Revolver

Last week on Wheelgun Wednesday, I gushed about the prospect of Spohr revolvers coming to the United States because James Reeves has spoken so highly of them as of late; thus, I’m excited now, too. That being said, I’ve never touched or seen a Spohr revolver in real life yet. One revolver that is almost on the same level of “unicorn status” are Silver Creek Firearms. I stumbled upon this brand in the “basement” or “dungeon” of SHOT Show 2023 and walked away very impressed. Unfortunately, we have not heard much about them since. So, in this week’s edition of Wheelgun Wednesday, we are going to revisit Silver Creek Firearms to delve into the basic questions of Who, What, Where, When?… Let’s dive in!

Welcome everyone to the  TFB Armorer’s Bench! As mentioned in the little blurb below, this series will focus on a lot of home armorer and gunsmith activities. In this article, I decided to do some much-needed and desired maintenance on a gun that was once dubbed “the gunsmith’s best friend” or “gunsmith’s nightmare” depending on where you read. I of course am talking about the contentious Colt 1877 otherwise known as the Lightning (Thunderer for 41 cal or Rainmaker for 32 cal). I have talked about all the little issues, controversies, and real-world happenings of this controversial Colt in a separate Commentary article. Today we are taking it apart, taking a peek, and seeing if we can get this thing closer to the like new condition it deserves. Let’s dive right into Diagnosing and Assessing a Colt 1877 Lightning!

My first encounter with the Spohr brand began at IWA 2022, where Mr. Spohr’s incredible revolvers immediately caught my eye. The build quality was evidently superior, and the hefty price tag was justified with a visual inspection and an enlightening conversation with Thomas Spohr himself. He explained that the high cost is attributed not to extravagant materials (although, of course, Spohr uses only top-tier materials and does indeed dabble in things like Damascus steel, if you are kinky that way) but to the use of top-tier processes, meticulous hand-fitting, and avoidance of cheaper manufacturing methods like Metal Injection Molding (MIM) drive the price up. 

Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we talked about some things not to do when carrying a handgun. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, I wanted to take a closer look at the concept of having a compensator on your carry gun as a daily accessory. Springfield Armory was the latest to release a compensated version of their Hellcat line so it’s not a bad option to look at what compensators offer in the world of carrying concealed as well as some of the drawbacks. Let’s take a closer look at compensators on carry guns.

The new Taurus 692 Executive Grade revolver takes the formula of the 856-series Executive model and offers more hitting power, including two different chambering options.

In the United States when it comes to revolvers, there is what I would call the Big 3 – Smith & Wesson, Ruger, and Taurus – that command most of our attention and our dollars. Of course, that is an extremely narrow-minded list. There is Colt, single-action revolver brands, and innumerable others. Generally, these brands are $1,000 or less for most of their models (key emphasis on most) which is exactly what the American revolver market likes: affordable wheelguns. When you turn your eyes to Europe though, we start to see some extremely high-end manufacturers like Korth, Manurhin, and Spohr. Both Korth and Manurhin I personally discussed on TFB because companies like Beretta (Manurhin) and Nighthawk Custom (Korth) have been able to import them into the country. So, either I have handled/fired them personally, seen them at SHOT Show, or “I know a guy.” There is simply more info in the ether about them. Spohr, on the other hand, I know nothing about. That is if it were not for our beloved James Reeves from TFBTV. He has shed an appreciative light on the brand in recent years, and it appears that the brand is ever-so-closer to making its way into the United States. So, in this week’s edition of Wheelgun Wednesday, we are going to take a look at Spohr revolvers to see what they may be bringing to the US soon. Let’s dive in!

What is the Best Revolver Money Can Buy? James might have the answer. Join us as we explore the legacy behind the Spohr brand and its founder, Thomas Spohr. Renowned for their meticulous attention to details, Spohr revolvers are crafted with precision, utilizing top-tier materials and processes that set them apart from the competition.

Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we talked about carry bags and when it’s appropriate time to utilize a carry bag. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, I want to look at some of the worst things I have seen out in public when it comes to carrying a concealed handgun. Whether it’s someone just starting out and learning how to carry a gun or someone just flat out doing wrong, it’s a good learning experience to talk about some of these mistakes so more can avoid them down the road. Let’s take a closer look at things to not do concealed carrying.

Smith & Wesson have introduced a Jerry Miculek signature Model 327 WR which is bound to have you as fast as Jerry on the range in no time… well at least putting the work in to get there might be even more fun with a signature Performance Center Model 327 WR inspired by Jerry’s 2023 World Record Revolver.

