don’t even want to get another revolver anymore...

[TxFlyFish]

Not sure if y’all share the same sentiment. Cost cutting with every revision, poor qc, regulatory features, spend big bucks on a revolver that is a shadow of its former glory. And if you finally find a nice vintage one you don’t want to ruin it by shooting it. The only consolation? CS is on overdrive and will take care of you. Is this what the revolvers market has turned into?

The semi auto market in this regard is doing somewhat better.

[CDR_Glock]

Maybe I have low expectations and I have had limited experience with days of old. I acquired somewhere in the neighborhood of 12 revolvers in a year. I had no issues with Ruger Super RedHawks or my X frame S&W revolvers.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[bn12gg]

I shoot ALL my "vintage" Colt and S/W revolvers -- shoot'em or move them down the road.

.02. David.

Ps -- I'm curious as to the quality os the new Colt Cobra -- have not handled or shot one.

[TxFlyFish]

You guys are much braver than I am

[tranders]

I am reluctant for new revolver purchases unless an extensive go over before purchasing.

The local Rural King has a decent selection of revolvers,but they aren't allowed to remove the trigger lock until the purchase. Makes it impossible to check timing and trigger pull.

[In The Ten Ring]

I have carried a S&W Airweight for four years now. I am not happy about the lock on the side but I haven't found a pre-lock version (yet).

Mine was a police backup gun for some time before the pawn shop got hold of it. It's pretty scratched up but works fine, the officer even had a trigger job done at some time, so I got a "deal" considering that.

Other than limited rounds, I feel fine with it. The sights are dead on and so are my laser grips. I carry one reload but I'm thinking about switching to two speed loaders.

Some years ago I was a rental cop and several guys carried S&W .357 Magnums. At the time I was skeptical, preferring a semi auto, but these days, I'd feel pretty good with my Model 66-1. Only hits count and having six might make you conserve your ammo.

[JohnKSa]

Two of the three guns I'm looking for at the moment are revolvers.

That said, I will only buy them if I can hold them in my hands and look them over thoroughly.

[Driftwood Johnson]

And if you finally find a nice vintage one you don’t want to ruin it by shooting it.

Howdy

That attitude will certainly prevent you from buying any nice old revolvers.

Unless it is in As New In The Box condition, and as long as you don't bang it up, you will not 'ruin' it.

I have many, 'vintage' revolvers. There are a few that I don't shoot, simply because ammunition is no longer made for them. The others, I do shoot. I take good care of them, and I don't shoot the dickens out of them, but I certainly do shoot them. If their value happens to go down a little bit, who cares? I did not buy them for investments, that's what the stock market is for.

I tend to agree that some manufacturers have let quality slide recently, so I don't buy brand new guns from those guys anymore. But I buy used revolvers all the time, and unless they are rare or in fantastic condition, I shoot them, without fearing that I will 'ruin' them.

[Driftwood Johnson]

but they aren't allowed to remove the trigger lock until the purchase. Makes it impossible to check timing and trigger pull.

That guy would not get any of my business. I passed up a beautiful 3rd Generation Colt New Frontier this weekend because I was not allowed to remove the tie wrap around the hammer and cycle it.

Their loss.

Widen your horizons, there are lots of places that will let you cycle a gun before purchasing it.

As long as you can demonstrate you know what you are doing.

[BigJimP]

I always shoot my vintage S&W revolvers...

But there are very good new revolvers out there from companies like Freedom Arms, Korth, etc

I have purchased a pair of S&W 627's.perf center models, and while they aren't vintage - there is nothing wrong with them.

[JohnKSa]

That guy would not get any of my business. I passed up a beautiful 3rd Generation Colt New Frontier this weekend because I was not allowed to remove the tie wrap around the hammer and cycle it.

Agree. I'm not going to buy a gun if I'm not allowed to check it out.

[tallball]

I shoot my old ones, too. That's what I bought them for. If they are 50 or 100 years old and not shot to pieces yet, I don't think the box of ammo I will put through them every now and again will do them any harm.

[Remington74]

Older Model revolvers... They were here before I found them and they will be here after I'm gone. While I have them I'll shoot them, the next owner can baby them if they want to.

[44 AMP]

If you ruin your gun by shooting it, you are doing something VERY wrong.

[walnut1704]

Yeah, I'm pickin' up what you be layin' down. The "good" revolvers are getting pretty old at this point. Hard to buy one sight unseen as there's usually something wrong with a 60's-80's revolver at this point. NIB examples are too expensive to use as shooters and it's really hard to find a really good, tight, classic S&W at some sort of reasonable price.

Not long ago I was offered a K-38 from the late 60's that looked new except for a very thin 2" long scratch on the right side near the muzzle. Looked really good. The only issue it had was very tight throats, in fact the tightest I've ever seen at .354. That might be why it was never shot much. But that's an easy fix. I reamed out the throats before I even tried shooting it.

But I digress. Running into something like that has become rare. If you do, buy it because it may be the last one you see. This came from a fellow club member who was selling down his inventory and did not want the hassle or danger of dealing with strangers. I shoot it on a regular basis. Set me back roughly the price of a new Glock. I'd much rather have the K-38.

