The sights, smells and sounds of Christmas are fast upon us, and kids–big and small—are feverishly working on their Letters to Santa, hoping they’re on the “Nice” list, not the “Naughty” one.
Here at RevolverGuy, much of what we’d like Saint Nick to leave behind under the tree and in our stockings is made at latitudes well south of his North Pole workshop, and by hardworking men and women, not elves. I suppose it’s possible that Santa’s crew has a ballistic Skunk Works operation that we don’t know about, but I haven’t seen any guns with North Pole roll stamps on them. The “jolly old elf” described by Clement Clarke Moore seems to be more of a distributor, than a manufacturer.
So, we’re not messing around with the middle man, no matter how much we like him. Instead, we’re going straight to the source, with this open Christmas letter to the executives of the firearms, ammunition, and shooting sports industry.
Ladies and Gentlemen, please allow me to present the following RevolverGuy Christmas Wish List for your consideration. We know you’ve been busier than a one-armed brass scrounger at the Knob Creek Machinegun Shoot this past year, but when you finally catch your breath, we’d sure appreciate it if you could make some of these Christmas wishes come true.
Given the late hour, it’s unlikely that you’ll get any of this done before Christmas Eve, but that’s OK—we’ll be thrilled, whenever you can get to it. A Spring or Summer day would feel a lot like Christmas if one of these wishes were granted.
You can even save the hassle of gift wrapping them. We won’t mind a plain, factory carton!
THE LIST *
(*) In no particular order, while reserving the right to amend or supplement at any time, ’cause we just wanna keep our options open, you see . . .
Better J-Frame Sights.
Okay Springfield (or is that, Marysville, now? Well done, folks, it’s about time!), this one shouldn’t be too difficult to pull off. Serious RevolverGuys know the J-Frames, in all their iterations, are capable of very good accuracy, but they’re severely handicapped by their typically-crummy fixed sights. A narrow trough and a vestigial blade, both in the same color, make for a miserable sighting system. Can you give us some relief from having to file rear notches wider and paint our front sights with women’s cosmetics, please? How about a real set of sights, which offers good visibility, proper light, and strong contrast, for best-sellers like the Model 642? Put them in dovetails, please, so we can move them around or replace them with different sizes, as required. Huh? What’s that? You already do it on the 640 Pro Series? Well, then, what’s stopping you from making that standard across the line, hmm? C’mon, guys! Oh, and while fiber optics, like the ones you install on the PDs, are fine for some folks, I’d honestly rather just have a red ramp up front, please. Yep, an all black rear, and a bright red blob up front. Kinda like Rudolph, after he sits in the campfire ashes;
You guys too.
Hey Ruger, Colt, and all you other guys—the same goes for your snubs: Better sights, please! Those rear notches are pretty poor, and the front blades aren’t usually much better. Kudos to you though, Colt, for making your front blade easy to replace with a simple Allen wrench. I wish everyone was doing that. A screw is much easier than a dovetail. Thank you! Are the rest of you guys paying attention? There’s going to be a test, later;
Better regulation on fixed sights.
You thought I was gonna let you off the hook, huh Kimber? Yep, you’ve got the very best snubby sight picture on the market, but goodness gracious, that front sight is much too tall for the loads we actually shoot in these guns! I know you have Popeye on staff to shoot your snubs with full-house, 158 grain, .357 Magnum before they’re shipped, but I’m betting that 95% of your guns will never see a load like that fired in them again. In the real world, we’re shooting .38 Specials in your Magnum snubby, or maybe the lighter, low-recoil Magnums, but I don’t know anyone who’s routinely shooting full-power 158/.357s, so it’s silly to regulate your sights with them. If you insist on using that standard, could you at least offer us some shorter replacement blades to purchase in your online store? We’d appreciate it, because that tall front blade belongs on the Island of Misfit Toys;
Six-shot, .38 Special Ruger SP101.
You’ve probably got enough space in that cylinder, doncha guys? I haven’t checked, but I kinda doubt a K6s cylinder is much bigger than an SP cylinder. I bet you could do it, even if it meant making a small change to the cylinder window in the frame, to fit a slightly enlarged cylinder (so you wouldn’t have to worry about the location of the stop notches on the cylinder, vis-a-vis the chambers, or moving the cylinder stop in the frame, like Kimber did). I have to think you’ve got enough material in that frame to make room for a slightly bigger, six-shot, .38 Special cylinder. The little SP101 is a tank, and I know you’ve got a legion of fans, but it honestly never made sense to me, as a five-shooter. A gun that big and heavy needs six chambers. Bill Sr. would probably protest if he was still around, but he wouldn’t have approved of the LCR, either, and look how well that worked out for you. We triple dawg dare ya;
Reproductions of classic wood grip designs.
There’s an army of collectors out there, charging and paying extraordinary amounts for wood grips from the likes of legendary makers like Hurst and Farrant, so I have to wonder, why aren’t we seeing any good reproductions of these classic grips? I know, I know; They were true customs, handmade to order by these particular men, and the supply is fixed, so they’re collectible, but there’s obviously something enduring and universal in what they accomplished with their designs. Shooters still appreciate the features on Hurst and Farrant grips, so why isn’t anyone trying to replicate the formula? I’d love to see an outfit build some reproductions, and give shooters an affordable way to enjoy the benefits of these classic grip designs. It shouldn’t be too hard to replicate them, in this day of CAD and CNC machining, right? We’ve got a detachment of elves from Santa’s Wood Shop on standby, if you need an assist;
Making the cut
And speaking of grips and stocks, what would it take for us to convince all you makers out there to put a proper speedloader relief on yours? We’ve been seeing half-hearted efforts at dishing out the left side grip panel for about half a century now, and it’s well past time to get serious about it. I shouldn’t have to carve on every single new set of stocks that I get, just to make common loaders like the ubiquitous HKS or the Safariland Comp work without interference, right? Some of my DIY efforts look like the Abominable Snow Monster chewed on them, so I’d appreciate an assist from the talented folks at the factory, to get it right from the start.
