Best revolver of all-time?

[KY Jim]

I am a Diehard S & W man but, the best guns are.
Revolvers:
Smith 44 magnum.
Colt Python 357 Magnum.
Smith model 17/617 in 22 LR
Semi Auots with out a doubt
The John M. Browning model 1911 in which I favor.
Smith, Colt, the old model pre-lock Springfield Armory and the Dan Wesson Pointman. All in 45 ACP caliber.
I am of course assuming that you want our opinion and this is mine FWIW. Oh you didn't ask this but, the best rifle is a Winchester pre-64 model 70 in 30-06. Also JMHO FWIW.

[Fan45acp]

My "Best All Time Revolver" is this "New To ME" 31 year old 29-2.:

[Edward429451]

So how many of you Registered Magnum owners also own a Freedom Arms 83 and still say S&W? None.

I like S&W's but that mdl 83 is what sets the standard now. I've never felt a better trigger on a hand gun.

[Newton24b]

not the greatest of questions based upon a lack of underlying context or criteria.

however the only real way to answer it is in one of two ways;

1. the revolver that you have the most love for, the one youve always known and used. the one you know that you can take out, load up, and put the entire cylinder in a beer can at 25 yards all day long. that will always be number one greatest in the land.

2. the one in your hand when you need to get your leg out from a rabid coyotes teeth.

[JimPage]

Amen!

[skidder]

Colt Python

[Kimbertron]

I enjoyed reading this thread, so many best revolves of all time , i mean that in a good way. Firearms are always something that will be personal and alot of great revolvers mentioned. As for my opinion i am limiting myself to revolvers i own, so that vote would go to my Ruger SP101 that i carry daily. I'm working to expand my collection so my opinion may change in years to come :P. I am hoping a colt python and various S&W revolver become part of my collection soon so don't take my vote as what i believe to be fact :P.

[Winchester_73]

So how many of you Registered Magnum owners also own a Freedom Arms 83 and still say S&W? None.

I did own a FA model 83 premier grade 454 casull and I don't think its the best but I liked it a lot. Between 5 shots and a SA trigger, I still prefer a model 27.
The RM is much more historically significant, and cooler in general, IMO.
If it was SA revolvers, it would be the FA or perhaps a Colt. But for me, my favorite aka the best has to be DA. And my FA trigger did not beat all of my revolvers, it was in the top 10 probably, but not the top 5. Maybe I had a bad one?

[Edward429451]

Very interesting Winchester. I've actually never shot a RM and speak through the pride of ownership of the 83. I doubt you had a bad 83. I've only shot two of these and they were both comparably nice. So nice that I doubt there is any bad ones. They're built like a Swiss Tank lol.

If the mdl 83 didn't make your top 5 then it's a safe bet some of your guns have had trigger work done to them. That's encouraging to me. None of my wheelguns have had anything done to them. If I could get my SBH or RH to be even close to as nice as the FA...that would be something!

Did the RM's come that nice or have to be tweaked?

[jad0110]

Colt Patterson. Although some revolving pistols had been made before the Patterson, none were practical enough to really catch on. The Patterson proved that the idea was sound, and pointed the way for all the rest.

Colt Patterson gets my vote as well, for pure historical significance.

[brickeyee]

Colt Python.

You can sometimes slick up other guns to match the trigger, but the Python comes ready to go.
It is also painfully accurate.

[Sgt127]

So how many of you Registered Magnum owners also own a Freedom Arms 83 and still say S&W? None.

I like S&W's but that mdl 83 is what sets the standard now. I've never felt a better trigger on a hand gun.

I did. I think the Freedom Arms is an outstanding revolver. Its the Rolex of SA revolvers. It is, truly, a work of art.

And, there are spectacular pieces of art made recently. I would still prefer a Rembrandt hanging on my wall.

I combine the quality or manufactuer, the history, the limited production run and the fact that the RM ushered in the era of the modern Magnum handgun cartridge to reach my decision. Taking absolutly NOTHING away from any other classic gun. Or, a modern masterpiece like the NAA.

Heck, one of my RM's is pretty dog eared. But, it came by it honestly.

[COLT_45]

Colt SAA 45 - The Peacemaker

[Smaug]

Ruger Redhawk. It can do just about everything well. Concealed carry is not the strong point, but everything else is, especially to a hand loader.

[BIG P]

Ruger Super Red Hawk
Colt Python

[Edward429451]

I have to go get my hands on a RM now to see what all the fuss is about!
I don't have a 357 in the lineup yet anyway. Too many 44's.

[dgludwig]

So how many of you Registered Magnum owners also own a Freedom Arms 83 and still say S&W? None.

Have you ever owned a Registered Magnum-and still say Freedom Arms 83?

Did the RM's come that nice or have to be tweaked?

By "RM" I assume you mean Registered Magnum. They all came "that nice"; no "tweaking" necessary.

