Best New Revolvers 2025

Revolvers are among the earliest designs for repeating firearms (capable of firing more than one shot without reloading), with a history going back at least 200 years. By the late 20th century, the popularity of the revolver as a police sidearm as well as for concealed carry had greatly diminished, as inexpensive and reliable semi-automatic pistols became much more common. However, over the past 15 years or so, there has been a renaissance of the revolver, with exciting new models being offered to satisfy the cravings of customers who want a reliable handgun for CCW, home defense, competition, hunting, plinking, collecting, and just plain fun.

Let’s look at some of the top new wheelgun offerings this year.

S&W Model 629 Mountain Gun .44 Magnum

Smith & Wesson released their first Mountain Gun, a lighter-weight .44 Magnum model 629, around 1989, with the legacy and influence of Skeeter Skelton, Tom Campbell, and Ross Seyfried. The concept of a handier, combat-focused big-bore revolver sold so well that additional runs were produced in 1993, 1994, 1999, 2002, and 2005. Along the way, S&W also released limited production runs of N-frame Mountain Guns in .41 Magnum, .45 Colt, .45 ACP, and a few in .357 Magnum (7-shot models built on the smaller L frame). So what defines a Mountain Gun? Start with a pencil-profile, lightweight 4” barrel, add a .400” wide, combat-style hammer, a smooth, .312” wide combat trigger, a round-butt grip frame, plain serrated black or red-ramp micro-adjustable sights, and don’t forget the black powder-style bevels/chamfers at the front of the cylinder (mostly for classic looks today, but it also helps ease the revolver into leather holsters without slicing them up). The result is an easy-to-carry, quick-handling revolver suitable for protection against dangerous 2- or 4-legged predators, in the mountains or anywhere else. The vast majority of Mountain Guns were made in durable, corrosion-resistant stainless steel.

However, despite their popularity, S&W only made limited runs of their Mountain Guns over the years, rather than adding them to the catalog as regular production items. And since 2005, they haven’t made any... until now. Prominent firearms distributor Lipsey’s has worked with S&W in developing and releasing a new series of revolvers worthy of the Mountain Gun moniker. The first (and we feel, most interesting) is a Model 629 in .44 Magnum.

Video: S&W 44 Magnum Mountain Gun Review

This latest version of the .44 Magnum Model 629 Mountain Gun features a subtly polished stainless steel finish, a black, serrated, patridge-style front sight with a brass bead insert for improved sight acquisition in variable lighting conditions, chamfered charge holes, Tyler Gun Works high-grade walnut Bear Hug grips, and crucially, there’s no internal lock. That’s right! S&W is finally relenting and releasing revolvers without the much-hated Hillary Hole, which is a ridiculous keyed lock added to the frames of all of S&W revolvers starting in the 1990s, just above the cylinder latch. This eyesore is not only unnecessary on double-action revolvers (which are inherently safe due to their relatively heavy DA trigger pull), but can actually malfunction and tie the handgun up. Most S&W revolver fans hate the things purely from a philosophical or aesthetic standpoint, though some put up with them, and some replace them with various cobbled-together solutions. However, we can all rejoice that Smith & Wesson has decided to produce the new Mountain Guns without adding the internal locking mechanism.

The new grips somewhat resemble the old Kim Ahrends Retro Target square-butt stocks, but are shorter top to bottom, and they are a round-to-square-butt conversion. If the user wishes, the TGW grips can be replaced with any round-butt N-frame combat grip desired. We’re betting that the factory TGW grips will be left in place in most cases, as they are comfortable, attractive, and well-designed. The weight of the Model 629 Mountain gun is 39 ounces, which is the same as a Colt Government Model 1911, for reference. It’s certainly no lightweight, but the Mountain Gun is about 10 ounces lighter than the Model 29 Classic .44 Magnum, with its full-profile, 6.5” barrel and walnut target stocks. Furthermore, once you touch off a full-house .44 Magnum in the 629 Mountain Gun, you might decide you want those ounces back. Mountain Guns are optimized for a balance between easy carry, quick handling, and shootability, and users will need to tailor their magnum loads to their own recoil tolerance.

The Model 629 Mountain Gun may be ordered by any Lipsey’s stocking dealer, and carries an MSRP of $1,199. While that essentially lines up with inflation over the past few decades, it’s not an insignificant amount of money. Still, if you have ever priced used Mountain Guns, you’ll likely see the new MSRP as a bargain, and we’re betting S&W/Lipsey’s will sell just about every one of these they can make.

