My Holly Grail Revolver

[Bob R]

At one time I was pretty serious about concealed carrying a revolver. Especially in the Summer (Snake Season) here in Missouri. I carried a SP101, various J Frame S&W revolvers, and a couple K Frames to include a S&W Custom Shop 3" Model 66, and a Custom Shop 3" Model 64. Over the years Combat Shooting Revolvers I migrated to the Ruger SP101 in a 5 Shooter and the S&W 64 and 66 in 6 shooters for concealed carry. Carrying Rural I would have a shot shell or two in the cylinder. I would swap back to all carry ammunition for more serious carry conditions.

HOLY GRAIL REVOLVER
My Holy Grail Concealed Carry Revolver was a S&W Model 586 or 686 Round Butt with a 3" Barrel. I never managed to buy one. They were pretty much non-existent, and if you did find one it was off the chart expensive. Why you ask, not just get a 686 7 Shooter with a 3" barrel, they were available last that I looked anyway.
The answer is the 7 shot part. They have never made a Jet Loader for a 7 Shoot Revolver.
Why not just go with a 2.5" Barrel, they are easy to find in a 6 shooter? The Answer is, they have a Short Ejector Rod making speed reloads more difficult. Especially with 357 Magnum Ammunition. The Full Length Ejector Rod was required to have perfection.

REVOLVER RANGE TIME
At one time we had several of us old timers shooting Revolver's in our Clubs Combat Handgun Match. This was a match that we just made up our own Rule's, and it worked just fine. We shot Card Board Silhouette Targets to start with. Over time we added Steel Silhouettes, and a Texas Star, 2 Dueling Trees, and a few Pepper Poppers, and Lolly Pops, and all shapes and sizes of Steel Plate's. Shooting a Combat Match with a Revolver, reloading gets pretty important. I got spoiled pretty quickly using J. K, and L Frame Jet Loaders.
We were shooting lots of different revolvers. Most of us shot a 625 or 610 at some point with Moon Clips. Lots of 66, 686 Smiths and GP100 Rugers were used by our shooters. At one time I believe we had three or four Willy Clap GP100 being shot at one time. I ended up with a 686-5 with 4" barrel that was tuned up by the legendary Ron Power. I still have it.

My love of the Jet Loader carried in kydex speed loader holders made SIX SHOOTERS my only consideration at that time.

RUNNER UP HOLY GRAIL REVOLVER
My Alternative Holy Grail Revolver ended up being a 3" Adjustable Sight 6-Shot GP100. My Jet Loaders worked in it, and I had what I considered to be perfection in a carry revolver. With a little tuning I have been happy with it for several years, and I still have it.

TODAY'S HOLY GRAIL CHOICE
Today I would probably just buy a 3" 686 7 Shooter or even better yet a Blued 586 (Old Guy, I Like Blued Guns), and learn to use a 5-Star L7-357/38 Speed Loader or the even better L7-357/38 DC Series Speed Loader. Using HKS Twist Knob Speed Loaders for a very long time, I had an issue with the 5-Star Speed Loader Knobs turning the opposite direction as the HKS. I am sure lots of us old timers who grew up with HKS Speed Loaders did. We were 100% sure that under stress we would be trying to turn the release knob the wrong direction. This was a very valid consideration for us old timers who had used HKS Speed Loaders for ever.

USING A 5 STAR SPEED LOADER TODAY
I am sure that now I could start using a 5-Star Speed Loader Exclusively with out any serious issues if I trained with it for a while. I have never had my hands on a L7-357/38 DC Series Speed Loader. That might be a use-able alternative to a Jet Loader that will work in a 7 shooter.

Lets here what your Holy Grail Revolver is.

