Posted: 6/21/2010 9:14:19 PM EDT
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Does anyone have a .22 snub nose revolver? I am not looking for one for defense. My old .22 may have gone to the big safe in the sky, and I want a replacement. I am looking for a reliable plinker that will last a long time. I am thinking about a S&W 43C or a 2'' 317.
I though about them because I always hear about how snub nose revolvers are so hard to shoot, so it would be fun to practice with one. Does anyone have one, and do they like it? How durable are they? What can I expect to pay? Pics would be nice if anyone cares to post them. |
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I had a two inch 317. 9ozs and easy to cary. it was right before the buyout and safety lock. Teaching my mom with an airline 38 model 38 nickel was a big mistake. So I got a 317. It had the worst da pull. It never got better with time. And then the hammer was weird and really abraded your thumb when you tried to cock it sa. it sat in the safe with me having no desire or purpose to use it for. I traded it in and have regretted it. I read the reviews when this came out and all articles subtly hinted that the terribly heavy pull was necessary for reliable ignition. That was bs. After falling in love with a 617 6", I found a used 317 in 3" for about the same money I paid 10 years earlier but a little more wear. That's ok. I wanted a trainer for my j frames. This one had the lock and three finger grips. But it had a normal spur that didn't hurt to cock. A big plus. Then I shot it. I wanted to learn to shoot da. The trigger is not as good as 617 but it is years ahead of my old 2" 317. I shot a old model 34 j frame. That trigger was a lot better than my latest 317 . But there were many failure to ignite the rimfires with light strikes. I would tell any shooter that learning to keep the sights aligned while working a double action trigger will improve your shooting with any other type of handgun. It makes shooting a 1911 or rugged mark II like cheating. It really teaches the fundamentals extremely inexpensively and with a level of difficulty that improves your ability. The only problem is the smiths cost substantially more than tricked out rugers or other semis. I have an old k frame size Taurus 22 and it's not as good as my smith but it's still a good tool. I like the Taurus price but they aren't as nice as the smith. Spending an extra 20 grand on a house to get what you want is done everyday. But when it comes to an extra 300 on a higher quality gun that will outlast your time in any dwelling, is justified as to much money.
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I have a 317 snub, and I love it. I walk my dog along the river every day in the summer, and I have a pocket full of .22 shells and the 317 with me all the time (not my primary carry, just a toy to bring along). The clearcoat finish is almost gone, but it still works just as good as it did when I bought it tens of thousands of Federal bulk pack .22's ago.
We set up our steel plates at the club, and I can hit the 8" circle at 50 yards offhand at least 5-6 out of 8 shots. I guess I'm just so used to shooting it from all the plinking along the river. Here it is with a few other S&W snubs I own. It's not pretty, but I wouldn't trade it. 
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It' an ex-French police 3" M13 that I bought from Allan Schisel at Allans Armory. It was in very rough shape (I guess it was carried a little, never fired, but dropped a lot). All the work was done by Karl Sokol at Chestnut Mountain Sports, who has built all of my carry and competition handguns.
The front sight was damaged, so I had him mill it off, dovetail the barrel and install a Millet blank, chamfer the chambers, round the trigger, install a trigger overtravel stop, bob the hammer, do an action job, dehorn the sharp edges and parkerize. It's similar to the 3" M65 he built for me when I turned 21. He also built the P&R M66 (no dash) pictured next to it. I guess I have a thing for K-frames. |
