New Revolver, Smith & Wesson VS Ruger?

[onelight]

My dad has a pretty nice collection of old S&W revolvers and he has a 6 inch 29 I’ve shot a few times and I liked it. I dont know anyone around me that owns a ruger double action

Can you rent one ?

[ARS1911]

I dont know the closest place I know of to rent guns would be buds I may have to check into that. I hadn’t even thought of that thanks for the suggestion

[oldsalt444]

Rugers are more rugged and can handle higher pressures. S&W's quality control has gone downhill in recent years. Don't get me wrong, I love my S&W's for bullseye competition, but they are from the 1950's when they took great pride in their work. I don't have experience with a Redhawk, but my Ruger Superblackhawk single action .44 mag is dead nuts accurate and cleanly kills deer. The only changes I made were the grips and an aftermarket trigger spring.

[BD]

Dan Wesson

[rking22]

Lots to like there, if you reload and especially if you cast. The gp100 in 357 is a bit heavy but take another .060 out of the barrel and lose the underlug, yep feels very good. For me it’s hard to find a better grip than the original gp100 grips, that’s what my 44 wears, the pretty wood is on the 357. For my uses, in middle Tn,I can’t think of anything a mag does that the special can’t. I almost bought a SW m69, but could not get by the fact it looked like a Charter Arms, but close your eyes and it felt good. I wound up doing a Clements in 41special, then Lipseys ran the 5 inch blued gun. If you can’t find one to shoot, I ain’t too far away and occasionally come north to shoot sporting clays. I could bring it along. Warning, best friend was thinking about the 10mm, shot my 44 and now has the 5 inch 44! Oh, haven taken the Redhawk out in a while, I really like midframe guns.

[dverna]

Like a few others, the Rugers do not feel right to me.

But you need to handle the guns and decide for yourself.

[contender1]

First off,, I'm a serious fan of Rugers,, but I also own several older S&W's.

That said,, NOBODY'S opinion can decide for you what you will like. You must first try them,, at least in how each one feels in YOUR hands. And when you do this,, understand that both can feel differently with different grips.
Next,, if at all possible,, try & shoot each one to see how that feels to you. Gun clubs, public ranges that rent guns, friends, relatives etc can provide the samples to try. You've already got a semi-feel for the S&W. Find a Redhawk & try it.

Both companies build good products,, and yet, both have had QC issues occasionally. That comes from being a big company, trying to build a quantity of product to supply the demands.

Yet,, both are designed differently. Many proclaim the S&W's have a smoother action & faster lockwork. At the same time,, the same folks will admit the Rugers are built super strong & will outlast your lifetime.

Decide what your intentions are for the use of this revolver,, study the designs, the materials, the potentials & downfalls of each,, then & only then can you decide the direction you can take.

Lastly,, you may also decide that no matter which one you choose,, you can customize it to fit your desires. From a different set of grips, to action work, to whatever. By doing all this,, you will get a firearm you will enjoy!

[fatelk]

I certainly don't mean to knock Ruger. They make a solid, quality gun. I just have a strong personal preference for the S&W. I like the weight, balance, and trigger pull. My favorites are a 4" model 66 from the early '70s, and a 6" model 29, also from the '70s. If I were seriously into competition of some sort, shooting large quantities of ammo, where it's more about the game than the gun, I'd be more interested in the Ruger.

I've been told that the superior strength of the Ruger is somewhat overrated. Not that they're not stronger, just that it's not really so important unless you're abusing it, such as many thousands of rounds of hot ammo. For the moderate to light quantities and loads I shoot, my old S&Ws should last a lifetime and then some.

If you like the Ruger, and it fits your needs better, by all means go for it.

[44Blam]

I've got a RedHawk in 44 mag that I've shot 10s of thousands of rounds with my mid range (8.5 grain unique under a 240 grain boolit - 1100 fps) and thousands if not 10s of thousands of rounds with my boomers (23.5 grain W296 under 240 grain boolit - 1450 fps). And I've shot a few thousand trailboss boolits (700 fps) - it was kind of a phase, but I get a hankering every so often...
I bought that gun used and it functions just as good today as it did the day I bought it.

