Want a new revolver. Opinions.

[hogeaterf6]

Looked at a S&W 686 .357- 6" barrel, Ruger .357- 4" barrel, and a Taurus .44 mag with 8" barrel. Whats your opinon on each? The .357's are close in price and the .44 mag is $100 less then the other 2. Would use it for mostly around home and maybe to deer hunt with. Shot the Smith years ago, dad has one. Like to find some 'cowboy' style revolvers but have been unable to find any around here.

 

[Cavalryman]

There's a reason why the Taurus is less expensive...it's not of the same quality. Taurus has their fans, but you've never seen a professional whose life depended uoon his firearm carrying a Taurus. The S&W and the Ruger are both outstanding revolvers and the choice probably should be based upon how it feels in your hands. A .357 magnum is adequate for deer and certainly for self-defense. I'd probably opt for the 4" barrel because it's easier to carry, but that's just me.

 

[Grapeshot]

Either of the .357s would provide you with more versatility.

You could train and practice with .38 cal and hunt with the full power loads. The savings in ammo cost will more than make up the difference in price in no time. Plus you have a handgun that is very practical for personal defense.

Also you may find a nice previously owned S&W or Ruger for a good savings.

 

[j4l]

" but you've never seen a professional whose life depended uoon his firearm carrying a Taurus" -HINT, Dirty Harry was a movie...it wasnt real.
And,you likewise havent seen an armed professional mow anyone down with a S&W or Ruger magnum revolver ,either. :banghead:

Now, with that sillyness disposed of, the Ruger Blackhawks offer some nice choices,if you want a single-action.But any of the ones you mentioned can work well-and offer a variety of load options.

 

[09jisaac]

I vote s&w. If you're talking about a ruger blackhawk (I think) that is SAO. That would be poor for self defense but it would be OK for hunting. If you have time you should almost always take your shots SA anyways. If hunting is your main concern then I would go with the longest barrel you could, but this also will make it worse for home defense.

 

[Felid`Maximus]

" but you've never seen a professional whose life depended uoon his firearm carrying a Taurus" -HINT, Dirty Harry was a movie...it wasnt real.
And,you likewise havent seen an armed professional mow anyone down with a S&W or Ruger magnum revolver ,either. :banghead:

Now, with that sillyness disposed of, the Ruger Blackhawks offer some nice choices,if you want a single-action.But any of the ones you mentioned can work well-and offer a variety of load options.

I've seen police and security guards carrying .38 spl and .357 mag revolvers, even recently. Before the 1980's, a revolver was a popular choice for armed professionals. Even the military issued .38 spl revolvers.

 

[rotorhead]

Personally I'd recommend the Ruger GP100. I'm still highly impressed with my find. It's a great all-around .357 that offers various barrel lengths to choose from. Mine is the 4" barrel and it is easily carried. It's built like a tank, too.

For SA, I'd look at Ruger's Blackhawk line. Another excellent gun, but you don't want to discount S&W if you can find them decently priced.

 

[.45acp]

Two completely different caliber choices you have presented here. For hunting, the .44 mag is the best choice although I personally would be hard pressed to recommend a Taurus.

The .357 mag is a better all around choice and you’ll find .38 Spec ammo a bunch cheaper to practice and plink with, loaded up with stout 125 gr. HPs it make a fine SD gun.

Between the S&W and Ruger, my choice would be the S&W but in the 4” bbl. Nothing wrong with Rugers, but that is my opinion.

 

[Cavalryman]

" but you've never seen a professional whose life depended uoon his firearm carrying a Taurus" -HINT, Dirty Harry was a movie...it wasnt real.
And,you likewise havent seen an armed professional mow anyone down with a S&W or Ruger magnum revolver ,either. :banghead:

The 12 years I spent in law enforcement weren't a movie, either. I've seen plenty of armed professionals use revolvers and none of them were Taurus. (Although we weren't "mowing people down" so maybe that makes a difference.)

I stand by my advice. The OP was asking for opinions and I gave mine.

 

[09jisaac]

Taurus is probably a fine gun, I wouldn't know because I have always had great luck with smiths and good luck with rugers. If you are going to trust you life to a gun, spend the extra money if it is going to get you a better gun. But as far as guns go, its better to get a cheap(ly made) manual gun (revolvers, pump, bolt) than a cheap semi auto.

 

[Fabricator]

I like the ruggedness of the Ruger's. The 6" is a GP-100, the 4" is one of my "carry" guns, and is a Security-six. Both are .357's, both were new condition, but bought used for $350 and $300 respectively. The "little one" is a 2" Taurus ultra-lite titanium in .38spl/+p, and was bought since it was used, and "cheap". It is my alternate carry gun. I am pleased with that Taurus, but have held a Taurus .22 that was not carefully assembled. I aslo own a S&W 36 snubbie (out on loan to someone who needed something better than a .22), and oddly enough, my Taurus has a better DA trigger! THAT was a surprise, and is not representative of all S&W or Taurus DA triggers. FWIW, the snubbie has had over 1500 rounds sent out of it in the past 5 months with no issues.

The GP and the S-six are very similar, but the GP is actually a bit beefier, as the top strap is visibly thicker, among other details. I personally recommend the security six, if you like a 4" .357, as they are often found in great shape for $300 or less. I have a really old "service-six" (fixed sight version) that I personally put over 8,000 rounds thru, and it still locks up tight. I got it for $75 nearly 15 years ago. These old "six-series" Rugers will eat a steady diet of hot magnum ammunition for a looong time, and still be handed down to someone. Good luck in the search!

Fabricator