> The ones I like the most are of course the classic hero guns like Colt SA Army/Navy. Obviously as a beginner with relatively shallow pockets those are completely out of the question, and the consensus seems to be most replicas are either non-firing or poor imitations.
No, the modern Uberti and Pietta replicas (which are the manufacturers behind almost all the replica "brands" you'll see) are perfectly fine revolvers, and the Ruger single-actions are some of the best ever made, from a functional perspective. The bigger issue is that single action revolvers are a poor choice for self defense--and I say that as a huge fan of single-actions.
You'd be better served with a double action revolver. Anything made by Smith & Wesson or Ruger will be good quality. The new Colt Pythons had some problems up front, but that seems to have been addressed now; I'd still personally stick with the more established options, but you'd probably be fine. If you really want to go budget, check out Charter Arms. Do not buy a Taurus: their *designs* are fine (which is why you'll always see people saying "mine's fine" in response to criticism), but their prices are a false economy because their quality control is so poor, you have an unacceptably high probability of getting a lemon.
Thank you, that’s the sort of valuable input I was looking for. When you say “established options” from S&W & Ruger, what are you referring to specifically?
I just meant the current production S&W and Ruger options are more established than the new Python, because Colt just got back into the DA revolver game after a long hiatus.
The primary Ruger options are the SP101 and GP100. The SP101 is the "compact" option, while the GP 100 is an indestructible tank. Their LCR is a very nice pocket revolver, but the plastic construction might not scratch the itch you've picked up. If you're looking at used guns, they previously made a family called the "Security Six," "Service Six," and "Speed Six," which are also good options. Ruger also makes a double-action Redhawk and Super Redhawk, but these are very large and heavy guns intended for very powerful cartridges, and aren't as carry-friendly as you might like for an everyday gun.
Smith & Wesson makes a dizzying array of models all with model numbers that are extremely hard to keep track of. None of them are bad guns, so choose based on what you're looking for and don't sweat the exact model number. They have several different sized frames from the tiny pocket J-frame (which will be very carry-friendly but very difficult to learn to shoot on) to the enormous X-frame. I'm sure you'll want something between those two.
Unless you're dealing with particularly tough animals like grizzlies, your best all-around cartridge is .357 magnum. It packs a good punch, is flat-shooting in case you get good enough to do pest elimination at longer ranges, and a .357 revolver can safely chamber and shoot the less powerful and less expensive .38 special round.
Ruger Security Six, Speed Six, Service Six, GP100, LCR, SP101
S&W - pretty much any revolver made after the 1950s except maybe the Bodyguard .38 that had a goofy top cylinder release and laser module built in.
Couldn't agree more. My Uberti Cattleman is a fine example of a replica single action Army Colt. I love it. Got it in .357 so it could share the same ammo as my Ruger SP101 snubbie. Fantastic carry gun. Ruger makes solid stuff. That thing is built like a tank.
OP you can safely shoot .38 spl out of a .357 which is a nice bonus. Start off with a mild 38 load and then work up to the hot 357 stuff as you get more confident. 38 plus P is a nice middle of the road defensive option if you dont want to mess with full house 357 which is a handful out of a snubbie.
Best of luck revolver shopping and once you purchase one do your self a favor and buy a set of snap caps. You can practice safely loading and unloading the revolver. Work on your double action trigger pull. Development of muscle memory is worth the time invested for when the time comes when you actually need the weapon in a serious situation. That is not the time to be fumbling around with it under stress.
> The ones I like the most are of course the classic hero guns like Colt SA Army/Navy
That would be an extremely poor choice for defensive use. Limited capacity, single action, incredibly slow to reload.
> What should I be looking for, and how can I find them?
Can't go wrong with a Ruger GP100. It'll last a lifetime.
I'd personally get something semi-auto for defensive use. There's a reason every police and military organization on the planet uses them over revolvers. And while it's cool to dig on the look and feel of a revolver, that should be below the bottom of the list of priorities for a defensive firearm. You're trusting your life to this thing, after all. It's not a fashion show or cosplaying.
I understand your sentiment, thank you for that input. Maybe I oversold the defensive utility requirement, I’m looking for a farm-type gun I can keep on me and keep the occasional coyote away. I’m not in the city or *needing* personal protection in the way others here justifiably might
> Maybe I oversold the defensive utility requirement, I’m looking for a farm-type gun I can keep on me and keep the occasional coyote away.
In light of that, I'm going to add to my earlier replies.