If we roll back the clock 30 some years ago, Colt was not known for making semi-automatic pistols (1911s, Mustang 380, etc); rather, in the eyes of many consumers they were known for being a revolver manufacturer (Python, Diamondback, Anaconda, and countless others to include both double-action and single-action). Yes, for many decades they have made both as well as AR-15s, but the average shooter knew Colt for being an iconic wheelgun manufacturer. After the conclusion of the NRA Annual Meetings (NRAAM) 2024, we got to see an avalanche of new revolvers announced from Colt, once again. It appears that the Colt CZ Group – the holding company for Česká zbrojovka, CZ-USA and Colt – is making a strong push to restore the old glory that Colt once had within the revolver market. Colt revolvers are on the rise, and with this latest spark of creativity and an adventurous spirit, there is no telling what Colt revolvers we might see next.

Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we took a look at optimal versus practical carry guns. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to give it a read. This week, I wanted to look at a topic that often times comes up more in the summer months which is carrying off body in carry bags. With the explosion in options for carry bags on the market today, is it a good idea to carry your gun in a bag? Let’s take a closer look if carry bags are a good option.

Welcome to TFB’s Wheelgun Wednesday, our weekly foray into the world of wheelguns. This week, we’ll take a look at the Smith & Wesson 36, which is a 5-shot, small-frame revolver chambered in .38 Special. The Model 36 is a purpose built self-defense revolver, which is also associated with detective work during the 20th Century. Is it still a viable self-defense weapon for the 21st Century? Let’s see.

Luke C is back for day 3 of the NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits to talk with Shield Arms about some of their latest products and services. Today Seth shares Shield Arms’ new ROC (Revolver Optics Conversion) mount – a no-mill option that easily attaches to your J-Frame revolvers (like the S&W 442) giving you an instant optics solution for iron-sighted revolvers. Shield Arms is also showcasing their new Split Rig – an easy on-and-off chest rig perfect for shooting prone, and finally their Grip Chop service for the Glock 48 and 43X. This service shaves off just enough of the grip to fit the new Shield Arms 10-round flush fit mag made specifically for their Grip Chop – Did they just invent the Glock 43X/48 SF?

Luke C joins legendary competitive speed shooter Jerry Miculek at the 2024 NRA Show to talk about his new custom revolver from Smith & Wesson – the Model 327 WR. The Model 327 WR is a 9mm revolver with a lot of high-end lightweight materials baked into the design to make it lighter and quicker to handle in tandem with Jerry’s custom slick polished grips. Join Luke and Jerry today as they talk about the reasoning behind all of these design decisions for this special revolver celebrating his World Record (WR) revolver speed shooting achievements.

Say you’re worried about being rolled in the mean streets, see? If you feel you might need to wear iron to keep the redhots at bay, then the new Heritage Roscoe will throw lead and make you look like a private dick while you’re at it.

Welcome everyone to the 237th edition of ‘Hot Gat or Fudd Crap?’, one of our many series here on TFB. If you’re new to the series, this is where we look at the most obscure firearms that are actually for sale and ask the question – is this Gat a sweet deal or only have Fudd appeal?  Each week the TFB staff weighs in with their thoughts, but readers get the final say in the poll at the bottom of each article.

Luke C is back on the floor at NRAAM 20204 talking with Jess from Colt about some of their new revolvers. In addition to a new 8″ long variant of the ever-popular Python line of revolvers, Colt is also re-releasing and updating the compact Viper, and introducing two new Bear-themed revolvers with the new Kodiak and Grizzly magnum revolvers.

The NRA Annual Meetings (NRAAM) 2024 have officially kicked off in Dallas, Texas and many manufacturers are wasting no time to announce new offerings that they will have heading into summer. One of the companies who blew the doors off the convention is Colt. Colt has been busy having already announced 4 new revolvers: the return of the Colt Viper, Colt Kodiak, Colt Grizzly, and a line extension by offering 8″ Pythons. Let’s walk our way through all of these offerings to see which one/s you will need to add to your collection next.

In this episode of TFBTV, Hop visits Taurus to check out their new Taurus and Heritage revolvers for 2024. The Taurus offerings include a single action only cowboy gun in .45 Colt and .357 Magnum, as well as a new 856 TORO chambered in .327 Federal Magnum. Taurus’ sister company Heritage has a new retro detective-style snub-nose revolver with a little noir flair.

Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we looked at an accessory guide for summer carry guns. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to give it a read. This caused a couple of good questions from readers about optimal carrying guns and how to figure out what kind of handgun you should carry daily. These questions made me start thinking about some of the drastic differences an optimal carry gun is compared to something realistic to carry daily. Let’s take a closer look at optimal versus realistic carry guns.

Welcome back to  Wheelgun Wednesday, our weekly article series where we cover everything related to revolvers. Today’s topic is a look at one of the candidates for the title of “World’s Largest Revolver”: the M.R. New System Arms Cucciolo.

Welcome everyone to the 234th edition of ‘Hot Gat or Fudd Crap?’, one of our many series here on TFB. If you’re new to the series, this is where we look at the most obscure firearms that are actually for sale and ask the question – is this Gat a sweet deal or only have Fudd appeal?  Each week the TFB staff weighs in with their thoughts, but readers get the final say in the poll at the bottom of each article.

