Thinking about a 357

[jonp]

For fun: Blackhawk
For Work: GP100
For Sheer Beauty: Model 19

[Love Life]

Learned something today. I didn't know that. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...d=1#post667271

I have a few model 28's and the 358429 is my favorite boolit. I just load it in 38 special brass over 5.0 gr of Unique. It smacks stuff hard. As a matter of fact, I don't think I've fired any 357 Mag in my model 28's in the last 2 years. Just the nature of the beast. You can always trim back 357 mag brass or crimp over the front shoulder, but that is for the birds when 38 special brass grows on trees.

[Shiloh]

Every time I had the money, I could never find a S&W 686. This was pre-internet search.
Now, I just plain can't see me having one. There is money stashed, but not enough.

If I was in the market, the GP-100 would be a model on the menu.

Shiloh

[Bonz]

I love the massive barrel on my Ruger GP100 4" Stainless and it shoots as good as it looks

[jaysouth]

Ruger or Smith.

Which ever appeals to you.

They are both excellent.

I was a DEVOUT S&W fan from 1960 to 2011. Then I bought a Ruger GP 100 and WOW. I was converted.
I think it is every bit as good and accurate as any Smith and stronger to boot.

Do not even THINK about anything else.

PS. The single action Rugers are lots of fun. I have owned at least a dozen of them over the years.
Unless you want to shoot Cowboy Action or hunt with it, don't do it. They are much too slow to load and reload.

The best advice you will get. However, you will need 2 rugers. one in 3" and one in 6". The shorter barrel works well in a vehicle or the nightstand but is VERY blasty. Anything you shoot close up will be cooked medium well.

[bowfishn]

I love both my 6" and 4" GP100s they shoot cast well, I have molds for 125 gr. 158 gr. 180 gr HPGC and 190 gr FNGC bullets. The plain base 125s and 158s I shoot 5gr. W231 in 357 Starline Brass with Regular primers and the Gas Checked bullets I use 16gr H110 with mag primers behind the 190s and 16.5gr H110 with Mag Primers behind the 180s. Shoot very accurate and are easy on recoil.
My dads 6" Blued Colt Python is a Beautiful piece but for a shooter I still prefer My GPs.

[trucker76]

I have a S&W model 28 and it's great. I can't remember the last time I shot .357 out of it, think I have a couple brass rolling around. My woman loves it as a target pistol. Nice and heavy so it absorbs a lot of the recoil. I have big hands and prefer larger target grips but she has smaller hands so I keep the stock wood ones on it.

[GLL]

This is a good choice unless you plan on shooting a couple hundred "over-the-top" loads each month !

Model 66 S&W


This one has over 35 years of service but no 125s !

Jerry

[Huskerguy]

I have a Colt Trooper Mk III, Ruger Security Six, S & W 66-2, and the best of the bunch is a Dan Wesson 15-2V. The Dan is a blast to shoot - it is accurate, smooth and durable. I will be looking for more DW's in the future.

[Cherokee]

GP100 or S&W 686. GP100 & 686 are both accurate but 686 has a nicer trigger. All I shoot are cast bullets. I'm a Ruger fan, but if I could only keep one, it would be my 686.

[Recluse]

For fun: Blackhawk
For Work: GP100
For Sheer Beauty: Model 19

Pretty good assessment there, for sure.

The Ruger Blackhawk is just flat FUN to shoot. It's also as safe as any gun can be, simple to operate (hence the safety factor) which makes it a good handgun to introduce new shooters to centerfire, and it is stout. I also have a 9mm cylinder that interchanges, although I rarely use it.

When I read these "if you could only have one gun, what would it be" discussions, I keep coming back to one gun: Ruger GP100 in either a four-inch or six-inch barrel. This is one well-built wheelgun and .357 Magnum is an almost magical caliber in what it will do and what it can do. Plus, there is the added benefit of shooting .38 Special through a .357 Magnum handgun.

I love my Smiths dearly. Two K-frames, Model 66 in four-inch barrel, Model 19 in 2.5-inch barrel. I think I enjoy shooting the Model 19 more than just about any handgun I own. For certain my wife and two grown daughters do.

I'm also keen on my L-frames as well, 586 in four-inch and 686 in 8 3/8" barrels. They can stand up to some constant magnum rounds being fired day in and day out. The K-frames? Not so much so without having to take them to a smith and get them tuned and tightened.

The Rugers? You can fire magnums all day, all night, all week, all month, all year and they'll just keep on going without a hitch.