Bob R

 

[Geronimo Jim]

Great write up. Brought back a lot of memories. My first real love was shooting PPC
starting in the mid 1970's. My ultimate was a Ron Power Grand Master. Lot of money
but I got one. Must have shot about ten million rounds. Still have it. Not much blue
left but best action in history of the world. Totally fell in love with Smith's and my goal
was to get one of each model. Hard to pick but one most carried was one of the first
model 60's that came out. Loved the Model 29's. Got each barrel length in blue and nickel.
Actually shot a 4 inch 29 in IPSC or IDPA ...can't remember organization but was at the birth
practical pistol competition. Power factor sometimes was controlled with knock down plates,
Actually competed well against 45 1911's because I didn't have to clear jams and had plenty
of power. Now carry Sig 365.

 

[Steel Mover]

I had a 25-2 in 45 ACP with full moon clips setup for double action only with a 4 pound DA trigger. I used the 25 in IPSC, plates and pins. The full moon clips stuck on your holster belt were very fast to reload.

 

[GotRDid]

Always thought my Python was the smoothest trigger I had ever pulled, until I was introduced to the Korth revolvers.
Too far out of my price range at this age, but always check them out at the NRA Exhibits just to dream.

 

[Knotwild]

3” 32 magnum or 327 Federal, 6 shot cylinder, adjustable sights, in a light weight frame smaller than the S&W K.

 

[kelbro]

Mine were the K22 and K38 Masterpiece revolvers. I bought both and used them extensively in Bullseye matches. That was a lot of fun.

 

[CJ6]

Of the revolvers I have Colt, S&W, Ruger. The Ruger 3" Speed Six has the best trigger. A very smooth lite pull. It might not be as accurate as the others, but it's the only revolver I carry.

 

[Bob R]

Ron Power worked on several revolvers for me over the years. Only my first two from the early to mid 1990's were fully marked as Power Custom Combat revolvers. He never replaced the things he used to put the logo's on several years back. My first Two that he did his magic to were my 625, and a no dash 610. He told me that the 625 was the first one that he had ever worked on that all Six Chambers were perfectly in line with the bore. Ron will be missed.

Bob R

 

[Luke M]

I sold all my S&W's. They were Way to pretty to shoot. I'm a Ruger guy. I never felt like I would loosen things up in my GP100 buy shooting full.357 Mags. And it has seen its fair share. Bought it as my high school graduation present in '87. And its still tight as the day I bought it.
If open carry didn't make people so uncomfortable it would be my EDC.This gun is a laser beam out too 100yards.

 

[ISS]

The "gunfighter" (I call it that, the 4.75" barrel) Colt Single Army, Color Case Hardened and blued steel with 1/4 cover engraving that Colt built me about 20 years ago in 45 Long Colt. A close second is the 71/2" Colt Bisley I got from my Grandfather. It's been rebarreled in 38 Spl. It was originally a 32-20, and a shame my GF let his son convert it.

Since we can open carry in Idaho I pack a pre-fix 4" S&W 29 most of the time. I have banked at the same branch of my bank since 1978. They do not even blink when I walk in packing it. Last count, I have six various iteration Model 29's all four inch, and a 6" Anaconda if I want to hunt with a handgun.

 

[Luke M]

The "gunfighter" (I call it that, the 4.75" barrel) Colt Single Army, Color Case Hardened and blued steel with 1/4 cover engraving that Colt built me about 20 years ago in 45 Long Colt. A close second is the 71/2" Colt Bisley I got from my Grandfather. It's been rebarreled in 38 Spl. It was originally a 32-20, and a shame my GF let his son convert it.

Since we can open carry in Idaho I pack a pre-fix 4" S&W 29 most of the time. I have banked at the same branch of my bank since 1978. They do not even blink when I walk in packing it. Last count, I have six various iteration Model 29's all four inch, and a 6" Anaconda if I want to hunt with a handgun.

I'm in Colorado. Democrats are ruining our State. People start shivering in their shoes if they see open carry.

 

[ISS]

Luke M,

I feel your pain. When I left RVN in 1971 I was in the Army Hospital at Fort Carson. It wasn't too bad then.

