Need help selecting a revolver

[oldredneck]

I want to buy a .357 Mag revolver. I was looking at the S&W 620 until I read an article in American Handgunner. The writer said the S&W 619 and 620 both have shrouded barrels. He stated he had checked three barrels of these pistols and all three had damage to the crown from the factory. It takes a special wrench to remove the shroud and S&W will not sale one to anyone. Now I'm looking at the S&W 686 or a Ruger GP100 even though the Ruger also has a shrouded barrel.

Can any revolver lovers give me some good advice on which make and model would be the best and most accurate revolver for my money?

[pdbsa]

the ruger is built like a tank. i own both a GP100 and SW686, i like the ruger better.

[DWARREN123]

I do not believe the Ruger has a shroud on it's barrel.

[Chuck B]

watcha goina use it for? hunting? self defense? plinking? all of the above?

Personally, I really like the single action Ruger Blackhawk.

On the other hand, my brother's S&W mdl 66 with 6" bl. is probably the most accurate .357 I've ever shot.

Good luck and best regards,

cb

[358 winchester]

I have owned Ruger Turaus and S&W I have only one brand of revolver any mor and they are all S&W I am not crazy about the newer ones but love the older models
as for a great 357 you can't go wrong with
a model
19
66
586
686
27
28
heck I wouldn't turn away a model 13
The 686 or 28 is a couple of great ones
I would sell my model 28 for less then $10,000.00 and I am not joking I like that gun
THANKS PUNCHIE ;)
Just my two cents and that ain't worth much.
Ron

[USMC-03]

I have owned Ruger Turaus and S&W I have only one brand of revolver any mor and they are all S&W I am not crazy about the newer ones but love the older models
as for a great 357 you can't go wrong with
a model
19
66
586
686
27
28
heck I wouldn't turn away a model 13
The 686 or 28 is a couple of great ones
I would sell my model 28 for less then $10,000.00 and I am not joking I like that gun
THANKS PUNCHIE ;)
Just my two cents and that ain't worth much.
Ron

I absoloutly agree with .358 about the older S&W's. Unless it's for CCW, my choice for a .357 Magnum is either the model 27 or 28.

[scudrunner]

My picks are:

S&W: 686, 586, the 327 has 8rds capacity.

Ruger: GP100

Taurus: 66

I would recommend the GP100 with a 4" Barrel.
I do not think you will be disappointed.
The Taurus is kinda on the low end, but less expensive. If you wanted to save some cash that would be the way to go. Depending on how much you plan to shoot, they don't hold up to bad, it would make a good dresser drawer gun. The Smith is a higher end, again it kind of boils down to how much you wanna spend. The Ruger is very nice, price and quality combined. I do not think you will go wrong there at all.

[Michael G]

I have the Ruger SP101. It's concealable and reliable.

[neophyte]

Ruger GP100 or Ruger SP101 should serve you well:D

[troutwest66]

I like S&W revolvers. I don't know why the shroud is necessary on some of those but there are plenty of used .357s out there to find a good one in stainless or blued. I shot a GP100 probably 17 years ago and really liked it. As long as the Taurus shoots well and you like the trigger then I would feel comfortable with that choice as well. If you want to hunt and pack with this gun then think about a .44 mag as well. A lot more stopping power.

[Mosin_Nagant_Fan]

How 'bout therms revolvers (http://www.pfeifer-waffen.at/cms/html/index.php?module=htmlpages&func=display&pid=32).

[Taurus_9mm]

Ruger GP100, Taurus Tracker or M66. :D

www.taurusarmed.net

[dusty9]

If you are buying new firearms:
1. Ruger GP100
2. S & W 686
I expect they would be about equal in accuracy, but the 686 has a better trigger, while the GP100 is built like a tank and would never wear out.
Of course, these can also be purchased used.

If you want to buy a used firearm:
1. S & W 27 or 28 (both blue N frames)
2. Ruger Security Six (stainless or blue)
3. S & W 19 (blue K frame) or 66 (stainless K frame)
The N frame S & W is as good as it gets, but they are large & somewhat heavy.
The K frames are smaller & lighter than the N frames.
The Security Six is stronger than the K frames and will stand up to a steady diet of .357 longer.

[LDBennett]

Here's a test to help decide:

Go to your local dealer and have him lay the Ruger GP100 on the counter along side the S&W 686. Inspect each gun for fit and finish. Checkout each gun's trigger, both double action (if you think you will use it...I don't) and single action. Raise each to a shooting position, and checkout the sights, the balance, and the general feel of the guns.

I did this test and the S&W won hands down. The S&W is about finesse and precision and the GP100 Ruger is about robust and utility. I have owned the GP100 and currently own three S&W revolvers (41 Mag. 44 Mag, 357 Mag). The latest is the 357 and its the seven round version about five years old. The oldest is the 41 Mag and its nearly 20 years old. The current S&W quality matches or exceeds the quality of the nearly 20 year old versions. In fact I think it better.

But this is the results of MY test. Your results may vary. Buy what tickles your fancy after performing the above test. The GP100 is a fine accurate gun as is the S&W. Either choice is a good one.

LDBennett

[Pistolenschutze]

But this is the results of MY test. Your results may vary. Buy what tickles your fancy after performing the above test. The GP100 is a fine accurate gun as is the S&W. Either choice is a good one.


