Back in the days before drastic, fantastic, plastic pistols ruled the day, companies like Sturm, Ruger and Smith & Wesson were locked in a battle to decide who would be crowned the King of the double action revolver market. The distinction was important, as the double action revolver represented the largest segment of the commercial and law enforcement handgun markets. Continue reading “The Great Revolver Frame War – Part I”
Tag: Smith & Wesson
2018 Project Gun: Smith & Wesson Model 60-15
It’s funny how things work. This article was planned to be the very first one ran on RevolverGuy.com. Several things happened (mostly at my own doing) that changed this course. My friend Aaron (at the ITRH Urban Survival Podcast) wanted to to run my revolver interview much earlier than I had anticipated. Wanting to space out reviews of revolvers (because I don’t have many), I pushed this one to the back burner. Then I got in touch with Mike Wood to write a review of his book. I got some new ideas and the next thing I knew, RevolverGuy.com was charting its own course. But a year later I’m finally getting around to writing the article I started in October of 2016. This is an article about MY first revolver, the Smith & Wesson Model 60-15. Continue reading “2018 Project Gun: Smith & Wesson Model 60-15”
The Perfect J-Frame: Two Years In Review
As the the sun sets on 2017, I wanted to talk about my experience with the perfect J-Frame Revolver: the S&W 640 Pro Series. I’ve carried this gun day-in/day-out for almost two and a half years now. It has been a special gun in that it has taught me an awful lot about the revolver. I’m going to talk about the accessories and solutions I’ve found to make this the most viable self-defense option possible, and my thoughts on going forward into the 2018. This will also be a bit of a reminisce over some of the changes I’ve made over the last year, and some things you can expect in the coming year. Continue reading “The Perfect J-Frame: Two Years In Review”
A RevolverGuy Tribute to Skeeter Skelton
Skeeter Skelton once wrote that the only way to improve upon the Smith & Wesson Model 24 .44 Special would be to make it in stainless steel. Soon after, S&W presented the Model 624, a .44 Special N-frame made from stainless instead of carbon steel. I happened to have read Skeeter’s words a few days prior to walking into a local gun store that had a 624 in their used gun display. It had the 4-inch barrel (6.5-inches was an option) and was wearing Pachmayr rubber grips. The price was right with no box or papers and I became the new owner of my first .44 Special. Continue reading “A RevolverGuy Tribute to Skeeter Skelton”
VZ Grips L-Frame Tactical Diamonds
Since reading Protect Yourself with your Snubnose Revolver by Grant Cunningham, I’ve been convinced I need to try revolver stocks sans finger grooves. Unfortunately, finding stocks for a square butt revolver isn’t the easiest task. After my dismal experience with the Pachmayr Presentation, I decided to just go with something I had a bit more confidence in: the VZ Grips L-Frame Tactical Diamonds. Continue reading “VZ Grips L-Frame Tactical Diamonds”
Missing Link: The Smith & Wesson Model 68
When Smith & Wesson introduced their Model 69 Combat Magnum revolver in .44 Magnum back in 2016, there were a few RevolverGuys out there who wondered if S&W skipped a model number. The shooting world already knew about the popular Model 67 Combat Masterpiece Stainless, and now we had the new Model 69 Combat Magnum in .44, but shouldn’t there have been something in the middle? A Smith & Wesson Model 68, perhaps? Continue reading “Missing Link: The Smith & Wesson Model 68”
Retro Revolver: Smith & Wesson Model 13
Once issued by both the New York State Police and the FBI, the Smith & Wesson Model 13 is K-Frame .357 Magnum. Like its little brother (the Model 10) the 13 is a blued steel model and features a bull barrel and fixed sights. It is functionally identical to the stainless steel Model 65. I recently got to spend a little time with this revolver and I’m glad that I did. I thought you all might enjoy a look at this retro revolver here! Continue reading “Retro Revolver: Smith & Wesson Model 13”
A Gun to Ride the River With: The Smith & Wesson 686
Many of the guns I have purchased have been done so with the idea of being the “last rifle” or “last pistol” I’ll ever need to buy. Of course this never actually works out in practice – something new comes along and I catch the bug. Once in a while, though, I find something that is pretty much perfect as-is, and it endures. An example of this phenomenon: the venerable Smith & Wesson 686. It is my One if I could have only one, my hell or high-water sixgun, my “gun to ride the river with.” Continue reading “A Gun to Ride the River With: The Smith & Wesson 686”
Smith and Wesson 640 Pro Series Review Part II
In Part I of my review of the S&W 640 Pro Series I covered its features. In Part II I am going to discuss the 640 Pro from a shooting and packing perspective. If you read Part I you already know I’ve carried this gun daily for over a year, so there’s not much suspense about what my conclusion is. Read on to find out why I like it. Continue reading “Smith and Wesson 640 Pro Series Review Part II”
Smith & Wesson Model 640 Pro Series: Part I
My daily carry gun for the past year has been the Smith & Wesson 640 Pro Series. This J-Frame .357 Magnum offers many features not seen on other guns in its size-class. In Part I of this review I am going to discuss the gun itself, in detail. In the next part I am going to cover the piece’s range performance and actually carrying it – a task at which I have fairly considerable experience. Disclaimer: My apologies for the dirt, dust, and scratches on this piece. She has earned those marks honestly.
Continue reading “Smith & Wesson Model 640 Pro Series: Part I”