9MM REVOLVER whats the best for the buck

[OldBroad44]

Charter Arms??? OP asked for reliable. Not cheapest or lightest or even most interesting or exciting. Charter Arms guns can certainly be interesting and exciting. Especially if you're assuming that the hammer and other parts will stay attached to the gun when you shoot it.

 

[WAYNO]

Interesting how jaded folks can be with any given product. I've owned and shot many Charter's, and I'd buy one again tomorrow.

 

[OldBroad44]

I think the best .38/.357 revolver for most beginners (male or female) is a full size (medium frame) K or L frame Smith or equivalent Ruger. Not a small "cute" little J frame or a light aluminum or titanium frame. The smaller guns generally have worse and heavier trigger pulls. Weight not only cancels arm tremors, it absorbs recoil. Little or light guns are much harder to shoot than full size guns, even with the mildest loads. They are not what I would give anyone to learn on.

Let lady try out a SW 686 snubby. Full size L frame, big easy to see adjustable sights, light smooth trigger in DA or SA. Underlugged barrel that absorbs recoil. Enough different grips available so that it can be made to fit any hand. If lady finds that too heavy to carry, or doesn't like the muzzle-heavy balance, go with the K frame equivalent, the Model 66. Same grip size and same medium frame and full size adjustable sights. A little lighter build and barrel is not underlugged. Both are easy to carry in a purse, fanny pack, or pocket. The same guns with four inch barrels are even better if carry mode allows. If you buy one used at a reasonable price you can resell easily. Smiths, especially those models, hold their value.

I recommend staying with models with full size adjustable sights. Full wadcutters are very mild to shoot, and are actually good self defense ammo. And are cheap. But if you have fixed sights, your point if aim will be way off if you are shooting loads or bullet weights that are atypical in either direction. Such as wadcutters. I also recommend staying with unshrouded unbobbed hammers. Don't throw away your capability for the very accurate SA shot. What if bad guy is using one of her loved ones as a shield, and she needs to shoot bad guy in the right eye?

Start with .38sp full wadcutters for both practice and self defense. Stick with those until lady is totally confident in her ability to shoot the gun with both hands, or one hand either hand, and all kinds of strange positions including on her back as if surprised in bed. Only then experiment with hotter .38 or .357 loads.

Crimson Trace laser grips on these Smiths are great, and can really facilitate dry firing practice. Get snap caps for dry firing practice. Another training aid I like is the Laser Ammo cartridge, just under $100 at Amazon. This is shaped like a .38 special cartridge, but instead of bullet, powder, and primer, has a laser, battery, and "primer" that makes the electronic connection so you get a flash of light when trigger hits "primer". I don't use any special florescent targets, just instead shooting at stuff in a darkened room.

 

[titsonritz]

I think you are spot on with your post, on the other side of the coin though, fixed sights and shroud/bobbed hammer are less prone to snagging during the draw and shredding of clothing and/or chaffing of tender skin. Sure thumb break holsters help but I tend to prefer an open top holster for CCW. Dehoning helps, too, but not completely IMO/E. Accurate DAO shooting, while certainly more difficult than SA, is still very doable with practice.

I recommend staying with models with full size adjustable sights. Full wadcutters are very mild to shoot, and are actually good self defense ammo. And are cheap. But if you have fixed sights, your point if aim will be way off if you are shooting loads or bullet weights that are atypical in either direction. Such as wadcutters. I also recommend staying with unshrouded unbobbed hammers. Don't throw away your capability for the very accurate SA shot. What if bad guy is using one of her loved ones as a shield, and she needs to shoot bad guy in the right eye?

 

[OldBroad44]

I have been packing around a S&W 642CT for the past 15 years. It has Crimson Trace Laser grips that are wonderful for double action only practice. Although the Smith is very smooth that Laser will really show the shakes and wandering of aim on target as one goes through a double action trigger press. Practice without the laser activated is very important, as personally, I will not waste any time activating the laser in a fast draw crisis situation.

I don't understand. If you leave the crimson trace lever in the on position, the laser activates whenever you pick up the gun and your natural grip compresses the activation button. So it takes zero time to activate the laser. It happens whenever you pick the gun up and grip it as for shooting. The laser stays off when you aren't gripping the gun. At least if the button that activates the laser is working right. And you've left the lever in the on position. And why wouldn't you? I do also practice dry firing without the laser, as anything dependent on batteries can fail. And there are situations where the laser sight doesn't work. (Longer distances. A red target. A target with lots of laser-dot-sized red speckles on it.) But not because it would take time to activate the laser.

???

 

[OldBroad44]

Interesting how jaded folks can be with any given product. I've owned and shot many Charter's, and I'd buy one again tomorrow.

Jaded about Charters I'm not. Terrified comes a lot closer. I've owned two, and that was two too many.

 

[Mark W.]

Charter Arms??? OP asked for reliable. Not cheapest or lightest or even most interesting or exciting. Charter Arms guns can certainly be interesting and exciting. Especially if you're assuming that the hammer and other parts will stay attached to the gun when you shoot it.

I have a Bull Dog Pug .44 spl. I have owned and shot regularly for the last 32 years. My son first shot it when he was 5 (he hit a paper plate all 5 times at about 7 yards). I also own an Undercover in 38+P which until recently was my carry gun (had to switch it to the wife as she can no longer reliably operate a slide) Again not a single issue.

I'm not saying that someone hasn't had trouble with a Charter Arms Pistol in the past. Its my understanding there was a period they were not great on quality. This is not the current situation as I know it.

 

[NW Backpacker]

Would she want a 9mm sniper revolver?