Get rid of the lock.
I hear the good people in Marysville, TN don’t like the stupid locks. We don’t either. Can we get rid of these, please? We know it’s not about safety, because you sell similar guns (at a premium, no less) without them. It’s time, folks. You’ve emancipated your headquarters, so take the chains off your guns. You’ll sell a LOT more guns, and you’ll be instant heroes, I guarantee it. Even Santa will want to wear Smith & Wesson pajamas to bed;
Medium-Frame Ruger.
Folks, we really miss the wonderful Six-series, and there’s a huge gap in your line, without a medium-frame double action. A six-shot SP101 would be a step in the right direction, but we’d really like a frame that hits the sweet spot between the GP and the SP. Let’s face it, a three-inch GP is still a lot of gun to be carrying around, and a five-shot SP is too much gun for five beans in the wheel. A reasonably-svelte (I know, I know. Just do your best), six-shot, medium frame would be just the ticket for a lot of us, but please, please, please . . . unless it looks, smells, and feels like one, fight the urge to recycle the “Six” name. Let the classics sleep in Heavenly peace on this Silent Night, eh?
K-Frame Airweight.
You’re not off the hook yet, Smith & Wesson. It’s well past time for you to revive the Airweight in your ever-popular K-Frame. The Model 12s were limited to standard pressure .38 Special, but with modern metallurgy and your fantastic engineering staff, we know you could rate them for .38 Special +P this time around. I’d be quite happy with an exposed-hammer, Model 12 reissue, but if you really wanted to knock our socks off, you could also give us a Centennial-style hammerless. I’m sure you could do it in aluminum (heck, you’ve got a +P aluminum J-Frame, so a K-Frame should be child’s play), but if it must be made out of unobtanium, we’ll start looking for couch and ashtray change, until we can afford it. We’ll even brave the return lines, after Christmas, to exchange some unwanted gifts for the extra cash we’d need. I’d rather have an Airweight K than a bunch of sweaters, anyhow;
While we’re at it.
Let’s not forget a few other classics that deserve a reissue. I’m thinking of the tough-looking 3.5” Model 27 (fedora, optional), the dreadfully under-appreciated Model 58 in .41 Magnum (let’s show all the 10mm hipsters what a real mid-bore looks like), and the gun that came waaaay before its time, the 9mm Model 547. Those would be real dandies, and there’s a bowl of Mrs. Claus’ famous reindeer stew in it for ya, if you pull it off. But if you can’t do them without the lock, then just forget the whole thing, please. Putting a lock on a Model 58 would make Baby Jesus cry all night in the manger. You don’t want to make Baby Jesus cry, do you? Of course not, and besides, you’d have to deal with a cranky Mary in the morning;
More wadcutters.
I’d love to see more .38 Special wadcutters designed for self defense. A Big-Three, factory production, hard cast bullet around 900 fps would be pretty spiffy. We don’t need to leave all the fun for the boutique makers at Buffalo Bore and Atomic. If you’re feeling clever, how about designing some kind of polymer nose cone to enhance feeding from a speedloader, which would fly off the bullet after it left the barrel? Don’t worry, you won’t shoot your eye out;
Recently departed.
Ruger, here’s an easy one for ya. I see that the three-inch, .44 Special GP100 silently disappeared from your catalog in the last year or so. Please return this outstanding gun to the catalog, stat! There’s nothing else like it out there, and it’s an ideal combination of size, power and Keith-style panache. The world needs more .44 Specials, not less. Besides, I didn’t get one before you sneakily turned off the spigot. I’m kinda feeling like the Grinch stole it in the middle of the night, and I woke up to an empty catalog the next day. Not even a smudge of Who Pudding left, on the pages. Awful;
More .32s, too.
I think we need more .32 caliber revolvers, too. A high-capacity, medium-frame, .32 H&R Magnum from one of the big guys would be appreciated as a defensive arm for those who don’t like the recoil of larger cartridges, and it would easily double as an outdoorsman’s tool for small game or centerfire plinking. If you must, you can make it a .327 Fed Mag, but please don’t sacrifice capacity to do it. While we’re at it, a reissue of the .32 H&R Magnum Model 431PD (blackened Airweight J-Frame, exposed hammer), Model 432PD (blackened Airweight J-Frame, Centennial-style), Model 631 (stainless J-Frame, exposed hammer) or Model 632 (stainless J-Frame, Centennial-style) would be downright nifty, and I would be tickled to see a genuine K-32 come back as well. I’m told that Grandpa’s generation found them to be more accurate than the K-38s, in general. Let’s make it an old-fashioned Christmas, shall we?
A .327 Fed Mag Centennial.
