Recommend a 38 or 357 6 inch for target work?

I have been having problems with leading with my Security Six. Even after a trip to the smith and some work, I am still back at square 1. I will try a harder alloy and see if that helps, but otherwise I think I will soon be relegating this to plated/jacketed only. Wile I love the revolver and it is a joy to shoot, with a 4 inch barrel it isn't ideal for target stuff and I loves me my wadcutters. I have been thinking about a 6" or longer barreled revolver in 38 or 357 for a while. I was hoping for some suggestions.

I would love to own a model 14 smith and go back to the heyday of bullseye shooting, but my snooping around leads me to believe that nice examples are nearing a thousand bucks. With my eldest starting high school and me frantically trying to pad the college fund, that sort of expenditure just isn't happening. So what are my alternatives? I don't care if the brand is off the run (I own and like Baikal shotguns) and used/out of production is fine, but I do want good accuracy potential, at least a 6 inch barrel, a decent trigger, and a gun that will hold up to a bunch of wadcutters and similar loads that are on the high end of standard pressure 38 special. Does this sound like a Smith model 10? Something else? 357 would be nice simply because it gives more flexibility, but not necessary.

Have you considered a 5.5" Ruger Blackhawk?

Drop by a LGS and check out a GP100. Enjoy mine!

Brewer -

Howdy!

IF your hands can accommodate, then I suggest an “N” frame S&W.

More specifically..... an older “pinned barrel “ 5” M-27. These are superbly balanced, and handle recoil well.
These will command a pretty high price, if in great shape. The ones I had the good fortune to shoot were
Hype-accurate, shooting felt-tilt Magnum loads.

More easy to find.... a 6” M-28 “ Highway Patrolman “, also w/ a pinned barrel. The ones I got to shoot were all wonderfully accurate.

With regards,
357Mag

Brewer-

Correction to previous....

..... “ full-tilt” Magnum loads....


With regards,
357Mag

I don't know why you're getting leading in the Security-Six but I would try to resolve that issue before I purchased another gun.

Harder bullets are rarely the solution to leading. We would need more information on the leading but I'd be willing to bet the knowledgeable folks on this forum can help you with that issue.

As for a 6" barreled DA revolver chambered in 38 Special, that shouldn't be difficult either. Personally I think 6" DA revolvers should be relegated to target shooting and hunting (sounds like you're in the target shooting category, so no problem there).
Just an informal observation made across several decades - But I see far more used 6" barreled revolvers for sale than I do 4" guns. I think a lot of folks buy the 6" guns and find that they are too long. They seem to be sold or placed on consignment more often that 4" guns.
If you're specifically looking for a 6" gun, that works in your favor.

I picked up a lightly used S&W model 14 for way less than a $1000, they're out there, you just have to wait and have the money in your in pocket when one presents itself. Don't be afraid to use Gunbroker or one of the other on-line sites to find what you want. Even with shipping and transfer fees you can often do better than bricks & mortar stores. Gun shows are another route and again, knowing exactly what you want and having the cash in your pocket is the key.

There's a "sticky" on this forum that covers how to inspect a DA revolver. It's worth reading before you start shopping.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...a-Wheelgun-101


In the new revolver arena, the 6" GP-100 is certainly a good choice both in terms of value and potential accuracy.

And I just did a quick search on GunBroker for 6" barreled revolvers chambered in 38 Special and found 190 examples, many with asking prices under $600.

I don't think the leading is the pistols fault. it is either the bullets or the lub. I have been to matches where the guys were scrubbing lead out each round. they were using bought bullets the lub was too hard. another was using bought bullets that were swaged. they were too soft. they both tried my bullets not leading at all.

I used a 6" colt op. it was a police tread in. I used it for bullseye falling plate and some other matches.

I am about done trying to figure out why the Security Six is leading. Consider it a dead issue that I will not be revisiting for the purposes of this discussion. I have chased my tail and spent good money with a smith to no avail. Time to move on. If it becomes a field and carry piece I only use plated and jacketed in, so be it.

What is a "pinned" barrel? I know nothing at all about S&Ws.

You've not mentioned what work you've had done to the Security Six and I'd be a little wary of changing brands of pistol in hopes of clearing up the problem.

Instead list any and all improvements made in your gun. Also show the load or loads used in it and show as much detail as possible in the component and bullet!

Are they cast or store bought? Have you checked bullet diameter before and after loading, so many little things could cure your problem.

Let us help before you buy a new gun.

HM

I have done all of that in other threads, nothing seems to help. Every load shoots fine and does not lead in a snub and a lever action rifle, but the Security Six leads up something awful. I am extremely frustrated and done trying to figure it out. Ready to move on. In any case, I wanted a longer barrel for target stuff anyway.

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Originally Posted by brewer12345

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What is a "pinned" barrel? I know nothing at all about S&Ws.

