Wheel gun fans, it would seem your time has finally come. The semi-auto pistol fad is finally winding down and revolvers are poised to once again take the throne as king of the handguns.
Okay, not really. But walking the floor at this year’s SHOT Show in Las Vegas, it’s clear that revolvers are well represented — particularly, double action self-defense revolvers. I plan to get my hands on a few of these this year for detailed reviews. In the meantime, here’s a quick look at a few of the major new releases.
Colt Cobra
I mentioned this one briefly last week in my review of the Kimber K6s. After a two decade hiatus, Colt has returned to the double action revolver game. The new Cobra is a six-shot, 23-ounce snub nose chambered for .38 special +P. Fans of the original Colt Cobra may remember it as the lightweight aluminum-frame counterpart of the Colt Detective Special, but the new model has a stainless steel frame. The front sight is a red fiber optic with a fixed trench-style rear sight. A tritium front sight will also be available, as will a version of the Cobra with a blued finish.
In the K6s review, I mentioned that the new Kimber revolver has the best factory double action trigger of any small-framed revolver I’ve used previously (though the Ruger LCR is close). Well, the floor sample of the new Colt Detective Special has as good a factory double action trigger as I’ve found on a revolver of any size. Maybe too good, in fact. On any other revolver, I would be concerned about reliable primer ignition with such a light trigger. I didn’t make it to the SHOT Show range day this year, but according to some friends, as it turns out, the demo Colts there did exhibit light strike issues. It’s not uncommon for pre-production SHOT Show sample guns to have a few minor glitches to work out, but that seems like a pretty major oversight that I’m hoping Colt will iron out before the guns ship.
It’s rumored that this new Cobra is only the first of an entire line of forthcoming Colt double action revolvers. I would love to see that come to fruition, but I’m cautiously optimistic. Despite Colt’s history with revolvers, they aren’t just picking up where they left off. The new guns are being built on new machines, mostly by people who have never made Colt revolvers before. Only time will tell whether the new Colts deserve to inherit the reputation established by the classic Colt wheel guns of the 20th century.
| Colt Cobra Technical Specs | |
| caliber | .38 Special +P |
| capacity | 6 |
| weight | 25 ounces |
| barrel length | 2 inches |
| sights | fiber optic front, fixed trench rear |
| action | double action with exposed hammer spur |
| MSRP | $699 |
Smith & Wesson
None of Smith & Wesson’s new revolvers for 2017 are totally new models, but they did come up with several attractive variants of existing models.
Smith & Wesson 2.75-inch Model 66 Combat Magnum
As longtime readers know, the somewhat rare 3-inch S&W Model 66 is one of my favorite revolvers ever. Built on Smith’s medium K-frame, it’s a 6-shot .357 magnum that, to me, perfectly splits the difference between a concealable small frame snub nose and a full size 4-inch service revolver like the Smith & Wesson L-frame 686, the Ruger GP100, or the Colt Python. After ceasing production of the 66 for a few years, S&W re-introduced a 4-inch model three years ago, and this year they’re following it up with a 2.75-inch version. It’s a quarter inch shorter than my favored 3-inch, but it still has a full length ejector rod, which makes it a big improvement over the old 2.5-inch model that was once a regular catalog item. It also comes with a very nice set of rubber grips that fit my hands surprisingly well despite the presence of the much-maligned finger grooves.
I’ve been able to get some impressive velocities out of my 3-inch 66 (which technically has a ~3.2-inch barrel) with defensive .38 special and .357 magnum loads, even outpacing some of the 4-inch guns I’ve tried on the chronograph. Despite my aversion to any S&W revolvers that come equipped with the internal safety lock, the new 2.75-inch 66 is on my list of revolvers to try out this year, and I’m really curious to find out if it clocks and shoots as well as mine.
| S&W Model 66 Combat Magnum Technical Specs | |
| caliber | .357 Magnum |
| capacity | 6 |
| weight | 33.5 ounces |
| barrel length | 2.75 inches |
| sights | red ramp front sight, adjustable rear |
| action | double action with exposed hammer spur |
| MSRP | $849 |
Smith & Wesson Performance Center Model 986
The S&W 986 is a 7-shot 9mm revolver built on the medium/large L-frame. The original 986 was introduced a few years ago as a Pro Series model with a 5-inch barrel. This new version is geared more toward concealed carry and has a 2.5-inch barrel with an unfluted Titanium cylinder. The lightweight cylinder knocks about 2.5 ounces off the weight of an L-frame snubby with a standard steel cylinder, bringing the total weight of the new 986 to 31.7 ounces.