S&W Model 629 Mountain Gun (2025 Release)

• Width: 1.71”
• Length: 9.63”
• Height: 5.88”
• Weight: 39 oz.
• Barrel length: 4.13”
• Capacity: 6
• Grip: Tyler Gun Works walnut
• Sights: Serrated black rear adjustable, serrated black patridge front with brass bead
• Internal key-locked safety mechanism: No
• Cylinder/Barrel material: Stainless steel
• Frame: Stainless steel
• Price: $1,199

S&W Model 686 Plus Mountain Gun .357 Magnum

The S&W Model 586 (in polished blue finish) and Model 686 (in stainless steel) were introduced in 1981 and quickly became the new standard police revolver. The extra strength afforded by the new L frame (compared to the legacy .357 Magnums built on the weaker K frame), combined with the recoil-absorbing weight provided by the modern, full-underlug barrel, helped ensure the 686 series was a hot seller, and it has remained so ever since. However, for people who craved a Mountain Gun style .357 revolver, with a lightweight profile barrel and other Mountain Gun-style features, it was an unattainable dream outside of visiting a custom gunsmith. Then, in 1998, S&W released the 686-5 7-shot .357 Mountain Gun. It was a stocking dealer special in 1998 only, with only approximately 2000 examples made in .357 caliber.

Since then, Mountain Gun fans have been clamoring for a reissue of the legendary 7-shot .357, and Lipsey’s has finally made it happen. Like the .44 Magnum Mountain Gun discussed above, the new Model 686 Plus Mountain Gun has a 4-inch barrel, polished stainless finish, Tyler Gun Works high-figure walnut stocks, serrated black sights with a patridge blade at the front (including a brass bead), chamfered charge holes, a black powder-style bevel at the front of the cylinder, and a half-lug, tapered profile barrel, nearly unheard of on the 686 series. And, hooray! No silly internal lock. Unlike the larger .44 Magnum cartridge, there’s enough room in the 686’s cylinder for 7 .357 Magnum chambers, which might make a big difference if you ever need that 7th shot. (This is also where the Plus in the 686 Plus moniker comes from… you can also get 686 models with the standard 6 chambers.)

Video: Model 629 and Model 686-Plus Mountain Gun I Features & Benefits

The weight of this medium-framed revolver is just 35 ounces, which is 5 ounces lighter than the standard 686 with its full-diameter, full-underlug barrel. If you’re shooting a lot of heavy-loaded .357 Magnum rounds, you might miss those 5 ounces, but if you’re packing the Mountain Gun all day, you’ll appreciate the lighter weight. The lighter muzzle also helps the 686 Mountain Gun come up onto target more quickly, and swing faster from target to target. It feels appreciably lighter than its stats would suggest. MSRP for the 686 Plus Mountain Gun is the same as the .44 Mag version, at $1,199. If you want one, you’d better find a Lipsey’s dealer at the first opportunity, because just like the 1998 version, these revolvers are going to sell like proverbial hotcakes.

S&W Model 686 Plus Mountain Gun (2025 release)

• Width: 1.56”
• Length: 9.75”
• Height: 5.68”
• Weight: 35 oz.
• Barrel length: 4.13”
• Caliber: .357 Magnum
• Capacity: 7
• Grip: Tyler Gun Works walnut
• Sights: Serrated black rear adjustable, serrated black patridge front with brass bead
• Internal key-locked safety mechanism: no
• Cylinder/Barrel material: Stainless steel
• Frame: Stainless steel
• Price: $1,199

Lipsey’s/Ruger Bisley Blackhawk Flattop .41 Magnum

This offering may fly under the radar of most gun buyers, but it is hugely exciting news for fans of the .41 Magnum cartridge. Lipsey’s and Ruger have worked together to create the new Ruger Bisley Blackhawk Flattop revolver in .41 Remington Magnum, built on Ruger’s mid-sized frame.

If you haven’t ever heard of a .41 Magnum, you’re not alone. In 1963, Elmer Keith and Bill Jordan (with additional input from Skeeter Skelton), pestered Smith & Wesson, Remington, and Norma to produce a pistol and ammunition in .41 caliber which would fall between the .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum cartridges in ballistic performance. Initially the new revolver and cartridge were marketed to law enforcement, but sales there were fairly slow, and the cartridge found its niche primarily with handgun hunters over the past 60 years. Hunters love the flat-shooting, hard-hitting ballistics of the hot .41, and you rarely see .41 Magnum revolvers for sale on the used market, because fans of the cartridge love them and keep them.

