My 83 was born with the 7 1/2 " barrel and accounted for many antelope and a few mule deer. My hunting load was a 305 grain GC over 33 gns 296 for an honest 1850 fps. I guided some deer hunters and they bought me a box of FA factory 260s that chronographed 2015 FPS. Not enough front sight to make use of the velocity. Years of recoil and a desire for a more portable package made me send it in and have it shortnened to 4 3/4 and rethink my loads. I now load 360 GC with 22 gns of 296 for around 1200fps. Slower recoil speed and it'll still shoot thru a buick. I pack it religiously here in NW Wyo bear country. Back in the day when I first purchased it FA provided you with type pages of loading data as there wasn't moch info available to the public. Quite probably the finest made revolver ever made. As tight today as it was new in the 80s