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

Of the revolvers I have Colt, S&W, Ruger. The Ruger 3" Speed Six has the best trigger. A very smooth lite pull. It might not be as accurate as the others, but it's the only revolver I carry.

Speed Six old school. Nice

 

[357Mag]

Lets here what your Holy Grail Revolver is.

Bob -

Howdy !

For my hands, " N " frames work best
I carry .357Mag.

Pretty much have my dream revolver right now...

A surplus NYSP M-520, square butt.
I'm accustomed to having a pinned barrel and recessedscylinders
The 520 gave me the fixed sight frame I prefer for concealed.carry.

Dave Schwarze of Ft. Wayne, IN put on a frame-width custom Douglas barrel w/ ejector rod reliefe, did the action work along w/ smooth combat trigger install, bobbed the hammer, thinned Rt side of trigger guard; and sent the gun out for the Manganese Phosphate finish. I went w/ Herretts " Jordan Trooper " stocks in Go
ncalo Alves.

Ken Null custom ultra high ride holster w/ FWD muzzle rake strong-side.carry... made to my spec's.

REM or FED 125JHPs get the nod.

I'll post some pics, after our internet service is restored.

With regards,
357Mag

 

[357Mag]

Ron Power worked on several revolvers for me over the years. Only my first two from the early to mid 1990's were fully marked as Power Custom Combat revolvers. He never replaced the things he used to put the logo's on several years back. My first Two that he did his magic to were my 625, and a no dash 610. He told me that the 625 was the first one that he had ever worked on that all Six Chambers were perfectly in line with the bore. Ron will be missed.

Bob R

BobR -

Howdy, again !

Here’s some pics of my customized M-520, described above.


With regards,
357Mag

 

[K22]

Without hesitation mine would be the S&W Model 17, 22 LR (K22  ).

I have hunted small game with mine, shot NRA Precision Pistol (Bullseye) in competition and Small-Bore Hunter's Pistol Silhouette in competition with mine plus hours of enjoyable range shooting.

This of course assumes we are taking about non-defense purposes.

 

[ELR LVR]

Had A Colt Detective Special .38 with front night sight
Like an idiot I sold it when I got offered fair market value
But dang did that gun shoot accurately for such a short barrel
Clay pigeons at 50 yds was pretty easy
(Never sell an Accurate Factory gun)
---
it was light and thin for a little 38
---
I had a S&W 686 SS / 4 inch 357 Mag that I do not miss nearly as much at the Colt 38

 

[Minshooter]

Without hesitation mine would be the S&W Model 17, 22 LR (K22  ).

I have hunted small game with mine, shot NRA Precision Pistol (Bullseye) in competition and Small-Bore Hunter's Pistol Silhouette in competition with mine plus hours of enjoyable range shooting.

This of course assumes we are taking about non-defense purposes.

Have one of those -five screw, tapered barrel, diamond target grips.
One of the last I will ever part with.
The other is a 6-1/2" 29 with Fuzzy Farrant grips custom made for my hand.
OK, maybe have to include the 4" flat latch round butt .22 kit gun.
And the early 7-3/8" model 41 with loaded chamber indicator.
And the 4" 19 -my first Smith revolver, purchased over 50 years ago. (Paid $110 -outrageous!)
And...

 

[K22]

Have one of those -five screw, tapered barrel, diamond target grips.
One of the last I will ever part with.
The other is a 6-1/2" 29 with Fuzzy Farrant grips custom made for my hand.
OK, maybe have to include the 4" flat latch round butt .22 kit gun.
And the early 7-3/8" model 41 with loaded chamber indicator.
And the 4" 19 -my first Smith revolver, purchased over 50 years ago. (Paid $110 -outrageous!)
And...

I have a Model 34, 4" "Kit" revolver 'J' frame also. This little revolver is extremely accurate and a joy to carry in the field.

My Model 17's are all 4 screws with tapered barrels, circa 70's.

 

[kneedtospeed]