Currently available long barrel revolvers?

[Mikaveli]

I fancy getting myself a long barrelled revolver when I apply for / get my FAC. I currently shoot at a HO approved club that has 4 ranges where I could use one (although I can't picture myself with it on the 50m too much ).

 

I've read a lot about the 'common' LBR's:

 

Taurus

Ruger

Buntline

Alfa-Proj

 

I've seen all the above for sale on GT / gunstar etc. but what I don't know is who (if anyone) are the current importers?

 

When it comes to it, I don't mind second-hand, but I'd rather be paying less than a grand and I'd want to be fairly confident I could get spares for whatever I choose.

 

Can anyone provide any details of the current importers / retailers (not someone that went bust two years ago )? Also, are there any revolvers I've overlooked?

[Bloke]

I bought a new Taurus .357 from York guns recently, just happened to be on the phone on the right day or I would have missed it, just 2 delivered. Apparently the Taurus importer lives on an isolated Scottish island, and from the description of a couple of dealers I have talked to, is a little 'eccentric' in his approach to business, deliveries of new guns seem to be unpredictable to say the least. A couple of dealers even constantly advertise them, even if they have no stock, because they never know when a delivery will occur, even to the month, let alone the day! The other makes seem just as scarce, I think the gallery rifle and pistol scene is becoming more popular, more people are having LBP /LBR on their FAC, yet numbers of guns coming into the country seem to be as scarce as before, keeping second- hand prices very close to new prices, and guns themselves like rocking horse dropping, scarce to say the least, if you want one in reasonable condition.

I assume from your list that you are only considering centre- fire, if you are considering rim fire, you can also look at semi-automatic as well. These seem just as scarce, I have had an Iver Johnson .22 1911 LBP on order from Low Mills in Cumbria for about a year now, not Low Mills fault, because of the daft regs in the uk, so few are made in comparison to standard guns, the factories in the US etc don't give them any priority. Spares seem better for these, mainly because they use mostly original 1911 bits, but time will tell.

 

Good luck with your search.

Edited October 23, 2012 by Bloke

[Mikaveli]

Thanks for the reply.

 

Yeah, I've got my heart set on a centre fire - probably in 38 spl / 357 mag. I'd like to get a lever action in the same caliber too.

 

The club has lots of 22lr, so I'll already have plenty of choice of guns using that calibre, so I'd like something with more poke.

 

It'll be a few months til I've got my FAC, so there's no rush in finding something.

[Bloke]

Thanks for the reply.

 

Yeah, I've got my heart set on a centre fire - probably in 38 spl / 357 mag. I'd like to get a lever action in the same caliber too.

 

The club has lots of 22lr, so I'll already have plenty of choice of guns using that calibre, so I'd like something with more poke.

 

It'll be a few months til I've got my FAC, so there's no rush in finding something.

 

You aren't too far from the Marlin dealer in Chesterfield. There are cheaper lever actions, depends what you want to do, I bought the Marlin because it is side-eject, and mounting a scope will be a lot easier. I bought a .357/.38 1894 in stainless from him - found him friendly and helpful, and when I had a query last week, I got a return call straight back and the answer I wanted, seemed like a sound guy.. As far as ammo goes, I am paying £30/100 for .38, and £35/100 for .357 (Gecko FMJ), just remember that you need a flat point bullet preferably for lever rifles, as you don't want a sharp point banging against the primer of the bullet in front!

Edited October 22, 2012 by Bloke

[phaedra1106]

Tried most of the LBRs and even bought a Westlake Buckmark, unfortunately (for me at least) it just wasn't the same as shooting a standard pre-ban pistol/revolver so I sold it.

 

Also worth looking out for a used Marlin as the the ones coming out of the US since the takeover over a year ago have seen a serious drop in quality from the originals.

 

I would seriously look at reloading for a 357/38 or 44 as £30/100 is 3x what my .44 costs me to load.

Edited October 22, 2012 by phaedra1106

[Bloke]

'phaedra1106'

Tried most of the LBRs and even bought a Westlake Buckmark, unfortunately (for me at least) it just wasn't the same as shooting a standard pre-ban pistol/revolver so I sold it.

 

Take your point sir, I shoot with friends in the US when I go over, and there is no comparison. It is the best we are likely to get though, and still provides an enjoyable discipline alongside rifle shooting.

 

Also worth looking out for a used Marlin as the the ones coming out of the US since the takeover over a year ago have seen a serious drop in quality from the originals.

