It's difficult to choose your next gun

[smkummer]

Poor fellow, your limiting yourself to one? I have more than one car, motorcycle, handgun, wo*** and fly more than one airplane. If forced, my one handgun would be a .357 with a 4-6" barrel. The best part of a .357 is its 38 special capability. The best part of a 44 magnum is 44 special. A single action 45 is always special but is never a 686 or Python. The older I get, I find myself enjoying a lot of 38 special these days along with 44 special and 45 Colt in a SAA or New Frontier. Specialty calibers are usually more or a burden than pleasure. Have fun and just my .02.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

The break top was designed for the Schofield so if you went with the break top I would limit yourself to Schofield pressures. The break top ejects everything all at once which is fine if your empty but if there's a lull after only firing a few then it's difficult to top off your cylinder with a few rounds without spilling unexploded cartridges. Not a real problem at the range but when your on the back of a horse, in the rain, etc. I don't care for the top break. I've had to use handguns for what they were designed for and I've found if they are too big and heavy, they're back in the car, back in the house, etc. when you need a gun. So the 35-40 oz range fits the bill. I've seen double action revolvers in a lot of shootings and the shots tend to go wild, probably from yanking on the trigger when the fella is excited. And I've seen a lot of souped .35 caliber boolits not do the job so I favor a little more weight, a little less velocity.

[DrDucati]

Something about stainless I should know, or just not your preference?

I'd like a top break, but I read that the cylinders bind up pretty quickly with black powder due to lack of a gas seal or some such thing.

Limited to only one? Never. Just limited as far as buying only one at a time. I have 3 cap n ball, a rossi 38sp (was first gun I bought, used and cheap in the 80s), a 9 and a 45acp. Then I gots me some rifles and muskets. Darn it, I want all of them! ...including a flint lock.

[Walkingwolf]

Is that offered in .44 special ?

I have a Pietta 44 mag 1873, I love the gun. Shoots great with 44 special, or 44 mag.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

Stainless is against my personal favor. None of the real handguns in history were stainless. I've never seen a stainless gun with a real good trigger. I was a peace officer and I did carry a couple of stainless guns. If the same gun is available in carbon blue steel and stainless such as a 686 and a 586, why would anyone except an Alaskian ship captain buy a stainless?

[Rustyleee]

A 686 would be the most versatile you could own IMHO.

[Certaindeaf]

.
I'd like a top break, but I read that the cylinders bind up pretty quickly with black powder due to lack of a gas seal or some such thing.
.

How did those other revolvers you tested perform with black powder? Just wondering.

[Paul_R]

Stainless is against my personal favor. None of the real handguns in history were stainless. I've never seen a stainless gun with a real good trigger. I was a peace officer and I did carry a couple of stainless guns. If the same gun is available in carbon blue steel and stainless such as a 686 and a 586, why would anyone except an Alaskian ship captain buy a stainless?

I don't know why triggers would be any different on a stainless. My issue with stainless is that it's hard to keep clean. Dirty powders, especially black powder, means a lot of scrubbing if you don't like ugly black stains. Especially on a revolver.

[OS OK]

I hear you. Then how 'bout a top-break Uberti in .45 Colt? I'd take the hideout myself.

I came across a Smith #3 that my smith got at an estate sale, complete with the wood presentation box and all the literature that Smith Custom Shop includes, .45 Scofield. I was excited to add it to the collection of that era.
As I was working on the best load, I noticed that I wasn't getting progressively higher and predictable higher velocity out of the rounds as I increased the charge. It turned out that it had a whopping .035" cylinder gap...the smith couldn't adjust it because of the method that the bbl. is installed. He was surprised that it boasted having been made in the Custom Shop with a tolerance as large as that, then also, it had an extremely lousy trigger pull and needed to be touched up there...needless to say I'm sitting on about 300 loaded rounds of .45 Scofield without a No.3 because I traded it off.
That doesn't say that I don't like the break tops...I do, they were the cats meow for a mounted soldier of the day.