We are back here for Wheelgun Wednesday once again covering the Charter Arms Professional series with only one revolver to go. This has been an interesting ride, to say the least. If you have been following along all of these weeks, you know what you may be in store for today. If you’re just tuning in, let’s try to catch you up to speed. This is a 6 gun grouping of revolvers that receives an extra special touch of attention and care from Charter Arms. While they carry the moniker of Professional, these are not military or police contract revolvers of any kind (that I am aware of). They are simply mindfully constructed wheelguns meant for concealed carry for the everyday enthusiast. These Charter Arms revolvers from their Professional series are chambered in either .32 H&R Magnum (which is a unique cartridge choice when they could have opted for .327 Federal Magnum) as well as .38 Special/.357 Magnum. Today, we will be covering the Charter Arms Professional VI as the final revolver in this wheelgun odyssey. Let’s dive in!

Like an itch we can’t scratch… a toxic girlfriend we can’t quit… or a can of Pringles where you “can’t just have one” (who remembers that ’90s TV ad?), we are back taking a gander at some more Charter Arms revolvers this week on Wheelgun Wednesday. If you have been following along (or not), Charter Arms manufactures a “Professional Series” that could be viewed as a semi-Custom Shop quality lineup of revolvers. They are all chambered in .32 H&R Magnum or .357 Magnum with varying aesthetic finishes, appearances, and feature sets. So far, we have covered 4 out of the 6 Professionals which logically brings us to the 5th. So, today we are going to take a look at the Charter Arms Professional V .357 Magnum/.38 Special to see what makes this wheelgun special from the rest of its Professional brethren. Let’s dive in!

When it comes to revolvers, Smith & Wesson is one of the names associated with quality revolvers but as semi-autos are taking over more and more of the market, I have a few of their various revolver models, but never dove into any of the 686 variants and decided to dive into a new model and give it a proper shakedown. Brownells had a 3″ 686 Plus model on sale and I decided to snag it for this review. Let’s take a closer look at the Smith & Wesson 686 Plus Deluxe.

The journey forges on! For this week on Wheelgun Wednesday, we are attacking another revolver out of the Professional Series. We are going on Week #4 of our side quest which logically brings us to the Charter Arms Professional IV in .32 H&R Magnum. This Professional is a bit different from others that we have previously covered in its aesthetic, form, and function. What we shall quest for today is if this .32 H&R Magnum – the Professional IV – is better than the other that kicked off this series – “The Professional” aka “The Professional I (One)” aka “Professional.” Like an undercover spy, let’s sneak our way through the makings of this revolver so you can hopefully make that decision for yourself.

Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we talked about small semi-auto pistols versus revolvers and the benefits of both systems. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to check it out by clicking the link here. This week, I want to talk about a topic we all know but rarely address when it comes to actually training with your carry gun. Of course, people go out and shoot at the range but most times it’s everything but the gun they carry daily. Although it’s probably one of the most important items to practice with, most of us pick full-size options instead of training with our actual everyday carry gun. Let’s take a closer look at training with your carry gun.

We are back at it again in this week’s edition of Wheelgun Wednesday cruising our way through the Charter Arms “Professional Series” of revolvers. If you haven’t heard of them, it is almost an insider, industry secret that this small collective of snub-nose revolvers exists. Charter Arms has 6 revolvers in this semi-coveted series chambered in either the curious .32 H&R Magnum as well as the venerable .357 Magnum round. The past 2 weeks we covered the Professional and Professional II. If my public school education math is correct, that will now bring us to the Professional III which happens to be a .38 Special/.357 Magnum wheelgun. Let’s dive in and see what makes the Charter Arms Professional III unique from the rest of its counterparts in the Professional Series.

Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we talked about some carry tips that make a big difference to carry comfort. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, I recently picked up another Smith & Wesson 686 and started wondering if revolvers are still a viable option with the unlimited options of semi-auto pistols on the market for the concealed carry space. While most revolvers are outclassed, there are a few specific benefits to having a revolver over something like a semi-auto. Semi-autos certainly have their own benefits though. let’s take a closer look at the benefits of small semi-autos vs revolvers.

Last week on Wheelgun Wednesday, we ventured down the rabbit hole that is the Charter Arms Professional series of revolvers. This is a 6 gun grouping of revolvers that receives an extra special touch of attention and care from Charter Arms. While they carry the moniker of Professional, these are not military or police contract revolvers of any kind (that I am aware of). They are simply mindfully constructed wheelguns meant for concealed carry for the everyday enthusiast. These Charter Arms revolvers from their Professional series are chambered in either .32 H&R Magnum (which is a unique cartridge choice when they could have opted for .327 Federal Magnum) as well as .38 Special/.357 Magnum. This week on Wheelgun Wednesday, we are going to take a look at the Charter Arms Professional II, which you can easily guess, is the 2nd installment in the Professional series. Let’s dive in!