S&W 327 Snub Nose Revolver - 8 Shot 357 Magnum - Why?
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- Опубликовано: 5 мар 2024
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S&W released the TRR8 as a tactical revolver for mil/leo/hunting application - optics rail, light rail, 8 shots...but they also released this 2" version, lightweight and Scandium, as a carry gun. Did it make sense then? What about now?
To address the endless confusion on this:
The S&W 327 revolver came out a few years before the introduction of the 327 Federal Magnum cartridge.
To address the endless confusion on this:
The S&W 327 revolver came out a few years before the introduction of the 327 Federal Magnum cartridge.
Since you don't like it, why don't I just give you my mailing address and we'll take care of that?
@@keithgraham9547 Dang, beat me to it.
At first I was like “oh cool an 8 shot 327 magnum snubnose?!”
But then I was like “oh… an 8 shot 357 magnum snubnose…”
@@Paraphen Frankly, I'm still confused about it. S&W make both. I think he's talking about the 357, but I'd take either. 357 Magnum is my favorite caliber.
If I can't solve my problem with eight rounds of 357 Magnum, it probably ain't getting solved.
When I saw the title of this video I thought "y'know .327 Federal would make a lot of sense out of something like this"
Nice to see the green in background.
not this early, but enjoy your climate change
@@hipsteralex6761 it does this in southern US deserts normally this time of year if it has been particularly wet.
@@jewishswordsman9199its been a particularly wet rain season for SOME reason though
@@hipsteralex6761Thanks, I'm happy to go from 4 feet of snow and -40 to sunny and 65 in less than a month.
@@hipsteralex6761At least you have the decency to name yourself something as dim as you are.
I don't know if they make "half-moon" clips, but as a layman it looks like carrying 2 of them would be a much better solution than 1 normal one.
They do.
The moon clips do look like they would carry allot easier but I would imagine that unloading them would likely have the same difficulties but without the hole so you might not be able to use the tool. I’ve seen speed strips that look like they solve both problems but I’m not sure how good they are.
speed strips are good for 5 and six shot, reloading in only three quick plugs, but more than that and you loose the benefit of size reduction.
I use strips for my j-frame and full size speed loaders for my 7 shot 617.
which i only carry to the gas station in shorts.
It's a duty size auto for anything else.
Half moon clips are actually what they used in the mentioned-in-video World War One origin of moon clips.
They do. It’s super easy to carry them but since they are larger than 5 6 or even 7 shot those half moons are still large. They also like to peel out easier than the smaller half moons.
I love it when gun names are as long as ridicules starbucks orders
You win the internet today.
@@MichaelJenkins910Naw. Describing gun specs for a firearm instead of simply referring to it by a make and model (aka S&W 627) is overkill and claiming it as a victory is not winning.
Ridiculous*
People still get Starbucks?? 😮
@@beargillium2369 look man I need my dollars when I go to space to order a StarBurger(TM).
It was pretty neat getting to see the accessories for loading and especially unloading those Moon clips
One more disadvantage of this gun, that wasn't mentioned, is it apparently warps the space-time continuum a little with every shot. 9:53
not neccassarily a disadvantage, bullet and flash bang grenade in one
That's actually useful if you are going up against Mi-Go or Shoggoths.
I decided to try one of these, several years ago. My wife claimed it, and, she loves it. She carries it, regularly, loaded with standard-pressure .38 Special ammo. We did install smaller-volume grips. From 1994 to 2015, she investigated countless death scenes, for the Medical Examiner, in one of the most-populous counties in the USA, so, she has a good idea how many rounds are typically expended, and an even better idea of how many fatal hits typically occur, during such incidents. She has an S&W Performance Center J-snub to complement the 8-shooter.
Personally, I trend Ruger SP101 and GP100, S&W K-Frame, Glock 17, and full-sized 1911, for carry, but, I do keep my eyes open for a good deal on another Model 327 PC, probably pre-owned. With one of my hands not aging nearly as gracefully as the other, the concept of plenty of rounds on-board, in a weapon that does not require a firm hold for reliability, and a strong support hand to run the slide and clear malfunctions, becomes increasingly valid and relevant.