 

I was warned about this when I started looking, but chatting to a couple of dealers, apparently the situation got so bad that Remington shut down Marlin production for a while to retrain staff and address the quality control issues, and the new ones are apparently back to the pre buyout standard. Certainly the S/S version I got was very recently produced and showed none of the horrors I had been warned of by my US friends. Still worth being vigilant though, as you very rightly say - there may still be a few of the badly made ones about on shelves. check the bolt clearances/action, and the stock for cracks/gaps/splits, barrel/fittings for scrapes and gouges- just some of the errors reported.

 

I would seriously look at reloading for a 357/38 or 44 as £30/100 is 3x what my .44 costs me to load.

 

 

Sounds good to me!

Edited October 23, 2012 by Bloke

[Scully]

Low Mill Ranges,Cleator Moor,Cumbria should have a few in stock.Give 'em a Google.

[MiLisCer]

You will be surprised just how far you can shoot out too with them - at the last FCSA day at Sennybridge, we were knocking down the 400yd ETR consistently with a .44 LBR

 

Mike

[Mikaveli]

Low Mill Ranges,Cleator Moor,Cumbria should have a few in stock.Give 'em a Google.

 

Thanks, I'll take a look.

 

You will be surprised just how far you can shoot out too with them - at the last FCSA day at Sennybridge, we were knocking down the 400yd ETR consistently with a .44 LBR

 

Mike

 

I've fired revolvers with 6" and 8" barrels, both on a 10m range. My groupings were quite poor (not blaming the guns, just inexperienced with handguns ).

Our indoor range is 25m, with points at 10m and about 16m too. I think I'll work my way up - at the moment I'm not sure I'd hit the sand bank / hill at 400yds...

 

Anyone got any opinions on which (available) LBR's are likely to be the best quality / most accurate?

[Bloke]

'Mikaveli'

Thanks, I'll take a look.

 

 

 

I've fired revolvers with 6" and 8" barrels, both on a 10m range. My groupings were quite poor (not blaming the guns, just inexperienced with handguns ).

Our indoor range is 25m, with points at 10m and about 16m too. I think I'll work my way up - at the moment I'm not sure I'd hit the sand bank / hill at 400yds...

 

Anyone got any opinions on which (available) LBR's are likely to be the best quality / most accurate?

 

 

As with a lot of things, accuracy is very dependant on the shooter (as well as the circumstances - rest/sandbag/free standing, and the respective discipline - bullseye, free standing, Bianchi, etc)! For example, I am quite new to the world of LBR/LBP shooting and also a blind old gimmer, needing fairly strong Varifocal glasses, so after a couple of hundred practice shots over a couple of weeks, only getting my groups down to 6inches at best over 25 yards, part of the problem was keeping my focus on the front sight and seeing the target with any clear focus for aiming. I was offered a decent quality red-dot sight to try, after fitting it to the Taurus I zeroed it in last Sunday and was producing 2 1/2 - 3 inch groups at 25 yards with no problem, shooting from a sandbag rest, using .38 standard Gecko FMJ, and with practice, I am sure I will improve.

 

I guess the point is, there is only so much you can expect from a handgun, but I was told by some of the guys on the National squad who were at Newark Gun Show that most of the modern LBR/LBP's are quite similar in accuracy over a wide range of distances, but it depends on many variables, as well as how much you want to invest in time and money, tuning the gun and buying performance kit for it.

 

I would love to have a go at 400 yards, but I think I would need an 8-foot target face! (as well as a decent size mountain as a back-stop) :lol:

[Mikaveli]

I checked out Low Mill Ranges and York Guns, if you ignore the .22lr semi auto's, both only seem to supply the Taurus range of LBR's...

 

Realistically - is that going to be my only choice if I want a centre-fire revolver?

 

Is it feasible to have one imported if I was after a Smith & Wesson, for example (in long-barrelled form obviously)?

[Bloke]

The problem is getting a manufacturer to make a long-barrelled model, if a UK dealer is only ordering a few dozen, it isn't worth the factory setting up the tools etc. I was told that you cannot bring a gun over here and get it converted either, "once a section 5 gun, always a section 5 gun" was what they said. The Low Mills .22 LBP I have on order is imported ready made to UK spec, all Low Mills do is put the thread for the barrel shroud on and get the gun proofed - nothing more. I asked another dealer about that dreadful coat-hanger wire affair on the Taurus - could it be removed and a straight bar put on instead? the reply I got was that as soon as the extension bar is removed, for however a short amount of time, the gun is then illegal! Made no sense to me, surely, if the bar snapped, it must be possible for a gunsmith to replace it, as long as the overall length of the gun is not reduced when they are finished, and the bar is permanently attached, but that's what I was told...