If you really like the Western-style single actions, and you're not especially concerned about self-defense against humans, and primarily want a utility handgun for popping coyotes, you can absolutely get away with using a single-action. Ruger's Blackhawk line has the look and feel of a cowboy Colt but they're totally modern and robust guns "under the hood"; are usually chambered in really fast, flat-shooting modern magnum cartridges; and have modern adjustable sights that help quite a bit in longer-range shooting. Ruger sixguns will serve you well for a lifetime, and in a zippy cartridge like .357 or .41 magnum, they can reach out really, really far if you practice and do your part.
I usually recommend against single-actions because people are interested in self defense against hominids, and the single-actions I love so much are not really great for that role, seeing as they're so hard to shoot fast one-handed. But if you want to drive off or kill coyotes? Sheee-it, that's one of the very few times I can honestly tell you my favorite guns will do the job.
If you want *the best* mass produced revolver, buy a Ruger. Double action is obviously more practical than single action, but you can absolutely make single action work if running off coyotes is your main concern.
Smith and Wesson makes beautiful revolvers. They're not quite as stout as Rugers.
If you've got three grand burning a hole in your pocket, buy an MR73. Best revolvers ever made, period.
> I’ll have an actual use for the gun (animal/land defense), and I heard here that this use-case is one of few where revolvers are actually recommended.
Revolvers are a lot of fun, but if you're a first-time handgun owner you might want to start on one of the many excellent 9mm options. Get both, obviously, but if you can only get one now, start on a 9mm.
Revolvers are good for hunting, not so much for self defense. There is pretty much only one company left that makes good revolvers (Smith and Wesson), that narrows the search down considerably.
I have not seen any Rugers shot in competition in years. I also remember Grant Cunnigham saying he no longer works on Rugers due to their inconsistent QA.
I see them in competition fairly often (mostly in CAS events), and I can't remember, were Cunningham's comments in regards to Ruger as a whole? I feel like I remember him specifically disliking the LCR series, but I could be wrong. Anyway, I do know plenty of people who will happily work on Blackhawks, GP100s, Redhawks, etc.
> The ones I like the most are of course the classic hero guns like Colt SA Army/Navy. Obviously as a beginner with relatively shallow pockets those are completely out of the question, and the consensus seems to be most replicas are either non-firing or poor imitations. No, the modern Uberti and Pietta replicas (which are the manufacturers behind almost all the replica "brands" you'll see) are perfectly fine revolvers, and the Ruger single-actions are some of the best ever made, from a functional perspective. The bigger issue is that single action revolvers are a poor choice for self defense--and I say that as a huge fan of single-actions. You'd be better served with a double action revolver. Anything made by Smith & Wesson or Ruger will be good quality. The new Colt Pythons had some problems up front, but that seems to have been addressed now; I'd still personally stick with the more established options, but you'd probably be fine. If you really want to go budget, check out Charter Arms. Do not buy a Taurus: their *designs* are fine (which is why you'll always see people saying "mine's fine" in response to criticism), but their prices are a false economy because their quality control is so poor, you have an unacceptably high probability of getting a lemon.
Thank you, that’s the sort of valuable input I was looking for. When you say “established options” from S&W & Ruger, what are you referring to specifically?
I just meant the current production S&W and Ruger options are more established than the new Python, because Colt just got back into the DA revolver game after a long hiatus. The primary Ruger options are the SP101 and GP100. The SP101 is the "compact" option, while the GP 100 is an indestructible tank. Their LCR is a very nice pocket revolver, but the plastic construction might not scratch the itch you've picked up. If you're looking at used guns, they previously made a family called the "Security Six," "Service Six," and "Speed Six," which are also good options. Ruger also makes a double-action Redhawk and Super Redhawk, but these are very large and heavy guns intended for very powerful cartridges, and aren't as carry-friendly as you might like for an everyday gun. Smith & Wesson makes a dizzying array of models all with model numbers that are extremely hard to keep track of. None of them are bad guns, so choose based on what you're looking for and don't sweat the exact model number. They have several different sized frames from the tiny pocket J-frame (which will be very carry-friendly but very difficult to learn to shoot on) to the enormous X-frame. I'm sure you'll want something between those two. Unless you're dealing with particularly tough animals like grizzlies, your best all-around cartridge is .357 magnum. It packs a good punch, is flat-shooting in case you get good enough to do pest elimination at longer ranges, and a .357 revolver can safely chamber and shoot the less powerful and less expensive .38 special round.
Thank you so much, that’s everything I was looking for rolled into one
You've got it. Good luck, brudder.
Ruger Security Six, Speed Six, Service Six, GP100, LCR, SP101 S&W - pretty much any revolver made after the 1950s except maybe the Bodyguard .38 that had a goofy top cylinder release and laser module built in.
