Considering a new pistol purchase. I prefer revolvers. I have large hands. Considering a Taurus 856. Any other suggestions?

Maj John Bell Spoken like a true Marine.

I had also changed the factory grips on a S&W, Model 15, Combat Master piece. 38 caliber revolver I have owned for almost 50 years with larger grips and what a difference it made and fit My hand so much better. Not sure how many round's I've fired through it but upward of 4,000 many years back and it still looks and works like new. Very close to that a have a S&W, Model 19, 357 Magnum but that had large grips on it when I obtained it years ago. Both have adjustable sites, are blue steel and now both with large grips to fill my hand which I like. The S%W, Model 15, Combat masterpiece also was the same as I carried on duty with the USAF Air/Security Police for 8 years before I bought one Myself although then it had the small grip but even the first time I fired the made Expert score. Prior to that as a kid had only fired rifles and shotguns so that was My first but not last experience with a pistol

SMSgt Lawrence McCarter - I've always been pretty good with a long arm. I got my first BB gun at 10, my first .22 at 12 and my first shotgun at 14. I never once had simultaneous access to a weapon and ammo without Dad right there watching/teaching until I was 18. Dad disparaged pistol and revolvers in general. He thought the only reason to have one was to administer the coup-de-grace when hunting or when an animal had been hit by a car. Even then, he preferred a sharp knife.

I never fired a pistol until I was hunting in Arizona and came to appreciate the need for snake shot. I never fired anything other than snake shot from a pistol until I joined the military.

Maj John Bell - On the Police Department I had to dispatch with a round some animals such as deer that been hit by cars although i have used a buck knife for that also which was sometimes quicker to put the animal out of it's suffering. I found with a .357 Magnum, one shot was all that was need but when We went to .40 caliber semi auto they did NOT have the stopping power of the magnum and I would not fire more than one shot. The shot was fatal but He was still flopping around until I used the buck knife and He stopped right away and didn't want to see Hi suffer like that for passing motorist to see that either. We had to make a written report anytime We discharged a round for any reason and the expended round was replaces and My report accounted for the round although I didn't mention the knife use even though actually it was authorized if needed in that circumstance.

OKAY!!! Best advice yet

I concur

I've never laid eyes on a 7-shot revolver in person, so I wondered about the "bulk."

My wife is an excellent seamstress. She has made integral holsters in my Carhartt bibs. I have range friends who had no idea I was carrying a pistol until I pulled it. But once they know, it is kind of obvious. I'd like to find a revolver somewhat lighter than the Taurus.

I have a buddy who is highly critical of the length of trigger pull and the pull weight on Charter Arms revolvers. I fired his and really didn't get what he was talking about. He's the kind of friend you don't disagree with much because it isn't worth the 30-minute debate the next 10 times you see him.

Maj John Bell - The 22 mag 942 holds 8 rounds. I didn't buy the 627 to carry conceal. I had El Paso Saddlery make me a Tanker's Holster to fit it, but it isn't noticeably wider that a 6 round revolver.

CPT Lawrence Cable I spoke with Kim at Kramer Leather a couple days ago. He is going to make me a pocket holster for the 386-1.
I’ve carried a 4” 686-6 in the front pocket of my jeans just to see if it could be done. As long as I didn’t sit down or climb a ladder it was ok, lol. When drawing, if I’d put my thumb on the back edge of the hammer it would pull smoothly. That was a short experiment mostly due to the weight of the all-steel gun. Every time I pick up my 396-1 I could swear it’s a fake training gun made of styrofoam. It is unbelievably light. Can’t wait for it’s holster to arrive!
Regarding the 7 shot Smith L frames, I steer clear of them because they had a QC problem that they let get out to the market. The hole in the frame into which the barrel screws is not located properly and results in the front sight not lining up correctly with the rear. They’ve fixed the problem but knowing my luck…
I think the 7 shot cylinders are the same as the 6 shot ones, just with the chambers being relocated.

SSG Paul Headlee - I have not tried a Smith 7 shot, the one I have is in the Taurus Tracker line. I've shot it enough to know it shoots better than I can these days. Yes, it is a big piece of metal.
I've been using two companies to order holsters, El Paso and Craftholsters.com. The Craft Holsters are made in Slovakia and they make a nice holster.
My day to day carry gun is a Ruger LCP Max. It's light and small enough to be unobtrusive. Normally I carry it in either a belt slide holster or in a Sneaky Peter.

Lol, if it goes Bang, and puts a hole in something, it's good.

SGT Carl Blas - Quality counts.

MSG Stan Hutchison - Yes it does, and notice people buy Cheap-Po ammo, because it go's Bang.
But, there are others, that buy expensive ammo, and never shoot it, maybe waiting for a rainy day, as well as, purchase a firearm, shoot it once, then store it away, and never shoot it again.

SGT Carl Blas - When I worked for that gunsmith in Spokane I was amazed by people that would spend hundreds to thousands of dollars on a gun, then ask what we had for cheap ammo.
Also, some customer would come in and ask to have his firearm repaired because it would not cycle. Jim would ask what ammo was being used. Many, many times it was cheap ammo that caused the problem.

It would be insulting for a sailor to advise a Marine Infantry Officer.

MCPO Roger Collins - I always listen to SNCO's. Sailor or Marine, they've kept my butt out of the fire.