Have you looked into the shield ez?
"Years of testing and I was wrong. I must tell everyone" Karl is a scientist really.
Karl forgot about the bonus fire damage from the magnum. Massive oversight.
There is an interview on primary and secondary where an officer mentions that they did an investigation and it turns out perps surrendered or died from their wounds more when shot with snubs at night, in doors.
The officers were specifically targeted by Japanese snipers who had been told to shoot the flamethrower operators first.
People discount the over pressure effects of a contact wound
"Tactical Revolver" is like "Honest Politician". It's a nice idea, we all want so bad but...
I really do love wheel guns, I own eight. But I don't expect them to be something they just can't be.
They say that a wheelgun works better than a glock when you are operating a shield
Politicians and cardealer has one thing in common to me. if they try to play the. honest friendly game. I take a firm grip of my vallet and run the other way. Tactical Revolvers are More lik Unicorns. their are stories about them. Pepole have Ideas about them. but do they realy exist or is it realy only a horse/revolver dressed up to look like the thing of myths.
If anything the little one is more tactical since its a plausible back-up back-up gun
@@JinKeeWhen have you ever carried a shield? I have. Do you know how you reload your semiauto? You eject the magazine, put the pistol in your holster, insert the magazine, rack it off the shield. Do you know how you reload a revolver? You don't.
Those French Revolvers Beretta is importing are pretty "Tactical"!
Nice to see a review that actually challenges a guns purpose rather than just waxing poetic about how awesome it is.
The purpose is to just have the one gun with no reloads in your waist band and easily carry the massive firepower.
But in a snub nose the power of 357 is mostly lost to making a big fireball.
Also, "no reload?" What are you comparing this to? A single shot? Pretty much every semi-auto will have as many, if not more shots before a reload.
@@logangodofcandyIs this massive firepower in the room with us right now?
Seems to me wrong use case given. Tactical? Nah, this to me would be for brown bear country. Yes, there’s compact 10mm now, but this would be an option.
Revolvers made a lot of sense when you go very small, and when you go very big. Semi-autos took everything between. The moment Sig managed to figure out how to fit 10 rounds of 9mm in a micro-compact handgun, that kind of killed the revolver for really small when it came to practicality. Some people still carry a revolver just because they dig the revolver. Nothing wrong with that. Practically speaking though, they just out now outdated. Revolvers still have the edge for super big hunting handguns though.
revolvers dont leave brass on the ground
Revolvers often also offer a slight edge in reliability. A loaded revolver in good condition placed in a dry dresser drawer or dry kitchen cabinet will usually work just fine 40 or 50 years later, while a semi auto might not.
Some people dig revolvers and there's nothing wrong with that. What _is_ wrong is the guy who digs revolvers and therefore hates semis and needs to tell everyone why revolvers are superior to semis in every respect. Then trots out all the reasons of which half are just wrong.
I see revolvers as having three niche applications. The first, as you said, are for big handgun hunting cartridges. The second is if you want a defensive handgun chambered in 22LR (it's better than nothing) since, unlike an automatic, if you get a light primer strike or dud, you can simply pull the trigger again and get a new cartridge, and you eliminate the magazine stacking issue. The third is a home defense option for somebody that needs an absolutely idiot proof and neglect-tolerant gun. Once it's loaded, there's no safety or slide stop to potentially actuate by accident, and while I certainly wouldn't advocate this, you could potentially leave it be for years without upkeep and it'll probably run just fine.
@@kenibnanak5554Why wouldn't a semi-auto work under the same circumstances?
This is the content that makes me love inrange. Most gun channels are only ever reviewing the most popular newest thing on the market, and while Karl does a bit of that here and there, it's this usual obscure gun reviews that are the most interesting. Never in a million years would I look up a Smith 327 on youtube, and I love wheel guns. But here we are. Keep it up.
I'm also super curious why this is still in production too compared to some other things Smith has offered and then stopped making not long after.