Ruger has produced .41 Magnum Blackhawk revolvers in the past, so what’s the big deal about this new revolver? It’s the first time Ruger has produced a .41 Magnum on their mid-sized flattop Blackhawk frame. Previous .41 mags were built on the super-stout (and historically oversized) Super Blackhawk frame, the same used for their .44 Magnum models. Lipsey’s asked for a slimmer, lighter, quicker-handling (and more attractive) .41 Magnum, and it ended up utilizing Ruger’s Goldilocks mid-size frame. Not too big, not too small… just the right size for easy packing when hunting, easy handling when shooting, yet still not too small and light to become painful to shoot.

The flattop .41 Magnum with its 5.5” cold hammer forged barrel weighs 46 ounces, which is 3 ounces lighter than the .44 Magnum version built on the large frame. Handling a full-sized and mid-sized Blackhawk side-by-side shows you just how much of a difference in overall dimensions there is with the mid-sized guns, which feel much closer to a classic Colt Single Action Army revolver.

Video: Lipsey's Exclusive: Ruger Midsize Frame Flattop 41 Magnum Review

Assisting the revolver greatly in soaking up and distributing recoil is the Ruger Bisley-style grip frame, which is a hybrid design of the original Colt Bisley models and modern interpretations of a revolver frame intended for heavy-recoiling loads. Ruger’s version of the Bisley is much more practical than the original, and much more effective at spreading heavy recoil down its extended, steeply raked, nearly vertical backstrap and grip. The frontstrap of the Ruger is vertical, rather than undercut and curving inward slightly like the original Bisleys, which were intended solely for target shooting and primarily used lighter-recoiling cartridges. The new .41 Magnum Bisley Blackhawk carries a suggested MSRP of $889 from any Lipsey’s-affiliated dealer.

Pro tip: for those who don’t have interest in the .41 Magnum, Ruger/Lipsey’s also offer the mid-size flattop Bisley in .44 Special.

Ruger/Lipsey’s Bisley Blackhawk Flattop .41 Magnum

• Length: 12”
• Weight: 46 oz.
• Barrel length: 5.5”
• Caliber: .41 Remington Magnum
• Capacity: 6
• Grip: Laminated hardwood, Bisley style
• Sights: Serrated black ramp front, black micro-adjustable rear
• Safety mechanism: internal transfer bar
• Cylinder/Barrel material: Stainless steel (blued carbon steel model anticipated for 2025)
• Frame: Stainless steel (blued carbon steel model anticipated mid 2025)
• Grip frame material: stainless or carbon steel (depending on model)
• Price: $889

Smith & Wesson Model 432 and 632 Ultimate Carry Titanium

If you’re interested in a revolver for concealed carry, there’s more great news from Smith & Wesson and Lipsey’s for 2025: the team of companies is releasing super-lightweight, titanium-cylindered versions of the Ultimate Carry revolvers they launched in spring 2024. The first release of UC revolvers, in either .38 Special (5-shot) or .32 H&R Magnum (6-shot) featured improved trigger geometry, an internal Endurance Package with titanium pins, an XS tritium front sight with a dovetailed U-notch rear, and purpose-built VZ grips. They weighed in at 16 ounces empty, which is impressive in its own right.

Well, the new ultra-ultralight, Ultimate Carry Titanium models are even more impressive, weighing in at just 13 ounces, thanks to their fully titanium cylinders and new featherweight grips from Hamre Forge/American Fighting Revolver. The new grips are included along with standard S&W boot grips in black rubber, so the buyer has a choice between ultimate boot-stashing concealment (with the factory grips) and comfortable belt or pocket carry (and more shootability) with the AFR grips. The new grips are lighter than the VZs, while still retaining a very comfortable profile and extending the trigger reach to more closely mimic that of the larger K-framed S&W revolvers, which most people shoot very well.

Thirteen ounces is almost too light for a revolver capable of digesting hot .38 Special rounds, and recoil can be punishing in super-light guns chambered in that cartridge. For this reason, the new Ti editions of the UC revolver (the 432 in matte black and 632 in stainless) are offered only in 6-shot versions, chambered in .32 H&R Magnum. This little round is enjoying quite a renaissance lately thanks to revolvers like these, as recoil is much reduced, while performance on ballistic gel (and on human threats) is pretty impressive. Plus, similar to the .357 Mag/.38 Special, you can safely shoot .32 Mag, .32 S&W Long, and .32 S&W in these little revolvers. MSRP is $825.