I think this gun has a lot of cool factor going for it, but I don’t know if it’s something I would recommend as a serious concealed carry gun. The L-frame cylinder is fairly wide, which makes them difficult to comfortably carry in an inside-the-waistband holster. Some guys don’t seem to have much trouble pulling it off with the 2.5-inch 686, and in that case, it comes down to a matter of ballistics and recoil. Is 9mm a superior performer than .357 out of a 2.5-inch barrel? I would imagine the 9mm version has less recoil, but to what degree? The 986 also requires moon clips to function with the rimless 9mm ammunition, which adds complexity and a potential failure point to a platform that many people select primarily for its perceived reliability. I’m sure the new 986 will find plenty of fans who see benefits that I don’t, but I’m going to remain skeptical for the time being.
| S&W Performance Center 986 Technical Specs | |
| caliber | 9mm |
| capacity | 7 |
| weight | 31.7 ounces |
| barrel length | 2.5 inches |
| sights | red ramp front, adjustable rear |
| action | double action with exposed hammer spur |
| MSRP | $1129 |
S&W Performance Center Model 642
The “hammerless” snub nose .38 is a staple of the Smith & Wesson catalog. There have been dozens of variants over the years, but I think S&W has a winner with the new Performance Center 642. The highlight of this model is the action job. The notoriously stiff trigger pull is easily the biggest downside to carrying any of the J-frame Smiths. It’s the reason why the majority of folks who own them couldn’t use one to hit the broad side of a barn from the inside. Apex Tactical has a drop-in spring kit that goes a long way toward alleviating the difficultly of shooting these guns proficiently, but the tuned action on the 642 I handled at the S&W booth is easily an even bigger improvement. Add to that a great set of low profile rubber grips with a wood inlay and no internal safety lock and you’ve got a pretty decent carry revolver. Unfortunately, the sights are still sorely lacking, and I would recommend blacking out the face of the fixed rear and applying some bright nail polish on the front ramp to make them at least somewhat usable. However, by sticking with the basic non-adjustable integral sights, S&W is able to offer the new 642 at an affordable $536 MSRP.
S&W has a second Performance Center Model 642 available this year called the “Model 642 Enhanced Action.” It has the same action job as the vanilla Performance Center 642, but wears a set of longer wood grips that, while attractive, are not as suitable for concealed carry. There’s also a Model 637 Enhanced Action with the same grips and an exposed hammer for single action shooting.
| S&W Performance Center 642 Technical Specs | |
| caliber | .38 Special +P |
| capacity | 5 |
| weight | 15 ounces |
| barrel length | 1.875 inches |
| sights | integral ramp front, fixed trench rear |
| action | double action only with shrouded hammer |
| MSRP | $536 |
Other New Smith & Wesson Revolvers
In addition to the new models above, Smith & Wesson released a few other self-defense oriented revolvers this year. The big trend seems to be 3-inch barrels and unfluted cylinders (22-year-old me would think this is the best year ever). The Performance Center Model 586 L-Comp is a 3-inch 7-shot .357 magnum with a ported barrel. There are also two 3-inch variants of the 7-shot Model 686 — the 686 Plus Deluxe with textured wood grips and the 686 “3-5-7 Magnum Series” with textured wood grips and an unfluted cylinder.
For big-bore revolvers that could potentially pull double duty as wilderness protection and more conventional self-defense against two-legged predators, there’s a new 3-inch version of the Model 629 N-frame .44-magnum and a slightly more compact 2.75-inch Model 69 5-shot L-frame .44 Special.
Additional details and photos are available on Smith & Wesson’s website or their PDF 2017 catalog.
Ruger
Ruger has never had quite as broad a catalog of revolvers as Smith & Wesson, but they managed to put out a couple of new releases this year that have drawn some attention. They are clearly going after some of the more popular of the niche markets that have previously only been served by sporadic offerings from Smith & Wesson.
Ruger .357 Redhawk
The double action Ruger Redhawk has been around for a long time, but since it’s primarily been marketed as a big-bore hunting-oriented gun, I’ve never paid much attention to it. However, the newest Redhawk is a 2.75-inch .357 magnum. And it has an 8-round capacity. To my knowledge, Smith & Wesson is the only company to produce a successful 8-shot .357 revolver up until now.
This this is undoubtedly a fun idea for a revolver, but I’m not sure how much utility it has. It would be a pain to carry for very long because it’s absolutely enormous and it weighs a ton. At 44 ounces, it’s significantly heavier than Smith & Wesson’s counterpart; the 37.8-ounce Performance Center 627. It could certainly be used as a home defense gun, but it’s awkward and top heavy, and probably far more difficult to shoot well than the trusted medium-frame Ruger GP100. Nevertheless, I’m sure Ruger will sell a boatload, and I hope they do, so then maybe somebody can tell me what they actually use it for.
| Ruger Redhawk Technical Specs | |
| caliber | .357 Magnum |
| capacity | 8 |
| weight | 44 ounces |
| barrel length | 2.75 inches |
| sights | ramp front, adjustable rear |
| action | double action with exposed hammer spur |
| MSRP | $1079 |
Ruger .44 Special GP100
Speaking of the GP100, the .357 model is another favorite revolver of mine, and the handgun I’m most likely to recommend to a first-time gun buyer looking for an easy-to-use home defense gun. The 3-inch version in particular is a very well-balanced fighting gun. As of this year, Ruger is now offering a 5-shot .44 Special variant.