I have the 327 PC and honestly the "downsides" he is talking about really don't exist, if you carry appendix or cross draw it conceals very easy and more comfortable than my Glock 19, it's also lighter, the sight radius doesn't matter for 99% of self defense senarios, the 357 magnum is a lot more powerful out of a 2 in over the 38 +P but both are valid carry options, in terms of reliability this will win every time compared to even something like a Glock, the S&W Performance center are top tier with reliability, also in terms of having a hunting back up this is a significantly better option than any semi auto or heavy full size revolver.
I just don't think this guy knows what he is talking about.
Ya 357 out of a 2 inch vs a 380? Not much of a difference? Come on.
I carried a revolver for the first 20 yrs of my career & it saved me on three different occasions. A Glock 23 was the issued weapon for my last 10 yrs and I was fortunate not to have to use the Glock on the street. The EDC in retirement is a J Frame w/a speed strip reload.
I believe the Police and Public would be better served if everyone carried wheel guns. This would drastically cut down on the 'volley fire' mentality where having 18+ rounds in the pistol leads to rapid un-aimed panic firing multiple shots or even full magazines and just hoping that they might hit something. Would be MUCH better if every shot was aimed and delivered and that mentality instilled through training and required practice.
Sad to say ...I've shot with Police during their qualifications and the VAST majority are woefully terrible marksmen. Being unsure and afraid leads to 'spray and pray' type shooting that we see in SO many shootings these days. Glad you made it safely to retirement Brother. :)
@@recoilrob324I actually second that notion, I plan to ccw my copy python in 4 inch when I re apply for my license. I bet I am going to get slammed in the comments for that but whatever. 😅
@@recoilrob324exactly...the vast majority of L.E.O.'s are not gun enthusiasts & only practice when they are forced to during mandatory qualifications.....& as training budgets are cut to the bone, the only training they get is the absolute least their Agency can get by with....
@@recoilrob324I have seen many body cam videos where 6 or even 8 shots would not have been enough. When shit hit's the fan, even suppressive fire is a valid tactic when being shot at without cover. You don't have the time to do precision shots in those moments, you point and shoot.
And I'd say that "un-aimed panic firing" is something you seldomly witness in those videos.
I'm a big fan of revolvers but if I'd be a LEO, I'd want a high capacity pistol as my main service weapon.
As to why it’s still in production, I think it’s because some people think it’s cool and just want one. Most probably know it’s not practical but still think it’s cool. At sub $1,500 sufficient people can afford to scratch their itch by buying a cool gun they want.
It’s on the CA roster that’s most likely a contributing factor for why it’s still sold . It was my first revolver 8 shots and titanium sold me lol😅
Never understood why this is still in production yet the L frame 386 never took off.
I have the 386 Night Guard. It's good gun same with the 327. Good hiking/ camp guns and still manageable with 357 magnum. I still prefer the 327 due to it having 1 extra round and at least on mine the triggers way better on the 327 vs the 386.
@@jmount411 interesting you say that; I’ve been wanting a revolver for hiking and camping. I have a p365 that rusted on me last summer, so I would always have to oil the shit out of it before a trip… kind of annoying.
I have the 327 and never even wanted a 386. So maybe I’m not the one to ask.
@active4delta loved my Ruger GP100. All stainless, coil springs, modular design, etc. I had the big one though, weighed 3lbs. Not much of a belt gun, if I'm being honest.
They should bring back the Scandium L frame 357 magnum, preferably with 3" and longer barrels. At least that makes sense for people walking around the woods / hunting.
I used to carry revolvers for everything when I worked aerospace in CA and with the 10 round max limit and the typical 7-8 total for single stacks as carl has noted, there wasn't a round count difference between autos and revolvers. Wheelguns had better ammo choices, much broader pressure tolerances for hand loads and didn't have you arguing with the range staff when they claim that anything brass that touches the floor belongs to them. My solution to carrying moon clips was to take a flashlight tube, c cell for 5 round clips, d cell for 6, roll up and slide in a PE sheet until the shake was pretty much gone, drill and solder a central rod in the middle of the thing and bend a spring clip into a drop catch on the bottom. I even kept the light head and left it hanging on my belt facing up. You get an easy to use dispenser for 3-5 moon clips that drop into your hand when you thumb the spring clip on the tube. Very very fast, convienient, looks like a flashlight on your belt, and carries way more ammo than a mag holder in similar belt real estate.