While we’re talking .32s, how about a Centennial in .327 Federal Magnum? Everyone would download it with .32 H&R or .32 Long, so it might as well be chambered for .32 H&R Mag (a Model 632), but you’d probably find better commercial success with the .327 Fed Mag chambering, so we’d be quite willing to accept that. A six-shot, centerfire J-Frame would have a lot of appeal. Ruger seems to be doing very well with their LCR in this caliber. Let’s stop playing reindeer games and get down to business;
More three-inch guns.
Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Kimber, Colt, you guys have been doing very well with this, and I have it on great authority that Santa’s elves are pleased. I think more and more people are learning to appreciate having a three-inch tube on their revolver, and I’d like to see even more options like this. Colt, I bet a three-inch Python would be a hot seller! Whaddya say? You don’t want to upset the elves;
Better revolver ammo.
Federal has been doing some good work lately with the .38 Special Micro HST and Hydra-Shok Deep, and Hornady has been putting in the work on their .357 Magnum Critical Duty and .38 Special Critical Defense products, but the revolver calibers are still lagging, and not getting the attention they deserve as defensive rounds. The 9mm has really made strides in the last few decades with the concentrated effort that industry has put into it, so let’s see some of that same energy get focused on .32 H&R Magnum, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, and .44 Special. I think the .32 H&R Magnum and low-recoil .357 Magnum are cartridges that are especially ripe for some engineering attention, don’t you? We know it’s been a tough year, with all hands on deck, just trying to pump out enough 9mm and 5.56 to keep the hungry masses supplied, but when the dust settles, let’s show the revolver calibers some love, huh? If we can make a snowman come to life with an old top hat, I bet you could figure out a way to push a .32 caliber JHP to 12-plus inches in ballistic gel;
A small touch.
I recently handled my first Registered Magnum, and was delighted to see the tip of the ejector rod had a beautiful, beer keg-like shape, and was very nicely rounded at the end, with no sharp edges. You wouldn’t feel like you were slamming your hand into a hole punch with this ejector rod tip. It’s a small touch, but a nice one, and I’d appreciate seeing it make a comeback on all of our favorite Smiths. I’ve got visions of sugarplums, fairies and CNC lathes turning these things out dancing in my head ;
Safariland Colt/Kimber speedloader.
OK Safariland, I’m calling you out. How about a dedicated loader for the resurgent, small-frame six-shooters that are selling so well? Don’t you think the new Colts and Kimbers deserve their own, properly-sized loaders? If you think your K-Frame loaders fit well enough, then you obviously haven’t tried them, or you’re fibbing, and you deserve a lump of coal in your stocking. HKS and 5-Star have some twistie loaders that will work, and SpeedBeez has a push-feed that works OK for the gamesmen, but we really need a tougher push-loader for duty use, that won’t lose the rounds every time a reindeer farts. You used to have a dedicated D-Frame loader in your Comp series, so why haven’t you dusted off those old molds yet? Let’s get on it, boys, don’t make us tell Santa to put you on the Naughty List;
And speaking of loaders.
Where are the inexpensive reproductions of the SL Variant? I just got my hands on a copy from overseas that was probably 3-D printed, but the scalper’s price was still much too high. With today’s tech, there’s no reason we couldn’t see a clever person build some SLVs here at a reasonable price. Talk about Christmas in July—a $30 SL Variant would even put a smile on the Grinch’s face!
Snakes on a Sleigh?
You thought you were going to get out of this easy, right Colt? Well, hold your horses (Rampant Pony?), folks!
We’ve got one word for you, ladies and gents: Diamondback. Yep, the sexy D-Frame snake is due for a comeback, and we’re not just talking about a New Cobra with a new snout; We’re taking about a faithful recreation, in the same mold as those beautiful new Pythons and Anacondas you’ve been making. Please put a wider trigger blade on it than the New Cobras have, though. Thanks!
We especially need a .22 LR Diamondback, because it would be super cool, and it would also fill a glaring gap in your current lineup. How can a revolver company not have a .22 in the catalog, hmmm?
We just got off the horn with Svatý Mikuláš, the Czech Saint Nicholas, and he says he can translate, if necessary. Let us know, and we’ll get him on it.
honestly, thanks
All kidding aside, I know you guys and gals have been pushing hard all year long to keep up with record-breaking demand, and we really, truly appreciate all that you’re doing to keep products on the shelf! You probably feel like you’ve been sprinting in a marathon, and the finish line is still nowhere in sight.
We hope you’ll have a wonderful holiday with your families, and will get some well-deserved rest. We wish all of you a very Merry Christmas!
But we weren’t kidding about the elves. You don’t want to make the elves mad. You’d better get on that three-inch Python.
And don’t make Baby Jesus cry.
Sincerely,
RevolverGuy
MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL!
Featured image from:
https://www.colourbox.com/vector/santa-claus-pointing-with-gun-vector-29720087
(Please forgive Santa’s Rule # 1-4 violations—we’ll get Saint Nick straightened out. It’s just a cartoon anyhow.
Lighten up, Francis!)
Ralphie image from:
The mind of some brilliant guy who deserves an extra cup of spiked egg nog, for his creativity! Thanks for the chuckle, whoever you are! Well done!
Ooh! Ooh! An’ a Ruger LCRx .327 with a three inch barrel!! I WON’T shoot my eye out!
Haha! Yes, that would be dandy!
I could have sworn that existed (because it makes so much sense), but you are right. It’s not there. How could you, Ruger?!?
