Help me pick a wheelgun...

[phortykal]

So I am wanting to get a revolver for carry. I have previously owned a S&W Airweight (642 I believe) and a Taurus 85. Those came and went over the years but, for some reason, I have the bug for a new wheel gun bad. Those were both okay and absolutely disappears and were easy to carry. But they just didn't click.

Currently, I will carry anything from a GOOD to a GREAT, with my trusty old G26 being my happy medium go-to. Generally in appendix. I really don't mind a heavy fun for carry at all. I have multiple small guns if the situation calls for one occasionally. Willing to carry OWB or IWB. 

I want the options to be chambered in .357 Magnum and prefer a 2"-3" barrel and no less than 6 rds. No hammerless. My favorite options so far are of the S&W flavor, but perhaps I can be swayed to a GP100. So far, I seem to be thinking; 

686 Plus 
586 L-Comp 
627 Performance Center 
GP100 
That ugly ole Chiappa Rhino 200DS

[ede]

From your options I'd go 686+. I have one in 3" and like it well enough but don't carry it. I think if I were wanting six or more rounds my choice would be my 686 SSR. Think there is a similar PRO series gun.

[redrick]

I carry a 3" Ruger SP-101 a lot when in the woods , but since you want more than 5 rounds it would be the GP-100 3" . Good luck concealing it though in the summer . I like older S&W revolvers the best , but I will not own one with the ILS , for three reasons , it was a sellout by S&W , it is ugly and it can fail .

 

[JMag]

Kimber K6S is what you seek. It’s fairly exceptional in today’s small revolver market, especially in build quality.


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[Maccabeus]

15 minutes ago, JMag said:

Kimber K6S is what you seek. It’s fairly exceptional in today’s small revolver market, especially in build quality.


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+1

I'm really enjoying my recently acquired 3"

 

[Joel]

I've carried a GP-100 concealed. For me, it wasn't the best choice and I've made a Glock 32 my daily carry. Keep in mind that I'm 5'8", 165ish and have little difficulty concealing a full size Glock with the right holster.

The good for the GP-100:

Durable. Reliable. Could be used as a club.

The bad: 

Heavy. Relatively thick. Fewer holster choices that worked with it and my build to conceal. The hammer spur likes to eat clothing.

The GP-100 is now my farm gun. If I were buying a new wheel gun for daily carry, I'd look at the Kimber K6s. It is hammerless, but IMO that not a drawback in a defensive firearm. 

[Valmet]

686 or GP100 and load it with .38 Spl+P ammo is my vote. 

[NPTim]

Chiappa rhino

[Pointblank]

These are all pretty big and heavy, I doubt you'll carry them very long.

[ToniTX]

GP100 is flawless, just add hammer shims to get a smoother pull and that's it.

Indestructible, reliable, stable,...

[Desert Kraut]

Despite the fact that they are not high quality in terms of finish, the EAA Windicator in stainless is a great bargain and a very reliable firearm overall. Too heavy for carry in my opinion but to each his own. Flame suit on.

[jmax]

I carried a 3" Smith 13 as my off duty for years. I had it mooned and reblued and carry it in a Kramer IWB holster now. I found that Ruger revolvers have a trigger that is too narrow and too short of a trigger radius for my hands and taste.

 

Edited July 3, 2018 by jmax

[S&W44Spl]

I have one gun to satisfy your needs: S&W Model 66 3 inch.  S&W currently offers a full length extractor rod model 66 with 2.75 inch barrel, which is the minimum length I would pick.

Edited July 3, 2018 by S&W44Spl
Elaborate

[phortykal]

Okay so after these comments, more online research and going to stores to try to handle some of these (my local shops don't have hardly any revolvers with barrels less than 4", and the ones that are are all J-Frame 38s) I have learned that: 

-I like the Ruger offerings more than I thought. 

-The L frames are within what I'd be willing to carry, but just barely. 

-N frames are out of the running. 

-If I go with a S&W, I'm going to prefer finding a used pre-lock.

-The GP100 now comes in a 7 shot, which I was unaware of. Makes it that much more tempting.

[phortykal]

Anyone with Rhino experience? And why the h*ll do they only have their stainless 3" model in that garbage Spiderman print? Terrible.

[RandomGuy]

FYI- the GP-109 7-shot has had some issues with certain brands of ammo. Apparently the rims of the cases can touch and keep them from going fully into the charge holes.

The Wiley Clapp 6-shot GP-100 might be exactly what you are looking for as it was designed as a carry model. While I am a big fan of L-frame Smiths, I would certainly have no qualms carrying a GP. As a matter of fact, I’ve been eyeballing the new 10mm GP-100s, especially since they just rolled out the Wiley Clapp version 10mm. Wiley Clapp 3” 10mm

That said, if I ever come across a pre-lock 686+ 3” for a reasonable amount of money, my wallet will have friction burns from the cash coming out so fast!

 

Edited July 4, 2018 by RandomGuy

[Collim1]

S&W model 65 3” round butt. I have a 64 and it makes a great little carry gun. 

 

I personally am ok with .38+P. I carry Gold Dot short barrel in mine. 

[GPM]

If you're ruling out the N frame due to width, completely understandable. If however its the weight, my 327PC weighs 23 ounces and holds 8 rounds of .357. With a Lobo offset IWB it conceals pretty well, for a fatty that is.

[phortykal]

22 minutes ago, GPM said:

If you're ruling out the N frame due to width, completely understandable. If however its the weight, my 327PC weighs 23 ounces and holds 8 rounds of .357. With a Lobo offset IWB it conceals pretty well, for a fatty that is.

It would appear that they aren't so easy to get nowadays...

[G19 DB]

8 hours ago, jmax said:

I carried a 3" Smith 13 as my off duty for years. I had it mooned and reblued and carry it in a Kramer IWB holster now. I found that Ruger revolvers have a trigger that is too narrow and too short of a trigger radius for my hands and taste.

 

sweet revolver bro

[G19 DB]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so YMMV.   To me, the S&W 27 3in is the sexiest revolver in the whole wide world.

[GPM]

12 hours ago, phortykal said:

It would appear that they aren't so easy to get nowadays...

Buds shows them available, but at more than I remember paying. S&W is pretty proud of their PC models. The 327 is kind of an odd duck. Some like the look, some find them hideous. But if you're considering the Rhino looks might not be your top priority. 

[Quickling]

I've carried a 686+ 3" for years, but started getting back pain if I carry anything on my strong side hip. So I switched to AIWB and I am loving life, the only downside is that 3" gun jab me in the dick.

So if I were to buy another 686, it would be a 686+ 2.5" and I would even consider getting it cut more moon clips to make the first extraction easier.

[phortykal]

So, today I just so happened to stumble across a trade for an extremely cheap AR build I did forever ago that I spray painted and had thrown in my shed. Had about $400 into it, straight trade for this GP100 6". 

 

According to him, the rounds missing there are all that have been shot, and I'm inclined to believe him. It's in great shape.

So while it hasn't fulfilled my search for a carry revolver, it has let me know that I really don't mind the GP100 platform at all. I would definitely be interested in the 3" version. Really happy with it.

[Pistolay]

My wife and I have multiple LCRs, and we really like them (although I carry Glocks), but if I was looking for a carry revolver, I'd be looking really hard at the Kimber.