Snubbies like this get incredibly good performance when you load them with shotgun powders and magnum primers but you get some erosion problems in these early 3 series smith and wessons. The scandium is protected by a steel shield, which sw had replaced for me a few times before they introduced the later generation thicker steel ones but the primary problem was that the high pressures cut the titanium cylinder faces until their later metalurgically improved versions. If you're worried about damage from these super high pressure short burn loads, sw stainless models can all handle these with no issue. A lot of folks used to wildcat load cartridges way past saami back in the day and the old true max pressure sheets should still be floating around bbs all over the web. All in all great guns and probably still to this day an optimal option for mag restricted states. My sw329pd in carry leather is still my favorite walkabout ranch companion out here in Texas.
I’ve tested and done chronograph readings 357 Ammo out of that gun . Provided me with 300 ft per second more than 9mm + p . Significantly more penetration. There is short barrel 357 ammo that helps with the fireball. I agree with all the extra stuff, speed loader, Moon, Clips, equipment . 15:11 for unloading and loading. I do like that revolver and the Trr8 . I do wish they made it in 3” . It’s a great back country gun . I use 8 round strip clips that load fairly fast with practice.
Boy i miss this type of IRTV content. And that lush backdrop is fantastic too!
The verdant Tucson lush backdrop will be crunchy dead brown soon enough.
I live in a neighborhood that deer frequent. During doe season it’s rather disconcerting to look up from google maps on my phone to see a male with antlers staring at me from about ten feet away that I had not previously noticed. A deer may not be a grizzly, but not sure I’d necessarily trust my Ruger Security 380 or my Kahr CW9 to do the job. Ok, now I’m done with rationalizing my post tax-return impulse buy!
Great video, gonna definitely have to buy those moon clip tools.
This presentation is why I subscribed years ago. Very concise video, great answers to common questions, and some questions most people don't think about when considering this fine revolver.
Been waiting for THIS video for like 5-6 YEARS now! Lol glad to see it FINALLY come around!
Finally a honest discussion about the N frame 357 and the realities of integrating it into one’s system.
I was just wondering about this gun while looking at S&W's catalogue. I love the serendipity in you now doing a video on it :)
I love revolvers, and carry them often (although not exclusively). I find that they carry comfortably and conceal very well for my body shape and the clothing I wear. That being said, N Frames are big and on the cumbersome side, even with a short barrel!
Definitely agree with your assessment on this piece. It's cool and I really wanted one years ago, but these days it's hard to argue with the newer alternatives. It's still a good gun, but it's niche has only gotten smaller and smaller as time has gone on.
Pear shaped? 🍐
I appreciate the honesty of your video Karl. Thank you Sir. I've been thinking about EDC a revolver only not a stubby one with a 3-4 inch barrel. What I like is the reliability. Yes I understand one can have a cylinder lock up, but the malfunctions are less. No failure to feed or failure to eject. You have given me somethings to consider. Thank you for all your hard work and time you are appreciated.
I have one. Love it. Carries like nothing in the right holster and is extremely accurate for such a short barrel. Ammo selection is extremely versatile depending on what you are doing.
A good informative vid as always. Thank you.
As an aside after growing up in the arid stepp/high deserts of Nevada I left to see new things but your vids make me miss those same deserts.
I've traveled a bit in the United States but not to that region. It looks absolutely beautiful! Maybe I'll get there eventually.
@@dlmsarge8329 been to Arizona and it is beautiful in different ways all year. I grew up in northern Nevada not far from the 40 Mile Desert myself.
I've been looking at getting one of these for so long. Thanks for the review.
Back in the 80's and early 90's I shot USPSA in revolver class with a S&W 625-2, 5" barrel and moon clips. Loading them wasn't hard but after 400 to 500 rounds at the range removing the spent brass would start to hurt. So I bought a dowel as close to the inside diameter of the brass and used it to pop the brass out of the moon clips, cost .20 cents and no more hurt finger tips.
I definitely like the revolver (and levergun) content you've released Karl.
I’ve found that many revolvers these days are range toys and novelty pieces. I carry revolvers exclusively and I put them in the category of straight shaving and driving a old restored pickup, their obsolescent but if your going to make something a ritual you might as well do it in a way that makes you feel “cool”.