Calling this a defensive revolver is a bit of a stretch, but I wanted to include here because, like the .357 Redhawk and the 9mm S&W 986, it’s just plain cool. There isn’t much reason to choose this one over the .357 model for personal protection, but I’m told the .44 Special is capable of some impressive penetration, which might be nice if your target is more likely to be a hard-headed feral hog than a knife-wielding meth-head.
| Ruger .44 Special GP100 Technical Specs | |
| caliber | .44 Special |
| capacity | 5 |
| weight | 36 ounces |
| barrel length | 3 inches |
| sights | red ramp front sight, adjustable rear |
| action | fiber optic front sight, adjustable rear sight |
| MSRP | $829 |
Korth/Nighthawk Sky Hawk
At SHOT Show 2015, Korth, the German gun maker known for their high-end revolvers, was showing off a new 9mm concealed carry snub nose called the Sky Marshall. Two features set the Sky Marshall apart from other 9mm revolvers. First, it did not require moon clips in order to function and extract 9mm rounds. Smith & Wesson and Charter Arms have both offered clip-less 9mm revolvers in the past, but neither model could be considered successful and they didn’t last long. The other unique feature of the Sky Marshall was a frame and cylinder built from the ground up around the shorter case-length of the 9mm cartridge. That allowed it to have a shorter overall length than any 9mm revolver adapted from a .38 special or .357 magnum design. It also gave the gun potential for greater accuracy and muzzle velocity since the 9mm bullet didn’t have to travel through as much unrifled cylinder before reaching the barrel.
Unfortunately, the Sky Marshall had some odd design features like an obtrusive piece of picatinny rail integrated into the right side of the frame. Korth also seemed unable to find an importer who could bring the guns to market in the US. That changed last year when Nighthawk Custom, known for their custom 1911s, announced that they would be taking over importing duties for Korth. Nighthawk has been shipping some of Korth’s other revolvers for a few months now, and in the coming weeks they’re planning to finally release a re-worked version of the Sky Marshall now known as the Sky Hawk.
The new Sky Hawk doesn’t have the silly rail, and there have been a few other design tweaks like a different hammer shape and a more concave contour along the front end of the barrel underlug. The gun will set you back $1699, which might seem pretty steep, but is roughly half the cost of any other Korth revolver (did I mention that they’re made in Germany?).
Fortunately, Nighthawk Custom is not acting as merely an importer for Korth. They have sent a few of their in-house gunsmiths to Germany to learn how to service and repair the Korth products they sell. So that means if you buy one of these things and you have an issue, you won’t have to wait for it to be shipped overseas to get fixed. That might sound like a small thing, but I don’t think it should be overlooked. I have been known to occasionally buy a somewhat obscure and/or foreign firearm now and then, even for defensive use. However, I am extremely reluctant to buy a gun that cannot be sent to a domestic facility if I need a quick repair. So, say what you want about the price tag of the Sky Hawk, but to me, Nighthawk making that investment in training their gunsmiths demonstrates that they are serious about their partnership with Korth.
That said, I wouldn’t suggest you go out and drop $1700 on an as-yet unproven gun and carry it for self-defense. Especially not one with absolutely zero aftermarket support. But I’ll be keeping a curious eye on the Sky Hawk once they start shipping.
| Korth Sky Hawk | |
| caliber | 9mm |
| capacity | 6 |
| weight | 17 ounces |
| barrel length | 2 inches |
| sights | gold bead front sight, windage adjustable rear |
| action | double action with exposed hammer spur |
| MSRP | $1699 |
Chiappa White Rhino 30DS
I’m reluctant to even mention this last one because I personally find it so distasteful. But technically, it is a revolver, and it is new, and it is self-defense oriented. The Chiappa Rhino, the unusual Italian revolver with the barrel aligned with the 6 o’clock chamber rather than at 12 o’clock, has previously been offered in 2-inch, 4-inch, and 5-inch varieties. Fans have been asking for a 3-inch version for a while, and Chiappa has finally obliged. But they have done it in such a way that comes across like a big middle finger to Rhino fans. You want a 3-inch Rhino? Well, now you can have it, but it’s going to look like this…
I couldn’t find the words to accurately convey my feelings about the Cerakoted White Rhino 30DS, so I took to social media to ask a few shooters I know if they could briefly describe their first impressions of the newest Chiappa offering. Some of the best replies were deemed unsuitable for a family-friendly blog, but here are a few of the highlights I can actually publish:
“Another rhino that should be added to the endangered list.”
-Robert Engh
“LOOK AT ME AND TELL ME I’M PRETTY!!!”
–Trevor Fiatal
“It’s the kind of gun a Bond villain’s girlfriend would carry”
-Tim
“Who thought this was a good idea?”
–Tamara Keel
“The cookies and cream magnum.”
–Brian Downes
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
| Chiappa White Rhino 30DS Technical Specs | |
| caliber | .357 magnum |
| capacity | 6 |
| weight | 27.2 ounces |
| barrel length | 3 inches |
| sights | fiber optic front, adjustable fiber optic rear |
| action | double action with exposed hammer spur |
| MSRP | $1465 |