New pistols

[Lafayettegregory]

I went to the Shelby NC show Sunday. First show I have visited in at least two years. I am always lusting over a S&W 686. The sp101 have sparked my interest also. BUT, what I noticed with these handguns at this show was the finishing marks on the guns! I have always viewed these two guns as the highest quality in their category. I remember never seeing swirl marks or machine marks. The examples I remember were always high finish, smooth as a new Cadillac bumper! Has the quality control changed at both these companies? Are these guns the new normal?
Do I have to step up to a python or a custom shop gun to get that next after church BBQ revolver.

[Rocketvapor]

I agree that finish has moved down the priority list for manufacturers.
Check out Xtriggermans thread on a new python. 
I have an old nickel plated Python that still looks good, and an old 44mag Ruger RedHawk that is smooth. 

[Hodgie]

I have a stainless GP100 from the mid to late 80’s from what they guy I bought it from told me and the finish is top notch. I haven’t noticed any difference in finishes on pistols, but I’m not out looking for revolvers either.

As far as the new colts go from what I’ve seen and heard from their re release, they aren’t what they used to be, but that’s pretty much everything Colt these days so no surprise from me.

[Danjal]

CNC production has made it so hand finishing is getting costly. Then we top this off with the fact gun companies struggle many years to turn profits, particularly in years that Republicans are in. Which leads us to where we are now, machine finishes and lack of skilled or knowledgeable labor.

[jlwilliams]

The reason new guns have lousy fit and finish is the "gun world" is a bunch of cheap SOBs. Seriously, guys say "I want I want I want" and when someone devotes the time and resources to build a new gun and bring it to market the typical gun guy says "make in in ten millimeter and maybe I'll buy one..." Not that he will, he just says that because he's full of crap.

 You don't see 1960s level craftsmanship because cheapskates will only buy injection moulded plastic.

  We would all love to see Golden Age guns again but would enough of us really pay what it would cost? A new J frame with a lousy finish is around five hundred and Taurus is the best selling revolvers in the country with even worse finish. Why? Price wins the market. All the talk we see online about wanting better doesn't bear out to reflect people's actual consumer choices.

Do we really want hand finished forged and machined parts or do we actually want MIM and dipped finishes? We say one thing with our lips but another with our dollars. Who's lying? Probably not the dollars.

[Onepoint]

Competition is king, and its no longer the Colt vs S&W world.

Honestly if they were worth 2500 or 3000 bucks premium, people would still buy them, but they would never be in volume, volume is where the money is at and money is what corporations are about.  You can blame people, but it's about bottom lines for everyone, including gun makers and their customers.

[ramblin84]

CNC production has made it so hand finishing is getting costly. Then we top this off with the fact gun companies struggle many years to turn profits, particularly in years that Republicans are in. Which leads us to where we are now, machine finishes and lack of skilled or knowledgeable labor.

This!  As much as gun guys wish for early 1900’s craftsmanship, it’s never going to happen any more than re-shoring manufacturing jobs to the US.   At least not at the prices we want.  The US worker makes more money with more benefits than all but the richest European countries.  Companies have to make profit to exist and so adding labor hours to hand finish or polish a gun is no longer economical.  Read gun manufacturing history and discover practically every one has declared bankruptcy at least once. 

[xtriggerman]

 I did alot of trigger work on Smiths back in my GS days. The 66 and 686 were pretty much top of the class (that I liked). IMO, the 101....not so much. more or less a bunch of semi dressed up castings, the dress being what the eye can see on the surface. IDK about what their finishes are like today. I typically dont buy new guns. But being "thrifty" puts me in a different search category than the new gun buyer that wants to deep scratch the itch so to speak. The Brazilians worked desperately at getting a piece of the US market back in the day of nice finishes. The clone work they did 30 some years ago was not bad but just short of the finish you would find on a US piece of the day. The functionality was not S&W either but not bad despite it being a bit of a roll of the dice on perfect function. I would just hold out on buying untill I ran into a deal on one of these old imports, then if something wasnt right, fix it. I dont shoot alot right now but I will once I get retired from being retired! The Dillon is up and running 45's right now with the other cals waiting in the wings. Anyway here are some of my imports on small dime.
 Rossi M88 38spl on top and Taurus 94 convertible and 941 on the bottom.