I was so excited to see the 327 Magnum…
Disappointed to see the Model 327 in 357…
:(
Right?
This same kind of thing but in a 7 shot L frame with a 2.5" or 3" barrel would be better suited to the intended purpose. I believe S&W offered something similar in past. S&W should re-issue it with the sexy titanium bits.
The 686-6 performance center is the L frame and 7 shot but all stainless. I have one in 2.5” and it’s awesome. I also have this 327 PC and it’s much lighter. Both guns are awesome
I've been considering a revolver as a smaller carry piece for a while, and this video was helpful in capturing some of my concerns with that idea. Thank you.
I agree with the video : revolvers are great for the micro/giant ends of the bell curve, but in between is semiauto territory. It's easy to toss my Taurus No View in my jacket pocket, or hunt with my 608, and 44 mag for bear, but more often than not the semiautos get the holster for day to day.
FYI: J-frames are entirely different, as they're much smaller. So don't dismiss them because of this video, as this video only applies to this N-frame
I agree with the previous comment: Don't judge a revolver as a carry piece entirely on this gun. J-frame S&W's, Ruger LCR's, Colt Cobras, and some Taraus compact revolvers would all be much better for carry. But the ammo reloading issue will be similar, except many of those won't accept moon clips.
Series 60 S&W 3in 5 shot. Nice for carrying
Moon clips are great and I feel they are superior to a traditional speedloader. For a uniform officer it poses no problem; concealed carry is another matter.
I rather have speed loader.
Half-moon clips can address that, since they can nest together and sit more flat against the body. There is a new speed loader on the block that's like a spring-loaded chain, so it can be unwound and sit flat against the body like a speed strip, but will automatically coil into a circle once drawn out of its containment. Insert into the cylinder, grab the pull ring, and let 'er rip.
Currently, they cost around $55 apiece, and the manufacturer is basically unable to keep any in stock (it's basically a small-batch boutique item right now, so there is almost no capacity); I don't know how long it'll be until they get more, but they sell out immediately, so if you want one, I would contact them and see if you can get on a waitlist.
I feel like those moonclips would bend if you so much as look at them funny
I not advocating for revolver concealed carry. There is an alternative to moon clips/speed loaders that looks like it is much easier to carry. It’s called the Wrapid Loader from Kaztac. I have no personal experience with it as I don’t own a revolver, but it seems like a decent alternative for 6 shooters.
love this, learning loads
I know a genius who bought a 329 to use as his work gun for bail enforcement. He sold it quickly because he was afraid to shoot the thing. It was great with .44 Specials, but i had no interest in Magnums.
"I" had no interest in magnums? Well, what's *your* interest have to do with this other guy's...
Oh, waitaminnit. I think just figured out who this "genius" is you're talking about.
lol
You have any thoughts about the model 69? The 5-shot .44Mag L-frame? At least that one's not aluminum!
Moon clips predate WW1.
Webley & Scott introduced moon clips in the early 1900s; for use in the Webley-Fosbery Automatic Revolver.
Thanks Karl . Thats was very informative 👍🏼
"Why?"
Why not?
Thanks for showing especially how the moon clip loader and unloader works.
Great video, it must be spring your backyard is so green.
I wholeheartedly agree with all of your conclusions. Probably not the best carry choice, but it does look so Cool. Great video as always, and thank you for the years of great content
I love mine and with a good holster carriers great!
Dang bro! Crushing dreams! I want the 4" version. Thank you for the info.
I rarely carry revolvers anymore, but when I did I used the EZ-Loaders to carry ammo. That's a really beautiful pistol though, and that wood grip you have on there is so nice.
There you go! Great idea!
Speed strips, two in back pocket ✔
Nice thanks for this review.
These loading problems don’t translate to J-frame revolvers, where small, rattle-free, easy-to-load by hand, 5-round speedloaders can easily fit into a pocket.
The best part of InRange is your absolute willingness to call out bullshit whenever and wherever you see it.
Great video. Thanks.