Thank you, Mike! Your wish list was spot on and the world would be a happy place for Revolver Guys if the manufacturers would heed it! I would beg S&W to bring back the 624 with a 4″ barrel and a .44 Special length cylinder, too. Would it be too much to ask that they offer the 25-5 Classic with a 4″ barrel also? Those would be my adds to your excellent list!
Amen! A 624 would be fantastic and would warm my heart, but only if it was sans Hillary Hole.
I was rather shocked when I recently discovered the 625 was MIA from the catalog. When the heck did THAT happen??? I close my eyes for one second, and everything changes. I just can’t keep up, anymore. I’m sure that made sense to some guy with a spreadsheet, but there should never be a time when there isn’t a .45 ACP revolver in the catalog. It upsets the balance of nature.
Mike, I did not realize until you mentioned it that all 625’s had been dropped. That one makes me hang my head- it DOES upset the balance of nature! I cant remember the last time S&W offered a Mountain Gun in any chambering either; they are always in high demand as used guns and command stupid prices. So will go the 625’s if S&W does not remedy this…
I know it! There’s some kind of Bermuda Triangle that swallows up all these great guns without a peep, and you don’t even notice they’re missing until it’s too late. Maybe there’s a lesson in it for us—don’t put off that “someday” gun. Get it now, while you can, and tell your spouse that you’re just saving money by purchasing it early, before the price goes up, after it’s discontinued.
Consider that a RevolverGuy permission slip. ; ^ )
Mountain Guns—Yes! How long has it been? At least ten years, maybe more? That was a neat concept that needs to be revived.
Gods yes, I’ve been looking for a 386 Mountain Lite forever. 7 rounds of .357 in a 3 inch L frame, weighing 19 ounces? Please!
And if S&W can squeeze a .44 into an L frame, why not a 41?
Primers, Santa. Large pistol and Small pistol magnum. They will fit in the stocking.
Indeed! Better than candy. Just make sure you check the toe of your stockings, so one of them doesn’t get hidden down there.
Alas, Ruger, take the superb Security-Six frame in .357 Magnum, use the GP-100 lockwork, call it the KP-100 or whatever; keep the adjustable sights, produce it with a 3″ and 4″ barrel (blued & stainless) , a round butt frame that can use after market S&W stocks/grips and you’d have an eternally grateful winner.
S&W, as Mike says, LOSE THE LOCK . . . it’s THE #1 reason I won’t buy a new or used (post 2000) S&W Revolver. MIM parts I can live with as they’ve been used in firearms for nearly 6 decades, but the lock . . . No Way Hose-A.
S&W, on your J-frames, go back to a real 2″ barrel instead of this 1-7/8″ nonsense. Better yet, how about a 2-1/2″ barrel on the J frame with some decent sights and longer ejector rod. On the K and L frames – 3″ barrels, full length ejector rods ! They balance and shoot much better !
CZ-Colt (not to be confused with ZZ Top), the new Python is nice, and generously overpriced, but the lockwork is from the Model-T Ford era. Go back and take a close look at your Mk III series and see how the late Dick Baker’s lockwork made the Colt Mk III and Mk V revolvers of that era some of the strongest and toughest working guns around.
We now return to our regularly scheduled program already in progress.
Dear Santa,
What he said!
Thank you,
RevolverGuy
I can live with MIM parts, I don’t mind two-piece barrels, and the lack of pinned barrels and recessed chambers on new S&Ws never bothered me. But I completely agree – I spent so much buying used examples of S&W wheelguns – I would’ve gladly put that money toward new production models if I were able to purchase them without that lock (and the horrible frame recontour on the J and K frames that comes with it).
Nailed it.
we’re overdue for a half-lug 4″ GP100 being a regular offering
Agreed! I’d love that! I thought the blued, special issue guns with the 5” barrels and half lug were real lookers, and think a 4” would look very balanced with the half lug—kinda like the sadly-discontinued S&W 619/620.
Agreed – it’s one of the primary reasons I love my GP100 Match Champion so much.
I wholeheartedly agree. I’d love to see the Service Six back someday, but I’ll settle for a half-lug Gp100 with fixed sights to hold me over in the meantime!
I’ll take two! One 3” and one 4” please.
Mike you must agree that an old fellow like Santa has to be a revolver guy. Why many moons ago he would come through the Ozarks and drop off the latest incarnation of a sixgun courtesy of the most popular TV western of the moment.
I feel confident the he whole heartedly agrees with all the items on your wonderful letter to him.
Now if the industry would be dedicated followers of the “The Revolver Guy” then we would all have a happy new year.
Merry Christmas to the best group of folks I have ever not met!
Stay safe and well in the crazy world we live in and may your 2022 be filled with many Blessings!
Tony
Thank you Tony! I agree with you about the wonderful bunch of guys and gals we have here at RevolverGuy. The camaraderie and enthusiasm that we all share is a special Christmas gift in itself!
If they stretch the SP101 to hold 6x 357, then ensure it’ll work for 7x 327. 3” model, please.
How about more blued steel guns. I would buy a blued Python tomorrow. Colt makes a 1911 and SAA in Royal blue, so it couldn’t be too hard.
I like what you’re thinking, Matt! S&W would have sold a truckload to me over the past couple decades, had it not been for the lock. The blue on the Classics isn’t like it used to be, but it still looks pretty good to these eyes. Alas, the lure of the blue isn’t enough to distract me from the hole.
The polished staInless on my 2020 Python is absolutely beautiful, but if I’d had the option to buy a blued one, I would have done it instead.
