Smith & Wesson missed opportunities

[Dave T]

I've owned a couple NG 325s and never had a problem with bullet pull, even shooting my 45 ACP hand loads. My problem with them was concealment. It was back in the days when I could still carry on a belt. The N-frame cylinder made a limp no matter what kind of holster I tried. Sold or traded them off, although in hind sight (sometimes wish hind sight wasn't a thing) I should have kept the last one. It had a decent DA trigger stroke and I could usually hit stuff with it.

Next up, and what I'm carrying today is the Night Guard 386, the 7-shot 357 mentioned above. Because of the 2.5" barrel and attendant short ejector I don't carry Magnums. My carry load of choice is the Buffalo Bore Heavy 38 Special +P, SWCHP-GC. They chronograph between 1050 fps and 1100 fps out of that short barrel. Can't find the numbers right now.



The original factory fixed sight was so far off POA I replaced it with a standard S&W adjustable rear, with the corners of sight blade nicely rounded. After the above photo was taken I also replaced the factory spurred hammer with Apex Tactical's DAO hammer. I'm surprised at how well it has worked out. Drop-in installation and Bingo! Better trigger stroke. Final major alteration was sending the cylinder to TK Custom to be machined for Moonclips. TK did an outstanding job and I'm well satisfied to now be carrying the 386 NG with 7-shot Moonclips. Improved ejection and ease of reloading.

Dave

[Tamara]

I've owned a couple NG 325s and never had a problem with bullet pull…

I was pretty clear in stating that the problem in question was with titanium cylindered 325PDs.

I’m glad you like your Night Guards.

[Salamander]

They're not as niche as you might think. For example, Taurus sells 50,000 856 models a year here in the states, and that's one line. I think because a decent percentage of PF is pretty squared away, we forget that there are a lot of Regular Earf People buying guns, and a lot of these people buy revolvers.

I see a lot of revolvers on my RSO duty nights here, sometimes it's 50/50 semi-autos to revolvers. It's especially common for folks to bring one or two of each.

I see lots on LGS shelves too. The smaller places catering to the more serious shooters especially tend to have a good stock, but even the local Sportsman's Warehouse has an entire glass case of revolvers, and they turn over fairly quickly. They'd probably sell a lot more if folks could get factory ammo for them. There's a wall of 9mm, and on a good day a few boxes of 38/357 which tends to be bought up right away. Got to wonder if the near-monopoly big ammo manufacturers are even paying attention to the real world. Trying to dictate demand instead of catering to it tends to only work for a while.

[Tamara]

Trying to dictate demand instead of catering to it tends to only work for a while.

MY. SIDES.

Yes, Big Ammo is trying to steer people away from revolvers.

[DanTheWolfman]

I've owned a couple NG 325s and never had a problem with bullet pull, even shooting my 45 ACP hand loads. My problem with them was concealment. It was back in the days when I could still carry on a belt. The N-frame cylinder made a limp no matter what kind of holster I tried. Sold or traded them off, although in hind sight (sometimes wish hind sight wasn't a thing) I should have kept the last one. It had a decent DA trigger stroke and I could usually hit stuff with it.

Next up, and what I'm carrying today is the Night Guard 386, the 7-shot 357 mentioned above. Because of the 2.5" barrel and attendant short ejector I don't carry Magnums. My carry load of choice is the Buffalo Bore Heavy 38 Special +P, SWCHP-GC. They chronograph between 1050 fps and 1100 fps out of that short barrel. Can't find the numbers right now.



The original factory fixed sight was so far off POA I replaced it with a standard S&W adjustable rear, with the corners of sight blade nicely rounded. After the above photo was taken I also replaced the factory spurred hammer with Apex Tactical's DAO hammer. I'm surprised at how well it has worked out. Drop-in installation and Bingo! Better trigger stroke. Final major alteration was sending the cylinder to TK Custom to be machined for Moonclips. TK did an outstanding job and I'm well satisfied to now be carrying the 386 NG with 7-shot Moonclips. Improved ejection and ease of reloading.

Dave

I'm officially very jealous

[mmc45414]

I'd further bet that the average buyer is old enough to get AARP mailings.

I’d take that bet.

The AARP set probably shoot their revolvers more than most.

One aspect of this is the bastards start running at you when you are about 50yo, I have shot between 50-100k rounds since I got their first mailing, and I am not a high volume shooter.

But they didn't get discontinued because they were popular.
Smith & Wesson's in business to make money, not cater to a dozen weirdos so out of the mainstream that we still post on web fora.

I have always worked in some kinda sales related endeavor, and it always cracks me up when people espouse that something got discontinued (or a store closed) because "it is only about the money". Here is a no-shit spoiler alert, companies do what they do because they (we) are all coin operated. Obviously Ruger does a lotta Distributor Exclusives, didn't someone once mention the number was like 1k units or something?

On topic, I still want this, obviously enough other people didn't (don't worry, I will swap in the PD cylinder):

[Dave T]

I was pretty clear in stating that the problem in question was with titanium cylindered 325PDs.

Tamara, my comment wasn't directed at you, rather at the other post questioning if it was a problem with steel cylinder versions of the 325.

Dave

[Tamara]

Tamara, my comment wasn't directed at you, rather at the other post questioning if it was a problem with steel cylinder versions of the 325.

Dave

My apologies for the misunderstanding.

[Tamara]

Final major alteration was sending the cylinder to TK Custom to be machined for Moonclips. TK did an outstanding job and I'm well satisfied to now be carrying the 386 NG with 7-shot Moonclips. Improved ejection and ease of reloading.

Out of curiosity, what do you use for carrying spare moon clips? I've yet to find a satisfactory solution, but I'm always looking, just in case.

[Stephanie B]

They're not as niche as you might think. For example, Taurus sells 50,000 856 models a year here in the states, and that's one line. I think because a decent percentage of PF is pretty squared away, we forget that there are a lot of Regular Earf People buying guns, and a lot of these people buy revolvers.

That's good to know. My sample size is small. I'm glad people are buying revolvers.