S&W ?

[azmark]

Smith and Wesson is perceived as the epitome of quality revolvers. Is this actually true? I've heard several opinions to the contrary but I wanted to ask the question directly.

[Rusty]

They are in my opinion for what my opinion is worth. Some like the older ones better than the current manufactured ones.

[Hobie]

What type of revolver and when? S&W revolvers of different eras have their adherents and detractors just as do Colts, etc... Nothing really wrong with the revolvers as a rule. Just depends on what you want in a revolver.

[J Miller]

They were at the top of the heap until the Clinton agreement, MIM parts and the key locks.
Now the are at the bottom of my list and will remain there.

Joe

[madman4570]

No doubt they are fine revolvers!
I really do like their triggers and they do indeed have that sexy look(like a 29/629)
Have to say for just pure function and ruggedness Ruger to me has always been the best bang for the buck.
Probably the Freedom Arms single actions rate tops in the best for Quality and also for being about the most accurate.
And for that just very special fine elegant gun(a colt single action/or a double action python) well? we most all would love one?

But the S&W's are fine indeed!

[jeepnik]

They still make a quality product that will outlast it's original purchaser and his kids and kids kids. True they aren't as finely finished as say a pre-war example. But then again, they sure don't make cars as well as they did say sixty years ago, too much plastic and electronics that are designed to fail in today's cars.

Truthfully, until you get into uber expensive things like the Korth do you find the amount of hand fitting that those earlier Smith's possesed. And, if Smith & Wesson put that many man hours into the building of a revolver, it would cost as much as a Korth.

We can bemoan the loss of quality, but reality is that if we still had that level of quality, very few of us would be able to afford to own a handgun.

[Streetstar]

Jeepnik beat me to it --- but i was about to say Korth and MAnurhin were actually at the top with quality surpassing the Python -- the Python is nicer than the SW's -- but they also haven't been manufactured for years and years

Currently - as far as domestic double action revolvers go - i could you could say Smith is it , but diehard Ruger fans would also argue otherwise

I am just assuming you were talking about Double Action revolvers since you mentioned Smith. In the Single Action world, Freedom Arms trumps everyone, with USFA and Colt still doing beautiful work

[damienph]

I think that you would be hard pressed to find double action revolvers better than those built by Smith & Wesson. Even with the locks and modern manufacturing methods, S&W has a very good product. Calling them the epidome of revolver manufacturing might be pushing it but they are definitely well built, quality revolvers.

[crs]

There is a cult of Colt Python collectors as they too are fine revolvers. One my friends belongs to that cult, but recently told me that the Smith is easier to shoot accurately because of the lock time which is half that of the Python! He also collects and shoots Smiths.

[kimwcook]

IMO and it's just that, S&W's are the best of what they are and the market they serve. Pythons are a beautiful revolver, but you'll pay for it too. I like my Smiths and they've never let me down. I don't own a lockable and probably won't. That big hole in the side of that beautiful revolver just turns my stomach.

[TX50Cal]

I don't know about being the best but I really like my S&W 28 Highway Patrolman. 4" .357 N-frame

[Griff]

I only owned two S&Ws, both K-frames, a nickle mdl 19 and a SS mdl 65. But in times past, I've been issued a mdl 10 and a mdl 13... and every one of the four has been superb. Wish I still had the mdl 13, probably the most accurate of the four, tho' my mdl 65 is as good as I am, or ever was!

[Cruise]

I have an older K-22 and a newer Model 60 Pro Series w/3" BBL. Both superlative pieces.

[kevin in nh]

I do like Revolvers....Smiths are great......here are some


Pre-17....1967 17-3.....34-1

27-2 5" and 13-3 3"

[Booger Bill]

Smiths are tops. Colts are great, but what hurts colt is the common preception that they get out of time quicker than smiths. On top of that what really hurts is that it`s hard to find really good gunsmiths that know how to work on the more complicated colts.
Colt isnt into building DA revolvers anymore, thats part of the reason with finding a gunsmith. In my opinion colt USED to be the better or smiths equal years ago, especialy with the pythons and old model troopers. I have got better accuracy shooting off the bench with colts than smith. I own plenty of both. When colt quit building large caliber DA revolvers at world war two is where they made the mistake competeing with smith.

[Booger Bill]

Just for the fun of it, first picture is a S&W 25-5 in 45 colt and a python.
Secound one is a S&W 66-3 and the nickle python. They all will do the job.

[Booger Bill]

Here is a set of smiths. A 27-2 and a 29-2 in the rare 5" barrel. 357 mag and 44 mag. Had smith engrave my name in gold when I bought it back in 1971.
The 2nd picture is all .44 specials, my favorite caliber.

[Sixgun]

Just compare ANY 'Smith to the junk thats out there and you will see why 'Smiths are the s&&$!

Booger Bill, I like your 44 Spls. Here's a few of my favorites---Triplelock Target, Colt Shooting Master and a newer (1980's) 4" 1950 target----------------Sixgun

[Booger Bill]

You have nice classic stuff!

[Rusty]

A Smith just naturally fits my hand like no other. It was the first handgun I ever owned, a M64. I then went on to own at different times 36's,13, 19's, 66, 27, 28, 29, 57, 58,17, 65,649. I've owned several Colts, and a few Rugers but nothing feels like it fits like a Smith. I even had a Python for a while and didn't care for it.

[RIHMFIRE]

Wow guys...real nice smiths!

[rjohns94]

My model 18 I got from a forum member.

[Paladin]

I have bet my life on them more than once.

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

I own so many S&W revolvers I have lost count, so I am a little bit biased.

But the reason I became a S&W collector is that I too believe they are the finest revolvers that were ever made in this country. S&W was always a leader in innovation. First cartridge revolvers manufactured in this country. When their exclusive patent on cartridge revolvers expired about 1870 they already had their completely new Top Break design ready for the market and caught Colt and everybody else flat footed. By 1905 they had perfected the Hand Ejector design which was to become the most successful police revolver for most of the 20th Century. Yes, everything S&W made before WWII was finished as well as a modern custom revolver. Yes, if they put that kind of effort into them today, nobody could probably afford them. That's why I like the older Smiths. I do own one modern Smith complete with MIM parts and the lock. One of the ten shot Stainless 617 Models. In truth, I prefer my Model 17 made in 1975.

Yes, Ruger guys will claim that Rugers are tougher, and that is probably true.

But Smiths, particularly older ones, are works of art.

That's why I collect them.

[marlinman93]

At one time I had over 40 S&W revolvers in my collection. None of them was newer than mid 80's, and all of them were wonderfully built in my opinion. I've sold most of them off over the years, but still own enough to enjoy.
In my opinion, from the 1980's back there was no finer revolver than a S&W. Never owned any of the newer ones, so don't have an opinion on them.