[44man]

I love stainless, less upkeep. I keep cylinders and the pin clean and lubed but can go 3 years without touching the bore.
M-Pro 7 will clean those dark spots with a suede brush.
I hate nickle, it will peel.
Blue still has the carbon but you don't see it and you need to worry about rust and wear. A scratch on stainless can be removed with Scotch- Brite.
I just do not like to clean after every session.
My friend got a Ruger Old Army blue model free when a family member died, full of crud and rust in the action. M-Pro 7 cleaned the crud but many parts needed the wire wheel and sandpaper. Bore and cylinder was clean but the insides were never cleaned. The hammer was almost toast.
I put my stainless Old Army in the wash tub with grips off. Never need to take it apart, just flush with soap and hot water, spray with barricade. Lube and go.
I hate the maintenance of blue.
Pretty but too much work.

[contender1]

You mentioned you are listing them according to power. Then you show the 45 colt as "weaker" than the 357.
I have to respectfully disagree with the ranking here in one respect.
If you are looking at older guns, made with BP in mind, or the clones of such guns, then it's acceptable.
If you are looking at newer guns, especially a Ruger in a SA in 45 Colt,,, then I disagree. A Ruger Blackhawk in 45 Colt is a lot more powerful & stronger than the 357 if the loads are built for it. In fact, many loading manuals have a "Ruger & T/C Only" section.
I own a fair collection, and own most calibers,,, except the 500 S&W. I've shot a few & I've even shot a custom 500 Linebaugh. I own a few 480 Rugers too.
All that said,,, the 45 Colt in a Ruger Blackhawk can be loaded from mild to wild & be a lot more versatile than you've given it credit for. But, if you are looking at the BP angle or that type,, then by all means, you have them in correct order.

Now, many have noted here about the economics & such of the 357. I can agree with them. Many offerings, many bullet designs, both cast & J-word ones. Lots of reloading options & it's a FINE caliber.

The 44 mag. Another quite versatile caliber as well. And like the 45 Colt, it can be loaded up or down. It's young enough to where weaker gun designs were gone by the time it was born. So all the 44's enjoy good strength.

I guess it comes down to what your desires are & what you want next.

[yenningComity]

I've had a 586 and 686 before. The 80's made ones seemed to have better actions. They are tanks and the full underlug with a six inch barrel made it easy to shoot full house loads.

44 mag brass is more expensive, requires more powder, and uses more lead so from a cost perspective the 357 wins. End of the day though 44 does make a bigger boom.

[DrDucati]

Contender, You'll see I anticipated your answer. I know that the power varies which situation just as you commented which is why I appended "more or less".

CertDeaf, I didn't test with black powder. I tested new revolvers with factory smokeless loads

[DrDucati]

Pietta SAA 45 LC with lovely engraving, which cost me $499 at Cabelas:

[OS OK]

Good for you DrDucati...but now that you have one, call it what it is.. ...45 colt.

[Green Frog]

If you do decide on a SAA in 45 Colt, take a look at the "Smoke Wagon Deluxe" series from Taylor & Co. They take the Uberti SAA repros then do an action job (including honing internal parts and upgrading all springs) to give an unbelievably fine action. They are available in at least 3 barrel lengths as well as other calibers too! I bought the 4 1/2" barreled 45 LC for wax bullet fast draw work.

Froggie

[Paul_R]

Pietta SAA 45 LC with lovely engraving, which cost me $499 at Cabelas:

Nice!

[bluelund79]

Great choice! I have an older Uberti convertible 45colt/45acp SA that is an absolute joy to shoot. Enjoy the heck out of yours.

[LAH]

You said: 1. No practical application, just fun. 2. leaning toward 44.

Of the 4 sixguns I would choose (3) S/W 44 mag. Personally the S&W platform is much easier for me to shoot & much easier on my hand. The Model 29 Smith puts the recoil straight back into the web of my hand just the way I like it. Again it's a personal thing.

[DrDucati]

my NEXT one will probably be a 44 mag s&w.... unless i find a decent garand that's affordable.