S&W M&P R8 8-shot .357 Competition Revolver
The Unicorn Revolver that Actually Exists
S&W M&P R8 327 8-shot .357 Competition Revolver
As a writer sometimes you get little privileges of obtaining pre-release guns, sometime you just need to stand in line like everyone else. The later was the case with my S&W Performance Center R8 .357 Magnum 8-shot Competition Revolver and likely will be the case for any retailer or retail customer who wants one. Due to R8 backlog in 2014, I was not even “allowed” to place an editorial order on the gun until the 2015 Shot show. Eighteen months later I finally had the revolver in hand. The wait was definitely worth it.
The R8 is not a “new 2015” model, however there are so few of the R8 revolvers produced it deserves attention as a frontrunner of the ever evolving and re-surging revolver market and is something very unique for retailers to carry. I would argue that the M&P R8 is S&W's best and most versatile full sized revolver. The S&W R8 is rather unique from many perspectives. It is most recognized as one of Jerry Miculek’s wheel guns used to stack up truckloads of competition trophies and trick shots, however it didn't start there. As the M&P - Military & Police designation on the side of the R8 model notes, it was actually created as a police and military “entry gun” based on the 327sc Miculek competition revolver.