You mean they make another revolver besides S&W? I was a uniform police officer from 82-00, and for most of my career carried a model 19 in .357 magnum. Before everybody, (myself included), went to High capacity auto's, probably 95 percent carried S&W. Of course you would get the occasional hippie who would carry a Ruger or Colt. I would definetely get another S&W. Taurus is ok, started by making pretty good copies of S&W. Stainless steel for sure and I would get it in .357 so you can also shoot .38 for practice as it is cheaper...

I think theres still alot to be said for revolvers. Even in the era of auto dominance, I like to wear a S&W Model 15 in a Ted Blocker swivel rig on occasion. Not just because I like to be a little different, but also out of respect to Pete and Jim. Who obvioulsy weren't Colt carrying hippies (I loved that line!). As an aside, the Model 15 Smith .... the Combat Masterpiece. You just don't find autos with names that freakin cool. Since I dont know your exact intended purpose with this revolver, heres my picks for a few defense oriented revolvers. Great all arounder: The S&W 66 with a 4" barrel. Service Revolver: The S&W 686 in the square butt/4" barrel version with aftermarket hogue grips. Concealed carry: S&W 65 in the round butt/3" barrel version. It seems most prefer the 2 1/2" barreled 66 in this role, but I like the fixed sights that dont snag, and the full length ejector rod you get on the 65. I think the best grip for either is smooth wood Craig Speigal boot grips. Backup: The S&W 642. They can chop and shave down all the Glocks they want .... the airwieght centenials are still, and probably always will be, the best backup guns made. Especially when fitted with wood Spiegal boot grips.

One thing I meant to address and didn't. Depending on your exact use, wieght can be a ood or bad thing, especially when using full power .357 rounds likes the 125 gr JHP. Wieght tames recoil, something that the .357 produces alot of. For anything except a deep carry backup revolver, I prefer an all steel revolver with a little heft to it. Thats one of the reason I didnt list any of the new Titanium revolvers.

Thanks for the info. Based on what you've been saying, I'm debating between the 66 and the 686 now...at least its a bit more narrowed down the before, heh. As for use, I guess the closest approximation would be ranch use. Something powerful enough to blow a hole in a steel plate to make a makeshift bolt hole, provide some defense against small to medium sized animals, and be accurate enough for some target practice on the weekends.

Glad I can help a little. As far as choosing between the 66 and 686, they're pretty similar. The main difference is that the 66 is based on the K frame, and the 686 is based on the L frame. The L frame was designed based on the concern that the K frame (which was introduced back in the 1890s) couldn't withstand a continued diet of full power .357 Magnum rounds, especially the newer higher pressure 125gr JHP loads. Personally, I don't put that many rounds thru my 686 to consider that a huge factor, most of the rounds fired thru it are standard pressure .38 specials. I do like it over the 66 based on a little more heft and the full length barrel underlug that seems to tame muzzle flip a tad bit. For ranch carry I like a 158gr JHP in .357, which doesn't produce as much muzzle flip or recoil as the 125's, it will takes care of coyotes pretty handily. To sum up my ramblings ... it all boils down to which feels better to you, as they balance a little differently in the hand. By the way, when you do buy one ..... find or order some safariland comp II speedloaders. You can buy those HKS speedloaders anywhere, but they're just crap. Also, a couple of good general purpose carry holsters for either is the Don Hume "double nine" if you like it to ride fairly close so it doesn't get hung up, or a holster made by Ted Blocker that has a slot in the rear loop that enables you to carry it strong side hip, or crossdraw (which I like horseback), the model name escapes me at the moment though.

The HKS speedloaders, aren't they the ones that you have to twist the knob to get them to release the bullets? I agree with you on the Safariland speedloaders. I only used them and never had problems, plus you just punch them in the cylinder and they release automatically.

Thatd be the ones. I HATE the HKS speedloaders, and it seems that because you can buy them at WalMart, everybody that buys a revolver picks up a couple. I really wish Clinton would have found some way to ban them along with evil flash hiders and bayonet lugs!

Don't forget those evil pistol grips and folding stocks:) You seen the S&W 317's in .22? what a neat little gun. I'm going to get one to fart around with.

The coolest thing about those little 317s is the built in lanyard attachment point in the butt. Hook it to a zinger, and it rides in a fishing vest just waiting for the perfect time to punch a hole in a water moccasin.

ChdNorm, Shame on you. Wash your mouth out with soap. You shouldn't be using words like "ban" or "Clinton" on a site frequented by respectable people.