  My desire for a Smith 686 materialized in a Taurus 669. The 689's were a nicer looker with vented barrel but the 669 was a more S&W like without. As I posted here once a while back, S&W would narrow cut the neck on their revolver barrel shanks ahead of the threads. This would lead to guns that would develop a bulge out ring where the barrel is in the frame bore. The last mint looking S&W model 19 I looked at at a pawn shop had a very visible ring in the bore there. Taurus doesn't suffer from that major mis step that S&W put into about all of their revolvers from what I'v seen. I picked this up on GB a couple years ago and a little trigger work has it in perfect running shape. WAY nicer rear sight over its parent's design. Not a single regret over the around 6 OTD bones I paid for it. I do own a S&W 29 that I bought new in 82 but there again the nearly 1K rounds I put threw it put a slight bore bulge in the barrel. Still shoots good but the bulge should never be a part of a used Smith.

 LG Good Luck in your search for a yester-year new finish on a wheel gun....... maybe if the Italians got into DBL's?

[Toad]

How is the Taurus convertible? I was kinda looking at the 629 38/357/9mm. I was questioning functionality and machining with the swapout crane/cylinder combo. I'm leaning on the 605 38/357. It's almost half the price and nothing there is over complicated.

[Onepoint]

I have a Taurus 992 with the swappable 22lr/22mag cylinders, it works OK.  Just a simple push button catch, though a little clunky to do, but it's not intended to do on the fly when carrying. 

[Toad]

I'm fine with swap out cylinders. Rough Riders aren't the most exact piece of machinery on the firearms market, and they just go bang...and have been doing so for decades.

The 629 swaps out the entire cylinder, crane, ejector between the 38/357 and 9mm half. As an uniformed buyer, I am a bit apprehensive.

[Onepoint]

Thats what the 992 does too.  The crane pin is grooved at the end for a detent released with a spring loaded button, fairly simple and seems to work. The 992 is over built, looks like the 692 is as well, basically the same frame, bigger bore.

 I have to stop reading this you made me look now I want one.

[xtriggerman]

 I think you meant to say 692. I looked it up here for info   https://www.sportsmans.com/shooting-gear-gun-supplies/handguns/taurus-692-revolver/p/1507370
 It looks like a nice revolver. If you intend to do alot of shooting with it in the 3 cals, I would go the adjustable sights over the 605. If you will fire mostly one of the 3 threw it in a daily carry roll, I think the 605 would be a better choice. The thing with the ported 692 is I could never get used to those ported barrels. Yeah, they snuff out like 90 percent of the muzzle rise and tame 357 hot loads to 38 wad cutter level.... but that sight picture nuke explosion is just not for me. As you can see, I love my 3" tubes on the small frame. The price on the 605 is pretty tempting for a 3 cal gun for sure. My son had a 605 ported 2" and traded it away for something else. He didn't like the 2" ported either. I told him to wait until I find a 3" barrel for it but he traded it before I could find a better barrel for it.

[branflakes]

It's a bit big and heavy for a snub nose and it has a hammer but somet I carry a EAA windicator. The blue is deep. I'll get some pictures of it up soon.  DA is long and clanky but pull the hammer back and it's light and crisp. The only real rough spot is the end of the barrel where it was cut after import. I'm close to 1k of pretty much half and half 38 and 357. 
And of course I always talk about my trr8.  It's too big to conceal but there is a snub version.  The 8 round cylinder is bulky too but not as much as you would think.
I have also had sp101 Wiley clap that was nice. Iirc the finish was "brushed stainless". There was also a 38 Taurus I had but didn't shoot it much. Dull grey 'stainless'.  I didn't know anything about firearms when I owned it.

[Dino412]

I have my trusty S&W model 586 Combat Veterans Commemorative 357 with 6" barrel I took on hock for a 100$ loan back in the early 90's. The deep blue mirrored finish is flawless and very resilient to elements that would mar a newer pistols steel finish. Everything about this pistol screams of the finest craftsmanship, fit, and fitness I have ever had the pleasure of holding. I don't own but a few revolvers and pistols, but every time I look at one, I compare it to my 586, then put it down, and walk away.