Agreed. The only S&W I have purchased with a lock is a Model 22 45 ACP, which I love. However, the finish is not as good as my 70’s era N frames and K frames.
A Colt Diamondback .22 would be just awesome. Blued or stainless I don’t care.
I have a thing for .22 revolvers (I have like 12 of them).
Me too, Brett. They’re the only gun that I don’t enjoy cleaning (I’m one of those weird guys who really likes cleaning guns), but I just love shooting them! Their absence is notable in the Colt catalog. A blued Diamondback would probably set lots of RevolverGuy hearts on fire, don’t you think?
Try CCI’s Clean .22, they put a polymer coating on the bullet and they are noticeably cleaner than black lead or copper plated .22’s. They also reduce fouling in suppressors.
Thanks Brett! I’m working on reducing a mountain of .22s from my stockpile, but will keep an eye out for those. Anything CCI seems hard to come by in my AO, but I’ll watch for them.
S&W L-Frame in 10mm for me, please. 3″ barrel would be the icing on the cake!
Ruger was able to fit six rounds into their GP cylinder, so I don’t see why S&W couldn’t do the same with an L-Frame! That would be neat, and a 3” tube would be just the ticket for carry. With the current demand for everything 10mm, I think it would sell!
^THIS^
“ The world needs more .44 Specials, not less.”
Preach it! However, my wallet would fly open for a scaled-up Ruger LCR 5-shot 45 ACP.
Whoa……now THAT is some out-of-the-box thinking, right there! I love it!
Plus 1 here!
My (overly optimistic) Christmas wish list:
Standard grade, good quality .22 rifles manufactured with blued steel receivers and barrels, walnut stocks, at reasonable prices like the firearms of yore made by Remington, Winchester, Mossberg et al. And the suggestions noted in the previous replies would be very nice, too.
The CZ-457 is all that for ~$500 USD. Last time Kimber made a .22 it went for around ~$1,000. That’s what blue steel and walnut costs these days, depending on where it’s made. Glad there are at least of us who still think it’s worth it.
LOVE those CZ rimfires! Old School gun making at CNC/MIM prices.
I think wood-stocked version of the Ruger American Rimfire should be a consideration, too. My standard version with the plastic stock is a joy to shoot, and I think the blue looks very nice. At $550 MSRP, you should be able to find one of the wood versions for under $500 (in normal times). Ruger does a nice job with the wood. It’s not fancy, but it’s attractive.
Back about 1965, my dad bought me my first “real” gun, a Remington 511x Scoremaster.
Though it wasn’t an expensive rifle, it was a quality piece. No plastic or aluminum, just nicely figured black walnut and blued steel. And it was very accurate.
That old timer is still in my possession, and despite popping thousands of rounds out the bore it’s retained its splendid accuracy.
How about a S&W Guvnah with the frame and cylinder shortened to 45 ACP/Autorim length and fitted with enough barrel to allow a full-length ejector rod? Perhaps later variants could include a seven-shot 40 S&W and an eight-shot 9×19…
One of the most important wishes is
for newer and more refined ammo in
the .32, .38 and .357 categories.
The .357 can in reality be made a
.38 +P for personal defense without
the substantial recoil and blast
And in resurrecting the Sixes, Ruger
could name them “Combat Specials,”
OK stepping on Smith’s toes in the
process.
Second thought regarding
the resurrection of the
Ruger Sixes, call them
the “SR Specials.”
The SR Magnum! I like that!
Dear S&W:
Bring me a 3″ barrel, round butt model 65.
New production.
I’ll buy two.
No lock, I’ll buy four!
I wholeheartedly agree on bringing back the S&W Model 58. I like the .41 and regret never getting a Model 58 when it was possible.
And I also agree on the mid size frame Ruger .357. I have a Security 6 I bought in 1980 that is still my favorite.
S&W needs to fix the curve of the frame where the hammer lives in their current K frames. They look wrong.
Hmmm . . . I don’t see that, but we’ve all got different tastes. I think the S&W frame still looks right.
Now, the Kimber . . . that’s a bit different for me.
Bingo. It’s that way because of the stupid lock. J- and L-frames are the same way (N-frames are big enough to fit the lock without changing the profile, so not quite as ugly in my view). If they lose the lock, they can restore the deeper curve to the hammer area and look decent again.
The extra web on the frame down to the cylinder stop doesn’t look quite right to me, either. Same goes for the contour of the ejector rod shroud on the newer barrel shrouds. But those are more minor sins. That picture of the 547 in the article below captures, to me, the classic S&W look, which is very clean and attractive. I’ve got a 1955-vintage Combat Masterpiece (pre-model 15) with the upswept hammer and the chamfered cylinder that represents peak post-WWII S&Wness, but anything up until the late 90s still looks good to me.
I’m going to defend Ruger on the 6-shot .38 SP-101 a bit. The SP-101 cylinder is 1.349″, and the Kimber is 1.390″. That isn’t a huge difference, but I think it is enough to need a larger cylinder. There probably is room in the frame, as you point out, but the need for a new cylinder and frame modifications (possibly along with concerns about that affecting “tank” status) is probably what has derailed that project up to this point. That said, I have a .357 Magnum SP-101 in each barrel length offered, and a 6-shot version would supplant the Browning BDA as first on my wish list.