So, a lighter, smoother-shooting, more durable, 6-shot pocket revolver that still delivers effective stopping power? Sign us up!

Davidson’s exclusive S&W Model 20 HD .357 magnum

If you’re a fan of vintage 20th-century revolvers, you’ll be excited about this new offering from Davidson’s and S&W: essentially a limited-edition re-release of the famed Model 20 Heavy Duty .38/44, but with modern materials and in a more modern caliber, the .357 Remington Magnum.

The original Heavy-Duty was one of Smith & Wesson’s large-framed revolvers, built on the N frame (which continues until today, as noted in the model 629 above). The vintage revolver was chambered in a hot-loaded version of the .38 Special cartridge known as the .38/44. This required the new heavy-duty frame and larger cylinder, and was the predecessor to the development of the .357 Magnum in 1935.

A few years ago, Davidson’s and S&W teamed up for a very limited, 250-unit run of 4-inch-barreled Model 20 Texas Ranger commemorative revolvers, chambered in the more realistic (and more powerful) .357 Magnum. They sold out so quickly that it was deemed a new run of 6-inch-barreled Model 20s would be desirable, and this time they will offer 500 revolvers at an MSRP of $1,549 via Davidson’s-affiliated dealers.

The re-issue shares the classic profile of the original Heavy Duty, with a non-adjustable rear sight milled into the topstrap, a half-moon style front sight, and the half-lug barrel. They’ve added the 4th screw at the top of the right side plate, just like the originals had. The wooden grips have the classic checkered styling with diamonds at the screw holes (though the rosewood is a modern laminate). About the only thing we don’t like about the reissue is the inclusion of the dreaded, keyed safety lock just above the cylinder latch on the left side of the revolver. But everything else is so handsome we might be convinced to overlook this flaw. If you want one of these beauties, you better order quick… 500 revolvers will likely sell out soon.

Note: If you crave the classic blue-steel and walnut look of early- to mid-20th-century revolvers, S&W has also added the Model 10 and Model 36 to their Classic line, with early cosmetic features and lightweight barrel profiles as well. ($979 and $849 MSRP respectively.) Best of all? No internal locks on these.

Smith & Wesson Model 20 HD Davidson’s Exclusive:

• Width: 1.71”
• Length: 11.25”
• Height: 5.25”
• Weight: 39 oz.
• Barrel length: 6”
• Caliber: .357 Magnum
• Capacity: 6
• Grip: Premium laminated and checkered rosewood
• Sights: fixed notch rear, half-moon front blade
• Internal key-locked safety mechanism: yes
• Cylinder/Barrel material: Carbon steel
• Frame: Carbon steel
• Finish: high-polish blue
• Price: $1,549

Diamondback SDR 3”

Diamondback firearms surprised the shooting world in 2024 with the release of their SDR (Self Defense Revolver). Coming from a firm known for building inexpensive, small semi-autos, the highly stylized, high-quality SDR turned a lot of heads. The styling and features of the SDR borrow from multiple well-reputed revolver designs. The SDR gives a nod to the angular styling, push-button cylinder release, and dovetailed sights from the Kimber K6S. It borrows its highly rebated cylinder profile from the Ruger LCR, and its trigger guard shape is reminiscent of the new Colt King Cobra. The sides of the barrel are partially milled square for an aggressive, modern look that’s very attractive. Reviews have generally been very favorable for the original SDR.

For 2025, Diamondback has announced the new 3” SDR model, with an inch-longer barrel than the original. This is a very popular barrel length for defensive or combat-type revolvers, as you get increased velocity, potentially better accuracy, and lower recoil compared to true snub-nosed versions of the same gun and caliber. This usually means you have to carry it in a holster, rather than in a pocket, but that depends on how large and deep your pockets are. The 3” SDR weighs 23.9 ounces, a tad more than the 21.2 ounces of the 2” model, but is still very packable, and we find a 24-ounce .357 Magnum is a LOT more pleasant to shoot than some of the ultra-light offerings from other makers. It’s still a handful with full-house .357 loads, but it eats .38 Special +Ps like popcorn and the comfy Hogue rubber grips help a lot when you want to shoot some spicier stuff. The 3” version gets a longer, full-fingered grip compared to the 2” model’s 2-finger boot-type grip. The SDR’s trigger is very smooth and doesn’t stack near the end of its travel, with a DA stroke of about 10 pounds and crisp SA break at just over 3.5 pounds. Very nice.