[Edward429451]

I have to go get my hands on a RM now to see what all the fuss is about!
I don't have a 357 in the lineup yet anyway. Too many 44's.

It's the big one built on the same frame they built the 29? N?

[Slowhand]

I don't have a "Best One"... That would be like owning one screw driver.



I have 4 Main Carry Weapons. Depending upon which side of town I’m in I may be found with the S&W 4043 in the glove box. Either the Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan in .44 MAG , a Ruger SP 101 .357 Cal, or a SIG P-239 in 9mm as a main gun. Weather and how I’m dressed are also taken into consideration. The Ruger LCP .380 goes along as a BUG or sometimes flies solo.

I also have a couple of dozen Safe Queens

[coop2564]

Colt Python

[zombieslayer]

Id just like to have a nice 686 with no lock.

[Steven_Seagal]

GP100, SW 686, or the Colt Python in .357

[Steven_Seagal]

GP100, SW 686, or the Colt Python in .357

[Winchester_73]

Very interesting Winchester. I've actually never shot a RM and speak through the pride of ownership of the 83. I doubt you had a bad 83. I've only shot two of these and they were both comparably nice. So nice that I doubt there is any bad ones. They're built like a Swiss Tank lol.

If the mdl 83 didn't make your top 5 then it's a safe bet some of your guns have had trigger work done to them. That's encouraging to me. None of my wheelguns have had anything done to them. If I could get my SBH or RH to be even close to as nice as the FA...that would be something!

Did the RM's come that nice or have to be tweaked?

I am almost certain that my best S&W trigger is original, and my best Colt, a 1954 Trooper is original too. Both SA were better than the FA although the FA trigger was great too.

Well I actually also never owned or shot a RM either BUT I would rather have one and still think its better to have to me than any FA. The FA is more common and more of a cookie cutter in the sense that many are similar. With RMs, there were tons of options including barrel lengths from 3.5 to 8.75 by the 1/4 inch, 2 finishes, different grip types, front sight types, rear sight types, 2 different hammers, etc. A total custom order gun which is more elegant than practically any SS (industrial looking) revolver. It was also the most expensive domestic handgun at the time and was the first magnum of all time. The gun introduced the modern day mega popular 357 magnum. It was also one of the most powerful handguns ever made at the time and was used by many hunters on the biggest most dangerous game back then. Its cooler, to me, because it was first, among other reasons. I can't say that it was made better, but FA came out nearly 50 years later, so the FA benefited from several technological break throughs. The RM was however one of the best of its time, if not the best DA revolver ever. I know a lot about them despite never owning one.

The RM could also be sighted in by the factory with 38 special or 357 magnum, 2 different holds, center or 6 o clock and any distance from IIRC from 10 yds to 200 yds (believe it or not).

They were discontinued partly because they took so long to make that S&W quickly fell behind with orders. They also were expensive to produce. They were later more and more streamlined for mass production. The Registration process was stopped before WWII and as time went on, all of the options except the most basic were removed.

Being a S&W fan, I am biased but the FA is SA and therefor different in my eyes regardless. When I think of a RM, I don't think of any SA guns but rather I think of Colt's legendary models, Pythons, Shooting Masters, OMMs, Officers Models, etc.

It's the big one built on the same frame they built the 29? N?

Well ya but the 27 aka N frame 357 was way before the 29 / 44 magnum model. The N frame, is the S&W large frame, which was debuted with the 44 special cartridge IIRC in the early 20th century.

I have to go get my hands on a RM now to see what all the fuss is about! I don't have a 357 in the lineup yet anyway. Too many 44's.

A good RM, original, will run about $4000. IMO, if you're going to get one, you might as well get one thats investment grade so that you can get your money back. Buying one that has issues is a losing venture often because its a collector's piece. Refinished, butchered examples are much cheaper. One sold on GB a few months ago for $1400 but it was re-barreled, refinished, wrong grips and tapped for a scope IIRC.

Here is Pattons order sheet for his RM. Other famous RM owners include Clark Gable, Jay Edgar Hoover (SN #1, missing to this day), Col. Douglas Wesson, Elmer Keith, and many others.



Here's a blank S&W Registered Magnum order sheet. Look at how detailed...
Guns today just aren't the same, for many reasons.



Here is a collector grade RM with all the goodies: the original box, original 8 3/4 barrel length, S&W N frame service grips, tyler grip adapters (this was before wrap around target grips), Reg Mag certificate, mailing carton for RM certificate, etc. I believe this gun also has the humpback hammer option and it has some type of option front sight. Maybe a paine or a call bead? Not sure.

Many people still shoot these because of how great they were built. Despite being made in 1935-1937 (IIRC), and the first 357 magnum, they hold up quite well. I never read about one needing any repairs although I'm sure they could be abused to that point.

[youngunz4life]

NICE!!