Thanks for the numbers, Greyson! Yes, based on that, it looks like they’d have to open up the window a little bit, but it seems like there’s enough margin to do it. If S&W could stretch the J-Frame window a little bit for the Magnum J, I think it wouldn’t be much of a trick for Ruger to do something similar, here?
If not, that makes an even stronger case for the return of a true medium-frame Six!
That should be a BDM, not BDA. Silly me.
The BDA (both of them—.380 and .45) would be neat too, though!
Also, while we are making this list, I’m going to throw in a non-revolver entry that I think most people here can get behind. Mossberg: start making pump-action center-fire rifles. We left-handed shooters love the pump actions, and we need an alternative to Remington. You seem like the obvious choice. Also, if you make one in .357 magnum (I guess there is a revolver tie-in), I would be eternally grateful.
After reviewing the tapes, the referee has decided there’s no foul, here. Long gun suggestions are welcome, and that’s a dandy. They’ve already primed the pump by going into bolt, lever, and gas guns, so a pump seems like the natural evolution.
S&W stainless K-Frame in 327 Federal.
Yes, with no lock, please.
So glad I added the Ruger GP100 3in 44sp to the collection this year, its a special one
Well done, Chris! You certainly won’t regret that one. I never saw any around here when they were in production, and hope I’ll stumble across one someday.
Mike,
Judging from the number of reply’s your wish list generated I’d say tou were a Santa in disguise (or maybe the head elf). My goodness you just tickle my fancy. I love the revolver and there is only one thing I wish that would return much like the custom grips and that is the great old Pachmayr grip adapters. There is no custom grip that can match the pointablilty and proper hand position than the service revolver grip with a Pachmayr adapter for me. Thanks for another great article. Merry Christmas to all.
Thank you Carl! I think you’re onto something BIG with your grip adapter idea! The supply of Tylers has certainly been erratic, since they are a part-time outfit.
Have you tried the BK Grips adapters yet? I’m curious what you think of them, in comparison to the old Pachmayr units.
Mike,
I have tried the BK adapters and they are no match for the “old” Tyler T-grip or the Pachmayr. I have an adapter that I purchased for a K frame square butt but the fit isn’t real good. They use a two point attachment that is either hit or miss and can break easily although they do seem to fit better on my N frame 27. I have an old pachmayr adapter on my model 10 that just works great. Seems the muscle memory of the hand just works best with this set up.
Carl, that’s valuable information, thank you! I’ve only dealt with the “new” Tyler T, and haven’t tried the BK Grips product yet. I’ve seen the old Pachmayrs, but have not done any shooting with them. I can understand why they fetch good prices on the auction sites, if they’re that much better.
I wish Remington would make more UMC 125gr SJHP 357mag and.. for the love of Christ Federal bring back the 125gr 357b 357magnum!
Bob, I didn’t know the C357B had disappeared from the catalog! See what I mean? It’s another Bermuda Triangle disappearing act. The tried and true classics are vanishing, right before our eyes!
Exactly! I was keeping an eye on it, before the pandemic, to come back in stock so I could order some direct from Federal and then some time in the last year they put a discontinued label over the picture of the ammo but they still haven’t taken it down yet…..if there’s any ammo I wish I had a stockpile of it’s that 125gr 357b.
Bob, my contact at Federal says not to worry:
“Mike, an equivalent to that bullet and load will continue to be available in our Train + Protect line as TP357VHP1. 50 count boxes now instead of 20. “
That’s good news for us RevolverGuys!
Note that they are also releasing an HST load in .357 Mag in 2022!
I know where there’s a stash of Federal .357 “b” . . .
Ha! And for the right price, it could be for sale, right?
I love all you comments but especially the ones about more 32 caliber revolvers. I have been trying to get Ruger to consider making an eight round 327 Fed Mag GP-100 out of their seven round 357 version. I also am trying to convince them that converting the Redhawk model 5051 into ten rounds of 327 would be a good idea. I haven’t been successful so far but if more of you will write to the CEO, perhaps we can make this happen.
Those would be neat,Karl. I love the fact that Ruger has an active feedback program like that—-it’s unique amongst the manufacturers, and a classy (and effective) move.
Look at the last few years for our beloved wheel guns…….Colt brings back the snakes, S&W the Model66, Dan Wesson the 715, Beretta offers the Manurhin…. I think Ruger can bring back the Security Six and it would sell. Of course, after they bring back the Marlin 1894 in 357…………..
Yes, we’re seeing a bit of a revolver Renaissance, aren’t we? I hope you’re right about the Six!
I’m given to understand that the .45-70 and .30-30 will be first, but also hope the .357 1894 will follow soon! That would be really neat!
You guys crack me up. Good article, Mike. All you guys have a Merry Christmas!
Glad it brought a chuckle, Jack! Merry Christmas to you as well. Always glad to see you here!
I agree with all, great list. My addition–a really small 5 shot .32 revolver. They made lots of them in the early 1900s–tiny 5 shot .32 break-tops that really would fit into a front pocket, much smaller than modern J frames. How about a S&W 642 on a 3/4 scale, just big enough to hold 5 rounds of .32 H&R magnum, with a decent wadcutter or copper HP load? I would much prefer that to any pocket .32 or .380 auto.
Yeah, the little break tops were slick. Carried a H&R .32 short for a while.
I too would like to see the return of the Diamondback in 4″ .38 special trim. It was an excellent service/defensive revolver for shooters with small hands for whom the K frame was just a bit long on the trigger reach. As a kid I shot my Dad’s one pretty well, and carried it as a teenager when we went camping (my first carry gun, I guess things were different back then). .38 +p I think is still nothing to sneeze at, and most of the power that most shooters can really control well. Thanks for bringing back those memories.
