Preparedness Wheelgun?

[po18guy]

Nothing crawling in through a window at 3AM needs a 44. The .357 will do very well. How fast is your reload? Waaaay back when I carried a 19, I had my reloads down to about 3 seconds. I'm left-handed but shoot right handed, so I devised a method where the 19 stayed in my shooting hand. I elevated the muzzle, popped the cylinder out with and ejected with my left, then used the left hand to get the speed loader out, charge the cylinder and snap it back shut - without having to change grip. I never liked what was taught: switch hands, invert the gun, load with your right hand then swap hands again. Way too much room for error when shots are ringing out.

 

[DeanMk]

Makes sense.
Cylinder latch works for the right hand, so if you can shoot righty, why let go of the gun?
I can shoot with either hand, but if I did empty a cylinder with my left hand, I would switch the gun to my right hand first, but then do everything else like you said, and then shoot with the right hand.
Seems pretty instinctive, to me.

Dean

 

[2506]

Makes sense.
Cylinder latch works for the right hand, so if you can shoot righty, why let go of the gun?
I can shoot with either hand, but if I did empty a cylinder with my left hand, I would switch the gun to my right hand first, but then do everything else like you said, and then shoot with the right hand.
Seems pretty instinctive, to me.

Dean

I'm a lefty and that's how I do it.

 

[TTSX]

How long have you had yours and what do you think of it?
The impression I'm getting is the QC may have improved on newer models, compared to earlier examples.
The price is nice, that's for sure!

Dean

I've had it about 2 years. I think it's a pretty ok gun overall but you definitely get what you pay for. There are machining marks all over, the sights are fixed and the grips are either melted down Pringles lid plastic or stained balsa wood. BUT: since it cost me $100 nearly new I have zero room to complain. It's got some weight, pretty sturdy feeling and the trigger really isn't that bad feeling. Granted I only have this one revolver and have shot 3 others so take that opinion with several grains of salt. It has yet to jam or stick or bind or any nonsense so I'd call it a cheap win. Would have been nice if it were in .357 though

 

[OldBroad44]

Nothing crawling in through a window at 3AM needs a 44. The .357 will do very well.

Mostly I agree. That is, I agree that for self-defense against humans, a .357 with the right ammo is sufficient. So if thats your sole requirement, the .357 is all you need.

However, some might want to include self defense against black bears. I surprised one once in the woods, and we both stood frozen and motionless, a mere 22 feet apart, for about 30 seconds, me with a 6-inch Ruger Security 6 pointed at the bear, my trusty woods dog between us, also motionless and silent, 12 feet from bear. Longest 30 seconds in my life. And during all of them, I was wishing my gun was a .44 loaded with bear loads instead of a .357 loaded with HP ammo for SD against 2-legged predators. Had either me or dog moved, we might have been attacked, as this was well within the attack distance for a black bear if surprised. Fortunately, even my dog was silent and motionless, and bear ran.

I also once had to chase away a bear in my back yard who was after my ducks. Neither spotlighting him or yelling at him stopped him. Only after I put a shot in the ground next to him did he run. (I didnt have a bear tag, and it wasnt bear season, alas.)

Also, for many of us, being able to hunt deer, bear, and elk is part of what we want from a shtf gun, is in fact, a major reason why we would choose a revolver if we could have just one shtf gun. An appropriate .44 is a much better hunting gun for medium and large animals. .357s arent even legal on elk, last I looked.

 

[DeanMk]

I've had it about 2 years. I think it's a pretty ok gun overall but you definitely get what you pay for. There are machining marks all over, the sights are fixed and the grips are either melted down Pringles lid plastic or stained balsa wood. BUT: since it cost me $100 nearly new I have zero room to complain. It's got some weight, pretty sturdy feeling and the trigger really isn't that bad feeling. Granted I only have this one revolver and have shot 3 others so take that opinion with several grains of salt. It has yet to jam or stick or bind or any nonsense so I'd call it a cheap win. Would have been nice if it were in .357 though

For what those guns sell for, new, I would almost expect excessive machining marks and cheap feeling / ill fitting grips.
Sounds like you got an excellent deal on it, though and your comments on the trigger feel (taken with the appropriate amount of salt) are a nice surprise.
Thanks for the review. Much appreciated.

