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Posted: 5/24/2026 8:46:39 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Turbo30cal][Edited]
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I need a 38 Special revolver and I don't know what the best one would be to grab. Will never be carried and only be used as an accurate range gun. Need to be a 6 shot and cannot be a 357 Magnum either. |
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Originally Posted By MoonDancer: Used vintage S&W Model 14 or Model 15. End to thread. What he said. A Model 14 with the 3 T's (target trigger, target hammer, target stocks) would be great. (No, you can't have mine.) |
I will not compromise!
Ne Desit Virtus (Let Valor Not Fail) - Rakkasan!
"Life is fucking hard. Either get used to taking a few lumps like the rest of us, or buy a fucking helmet and crawl into a corner somewhere." -Me
Ne Desit Virtus (Let Valor Not Fail) - Rakkasan!
"Life is fucking hard. Either get used to taking a few lumps like the rest of us, or buy a fucking helmet and crawl into a corner somewhere." -Me
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Frist post nails it. The S&W is not the only way to go but it is a pretty good choice . Fine guns that sell for quite a bit less than their big brothers in .357. While looking for old S&W guns don't confuse 38 S&W with 38 S&W special . the 38 S&W is obsolete , hard to find ammo that is expensive . The 38 S&W special is the one you want |
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Originally Posted By gtsteve03: S&W Model 10 or 64 HB Yup. Attached File |
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Originally Posted By Turbo30cal: How do you tell if it has all 3 T's? https://revolverguy.com/rg101-hammers-and-triggers/ |
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Originally Posted By Turbo30cal: How do you tell if it has all 3 T's? Originally Posted By Turbo30cal: Originally Posted By SiVisPacem: What he said. A Model 14 with the 3 T's (target trigger, target hammer, target stocks) would be great. (No, you can't have mine.) How do you tell if it has all 3 T's? The third one from the top has the 3 T's. Target triggers and hammers are wider than their non-target counterparts. The target stocks are thicker and cover the entire grip, whereas Magna grips are a lot thinner and don't cover the entire grip. Attached File |
I will not compromise!
Ne Desit Virtus (Let Valor Not Fail) - Rakkasan!
"Life is fucking hard. Either get used to taking a few lumps like the rest of us, or buy a fucking helmet and crawl into a corner somewhere." -Me
Ne Desit Virtus (Let Valor Not Fail) - Rakkasan!
"Life is fucking hard. Either get used to taking a few lumps like the rest of us, or buy a fucking helmet and crawl into a corner somewhere." -Me
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Originally Posted By Turbo30cal: I have too many 357 Magnums but I don't shoot 38 Special in them due to the rings it makes. I have a TON of 38 Special reloading stuff that I need a gun for. Originally Posted By Turbo30cal: Originally Posted By Joe_Pennsy: Why? I have too many 357 Magnums but I don't shoot 38 Special in them due to the rings it makes. I have a TON of 38 Special reloading stuff that I need a gun for. It took a LOT of .38s before .357s started getting hard to load and extract in a GP100; at the time I was shooting around 2-250 rounds of .38 a week. I purposefully didn't clean the cylinder between sessions just because I wanted to see how long it would take to become a problem. As long as you periodically clean your guns as you should it'll never be an issue; if on the other hand you are like one of my uncle's, well it might become a problem.  That said, I'd be happy with any of the police model 4" K frame guns. The adjustable sight models are probably a better choice for what you're looking for but I've always had a thing for the fixed sight models, especially a pencil barreled model 10 I own. Just personal preference. |
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Originally Posted By sandboxmedic: It took a LOT of .38s before .357s started getting hard to load and extract in a GP100; at the time I was shooting around 2-250 rounds of .38 a week. I purposefully didn't clean the cylinder between sessions just because I wanted to see how long it would take to become a problem. As long as you periodically clean your guns as you should it'll never be an issue; if on the other hand you are like one of my uncle's, well it might become a problem. This is exactly why I didn't post why I wanted a dedicated 38 Special over another 357 Magnum that can shoot 38 Special. No matter what your reasoning is, other people in this hobby want to tell you why you're wrong. |
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Originally Posted By Turbo30cal: This is exactly why I didn't post why I wanted a dedicated 38 Special over another 357 Magnum that can shoot 38 Special. No matter what your reasoning is, other people in this hobby want to tell you why you're wrong. Originally Posted By Turbo30cal: Originally Posted By sandboxmedic: It took a LOT of .38s before .357s started getting hard to load and extract in a GP100; at the time I was shooting around 2-250 rounds of .38 a week. I purposefully didn't clean the cylinder between sessions just because I wanted to see how long it would take to become a problem. As long as you periodically clean your guns as you should it'll never be an issue; if on the other hand you are like one of my uncle's, well it might become a problem. This is exactly why I didn't post why I wanted a dedicated 38 Special over another 357 Magnum that can shoot 38 Special. No matter what your reasoning is, other people in this hobby want to tell you why you're wrong. I'm sure you're a blast at parties. Nowhere did I say you were wrong, you came to that conclusion on your own, only that it wasn't something I would concern myself with and that you should buy whatever makes you happy. I even offered up that an adjustment sight model would probably best fit what you're looking for but also tossed out how I enjoyed old .38spl police models. Stick around and you'll notice I'm one of the more vocal advocates for shooting just for fun including buying guns just because you llke them. 