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In the world of S&W revolvers a "Pinned" barrel refers to a small pin that goes through the frame and locks the barrel shank in the frame. The pin intersects with the threaded portion of the barrel shank and prevents the barrel from backing out of the frame. S&W discontinued the use of that pin and newer revolvers just relied on the torque applied to the barrel (referred to as a crush fit) to hold the barrel in place.

The term "pinned" is also often combined with the term "recessed" which refers to the old practice of counter boring the rear face of the cylinder so that the cartridge rims were recessed into individual pockets for each cartridge rim. Guns that had both the pinned barrel and recessed chamber cuts are refereed to as "Pinned & Recessed" models, sometimes just abbreviated as P&R.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by brewer12345

I have done all of that in other threads, nothing seems to help. Every load shoots fine and does not lead in a snub and a lever action rifle, but the Security Six leads up something awful. I am extremely frustrated and done trying to figure it out. Ready to move on. In any case, I wanted a longer barrel for target stuff anyway.

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Fair enough but people are offering to help you.

I have had a 5" GP100 for nearly a year. When I went shopping, the 4" felt short and the 6" felt long. I read about 5" revolvers being common in the early days. I had to order it as they do not exist in gun shops as far as I can tell. Very pleased as it seems balanced.

You can replace the sights, springs, grips, & add shims easily on the GP100. The stock Hogue grips are really ugly... but very functional.

I replaced the Hammer Spring with the lightest from Wolf.

It is very smooth after being broken in.

I recently purchased a new 6 inch S&W 686 for around $700. It shoots great. At least as well as my model 14 with a 6 inch barrel.

Since you like the 4" barreled one aside from the leading...I'd suggest just getting another Security-Six with a 6" barrel.Never had a leading problem with mine.

Taurus 66 in stainless 6" less than $600, maybe close to 500 depending on your dealer. My 4" works fine with no leading

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Originally Posted by Petrol & Powder

Fair enough but people are offering to help you.

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I appreciate that very much. The knowledge that posters generously offer here makes this forum the jewel that it is. I am just super frustrated with leading issue and wish to table it for now. I may come back to it at some point, but for now I really just want to let it be. The revolver shoots the lights out with Berry's plated DEWC over 4 grains of HP38 so until I am ready to try again with cast that is what I will shoot through it.

I've had a Security-Six in STS since March of 1976. It started out with a 2 3/4" bbl. 1st round out of the gun just about blinded everyone at the indoor Range. MAXgrs of 2400 under a Thompson Gas Check bullet lubed with 50/50 sized .358dia.
Recoil felt heavier than my 5" S&W 29. Shot just half a box before I had to stop. By request of the other shooters. When It was time to clean it the forcing cone was PACKED with lead and there was a great deal of leading in the bbl. The cylinder throats were absolutely clean, but there was leading inside the frame at the B/C gap.
I was shocked & stymied. I'd slugged the bbl, the day I got it. .3575 average of 3 pure lead slugs cast from an old wadcutter mold that dropped at .360.
The bullets were cast of LYMAN #2 and used the old brass colored slip on gas checks.
I had some heavy elbow grease to get that blasted thing clean. I next tried some #358495 WC's 143grs over 3.0grs bullseye in a .38spl case. Alloy was plain COWW.
No leading at all.
Other loads I tried started to lead as soon as velocities went over the 1000fps mark.

Due to the severe leading issue & snappy muzzle jump, I just wasn't happy with the gun.
After about 6 months I sent it back to RUGER for a 6 inch bbl. In those days they returned the old bbl with the gun.

What a difference, same .3575dia. But no leading with any load.

But I was bitten by the short bbl bug. I bought a Speed-Six in .357 w the 2 3/4 " bbl in blue the next year. No leading, still shoot my "Heavy Target" load of the 170gr KEITH Bullet over 6grs UNIQUE in a .357MAG case.
I think you should try to find that 6" bbl .357 in a used BlackHawk or that 6" model 28. There both heavier but may be an answer.

But maybe get a empty coffee can and put your change and what ever few extra bucks you find in your pants. Save for that old 6" S&W 14. I love mine, got it used over 30yrs ago. Think I've shot at least 60,000 rounds thru it, as tight as the day I got it. Nothing is as smooth as a well used S&W.

As a WARNING TO ALL. That OLD LOAD of MAXIMUM of 2400 under a 158gr Bullet was with the OLD FORMULATION of 2400. If you put that charge in a gun today you might just blow it to blazes.
So please don't load anything hotter then the CURRENT MANUALS SHOW.

Search GB under revolvers for 'ppc' and see if some old mdl 10,14,15s don't turn up with a slab barrel and old sight rail. I picked up a converted 586 for under 425 with a red dot to boot. A draw back is most are set up for DAO so a new hammer and possibly a trigger will have to be ordered up from Numerich Arms.