CPF Revolver gurus: get in here!
I could ask this at any number of gun forums I'm on, but I know we have a lot of students of the handgun lurking here at CPF, and I'm curious what you guys think.
I'm looking for a revolver. I've been shooting, training with, and exclusively carrying a Glock 17 for seven years now. It's the only handgun I shoot. It's the only handgun I carry. But lately, I've been feeling the need to pick up a wheelgun, for the sole purpose of shooting and familiarizing myself with running a revolver in a serious defensive manner. I'll be dry-firing, manipulating, and shooting the hell out of it. I'll hopefully be attending a class with it as well, if possible.
Pretty much everything about using a revolver in a practical manner is 100% foreign to me, along with what makes a good wheelgun for my intended purpose. I'm looking for suggestions on what to buy for this little familiarization experiment. A few parameters:
1) I'd like to keep this no more than $1,500 total. This includes the gun, a *good* holster, speedloaders, carriers, snapcaps, and any custom work I may need (see below).
2) No J-frames/ small hideout pieces. I want a full sized framed, 2-4" barreled, steel gun that's appropriate for use as a primary handgun. Heavy is fine.
3) .38 or .357. No real preference here, as loads are available in both calibers that penetrate sufficiently. .357 might give some more options with respect to heavy loads, I suppose. At this point I don't care much either way.
4) Bobbed hammer. I know enough to know that target hammers are 100% inappropriate on a carry/ defensive wheelgun. I realize the gun does not necessarily need to come from the factory this way.
5) Smooth trigger face. No crazy serrations or checkering on the face of the trigger. Again, inappropriate for a defensive gun.
6) If I go with a S&W, I REALLY prefer no lock. A lock isn't necessarily a deal breaker, but it just won't sit right with me.
7) No adjustable blade rear sights. See #4 and #5.
8) Don't care if it's new or used. Looks are 100% unimportant, provided the timing, lockup, and overall function is sound.
I'm totally clueless here about where to start, so help me out. I'm all ears.