Thread: First revolver

Considering your price point, I suggest finding a gently used, "pre-owned" gun.

Some of your criteria are mutually exclusive, or almost so.
I believe that the heaviest .357 Magnum revolver frames are by Ruger, but they aren't small. S&W frames are small, but they aren't heavy.
Neither S&W nor Ruger will beat the Colt's trigger action. However, judicious gunsmithing may get them close.

Seems like you need to learn a few more things. But, like most of us, you will find you don't need to know much before getting your first gun. It will start your REAL learning experience. It sounds like you may have some concern about those big furry things that come into your camp every night and make rustling sounds. Do you really have enough hand/wrist/arm strength to shoot a bear gun? Doubt it. You have to work up to that. You sound young. I'm old now but when I sounded young like you do, I was owning/shooting/reloading a .357 mag, a .45 Long Colt and other guns such as a .45 ACP. Now I don't go in the woods much. If I did, I would carry a .41 mag.

Read specs. Rent various guns and shoot enough to get used to them. Read Ballisticsbytheinch.com that shows you how your short snubby .357 is about as powerful as a 4-inch 9 mm. (Try a Ruger SR9C or a Ruger SR40C if there really could be a black bear in your camp). You'll fire more bullets accurately with an SR9C than with a 2-inch .357. One thing that makes the snubby so inaccurate is that most people fire them double action. Again the medium 9 mm does it better.

You should read about both revolvers and semi-automatics and about a variety of calibers. Reading is cheap and gives you info faster. Shooting is better, of course, but takes time and money. You may also learn that the worst animals have two legs and can be found on streets, not so much in woods.

This is my choice for a camping revolver...


Ya never know, lol.

ROFLMAO, don't scare the poor guy, he's liable to take up paint by numbers instead of shooting!

Originally Posted by TAPnRACK

This is my choice for a camping revolver...
Ya never know, lol.

Nice gun, but I'll raise you by a Ruger SRH Alaskan 2 1/2" snubby in .454 Casull I keep under my pillow when in my sleeping bag on the ground in "our" wildernesses.

Mucking up Psalm 23:4 a bit, "Yea, though I sleep in the valley of the shadow of death, I am not afraid".

...And here I'd thought that the OP's question was asked in seriousness!

Silly me.

Originally Posted by Steve M1911A1

...And here I'd thought that the OP's question was asked in seriousness!

Silly me.

Oh damn it Steve, I hate it when you point out the obvious.

Originally Posted by jsm2

I'm looking for my first revolver. I want a .357 magnum because I go backwoods camping. I am set on that caliber. . .
But I want something smaller. Maximum price is $600 which makes it near impossible for a s&w. must be blued. Heavy, small, and .357 magnum.

I have a S&W "Airweight" 642 (aluminum frame, stainless cylinder) snubby in .38 Special. The small "J-frame". I paid $400 new at a LGS.

S&W has similar models in .357 mag. in both Scandium (big $$$), aluminum, and steel J-frames.
I haven't been to the S&W site for quite a while. But, I think maybe you can look up their J-frames in steel.
If I remember right, they are not nearly as expensive as the lighter weight guns.

Just Google "S&W". They list a bewildering array of J-frames. Good Luck !

JMS, I will through my two cents worth. Try a Ruger or S&W but go with a L frame maybe a 586 or 686 and a 4 inch barrel. If this is a camp or out door weapon don't worry about the size. After you have packed around for a while the weight will be second nature and not a problem, and the extra barrel will help in your shooting. One thing I will say is practice all you can.
But hey thats just my two cents worth.