What you suggest is an excellent approach, LDB, and I agree with the final conclusion you reached as well. I have both a Ruger GP100 with a six-inch barrel, and an S&W Mod 28 with a four-inch barrel. Both are fine weapons, though if push came to shove, I would choose the Smith over the Ruger in terms of overall quality. The only drawback to the Mod 28, in my view, is that it is an N-frame revolver and thus pretty bulky--in essence, the frame is even stronger than it needs to be for a .357. When Smith designed that revolver, they simply took the heavy N-frame they were using for their .44 magnum and fitted a .357 cylinder and barrel. The Ruger is a medium frame and a bit less obtrusive, but still large and heavy enough to dampen recoil adequately with full power loads. Both revolvers are highly accurate with either .357s or .38 specials.

[thunderstruck507]

I was looking at the smith 686 when I stumbled upon a good deal on a colt king cobra that I ended up taking home.

I never liked any of the rugers I picked up, including the gp100 and the hammerless models (I really hated those).

[ciwsguy]

I want to buy a .357 Mag revolver. I was looking at the S&W 620 until I read an article in American Handgunner. The writer said the S&W 619 and 620 both have shrouded barrels. He stated he had checked three barrels of these pistols and all three had damage to the crown from the factory. It takes a special wrench to remove the shroud and S&W will not sale one to anyone. Now I'm looking at the S&W 686 or a Ruger GP100 even though the Ruger also has a shrouded barrel.

Can any revolver lovers give me some good advice on which make and model would be the best and most accurate revolver for my money?

Hey redneck,
I have a recently procured S&W 19 with 6" barrel, manufactured about 1984. To my knowledge, this isn't a shrouded barrel as the barrel appears to be one piece which threads into the frame as one machined part. In contrast, I have a Dan Wesson model 15-2 that DOES have a shroud separate from the threaded barrel. The DW barrel threads into the frame near the cylinder, you set the gap to .006 inches, place the shroud over the barrel and into the frame seat, then install the muzzle nut to secure the barrel to the end of the shroud. I didn't know S&W had anything like a shrouded .357 as my M19 isn't shrouded. I'm confused by your post unless you're talking about a S&W model that I am unfamiliar with. I thought that generally with S&W revolvers, you're stuck with the barrel length that the gun came with when you bought it. Am I incorrect? Please clarify - what do you mean by a S&W shrouded revolver?

[redrick]

I have a older 686 and that is the last handgun that I would sell if times were tight .

[user]

I agree completely. I voted with my dollars, and came home with a GP100. And I love it. Although I'm the sort of person who has to tinker with things, so I've ordered a "rough country" rear sight from Bowen Classic Arms, replaced the springs with a kit from Wolff, and replaced the grip with a Hogue "monogrip" (really just to keep the original wood panels in nice shape). But that GP100 is rapidly becoming my favorite.

[sportour]

Here's my everyday carry, S&W Model 66. I bought this one used several years ago. The original owner probably fed it a steady diet of full bore magnum loads and had split the forcing cone so I had the barrel replaced by the factory. I've had the opportunity to compare S&W's, Ruger SP 100's and Colt Detective Specials as well as my own Colt Officers Match but it's a factory custom. My vote goes to S&W for their workmanship and triggers although there's nothing wrong with the Rugers or the Colts. This pistol is smooth as butter and deadly accurate with anything from 125gr cast practice loads to full house 158 gr jacketed hps. As my eyes are getting older than me I recently added a set of crimson trace grips to replace the Hogues.

[patrol]

In short you can't go wrong with a Smith or Ruger they both are good quality revolvers. I think Smith has a wider choice of selection for personal defense carry from J frames to short barrel N and X frames. For hunting I like the Redhawks and Super Redhawks from Ruger though. Either brand will serve you well.

[MikeyL]

Just for what it's worth, I took my 1952 vintage, 5", 38-44 Heavy Duty Smith & Wesson (a predecessor to the Models 27/28 .357 Magnum) to Thunder Ranch for a pistol class a year or so ago. We shot over 990 rounds in 2 1/2 days from every conceivable position, and at distances from 7 yards to 75 yards. Never a hiccup. Conversely, we had a Python and a couple of others go into 'fail to function' mode over the course of the program. The big N frame Smiths are awesome, they shoot, and hold their value as well. I highly recommend the Smith & Wesson products.

MikeyL

[user]

Ruger GP100 or Ruger SP101 should serve you well:D

agree, I've got a gp100 6" and a S&W 649 (bodyguard model short barrel 5-shot .357). Each of them has its place (the 649 is in my right front pocket right now and the shrouded hammer makes it easy to get out in a hurry), but I like the rugers best, and if I had to have only one gun it would be either a gp100 or sp101.

[bestseller92]

Ruger GP100.

[Lotsdragon]

Got both of them the 686 and the gp100 love em both, very different but they both work the same for me!

[Bindernut]

Here's a test to help decide:

Go to your local dealer and have him lay the Ruger GP100 on the counter along side the S&W 686. Inspect each gun for fit and finish. Checkout each gun's trigger, both double action (if you think you will use it...I don't) and single action. Raise each to a shooting position, and checkout the sights, the balance, and the general feel of the guns.

<snipped>

LDBennett

Excellent post LD!
Everyone's hand is different so the best way is to do like LD suggests and get your choices side-by-side and check em out for yourself. The right one will just feel "right" when you handle it.