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| I'd just find what the best K or L frame was in my budget. One of the first revolvers I ever had real time on was a model 10. It's what I learned to shoot competition with and was really excited when my dad upgraded it to a heavy barrel model 10. A heavy 4-6" gun is hard to beat. If I get another revo it will probably be a 7 or 8 shot 357. |
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Originally Posted By Turbo30cal: This is exactly why I didn't post why I wanted a dedicated 38 Special over another 357 Magnum that can shoot 38 Special. No matter what your reasoning is, other people in this hobby want to tell you why you're wrong. Originally Posted By Turbo30cal: Originally Posted By sandboxmedic: It took a LOT of .38s before .357s started getting hard to load and extract in a GP100; at the time I was shooting around 2-250 rounds of .38 a week. I purposefully didn't clean the cylinder between sessions just because I wanted to see how long it would take to become a problem. As long as you periodically clean your guns as you should it'll never be an issue; if on the other hand you are like one of my uncle's, well it might become a problem. This is exactly why I didn't post why I wanted a dedicated 38 Special over another 357 Magnum that can shoot 38 Special. No matter what your reasoning is, other people in this hobby want to tell you why you're wrong. I’ve shot A LOT of .38s in .357 revolvers, probably 100-to-1. Ran a brass cleaning brush through the cylinder after a range session and good to go. |
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Originally Posted By wildearp: 67 https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/41996/Smith_Model_67-2979174.jpg Nice no dash! |
The only hyphenated names I like are cartridge names......30-06, 30-40, 38-55 etc.
3 of my 4 S&W's. Not pictured is a 686.  The middle 10-5 is a tack driver with 158gr LRN PPU. I can almost write my name with it. You could just buy a chamber scraper from here. https://www.slixprings.com/proddetail.php?prod=SliXprings-Scraper |
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I don't have any revolvers. (Except a .22 High Standard that is my rat shot gun) I would like a 3" heavy barrel M10. IIRC that's what Jim Cirrilo carried. I think it's a very clean and beautiful gun. |
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You mentioned you have multiple 357's, so we know you've got other revolvers. The various K models everyone has suggested are just lovely but if it was me, in order to have something a bit different, I'd look close at the top break revo's available in 38 Spl. Top breaks are just neat, to me at least. |
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My first handgun, bought when I was 18, was a K-38 Masterpiece (Model 14), 6 inch barrel. It did not have the 3Ts but I added a trigger shoe and a set of target grips. $102 and change NIB in 1972. I reloaded thousands of 158 grain SWCs using an old set of Lee dies and would pick sparrows out of the tops of trees with it. |
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Originally Posted By MoonDancer: My first handgun, bought when I was 18, was a K-38 Masterpiece (Model 14), 6 inch barrel. It did not have the 3Ts but I added a trigger shoe and a set of target grips. $102 and change NIB in 1972. I reloaded thousands of 158 grain SWCs using an old set of Lee dies and would pick sparrows out of the tops of trees with it. I can take or leave the target trigger and hammer. Great I guess on a model 14 for target shooting but for a regular use revolver I actually like a regular hammer and regular serrated trigger, smooth trigger would be even better but that’s an odd duck. |
The only hyphenated names I like are cartridge names......30-06, 30-40, 38-55 etc.
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Last year I purchased this at my local ffl and couldn't leave it for the price, sub $300. It started life out as a dao but I bought a hammer/parts from Numrich and it is a very nice shooter. They can still be had for a great price. Attached File |
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Originally Posted By SteelonSteel: Nice no dash! Originally Posted By SteelonSteel: Originally Posted By wildearp: 67 https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/41996/Smith_Model_67-2979174.jpg Nice no dash! My first year of production 66 and 67... Attached File |
I will not compromise!
Ne Desit Virtus (Let Valor Not Fail) - Rakkasan!
"Life is fucking hard. Either get used to taking a few lumps like the rest of us, or buy a fucking helmet and crawl into a corner somewhere." -Me
Ne Desit Virtus (Let Valor Not Fail) - Rakkasan!
"Life is fucking hard. Either get used to taking a few lumps like the rest of us, or buy a fucking helmet and crawl into a corner somewhere." -Me
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Originally Posted By SiVisPacem: My first year of production 66 and 67... https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/242045/stainless_sights_jpg-3768279.JPG Originally Posted By SiVisPacem: Originally Posted By SteelonSteel: Originally Posted By wildearp: 67 https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/41996/Smith_Model_67-2979174.jpg Nice no dash! My first year of production 66 and 67... https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/242045/stainless_sights_jpg-3768279.JPG Nice pair! |
The only hyphenated names I like are cartridge names......30-06, 30-40, 38-55 etc.
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Originally Posted By MoonDancer: Used vintage S&W Model 14 or Model 15. End to thread. I've shot a lot of handguns in the last 50 years or so. A 6" M14 S&W remains the best shooting centerfire handgun I've ever pulled the trigger on. Quarter sized 5 shot groups at 25 yds. with 148 grain HBWC and 2.7 grains of Bullseye powder. I should have bought one years ago for myself. Just never got around to it. |
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Originally Posted By Turbo30cal: Is there a difference in a Model 14 and a Model 67? Not talking finish or metal, the design or internals/barrel. No. A 15 K-38 Combat Masterpiece was just a 4" (and 2") version of a 14 K-38 Target Masterpiece (with a different front sight) and the 67 was just the stainless version of the 15. |
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OP, Any of the S&Ws mentioned will meet your needs. Your biggest choice will be an older gun vs new production, which has been sketchy for years, as well as iffy customer service. I’m old enough to remember when I shipped my S&W19 back (late 1970s) because, like Ayoob & others, my dainty trigger finger got chewed up by the serrated trigger vs smooth “carry” triggers. I have the target triggers & hammers, but I prefer smooth. Not to muddy the waters, but an older, pinned S&W with box & good finish is a readily resalable investment with better quality vs current slop. Safe queen/range toy investment or a shooter grade is less headache re: quality & accuracy, but you have to learn how to check used revolvers, which you may not have the desire to do. |