You bet, Paul! I’ve enjoyed this trip down Memory Lane, too. Frankly, I was eagerly awaiting all the comments from the audience, because I knew they’d come up with some even better ideas than me.
When I think about it, I’d also love to see Winchester .357 145 grain STHP back on the shelves… it shoots to point of aim in the model 13, and likely any other fixed sight .357 …
That’s gone, too? Good Lord, I haven’t been keeping pace. Another stalwart has slipped away into the Bermuda Triangle. Stop the madness!
Good call! I always thought the 140 grain range was the best all around bullet weight for the .357 mag. Good penetration and sectional density, with enough velocity to ensure reliable expansion even out of shorter barrels.
Yes, and a good solid “Whop!” on target without the wear and tear on the gun like the 125s.
I’ll be the weird one. Small frame /three inch barrel/five round .38 special/square butt/blued. And, while I’m wishing, affordable. *Cough* Model 36 *cough*.
Agreed! The square butt M36 offered a three-finger hold even with a Type T-grip behind the trigger guard. I bobbed the hammer on mine and fitted it with Barami hip grip. A fella might have forgotten he was packing, it was so comfortable. Been kicking myself for selling it since the day after… I’ll go your three-inch tube one better by recommending it be built on an alloy-frame M37 square butt with a skinny barrel, longer ejector rod, and an adjustable rear sight.
Mike, enjoyed the Christmas list. Two areas touched on what I’m wishing for. A S&W M12 with a 3″ bull barrel. I’ll take 2 please. Without a doubt would become one of my most carried side arms.
Glad you enjoyed it, Tim! Hopefully S&W is listening.
Of all the S&W revolvers the world needs now, reintroducing the M12 would be at the top of my list. In addition to your three-inch model, they should offer the two-inch with a bobbed hammer, and the four-inch skinny barrel. Wouldn’t mind it as a nine-shot 22 with an alloy cylinder neither…
^THIS^
I agree about the Model 58, but wish for an entire lineup of full sized fixed sight fighting revolvers, in L frame (.327, .357, 9mm, 10mm/40) and N frame (.41, .44 mag/Special, .45 LC and .45 acp.). Make them available in barrel lengths from 3” to 5”.
While you’re at it, S&W, add a front night sight, standard.
This would definitely be a niche item that would probably never happen, but I’d love to see someone–perhaps Ruger–offer a short-cylinder, six-shot, medium-frame top break revolver in 9mm (using moon clips), or a similar gun in .45 ACP on a larger frame. I have a shaved Webley Mark VI that uses .45 with moon clips and love how it operates–but it’s over 100 years old and not really suited for full-power ammo. A medium-frame successor to the smaller WWII-era Webley Mark IV that replaces the pleasant but not potent 38/200 (.38 S&W) with the similar-sized but punchier 9×19 would be a dream come true. I have to imagine that it would be possible to engineer a top-break to withstand these two moderate calibers…if not, even a .38 Special would be cool, as would a 9- or 10-shot .22 to succeed the old H&R 999 Sportsman.
It’s not a top break, Steve, but the new Diamondback Sidekick hearkens back to another .22 of the same era, the High Standard Double Nine. That might scratch your itch a little bit?
I think the pressure generated by the 9mm cartridge is too much for a practical break top. It’s a hot cartridge, at 35,000 PSI, compared to the .45 ACP’s 21,000 PSI (and 9mm +P is even hotter, at 38,500 PSI—and you know they would have to build the gun to withstand that).
Well shoot, while we’re on Webley, what about another semi-auto revolver (I think Webley-Fosberry?) going mainstream, maybe from Ruger… in a number of calibers! Dream big!
I can’t offer my compliments to this list enough, and I’d like to especially emphasize the requests that Ruger bring back the Speed/Service/Six line (the Service Six is still the prettiest double action revolver they ever put out IMO), and for S&W to ditch that horrendous lock. I wouldn’t mind seeing more 3″ barrels around either.
A very Merry Christmas to you and the family, Mike!
Thank you Sir! Glad you enjoyed the list so much, and I hope all the CEOs are listening to the crowd, here! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Solid list, and as the owner of a K6S and King Cobra, I couldn’t agree more about wanting to see more speed loader options for the Kimber & Colt 6 shooters!
“Ditching the lock” is such a no-brainer that I really can’t think of a single good reason why S&W is stubbornly insisting on still using them. I bet they’d sell at least 3-4 times as many revolvers if they finally got rid of that dumb contraption.
And in general, I really hope this site stays alive and continues to thrive – it’s still the best resource us modern revolvers guys have!
Thanks Hammer! I don’t plan on going anywhere soon, and have the editorial calendar completed through March already. We’ll be here, as long as you guys keep reading, commenting, and sharing!
Having just moved from a Constitutional Carry state in the geographical center of the land to a Constitutional Carry state in the extreme northeast of the land, I am down to my Ruger LCR snub in .357 Magnum. After getting my driver’s license and waiting three days, I’m armed, again! My wish (as a law-abiding citizen) would be to be able to bring the rest of my heaters across state lines and have them at my disposal without transfer fees and background checks.