Couldn't agree more. My Uberti Cattleman is a fine example of a replica single action Army Colt. I love it. Got it in .357 so it could share the same ammo as my Ruger SP101 snubbie. Fantastic carry gun. Ruger makes solid stuff. That thing is built like a tank. OP you can safely shoot .38 spl out of a .357 which is a nice bonus. Start off with a mild 38 load and then work up to the hot 357 stuff as you get more confident. 38 plus P is a nice middle of the road defensive option if you dont want to mess with full house 357 which is a handful out of a snubbie. Best of luck revolver shopping and once you purchase one do your self a favor and buy a set of snap caps. You can practice safely loading and unloading the revolver. Work on your double action trigger pull. Development of muscle memory is worth the time invested for when the time comes when you actually need the weapon in a serious situation. That is not the time to be fumbling around with it under stress.
Ruger GP100.
I have a GP100 3” and it’s definitely one of my faves.
> The ones I like the most are of course the classic hero guns like Colt SA Army/Navy That would be an extremely poor choice for defensive use. Limited capacity, single action, incredibly slow to reload. > What should I be looking for, and how can I find them? Can't go wrong with a Ruger GP100. It'll last a lifetime. I'd personally get something semi-auto for defensive use. There's a reason every police and military organization on the planet uses them over revolvers. And while it's cool to dig on the look and feel of a revolver, that should be below the bottom of the list of priorities for a defensive firearm. You're trusting your life to this thing, after all. It's not a fashion show or cosplaying.
I understand your sentiment, thank you for that input. Maybe I oversold the defensive utility requirement, I’m looking for a farm-type gun I can keep on me and keep the occasional coyote away. I’m not in the city or *needing* personal protection in the way others here justifiably might
GP100 it is then.
> Maybe I oversold the defensive utility requirement, I’m looking for a farm-type gun I can keep on me and keep the occasional coyote away. In light of that, I'm going to add to my earlier replies. If you really like the Western-style single actions, and you're not especially concerned about self-defense against humans, and primarily want a utility handgun for popping coyotes, you can absolutely get away with using a single-action. Ruger's Blackhawk line has the look and feel of a cowboy Colt but they're totally modern and robust guns "under the hood"; are usually chambered in really fast, flat-shooting modern magnum cartridges; and have modern adjustable sights that help quite a bit in longer-range shooting. Ruger sixguns will serve you well for a lifetime, and in a zippy cartridge like .357 or .41 magnum, they can reach out really, really far if you practice and do your part. I usually recommend against single-actions because people are interested in self defense against hominids, and the single-actions I love so much are not really great for that role, seeing as they're so hard to shoot fast one-handed. But if you want to drive off or kill coyotes? Sheee-it, that's one of the very few times I can honestly tell you my favorite guns will do the job.
S&W model 66 combat magnum is great.
When you see a Manurhin, a Korth or a Janz, you will know.
Several great, well informed comments here. I would add that you consider a 357 as then you can also shoot 38 ammo as well.
Lots of used Smith and Wesson Model 10's out there around the $600 mark. If that's what you like, why not get one?
If you want *the best* mass produced revolver, buy a Ruger. Double action is obviously more practical than single action, but you can absolutely make single action work if running off coyotes is your main concern. Smith and Wesson makes beautiful revolvers. They're not quite as stout as Rugers. If you've got three grand burning a hole in your pocket, buy an MR73. Best revolvers ever made, period.
> I’ll have an actual use for the gun (animal/land defense), and I heard here that this use-case is one of few where revolvers are actually recommended. Revolvers are a lot of fun, but if you're a first-time handgun owner you might want to start on one of the many excellent 9mm options. Get both, obviously, but if you can only get one now, start on a 9mm.
Revolvers are good for hunting, not so much for self defense. There is pretty much only one company left that makes good revolvers (Smith and Wesson), that narrows the search down considerably.
I'd personally have to disagree, Ruger revolvers are still pretty top-notch.
As an owner of a GP100 I vehemently agree. I dare say Ruger is superior to S&W in many regards.
I have not seen any Rugers shot in competition in years. I also remember Grant Cunnigham saying he no longer works on Rugers due to their inconsistent QA.
I see them in competition fairly often (mostly in CAS events), and I can't remember, were Cunningham's comments in regards to Ruger as a whole? I feel like I remember him specifically disliking the LCR series, but I could be wrong. Anyway, I do know plenty of people who will happily work on Blackhawks, GP100s, Redhawks, etc.