It looks to me like a five inch barrel would really turn this gun around. Thanks again for the hard work, good job.
as for moon clips being bulky I feel ya, you can dremel the moon clip in half(well 2 of them) into a half moon clip or quarter moon clip and it makes them much less bulky and easier to carry,you have two clips (or four if they are quarters) to load.
also chamfering the edges of the case on the outside makes them slide in easier rather than having to wiggle them(if your hand loading this is an easy step)
you can't really compare a blowback or even locked breech .380auto to a .357mag that you can hot load.
Remember the rule of 3's in a gun fight, it happens in 3 yards in 3 seconds and is usually done and over in 3 seconds. with that said I would want the stopping power of +P .357mag hollow point rather than 9mm short jacketed round nose pretty much everyday of the week.
as always great video!
Interesting content, thanks.
Long time watcher, first time commenting. All in all I have to agree with your assessment, and as a guy who carried a S&W Brazilian contract, (45ACP on moonclips) Yup, moon clips suck.
Half moons are less seriously sucky, but still somewhat slightly sucky. Either/or carries about as well as an egg, and more or less the same durability. A slightly bent moon clip completely ruins the reliability of an otherwise fine weapon. I'd rather buy Dessert-storm era aftermarket Berretta 92 mags.
Speed loaders are a marked improvement, but! I have no idea why everyone wants to carry them in a bucket on the outside of their belt. For years SafariLand has made "split-six" carriers for speedloaders, loader sits *On* your belt, 3 rounds outside, 3 rounds inside. Desantis makes a variation "Second 6" IIRC. Leather strap ties it down, prevents rattles, and shield the rounds from damage. I don't know that they made one large enough for an 8-rd speedloader.
Anyways! Yup, sucky sights suck. 357Mag in a 2" barrel is kinda pointless, short-barrelled n-frames are BBQ guns, maybe wilderness carry, I agree on all points. (Not that you needed or wanted my vaildation.) But! I get that carry mimics competition-- but buckets of bullets on the outside of your belt are bad. That being said, there's a million Mag-pouches in the world, and 2 decent speedloader carriers. so there's a bit of a "there, there."
One thing to think about is the original M1917 revolvers in .45 ACP also came with half moon clips, which take a little longer to load but are much flatter. They were also obviously 6 shot instead of 8 shot revolvers. I never thought about how hard it is to load and unload moon clips, mostly because I have never done it or seen it done.
One of the guys I shoot with in ICORE uses one of these with an RMR on it, which takes the sight radius problem out of it, and uses .38 S&W loads with it. It's pretty good for that purpose, since the stubby barrel makes it really handy. But it's not a carry gun, and his competition rig is anything but concealable.
You do know that there are plastic moon clips that are easier to load and unload without bending.
Interesting story. A revolver fan was shooting at his local range and was having some trouble with
his moon clips. With anyone else it would've ended there, but this individual was a manager for a
plastics company and knew the perfect plastic to replace the metal in the moon clip. He sells them
on line as a sideline. I forget his contact info, but it shouldn't be hard to look up.
I completely and totally smell what you’re steppin’ in Karl.
Love this kind of content. Love the logic and reasoning as well as the manner of presentation.
Have a look at the kaztac speed loader , its a revolver speedloader that stores in a flat pouch ,when you pull it out it automatically takes the shape of the cylinder.
Never used one but it looks good
Holy Crap!!!! You have grass...in Arizona!!!!
This reminds me of the rabbit hole I went down in the 2000s trying to find the ultimate mouse gun for pocket carry. I bought a 380 Seecamp, 9mm Rohrbaugh, talked to American Derringer about making a Semmerling LM-4, and more.
PPK/S with Underwood 380 +P. 'Nuff said.
@@wlewisiii Too big for what I was looking for and the Smith and Wesson PPKs were notorious garbage in those days.
I have had one of these for years, picked it up used, really cheap. It has a bobbed hammer and I put old style compact Pachmayr round butt grips on it. Where I find it works for me, is in cold weather I carry it in the handwarmer pocket of a hoodie or jacket front pocket, being a revolver it can be fired through the clothing. I also use it as my fishing gun as the revolver allows me to have mixed ammo; snake shot, hard cast, hollow points, etc. When carry it concealed, I only use the moon clips in the gun to aid ejection of those first 8 rounds and use 8 round speed strips for a reload. These speed strips carry flat in a pocket. I wish they would have made it with a 3 to 3.5 inch barrel with fixed sights.