Taurus? You couldn't give me a Taurus product manufactured in the past ten to fifteen years. I've been suckered twice during that time period. Refuse to take a third strike. I have a Taurus 92 (9mm) that I bought in 1987 and that I love dearly and have run ungodly amounts of ammo through with nary a hiccup, and I have a Taurus 85 of similar vintage with the same sentiments. But the last two Taurus products I bought have been complete junk so far as firearms are concerned. One of them didn't even make a good boat anchor. The frustration I endured from Taurus so-called customer service in Miami is what prompted the boat-anchor experiment.

Ruger or an older Smith, you can't go wrong. Likewise with the older Colts along with ANY Dan Wesson if you can find one in your budget. Lot of competition shooters snatch the DWs up the minute they even hear about one becoming available or for sale.

[warf73]

If you are interested I have a friend who has told me today that he is selling off his S&W collection ( These are nice old guns & they shoot very well) I would love to buy some but the funds are not there.
I'm still waiting for him to give me prices

Please keep me in mind as I would love an older smith.

[warf73]

As for the 357 bug yup I had it bite hard in March got a 4" 627. It had issue out of the box but Smith took care of it in a timely manner. I also have a 2" SP101 and love it also but wanted something with adjustable sights and more rounds in the wheel.

NIB and used 686's, Model 27's and 28's as of first part of March they were running $600~1200 depending on a lot of factor but that was 4" guns. The GP100's blue or stainless 4” were NIB or used $450~$550. I've not looked since I purchased the 627 but did watch the market for almost 4 months before I bought. The 27's and 28's moved around from month to month 100~150 back and forth, the GP100's and 686’s stayed pretty consistent in price.
March a used Smith was within $100 or less than new and in some models used pre lock are going for more than NIB production. A used GP’s was under $100 of NIB. My good friend/shooting buddy bought a used GP100 stainless 4" for the cost of NIB. But the used gun had an action job done with papers to prove it(smooth action one of the best GP triggers I've pulled) at the beginning of the year.

We did a head up with our new guns a few times now and he wishes his GP’s trigger pull was as smooth as the 627. I wished my action job on my SP101 was as good as his GP. Both guns are shooters, we both shoot the 627 considerably better than the GP but the GP isn't a slug by any stretch.

The GP at 7-10 yards will hold the X ring on a B27 target and inside the 10 ring at 15 with 1 or 2 inside the 9 ring, and at 20 yards inside the 9 ring is no issues. We shoot 12 rounds at each distance all double action, and for the most part we both just get fliers as the group mass is all in the same spot.
The 627 can hold the X ring out to 15 yards with 3 or 4 flies and inside the 10 ring out to 20 yards with 3 or 4 flies in the 9 ring. Only difference is we are shooting 16 rounds per yardage (it’s an 8 shot cylinder) instead of 12 .
With more practice we both can shrink the groups. As the distance goes out the groups do open up, that’s all shooter nothing to do with either gun

Over all I would be proud to own his GP or any other one and I'm very happy with my decision to purchase the Smith (now that it’s fixed) over the GP.

A B27 target


Warf

[6bg6ga]

2nd the 686

[6bg6ga]

As everyone knows you get what you pay for when it comes to guns and quality. Check out the trigger on the GP and then the 686 and tell me which one is better. When my wife was looking to buy a 686 the dealor tried to sway her towards a GP. She conducted her own little survey and asked several men that stopped to see a woman checking out a 686 and she asked their opinion. All that checked the trigger pull on the two guns opted for the 686. Sure , its a little more money and a heck of a lot more accurate.

[rhead]

SP 101, Security Six(Four inch), Blackhawk (seven inch?), Mod 19-4(3 inch?) Mod 19 4/5 (six inch), two Dan Wesson 15-2 full set of barrels.

For accuracy or hunting I would take one of the Dan Wessons. For SD the Sec. Six. For shooting all day the Blackhawk, for SD in hot weather the 101, for showing off the Mod. 19s.

My wife has mentioned my lack of ability to walk past a 357 mag that is for sale when i have money in my pocket. She also says that neither of our sons provide adequate adult supervision.

Don't get me started on the virtues of the round in rifles.

[captaint]

For me, the question is - what do you want to do with it. Full power .357's, some 38 wadcutters??
Like jonp said - beauty, work, ? The L frame Smiths are great, stainless or not. The GP100 is VERY nice and as accurate as any. I like the N frame Smiths too, although they do have a little shorter cylinder, but we can work around that easy enough. Might as well face it, sooner or later, you're gonna have one of each.!!! Enjoy ! Mike

[Petrol & Powder]

Ruger or Smith.

Which ever appeals to you.

They are both excellent.

I was a DEVOUT S&W fan from 1960 to 2011. Then I bought a Ruger GP 100 and WOW. I was converted.
I think it is every bit as good and accurate as any Smith and stronger to boot.

Do not even THINK about anything else.

/\ What he said !!