 

[Johnny Tremain]

I make the Elmer Keith 38/357 round, it will out shoot ANY 9mm period. 1500fps, and a 160gr hollow point. I hated to sell the 357, but it was a kids first firearm.
Personally I would not get a barrel under 4 inches. Any shorter, and you stunt the speed, and have a nasty recoil problem, like the Ruger 101 with the 2 inch barrels do. You can only run mild 38 threw it, or you may be fetching your piece off the ground.

 

[Mikej]

My sister is a new shooter And voted no on I 1639 .She liked the snubbie revolver ,what ever we get will have to be able to shoot 38 or 9 for now. And reliability is a must .9mm ammo is always obtainable & cheap and a wide variety of loads to choose as she gets more comfortable with shooting , I think the moon clips can unnecessarily complicate things for a newbie

Thanks that sorted it out. quick reloads with no moon clips isn't going to happen. looks like a 6 shot 357 is now what the preference will be. at least she can train with 38 until comfortable enough to move up to 357. there's no school like old school

Just a RE-reminder of what the OP was looking for.....

Sort of a morning chuckle. All the back and fourth on self defense and lasers and hittin' the bad guy in the eye, etc! I'm just thinking back about eight years ago when I shot mt first gun bigger than a Colt Woodsman/Ruger 10/.22. Being brand spanking new to guns like this the mentality isn't there to sort through or comprehend the info over-flow coming from the group. Good lord, my head would have been spinning had I asked such a question back then. Though I REALLY wished I'd known NWFA was here for me as I sold a couple of rifles I should have kept.

Anyway, the point to @usausausa is that his sister doesn't doesn't know what she doesn't know. Maybe he doesn't either? So I'd say, find a S&W, or Ruger revolver with a 4"-6" barrel. Look on-line for the simple tests to tell if the the gun is in good shape. Blued revolvers may have a bunch of bluing wear from being holstered, or kicking around a glove box, or even some pitting, but still be real solid shooters. Looking well used will keep the price down! When you don't know what you don't know, you'll feel like that sweet 25-30 YO S&W revolver is the coolest gun EVER! Let sister save all the other stuff for later, once she learns a bunch from NWFA, then she'll get an idea what interests her. Then it gets really exciting! Maybe expensive too.

If you're in PDX, Kieth's out in Gresham usually has a few used revolvers.

RE: The ol' shootin' .38 through a .357 will crud up the chambers thing. All you need to do is some brushing after a little solvent soaking of the chambers after every other range trip or so. I don't shoot .357 in any revolver. It's a lot easier than the process of cleaning semi autos IMO.

 

[OldBroad44]

I love revolvers with 6 inch barrels, but they are more than most women can carry routinely except in a holster on a belt. And many of us women greet people by hugging, which tends to make a belt carried gun obvious. Most women will usually need to carry in a purse or fanny pack. Meaning a snubby up to a 4 inch, both because of dimensions and weight. Yeah I know that's not ideal, but it's better than not carrying. Camera fanny packs can be great for carrying guns. If sister can afford two guns, a 6 inch could be great to learn on and for home defense. But she is likely to need something smaller for edc.

I would never advise going with a blued revolver for edc in the wet pacific NW. Okay for people who like cleaning guns as much as shooting them. Not for me. Not best for beginners.

If sister starts out shooting just .38sp, the crud that builds up in the cylinder holes is no problem. It will need the thorough scrubbing only if, at a later date, she wants to try .357. Id suggest sticking with .38 until conpletely comfortable with it.

I also don't think anyone inexperienced with guns should buy a gun without handling one of that model and barrel length. What is ideal is to visit a range that rents guns and and let her try out what she is thinking about buying.

The biggest mistake experienced gun people make in advising newbies is assuming that our own druthers and knowledge are more useful than they are. Actually, they are just a starting point. A way of narrowing the possibilities down before newbie goes and handles some guns. If she doesnt like it when she handles it, its the wrong gun, however much we may like it.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Your only recourse is to buy your sister a pair of track shoes and a paper sack.

not really

 

[Tilos]

I've been jonesing for a 9mm range revolver forever, even emailed Ruger many time about selling one.
I'd even consider an Sp101 in 9mm, Ruger already sells one but it is a snubby with fixed sights.
I want at least a 4.2"(5" would be great) barrel and an adjustable rear sight, post front, for range use.
Think about it, 9mm is the cheapest center fire ammo available everywhere.
If such a gun were available, the 9mm auto shooters might be tempted to buy, maybe as their 1st revolver.

There is a gun available as described... a S&W from the "performance center" for $1200, the one Miculek use(d) with full moon clips.
Performance Center® Pro Series® Model 986 | Smith & Wesson

But wait, there's another one, from a company who holds a patent on an ejector/extractor that works WITHOUT moon clips, for rimless cases.
Ok, it's Charter Arms...
Charter - Pitbull, 9mm, 6\

I want this gun and have seen one but stupidly did not handle it.
I've been looking for another one to handle/fondle since seeing it, as I wouldn't buy one without 1st checking one out.
I've checked Charter's website and it's not there, so I emailed them and the response was yes we make/sell that model.
If anyone knows where I can see/handle this gun please post it.

 

[Hawaiian]

I have a Taurus 905 in 9mm. Don't need or use the moon clips for target shooting. I do use them if I am going to carry it. Haven't had to use it for self defense so the same moon clips for carry have been loaded with the same SD ammo for years.

 

[PaulB47]

never mind...

 

[2506]

Just saw a S&W 547 M&P revolver on proxibid, currently at $600...

 

[ma96782]

Did you see this one?

WTS/WTT OR - Charter 9mm

Aloha, Mark

 

[MannyGlocks]

Smith & Wesson SD9VE.

Good budget pistol with a stiff, but manageable trigger. Kind of a Glock knock off, but not as much as their old Sigma.

I bought one recently as a yard gun.

Comes with 2 magazines that hold 16 rounds each.

$303.00 out the door including tax.