Barns makes a 125gr short barrel 357 load doing 1200 FPS out of this gun. Quite a bit more potent than 38 special +p
looking pretty nice out there in the desert this year
I sometimes carry a Ruger SP101 3” .357 and it is cut for moon clips. I have a really cool Jox moon clip/speed loader holster made of Kydex that slips on my belt in front of the holster. It is a very comfortable and carry-able system. However, the SP101 is only five rounds so the moon clip is much smaller than an 8-round clip. The gun is also much slimmer than the S&W 327 so it is more comfortable inside the waistband. Also, a 5-shot revolver isn’t an ideal carry gun. I really like the gun; it feels good in my hand and I shoot it well. But I only carry it when I’m feeling nostalgic and my daily carry is a Glock.
Great vid bud
I just love it because Woody Harrison uses one in True Detective.
Good content.
I have a Performance center 686+ that came with moon clips alas I didn’t know they had the loader and unloader until now. Thank You
I think the TRR8 or the similar sized Thunder Ranch Revolver in 45ACP did make sense with a light as a night stand revolver. That is under the assumption it has been decided that it is going to be a revolver vs something else.
This does not get enough love. It’s a wonderful pistol. Because it’s a revolver you can light load it more so than a semiautomatic loader. If you want to throw fireballs you can. I will say hot loads will torch the barrel and wear it really quick.
I think the only advantage of the revolver is the ability to press the snub against the adversary at close quarters.
Circumstances where a semi-automatic pistol is disarmed by slide entering mechanical breach.
wild to see the shock wave rattle the rolling shutter, desert is beautiful btw!
Love the no nonsense!
I can see having a revolver, to improve your overall shooting with a semi auto, and for it when you get on the ground defending yourself.
I always wanted this gun just for its cool look
I remember when you mentioned this gun years go in some other video. I’ve been waiting for this follow up for years 😂
Reminds me of the old snub nose cap guns we had as kids.
I've got a 627 with 2.6" barrel. LOVE it. Very much a wheelgun guy, and having a concealable 8-shot 357 is awesome. Those 8 shots are more than enough, especially with twice the muzzle energy of a 9mm +P. Done some measurements as well - you lose SOME energy with the short barrel, but less than 15% compared to a 6" barrel.
Some people won't like the extra bulk or weight of the speed loaders or the firearm itself. I'm used to it. NOTE: you have to practice to get the speed load smooth and quick.
This brings up an interesting line of thinking for me. I'm disabled, left handed but losing the use of my left arm and have started shooting right handed. I'm also on Lofstrand crutches but eventually I'll need a wheel chair.
Since wheel chairs can have pockets you could carry a full size pistol. And revolvers can provide some advantage to a one handed shooter. Do you think you may have any disabled people who carry, on in the future?
I had the tactical version with a c-more Dot on it years ago... It was a fun range toy back in an era before micro dots that were tough enough to slide ride were really a thing.
Aloha; very informative. Mahalo
early 2000's when the world was going to dual stack wonder 9's coming back online smith and wesson said
"Hold my beer, lets make the classic Elmer Keith cartridges in scandium frames"
Hi Karl, I think S&W should use the same technology to bring back the model 12 snubby, less effective on paper but many revolver men miss it. Maybe a restyled version of the model 12 with the shrouded hammer of the 49 and a slightly shortened grip.
For entry teams, revolvers work great with ported or notched shields.
When I purchased this in CA a few years ago I had aspirations of complimenting with a “tactical “ lever action that didn’t require featureless aspects. Out here being limited to 10 rounds and at the time the roster having limited carry pistols (g19 doesn’t work for me)
Anyway I have great holster that puts the wheel right below my belt and it was the first gun I could sit with appendix carry.
That seems like range bling or an interesting toy for a collection more than a useful gun. It's also been featured in some video games so maybe some nostalgic quality to some.
I prefer a 5 shot snub nose in .38+p. 2" barrel carries well. Great video!
