Simply put
Colt Pythons are coffee table guns, you don't shoot them.
You want a carry gun? Find a 66 or a 19.
You want a range gun? 686/586 and distant second in my book GP100

Ruger GP-100. Best value and strongest built .357mag on the market.

Colt .357 are the top notch

Except they are no longer in production.  Due to this fact market prices have climb to stupid levels due to their collector value.  For the price of a good condition Colt I could by three S&W in similar condition.  Any one of which would last as long or longer than the Colt.

 

I have a gp100 and it's a great gun.  Solid and we'll built, my next purchase will be a SP101.  I would have brought a S&W but they weren't an option due to the Hillary hole.  S&W really made a poor decision by adding the locks, and doubled down on stupid by keeping them.

I have an older S&W model 19 and it's a good shooter.  The Colt Python has a smoother trigger and is a joy to shoot.  The next wheel gun for me will be a S&W 586 with Wolff springs in it.

For QUALITY revolvers, find the older mfgd S&W, or Colts!  If someone GAVE me a Ruger, I'd cull it from the firearms world, and throw it in a lake!

I have had over a dozen revolvers over the years...  most of them K frame 38 / 357 magnums.
Right now the stable consists of:
1955 Model 25
Colt Agent (highly polished, before the strike / layoff)
Model 60 Chief Special
Model 66 (pinned and recessed)
Model 442 no lock
GP 100 4" blued

If you can find an older unmolested 13, 19, 65, 66 ( 4" K frame 357) you will be very happy with it is as range shooter.  A set of Wolff springs and some dry fire is all you need to get an awesome trigger.  My 66 needed some trigger and the smith was able to fix it but it now has a very light single action pull.  It is bead blasted, wears cocobolo grips and only comes out when my wife wants to shoot.  The 25 and 60 I passed to my daughter.  The older revolvers are nice but there are fewer and fewer smiths who can work on them and parts could be hard to get.  This is why I would get a new revolver that is in current production.
I have put the 442 in the safe as I cannot see the sights well anymore, this is the same reason I gave up on the 3" 64 and 3" 65 revolvers I had for carry.
The GP100 came home Sunday (great when your daughter works at a gun store / range).  Two drops of oil and about 200 rounds of dry fire and I think the trigger is now very nice.  Better than I ever got from my 3" Wiley Clapp edition when I had it.  
All that being said, I think a 4" GP100 is the best bet right now.   I cannot speak about the 686, but they seem nice if you have the means.
Good luck

Pretty much anything Ruger or S&W.

The older ones aren't any better. They're just valued higher and shinier.
20140912_082849 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr

Ruger service six series amazing and solid
Dan Wesson Elegant precise accurate and fine.
Pyton great gun. Might be a mix of both previous.
Have no experience with SW.