I have 4 p2ps coming and I am looking to complete my collection by adding revolvers and maybe a 1911. In your opinion are S&W revolvers worth the premium over Ruger?

 

SP101/22 vs 617

GP100/357 vs 686

While I favor S&Ws, I have a few Ruger tanks in my collection as well. Personally, I would take a 617 over the SP101 in .22 every day. For the .357Mag, if you're buying new production is goes either way. If you were talking a 686 CS-1 vs a GP-100, the CS-1 would win every day. Now if the option was an older M27 vs the GP-100, it would be the M27.

Are they worth the premium? no

 

A Ruger or Taurus will do the job at hand.

 

Now, if your going into gun games and want a gun specifically built for that purpose then the Smiths are the way to go hands down.

 

But, if your only using said firearm for range, home defense, CCW in Amurica or collecting then pick any of the 3.

I have a 686. It shoot awesome groups at 25 yards. And I love it!

Unless you are cost sensitive or going to shoot a lot of 22lr, I would just skip the 22lr in favor of a 357 to shoot 38specials.

Then you can think about getting a 625 for 45acp or 629/redhawk for 44specials.

 

S&W finish quality is top notch. Ruger is also nice.

Talo series are awesome.

I prefer long barrels. There's something nice about pointing a 6" barrel at a target vs. 3".

I have a bunch of S&W's, only one Ruger. I just like the S&W's more, just personal preference.

I have a Smith and Wesson Model #19 that I bought back in '77 with some HS graduation money. That was more than 35 years ago now. It's still in service, loaded with Federal Hydro Shock .38 Spl. +P's as I type this. Several other additional revolvers since then. Is it worth the difference? In a word, YES!

 

Dave

Wheelgunner Extraordinaire (lol)

Love my S&W 686 - shoot 38s

We also have the 617 - fun to shoot as well

These are among our bunch of S&W's .

There is nothing better than a S&W in terms of quality, other than perhaps Colt. Ruger doesn't make a bad revolver, but the quality on a S&W is simply better. If you can buy an older S&W made with forged parts, do it.

Another vote for the smith.

 

I own, and have owned various ruger revolvers, while they are built like tanks, work very well.... I still prefer my smiths.

 

Triggers are better out of the box, tons more " aftermarket" parts as far as upgrades.

 

s&w will also hold it's resale value better.

I feel smiths are also easier to work on, over the ruger platform of the way they break down

I prefer smiths as the trigger are better. Just personal preference. Rugers are tanks and shoot great.

 

I did however feel the trigger on a Ruger 3" gp100 with a bobbed hammer. Had the best trigger on a Ruger I have eve felt.

I prefer smiths as the trigger are better. Just personal preference. Rugers are tanks and shoot great.

 

I did however feel the trigger on a Ruger 3" gp100 with a bobbed hammer. Had the best trigger on a Ruger I have eve felt.

 

With a little bit of money and elbow grease you can improve the trigger on both smiths, and rugers tremendously, but again - I feel smiths are easier to modify

43 Years shooting revolvers here. Mostly Colts and S&W with one Dan Wesson with interchangeable barrels for different lengths and one Taurus. As one poster said, my best .22lr is a S&W 617. My Ruger LCR .22lr locks up with any hot .22lr loads like CCI Mini Mags. However the Ruger LCR in .22 mag and .357 mag works just fine and has a better trigger out of the box than a regular S&W snub nose. Over the last few years I have owned a lot of S&W revolvers all the way from a 11 oz. .357 mag. to a .327 mag to a 7 shot 686 and the 617 as well as many others.

 

Just last year I decided to try a Ruger for the first time when they came out with the LCR .38 +P. At first it looked odd but it functioned perfectly, had better grips than any stock S&W and its cam operated trigger was better than any of my stock snub noses in my collection. Emboldened by that I then purchased a GP100 in .357. Built like a tank and the trigger was not bad at all. A little odd looking also but a very good gun. From there I saw a special edition Wiley Clapp GP100 with a 3" barrel, melt job, champhered chambers and a taped cylinder so that holstering is easier. Fiber optic front and Noval all black rear sights. $65 trigger job which was already worked on for this edition made the trigger the smoothest that I own. Then I started buying the SA guns and now I have 3 LCR's with the .22 mag being the newest.

 

So after so many revolvers over so many years I have come to the conclusion that it depends. It depends on the model and the use. Rugers are cheaper, built like tanks to last and in general handle the most powerful loads. For instance, my Ruger Alaskan .44 mag could handle hotter loads than the S&W 629. There are some very nice performance center S&W guns that I would like to own. However, in general, for home defense and range shooting you cannot go wrong with a Ruger. They are even simplier to take apart and do your own trigger job on as well as change springs. The pricing on S&W is getting ridiculous. I think I paid close to $800 for my 617 .22lr. That is a lot for a .22. You can get tha SA 10 shot Ruger gun for a few hundred less and it is a fine shooter.

 

If you have the money and like the looks of a S&W, then go for it as they are all fine guns. However if you plan on shooting hot loads, go with the Ruger. As, I said, it depends. Here is my Wiley Clapp gun:

 

Great info everyone. I am going to do the sensible thing and get them both ;-)

I was in your same dilemma and after handling both I went with the Smith & Wesson 686. Ruger was real nice but I just liked the Smith alot more and felt it was worth the difference.

I'd rather a smith and Wesson I own 2 revolvers and working on 3 more

Yes, they are worth the "premium" price tag. I have a 686 and although I'm not really a wheelgunner per se, it is the funnest gun I own. I love shooting it even though I can't hit anything with it. The trigger is a good bit better than any of the Rugers out of the box that I played with.

 

Good luck in your choice.

 

C

gh I'm not really a wheelgunner per se, it is the funnest gun I own. I love shooting it even though I can't hit anything with it.

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really? with a long barrel & SA, it's pretty smooth all the way downrange.

i say smith as well. i love my 686. ive shot the gp100 too. gp100 was originally what i wanted but it was always out of stock. i went with the 686 instead and very glad i did. trigger and quality imo is better on the smith

Best group I ever shot at 25 yards was with my friend's 686. Trigger feels much nicer than my Taurus 627 or my SP101. Thinking of getting a 586 with my next p2p.