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Congrats on the 581!!! I have a 586 and it's one of my favorite S&Ws for both functionality as well as looks. The 581 looks even better. They don't make either one any more, and the 581 never had a huge production run like it's target-sighted sister. In fact, I know a few people who have spent a long time unsuccessfully trying to find a really cherry 581 to no avail. And of course, there are the nickel 581s, which are even more rare. You did good.

The only problem you will have with that gun is the cost of ammo -- every time you shoot it at the range, the gun BEGS to be reloaded and fired again.

Can't wait to see the pics.

Here's a photo of a three-inch 581 from the S&W forum. Could a revolver be any prettier?



And a couple four-inchers:

danpaw wrote:That L frame is quite a bit fatter and heavier than a K.

Not really. Here is a K-frame and L-frame side by side. Most of the extra weight is in a little extra beefiness around the forcing cone (and of course the full underlug vs. half underlug). But weight-wise and carryability, there is not a huge difference.

L-frame 681 on left (steel version of 581 you are considering) and K-frame 66-2 on right (steel version of 19)


The L-frame is heavy, but you can definitely carry it. I prefer a high-rise Galco fletch holster:


Above pic shows full target grips, which are not good for carry (but great for photos!). Try magna grips with a Tyler-T grip (as shown in my carry photo). You'll also need to invest in a top-quality gun belt. Mine is a horsehide belt from TheBeltMan - worth every penny.

From the guns you've listed, I would definitely go with the 581. Not only is that just a great gun, but you want no sights on a carry weapon you might have to draw.