Video: Diamondback Firearms SDR (Self Defense Revolver)

Overall, we’re pretty impressed with the SDR, especially considering it’s the first defensive DA revolver design from Diamondback. About the only complaint we’d have is the longer barrel doesn’t come with a correspondingly longer ejector rod, which would be helpful in clearing the longer .357 cases from the cylinder. But that’s a minor issue, since reloading in a self-defense situation is almost unheard of anyway, and the majority of the time, a sharp rap on the ejector clears even .357 cases completely. MSRP for the 3” SDR is $837, when you can find them for sale. The SDR line is apparently selling pretty well, based on the number of retailers showing out of stock.

Diamondback SDR 3” barrel

• Width: 1.38”
• Length: 7.71”
• Height: 5.25”
• Weight: 23.9 oz.
• Barrel length: 3”
• Caliber: .357 Magnum
• Capacity: 6
• Grip: Hogue pebble-textured rubber
• Sights: Dovetailed black notch rear, serrated black front, both with fiber-optic rods
• Internal key-locked safety mechanism: no
• Cylinder/Barrel material: Stainless steel
• Frame: Forged stainless steel
• Finish: high-polish stainless (black nitride may be offered in future)
• Price: $837

Ruger/Lipsey’s 7.5” Vaquero

The Ruger Vaquero series of cowboy-style guns is one of the hottest-selling revolver lines in firearms history. However, though the original Vaquero was initially offered in a 7.5” barreled variation, this hasn’t been an option for nearly 15 years. Have no fear, though, because Lipsey’s has listened to customer requests and worked with Ruger to issue a fresh run of 7.5” New Vaqueros in .357 Magnum caliber.

For those unfamiliar with Ruger’s version of the classic Colt SAA design, it’s fairly close aesthetically, though the original was never offered in stainless steel and only rarely in an entirely blued finish (the originals had color case-hardened frames; a blued finish was a factory special-order). However, the internal mechanisms of the Vaquero are much more durable, using modern coil springs instead of fragile flat springs of the Colt. The Ruger also has a modern transfer-bar safety mechanism, which allows you to safely carry a fully loaded cylinder, with all 6 chambers filled, without the worry that dropping the gun might snap off a safety notch or drive a fixed firing pin into a live primer, setting off a round.

Vaqueros have no half-cock or safety position on the hammer at all, unlike the Colt, which had to be placed on half-cock to free the cylinder for loading and unloading. Instead, the Vaquero frees the cylinder when you open the loading gate with the hammer down. While we prefer the clickety-snick lockwork of the original Colt (and many replicas), the Ruger is undeniably a high-quality, good-shooting revolver that will withstand much more use and abuse. Some cowboy-action shooters have shot 50,000 rounds or more through their Vaqueros with minimal wear, and replacing any springs is cheap and easy.

The 7.5” .357 Vaquero is fairly hefty at 47 ounces, particularly compared to a .45 Colt example of a Colt SAA, which tips the scales at 40.8 ounces. The slightly beefier internal dimensions and the smaller charge holes and bore diameter of the smaller .357 round add up to nearly a half-pound of extra steel. However, this makes the new Vaquero shoot quite softly with .357 Magnum rounds, and it’s a positive pussycat with the .38 Special cowboy loads most people will be shooting through it. It’s initially offered in Ruger’s attractive blued finish, with a stainless steel variant expected later in 2025. We think these are going to be a good seller for Ruger. Like other Vaqueros, the Lipsey’s exclusive 7.5” model carries a suggested retail price of $1,099, though you can likely get a better price through one of Lipsey’s authorized dealers (typically around $850 or so).

Ruger Lipsey’s New Vaquero .357 Magnum 7.5” barrel

• Length: 13”
• Weight: 47 oz.
• Barrel length: 7.5”
• Caliber: .357 Magnum
• Capacity: 6
• Grip: Laminated hardwood
• Sights: Plain notch rear, blade front, non-adjustable
• Safety mechanism: internal transfer bar
• Cylinder/Barrel material: Stainless or blued steel
• Frame: Stainless or blued steel
• Grip frame/material: Ruger XR3, stainless or blued steel (depending on model)
• Price: $1,099

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