The model 327 (also a magnum cartridge name) that shoots 357 always made my head hurt.
I feel the same about the Glock 45 that is chambered in 9 mm.
Wonder how many 327 magnum rounds could fit in that size cylinder? 😎
@@aaronfarnsworth7653at least 10
It's the scandium (3) version of the model 27. That's why
It's a model 27. The 27 is carbon steel. 627 denotes stainless. 327 denotes scandium. They use the (3) on most of their scandium guns.
I finally found this gun this year after searching for many years and love it. It’s not competing with the micro 9s, it’s comparable in size to a Glock 19 or 23 with the stock grip being just a hair longer than the Glock but the rear of the Glock is longer where the hammer area on the revolver is shorter so is cancels out. The revolver cylinder is a bit wider. All in all, still a great choice for me and I absolutely love the toy cap gun look of this thing. Put an orange tip on the end and play cops and robbers 😂
There is actually a type of spring-loaded speedloader that can be stored in a straight magazine-type holster. When you pull them out they coil up and form a perfect ring.
Not that it changes much, though.
A few years ago I bought a Taurus 629 that comes with 2 cylinders. One in .357 and one in 9mm. I thought it would be the coolest thing to be able to switch any time. But exactly as you say. The moon clips are a pain in the ass. Not using them you have to use a stick or something to push out the empty cases. I have shot probably less than 50 rounds out of the 9mm cylinder. Well over 1000 out of the .357.
My $0.02:
1.) I worked at a gun shop during the time that this thing was first out, and, from my discussions with customers, I think that the reason it existed in the first place was that there were still some "old school" types that just flat out didn't believe a semi-automatic could be reliable enough to rely on, even when immaculately clean, lubricated, and well maintained. The surge of concealed carry permitting was ongoing, and these people wanted to be able to carry something with more capacity than a J frame (and, of course, they wouldn't have felt that the .32 H&R Mag J frame, which held six rounds, would stop anything bigger than a squirrel). Why go with an eight shot .357 Mag?...
2.) (This is supposition) Diversity in manufacturing. They had already invested in the tooling to make the TRR8 cylinders. If they only had one model getting cylinders from that tooling, and a specialized model at that, it could be seen as a bit of a waste, especially if sales of the TRR8 either didn't meet expectations or dropped off later. So, they probably asked themselves what other niches they could fill with the same tooling. The concealed carry surge was ongoing, so they picked that. They do, now, have a few other models using that same size of cylinder.
3.) They had six and seven shot .357 Magnums they could have adapted with snub barrels (and, I know they did, sort of, with a K frame), but the 4"+ barrel versions were selling well enough that there wasn't as much need to justify the tooling for them.
4.) This was the time frame after S&W had been struggling, and decided to go back to their strongest root. They realized that they were a revolver company, the company that made Dirty Harry's "most powerful handgun in the world." This was the time frame when they introduced the .500 S&W and .460 S&W rounds, and guns to fire them. These 8-shot .357 Magnums would be another avenue of the same sort of thing. How else can S&W make "the biggest revolvers?" One-upping the cylinder capacity over the 7-shot .357 Magnums that were out there.
I've gone back to carrying revolvers. I carry 2, sometimes 3 (downtown carry). All variations of 6 round snubnose. I use a NY reload strategy and carry speed strips. One of the 2 can easily be drawn by either hand and while sitting. Manual of arms is the same for all and can share if needed and/or a backup. Being former LEO, I've found that this covers the most scenarios for me.
The perfect pocket/ankle gun was the Kel-Tec P-11 in 9mm. It had a 10-round magazine and could use S&W 5900 series 14-round magazines (Kel-Tec even made a sleeve for the long S&W magazines so that there was no possibility of over-inserting those 14-round magazines). It was my perfect ankle gun (even with a full 10 rounds I could carry it all day comfortably). It could easily handle +P ammunition, and its DAO trigger was useful for any misfires (though I never experienced a misfire or even any feeding failures--it was 100% reliable). Sadly, it was stolen many years ago, and I should have bought another one as a backup in case of theft--I wasn't thinking. I just wish Kel-Tec would reissue it and make one that's California compliant.