[5whiskey]

One word... Ruger. At least Ruger as of 2014. I have a coworker with a GP100 I've been eyeing he bought new in 2014. If anything, its fit, finish, and function are superior to my old security six. He keeps trying to sell it to me. I keep resisting even though I want it. If I'm going to spend the money, I'd rather have an old vaquero in 45 colt

[41 Magnum]

My few older S&W's are all the Smith's I'll ever own, & I wouldn't trade any of them for 10 semi's if I had to keep the semi's.




However, I have several Ruger revolvers, that are incredibly well finished & excellent performers.
That includes my current favorite "Match Champion"!
I just have not been able to get enough time to go out & play at the range with my Son's-in-law & my Son,
what with our weather here ! But, Spring is on the way !!!
As far as a revolver being "too nice to shoot", come on now, gimmie a break !!
That's what I buy them for !! I am not leaving ANY unfired guns to my Kids !?
If they want to have unfired collections, let them buy their own.
Really, . . . . Why would anyone ever want to own a gun they will never get to enjoy ??!!

You'd best enjoy them while you can, cause eventually the nut cases are probably gonna win, & we may wish we had !!

[jdc1244]

I have a 10-year-old GP 100 whose fit and finish is excellent, the gun remains accurate and reliable.

My son recently purchased a new GP 100 whose fit and finish is likewise excellent.

And the new SP 101 I purchased this weekend also exhibited an excellent fit and finish.

However subjective and anecdotal my experience might be, I believe the OP ‘s concerns are unwarranted, that there are perfectly good new revolvers available.

[DaleA]

Cost cutting with every revision, poor qc, regulatory features, spend big bucks on a revolver that is a shadow of its former glory.

I really hope things aren't as bleak as this. There are a couple revolvers that I will eventually get around to purchasing some day and I really do hope that the CNC machinery will make up for the hand fitted craftsmanship (say 'expensive') from yesterday.

There are some people here (you know who you are) that regularly post pictures and share their experiences with their revolvers and I pretty much live vicariously thru their guns. I have a few revolvers that I really enjoy but they are work horses and nothing at all like the beauties one can see here.

Thank you to all those with the really nice guns for posting stories about them in this forum.

[In The Ten Ring]

There is a S&W collector's hoard up for bidding on GB.....several 38/44 "Heavy Duty" revolvers....not going cheap mind you.

My Airweights and 66-1 are from Gunbroker....I didn't do badly as far as I can tell. Plenty of good deals out there, no reason to fret.

I like the 66-1 so much I want to add a six inch version or Model 19 to the shooting irons.

[CajunBass]

I don't buy "new" guns. But I have bought several "used" revolvers that were all but new. Smith & Wesson's all, and all I'm thinking of had the lock and the dreaded MIM parts. I didn't see a thing wrong with those guns. Fit, finish, performance all was equal to or maybe better than the classic ones I've owned. The finish might have been different, but there have been differences in the finish over the years anyway. I know I've had a 21, 24, and 27 all with locks, and still have a 642 Ladysmith.

Now I sold all but the 642, which is my wife's gun actually. There was nothing wrong with them, I was just ready to move on to something else, or simply reducing my inventory.

I AM considering a new, in the box Model 27...I'm not sure which "dash" they're up to now, simply because I haven't bought a NIB Smith & Wesson since about 1979. A "new" 27 is less expensive than a classic one, and they have a 4" barrel available that is pretty rare in the classic 27's. I'm sort of a sucker for a 4" barrel.

Sure, I'll check it out before I buy it, but then I'd do that before I bought a cheap 22 rifle.

[USSR]

Cost cutting with every revision, poor qc, regulatory features, spend big bucks on a revolver that is a shadow of its former glory.

So, the obvious answer is to not buy the current revolvers and only buy the revolvers that were made when the quality was high. Personally, none of my Smith and Wessons were made after 1981. No MIM parts, no crush fit barrels, no 2 piece barrels, and no Hillary hole.

And if you finally find a nice vintage one you don’t want to ruin it by shooting it.

For the life of me, I don't understand how you can ruin a revolver by shooting it. The only thing you should do with a collectable revolver that you want to maintain in pristine condition is to not holster it. Inserting and removing a revolver from a holster over time will wear on the bluing. With the Smith and Wessons made in the 70's and earlier, take care of them and watch them appreciate in value.

Don

[5whiskey]

MIM parts

Have we not already fully de-bunked that MIM parts are perfectly acceptable in some applications? Jet engines have tons of MIM parts, along with cars and virtually all other modern production machines.

[Armybrat]

I've bought a New Vaquero and an SP101 in the past year. Both have excellent fit & finish just like my Single 6, Blackhawk, & Service 6 (1959, 1968, 1975 respectively).

[USSR]

Have we not already fully de-bunked that MIM parts are perfectly acceptable in some applications?

Nope! Heck, plastic is perfectly acceptable to a lot of guys, just not this guy. Forged steel and pinned barrels thank you.

Don