Walk into any gun store and you will find revolvers. Single action 22 rimfires, chunky Ruger double actions, Taurus Judges, and perhaps even older Colt or Smith & Wesson police trade-ins with varying degrees of wear and tear. But despite the number of revolvers out there today for both sport and personal defense, the J-frame Smith & Wesson .38 Special is still arguably the gold standard and a hot item to be found at many a big box store and mom-and-pop shop.
I have often asked myself why, after years of using autoloaders, I found myself drawn to the Smith & Wesson Airweight Chief’s Special revolver. There are some things about this that aren’t the most scientific reasons for selecting a handgun.
S&W is one of my brands. Their products are quality, I trust them and their customer service has been unquestioningly good. I find it a funny commentary these days how vilified guns and gun manufacturers are in the media, yet in every experience I have had with companies like Ruger, S&W, Henry Repeating Arms, that their customer service and communication has been impeccable. It’s like the polar opposite of dealing with Comcast. But I digress already…