First handgun

[AndrewBrown]

I'm not much into handguns as much as I am shotguns and muzzleloaders. I'm wanting to buy my first one, and im looking for a revolver in a .44 or a .357 mag. What are your opinions on the brand i should choose and in general????

 

[chezuki]

Colt Python

[/thread]


J/k

What is your intended use for the gun?

 

[Mosinguy]

I owned a Smith and Wesson 19-4 and had no complaints.

 

[metaldog]

to
As a lover of Colt weapons, I agree with Chezuki. I would definitely consider an older S&W or Ruger too.

 

[Rey B]

S&W 686

 

[Bennettjh]

Are you wanting to carry it, have a safe queen?

 

[AndrewBrown]

Its for more of an all around use of a handgun. No specific use

 

[Shoots4Fun]

Ruger GP100 or SP101...

 

[x10]

overall you'll see more Smiths at the top of the matches. Reasons, are mainly the trigger. Rugers have a long lock time, colts are good but you can get a Smith to be consistant and perfect every time.

I'm not a "smith" fan but I've ended up with several of them because they work better than anything else where a revolver comes in

My ruger super redhawk is a beast and does the job but the lock time makes it harder to shoot. But If I had shoot full power loads to infinity the Ruger would be the choice but a smith 29 would be easier to shoot well

 

[VERT]

Its for more of an all around use of a handgun. No specific use

Smith & Wesson K/L frame or Ruger GP100 in .357 with a 4 inch barrel. Probably about as "all around use" as a person can get. If you have no intention of using it for hunting and might decide to carry it concealed then a Smith Model 60 Pro or Ruger SP101 with a 3 inch barrel would be a good choice.

 

[Glocksmith]

Smith is top dog. Go stainless. 686 if .357, 629 if .44. .357 will be more versatile, and you can run .38's in it for play time. Ruger is IMHO second best, but you can refine the trigger by changing the spring in the grip. Ruger offers a 3 spring kit with various trigger weights. Easy to change. Why buy a Ruger and change springs to achieve a Smith trigger... go Smith to start with.

 

[sportsman223]

The one that has the fit and feel you like best. Go to some gun ranges and try out a couple different ones

 

[Gman75]

IMO you can't go wrong with S&W or Ruger. I have a Ruger GP100 and SP101 in 357 and love them both.

 

[LARGrizzly]

Colt, Smith and Ruger all make very good handguns. Each has different grip feel and trigger action. Colt's are very nice but quite pricey these days. If you have not shot handguns much I agree you should go to a range where you can rent and shoot both before making a sizable investment. Some people find the 44 Magnum a bit too much and the only way to find that out is to fire one.

 

[ru44mag]

My first handgun was a 44mag. Look to the left...there it is. I bought it with the intention of hunting. Had it since '86 or '87. If you don't plan to hunt, not sure why you would want a 44mag. When I started buying revolvers, they started big, then started getting smaller. Like others have said, try some out, see what works best for you. A .357 with 3-4" barrel would probably be the best. My second revolver around '89 was a GP100 with 4" barrel. Very nice. A little big to carry every day though.

 

[DFM914]

Ruger GP100 or SP101 in .357

 

[Springer]

My first handgun was a Glock 17 and if I could go back I would probably get a handgun in 22lr or a Ruger Security Six. I would eventually get a G17 to because I really enjoy that gun.

 

[netsecurity]

I had a 686 Plus. The plus was an extra round in the cylinder, making for a seven shot revolver. After carrying it hunting and such, I have to say that it was a beast to carry, because of the weight and width.

EDIT: I did some research and the width is supposedly identical to the regular 686, so it is just a large revolver period. It was an excellent gun with the best trigger I've ever felt, just too awkward to carry in a holster. I guess all the 686's are the same width, and that's just why I'm not a fan now. If I were to buy another I doubt it would be a. 686, because I would want to find something thinner, like maybe a five shot.

http://www.ballistics101.com/b4b_revolvers.php

The one thing I love about revolvers is that they are more accurate and easier to shoot than a pistola.

 

[ViperJock]

Ooh. Congratulations on taking the first step into a brand new addiction!

My vote would be S&W 686 plus with a 4" barrel. I've been craving one for a while so if you don't like it Ill buy it from you at half price! How can you lose?

 

[netsecurity]

Ooh. Congratulations on taking the first step into a brand new addiction!

My vote would be S&W 686 plus with a 4" barrel. I've been craving one for a while so if you don't like it Ill buy it from you at half price! How can you lose?

Hah, that is exactly what I had, and it was a pre-lock, but I sold it already. I think I got more for it than I paid for it originally, or at least the same. So S&W revolvers hold their value real well, even better than most guns. Colt's probably even more so. Yea, you can't really lose because you can always sell them for about what you paid for them or more. I'll admit that revolvers are a great investment for collectors, I just prefer collecting pistols that I can carry and shoot affordably. Revolver ammunition is getting as expensive as rifle ammo.