[ARCHIVED THREAD] - 357 Mag recommendation (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 5/14/2006 6:21:50 PM EDT
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I've collected every other damn firearm I ever wanted and today I'm cleaning up the gun bench when I realize I don't have a decent 357. What say you Arfcom? Nothing on the cheap. I dont' mind of course a decently priced firearm, but I'm going for quality here. I want something that will take years of serious abuse. And preferrably stainless. Suggestions? |
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The Ruger is beefcake. A bit ugly. S&W has a better trigger. Ruger for strength Smith for trigger (still not always considered best shooter) Colt for value, accuracy, and well, IMO beauty. But those are used. Do a search there are many .357 mag shootouts posted on the web. |
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S&W makes some nice stuff but I'm having problems with a 329 I just purchased a couple of weeks back. Its being returned for service tomorrow, we'll see how that goes. There's nothing like a S&W trigger though. Another consideration should be a Ruger GP100 or Blackhawk. I've had several of each and they are well built, rugged and more accurate than I am. |
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I've always liked the Ruger security six. But there no where near as easy to come by. I've been trying to con my father into selling me his. It was owned by the owner of Magnaport years ago. The gun is a sweet shooter. The GP100 is definitely a contender and I'm looking the S & W up right now. I've never really looked at any Smiths. |
I SOOOOOOOO wish Colt would start making Pythons again. 
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I have a Ruger GP100 4" that I'll probably never part with. That being said, its heavy at 38 oz. and not fun to carry in brush while hunting. I'd like to move up to a 6" Taurus with a lighter frame. More velocity in a lighter package. Apart from the weight, the GP100 is rock solid and has never failed me. |
I dream about this gun. |
Love mine. Just came back from C&S with their 'combat night sights' and a trigger job. 
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The Smith will have a nicer trigger. The Ruger will be hella strong. Both will shoot quite well. Buy what feels best in your hand. |
Did you get My IM. I dont know if it sent or not |
That is soo slick with the bullet wallet, I have never seen one before. Does anyone sell bullet wallets? |
| Finesse and abuse have to walk a tight rope on this one though. I shoot more than just a little. I expect to have parts break done. It comes with the abuse. And yes heavy shooting can be and is abusive to most firearms. But I don't mind paying for quality and putting the time and money into keeping a good firearm in shape. |
For much serious shooting with heavy magnum loads I would either go with the S&W 686 or the Ruger GP100. Either is hell-bent strong, so you shouldn't worry about repairs; and if you do, I know for a fact the S&W 686s have a life time guarantee, and I'm sure that if you break something on a GP100, Ruger will take care of you. That said, personally, for me I prefer the trigger S&W's trigger on their K & L frames, but the factory grips on the GP100 is the best of any that I've felt. The S&W 586/686 will shoot 5 shot 1" groups, and the GP100 will do 1.5" under the same conditions, to me not a lot of practically difference, but it is there nevertheless. The price of a GP100 will be less than the 686. Here is another angle about your guns, I've been shooting for about 20 years now, I can easily sell all of my pistols at least what I paid for them, and many I can sell for more, and some double. A great many of my guns are no longer available new. My Colt DA revolvers are no longer in production, and probably will never be in production again, 6” blued Diamondback 22LR & 38spls. My 6" SS Colt Python, I can easily sell for double what I paid. All of my “no lock” S&W revolvers that I bought in the past 10 years or so, have gone up at least 20-30% depending on model. The production of my low volume 3" SS 696 5shot 44spl L-frame is now discontinued because of low sales, but currently it is very desirable. So why not, some free shooting. |
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If you can find one in good shape at a good price. Get a Colt (no kool lade) Trooper Mark III. They were designed as service revolvers with many of the Python refinements without the Python quirks. Excellent fit and finish, smooth action. It was available in 2", 4" and 6". The killing factor was the cost when it was on the market, it had much more hand work then the Smith's. It was a much as $150 in departmental purchase prices. I have carried both the Colt and the Smith, both are good but the Colt felt like a target gun in smoothness and function, not to mention the finish. |
| ruger security six and gp100 are pretty close to the same but the gp100 is the evolutionary descendent of the security six. sec six are clunky and the grip and trigger arent so good, but they are tough and decent enough. the gp100s are a newer redesign and are better to handle and have other improvements, a little better shooters too they are ugly compared to sw but probably better ofr a lot of shooting |
I don't own one YET, but two different AR15.com members were nice enough to let me shoot their titanium Taurus Trackers, and I must say, I was VERY impressed. I'm not a revolver fan, but this thing is so good that I *will* at some point pick one up. The "zinger" grips are great as well. -Troy |