 Magnum is more my speed these days and anything you can't do with a KGP-141 (GP100 stainless model, 4" full lug barrel, six shot, Hogue fingergroove grips) is just silly. Good Luck, really enjoy your blog.
I'll keep that in mind as I look around. I think I'd love a Smith if the price was right, but I haven't seen many used ones around here, and new is definitely pushing it price wise. And of course a I would absolutely love a Colt... I mean the first centerfire revolver I ever shot was this one, so I'm a bit partial to the snakes.
I simply hadn't thought about Rugers for some reason though. Thanks for the reminder there.
This link should be helpful:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57816
Ask a friend to let you practice "checking out" a revolver, so you get an idea of what normal lockup feels like, end shake, cylinder gap, etc. A set of feeler gauges to check gaps will let a seller know you mean business but also help detect problems.
Most revolvers can shoot the little brothers of the magnum rounds, i.e. a .357 can shoot 38 specials, a 44 magnum can shoot 44 specials, etc. You just need to adjust your reloading dies.
IMHO it is best to get a used S&W. The reason is if there is any problem, they will typically honor a lifetime warranty, and shipping is on their dime. I have sent 2 used revolvers in for barrel issues, came back in a couple weeks perfect. S&W are also easy to tune with Wolff springs and such for a particular application, and after market grips are abundant.
That said, one thing to consider is that there is the .45acp model 625. If you are a semi-auto guy that already reloads .45acp, that might make a good choice unless you are willing to build up a supply of 44 mag brass.
Last but not least, if you need any convincing to jump into revolvers, go watch the Jerry Miculek pro tips at the bottom left of this page:
http://www.shootingusa.com/
If it's a warranty issue, Ruger has trumped S&W in my personal experience. I had an issue with a Model 60 3" stainless .357 and a GP100 and Ruger came through better faster, stronger than Smith.
How about a nice single action!? I had a great Ruger New Model Super Blackhawk, 4-5/8" bbl, Rosewood grips (that I recall now single action nuts refer to as stocks) and a sweet unfluted cylinder. That handled .44 Mag, .44 Special and .44 Russian with aplomb. Not the speed of a DA but it handled powerful loads easily:
http://www.ruger.com/products/newModelSuperBlackhawkStandard/specSheets/0814.html
For some reason I'm just not feeling the single action as much as a double, possibly the lack of desire to go shooting in a cowboy hat at this time.
I'll have to start looking around when I'm done playing full-time army man. Could just luck out and stumble on exactly what I'm looking for like I did with my last shotgun too.
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