Dean

 

[revjen45]

"What, No Smith&Wesson is better then Colt wheelguns argument, And Ruger's are the Glocks of the Revolver world, I'm expecting the rants anytime now!
And the whole .375 vs .44 discussion, where is all the passionate dissagreements on that?"

Having worked on both as a gunsmith, I think the S&W lockwork is a lot easier to work on and tune, and easier to shoot in DA*. "Better than" is a matter of choice. The Colt lockwork will require attention to timing with a lower round count, and it's a whole lot harder to time than S&W.
.357 vs. .44 is less a matter of passion than deciding what it's for. The DVC equation balances differently for human and non-human threats. My choice for a 300# meth head would be a .357. For hunting deer or SD for bear I would choose a .44.
My favorite all around sidearm round is the .357.
The revolver I covet is the M57 in 6" or 8 3/8" bbl if for no other reason than it's cool. I saw one in Cabela's LNIB for $1200, which is in line with what you would pay for new N-Frame. I had to leave before I could reach for the credit card.

* Corrected, was SA

 

[DeanMk]

"What, No Smith&Wesson is better then Colt wheelguns argument, And Ruger's are the Glocks of the Revolver world, I'm expecting the rants anytime now!

Bah! Crappy Overpriced American Arms...If you're looking for the High Score, the ONLY choice is ARMSCOR!



(graphic courtesy of This Video )

 

[revjen45]

From outside they look like a colt.
What does the lockwork look like?

 

[JedB]

S&W 610
10mm
4" barrel
moon clips

Also shoots .40cal in a pinch.

1) Because it's cool.
2) It's the only revolver I have in the herd.
3) Because it's cool.

Say, for whatever reason, you opted for a revolver for your primary handgun for a disaster situation, what would it be and why?

 

[DeanMk]

From outside they look like a colt.
What does the lockwork look like?

S&W

 

[Certaindeaf]

Go buntline or go home.







lol, <= 4".

 

[DeanMk]

...uh oh 'deaf's done it now...

 

[CountryGent]

...uh oh 'deaf's done it now...

View attachment 675088

Luger carbine ... be still my beating heart.

 

[DeanMk]

Well, its like 'deaf sez!
(and yeah, those are some of the sweetest pistols ever made!)

 

[revjen45]

See your Luger Carbine and raise you a Schnellfeuer Mauser 712.
Somehow I don't envision the post apocalypse landscape to be filled with such exquisite exotica.

View attachment 675346

 

[revjen45]

However, if we're gonna populate our Mad Max alternate universe with such, I offer you the Ultimate Preparedness Wheelgun


I just wish the head from Zardoz would set down and start puking these things out to the appreciative natives, just like in that movie.

 

[CountryGent]

See your Luger Carbine and raise you a Schnellfeuer Mauser 712.
Somehow I don't envision the post apocalypse landscape to be filled with such exquisite exotica.

View attachment 675346

However, if we're gonna populate our Mad Max alternate universe with such, I offer you the Ultimate Preparedness Wheelgun

View attachment 675348
I just wish the head from Zardoz would set down and start puking these things out to the appreciative natives, just like in that movie.

I can dig it!

Make mine an Astra 902.

 

[homeuser6]

i can't believe there is no model 58 mentioned in this thread.

 

[DeanMk]

However, if we're gonna populate our Mad Max alternate universe with such, I offer you the Ultimate Preparedness Wheelgun

View attachment 675348
I just wish the head from Zardoz would set down and start puking these things out to the appreciative natives, just like in that movie.

The gun that killed the guy in The Maltese Falcon.