That being impossible, I’d like to thank Mike and all the other Revolver Guys for giving us wheel gunners a great place to read about what the rest of the world is missing out on. Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas Bill, and enjoy that beautiful country up there. I’m glad you got things squared away, so you could go heeled again. Be safe!
A 6-shot LCR in .38 or .357 w/ a 3” barrel would be nice. It would be light and easy to carry. It would be easy to conceal for someone who wears a sport coat or something similar normally (like the guard at the big bank downtown). It would also be good for someone who wears a uniform but has a “tender” back.
Lightweight Ruger Speed Six with better sights… yea.
3 inch K frame ‘Ladysmith’ .357 again… with better sights and no lock!
And if any way possible a Ruger 3 inch GP-100 6 shooter in .41 Special!!!
Loving those ideas, Sir! (And the handle—a Skeeter fan, I take it?)
Hey guys, it looks like one of my Christmas wishes has come true!
They’re back! Check out SLVariant dot com on the interwebs!
Mike, These are “replicas,” whatever that means. The firm, whoever they are, appear to have ambitions to offer a full line of loaders, but offer only J five shot and K six shot options just now. I need more L/GP100 size and will be very pleased to see the L seven shot unit. Perhaps each of us should buy a couple to evaluate, and help prime the pump…
Mike, I did a detailed examination of one of the early J-Frame samples and it was a VERY accurate reproduction. I have already ordered some Js and Ks, and look forward to receiving them. I’ve been communicating with the maker, and will be writing more about them in 2022. Stay tuned.
A more thorough Christmas Wish List, would be hard to compile. Ruger “Sixes,” S&W Model 12s (In Nickel no less), plentiful grip adapters (that fit)…Man, you’re taking me back to my youth when Mc-D made the finest airplanes in the world, military uniforms were OD and (at least in the Air Force) revolvers were in all the holsters. What a great list. But I have the kind of bride (of only 41 years) that knows my heart and sneaks in something that I COULDN’T have expected. A BRAND NEW copy of “Good Friends, Good Guns, Good Whiskey” By Skeeter Skelton to replace my worn out original copy. In my humble opinion, EVERY revolver guy should have a copy. Happy New Year guys,
Thank you Sir! Yes, it’s a bit of a walk down memory lane, but this could also be the Ghost of Christmas Future, if we’re lucky. Heck, who’da thunk we would see an affordable Python come back? Anything is possible.
Now, my time in Uncle Sam’s Flying Club may be of more recent vintage, but when I started, I too, was wearing OD fatigues and all the troops carried and shot revolvers. I spent a whole career flying McDonnell Douglas jets, and they were indeed the best. Sometimes it seems like ages ago, sometimes just yesterday. Time is funny like that.
It sounds like you definitely married a keeper! A wife who understands the value of Skeeter is a rare bird, indeed, and something to cherish. Please give her an attagirl on behalf of all us RevolverGuys, and enjoy that fine book!
Every time a wish list topic comes up anywhere, the S&W Model 12 is my first thought.
(I can’t believe every single reply here hasn’t been in support of the M12, but that’s OK. )
Make all four configurations, 2” and 4”, RB and SB. Give us a 612 also. I’ll gladly accept a trick alloy like Scandium if necessary, but don’t do it so you can stamp .357 Magnum on the barrel. Make it in .38 Spl only! Don’t ruin a good thing.
And I’d like what some might consider to be a contradiction of itself: a 3” HB M12. Yes, a heavy barreled Airweight. I think it would feel fantastic.
A Centennial version? I’m all a-quiver.
Barry, I like what you’re thinking! I hope they’re listening.
Mike:
Your list is well thought out and these Christmas gifts from Santa would be welcome by all us gun-nuts. I especially like the retro revolvers on the list. There is nothing more beautiful or more comfortable in the hand than a S&W revolver circa 1950-1970 or a beautifully finished Royal Blue Colt. Much better than a lump of coal!
Dick
Yes Sir, you’ve got that right! My heart leaps at the sight of beautiful blue steel and wood, but my hopes get dashed when I spy an ugly lock in the sideplate. We deserve the return of some faithful classics, without the lock hole and all that it stands for.
I thought of something else. I’d like to see more Kimber revolver variants. Larger frames, smaller frames, and other calibers.
The current K6s would make a handy .22 with a 4” barrel and adjustable sights. Or .32 Mag.
Scale it up to L-frame size and appropriate chamberings.
And since Kimber has always been generous with aluminum alloy frame 1911 models, I don’t think a LW K6s in .38 would be much of a reach.
And since S&W doesn’t seem to be in a rush to give us another chance at the 547, Kimber can do a K9s(?) for us.
The aluminum frame .38 is on the way, Barry. Stay tuned.
Guys, I just saw my first photos of a new, three-inch Python! Christmas in January!
Has anyone heard about this website https://www.slvariant.com ? They claim to be producing a replica of the SL variant from Germany. Just going by some of the language on the site it might be a Chinese product.
Example – K-234 (6-Shot / K-Frame /.38SPL / .357MAG)
$32.00
Hi Chuck, yes, it’s legit. I just received my shipment from them, all the way from Japan. Took less than two weeks between order and delivery. The product is excellent, and I’ll be doing a review of them in these pages soon. Stay tuned.
Guys, my friends at Federal just sent me the 2022 new product list, and I was exceptionally pleased to see .327 Fed Mag and .357 Mag will now be offered with the excellent HST bullet. Additionally, they will be offering their Punch JHP in .44 Special. Once again, our Christmas wishes are slowly coming true!