I JUST bought a GP100 in 10mm and it is a very strong gun. It is smoothing out as I shoot it. I've got about 600 rounds through it and about 24 were 40s, the rest 10mm. The 40s kind of junk up the cylinders but they do shoot... I'm currently shooting a 188 grain boolit about 1275 and I am 100% sure I can do that for the next million rounds and the gun will probably work better at that point.

Saying this, I have felt the trigger of some of the smiths - especially the ones with a 'trigger job'... Lordy, lordy that double action is like butter... I just wish you could get the smith action in a Ruger frame.

[Petrol & Powder]

The D/A Ruger / S&W debate has existed since DA Rugers appeared on the market in the early 1970's.

I own and shoot DA S&W and DA Rugers and I like both.

The enhanced N-frame S&W revolvers (stronger cranes, lengthened cylinder locking notches and a few other improvements) are about the pinnacle of strength in that line. In current models that means MIM parts, the internal lock and new barrel manufacturing techniques. Those aren't deal breakers but they are factors to be considered.

The Ruger is also a blend of old and new. The Ruger doesn't have a side plate and it has a different cylinder locking system BUT it's construction is a bit more old school.

The S&W action has been its main selling point ever since the DA Rugers appeared on the market. That doesn't mean the Ruger action is horrible, despite the wailing from the S&W crowd to the contrary.
The Ruger's strength and lower initial cost has been its main selling points. That doesn't mean the S&W is weak.

[boatbum101]

Contender1 gave some very sage advice IMHO . Assuming that either fits your hand , has good sights & a usable trigger it comes down to your intended purpose . The S&W 29 if you shoot a bunch , use stiff loads you want a dash 5 or later . Don't recall what dash the barrel rifling changed from broached to EDM ( IIRC ) . Might be another consideration if you shoot cast . The earlier versions the fit , finish & parts are better . Dash 2 & earlier with pinned barrels are to me like a trophy wife . A whole bunch of show with beautiful bluing , hand fitting , nice wood . It's much easier to slick one up too .
If you shoot a bunch , hunt , use heavy loads the Ruger will hold up better in the long run . If you shoot cast check cylinder throats etc. Some take a little work to shine , but are worth the effort . An added plus is Ruger has excellent Customer Service , not something I can say about S&W any more unfortunately . If possible try to shoot some of both before you decide . Many times something that seemed good is something different when you shoot it .
I hunt & shoot magnum loads . Other than 2 357's ( 586 & 28 ) S&W , all my other mag revolvers are Blackhawks . For me after a little trigger work , ream cylinder throats if needed & lap out any frame restriction I have a simple dependable & accurate gun .

[Lloyd Smale]

depends on what you want it for. There totally different guns. The Redhawk is a HEAVY brute. it will handle loads into the realm of 454s. IF you want to kill big animals and load 300 grain and heavier bullets and don't mind that its HEAVY that's your choice. If you want a gun that is much lighter. Is good with up to factory level rounds (which will kill most things) and a gun you can wear all day long in a belt holster and a gun you can actually shoot double action and keep your rounds on a barn door then get a 4 inch N frame. As to new smith being junk don't believe it. That come from internet experts. Ive seen and owned crap guns from smith both old and new and great guns from smith both old and new and will say the same about ruger but even more crap. Ive got a 45 colt mountain gun with the dreaded key lock that is as smooth as any smith ive ever owned. I had an old 45acp mountain gun from back in the 80s that had a much worse action and wouldn't shoot 3 inch groups. Ive had redhawks with double action pulls that should be measured on a bathroom scale and single action pulls not much better. the exception with rugers is the super redhawks. They tend to be much smoother and much more accurate but you about need a wheel barrow to haul one around. I say get the smith. Go to a couple gun stores and try them. If it does have a rough action hand it back. My guess though is the first one you try will come home with you. I say smith all the way if you have the few hundred dollars more to spend. That is unless REALLY BIG animals are on the agenda and even then if you are handgun hunting them your probably more experienced and a 454 or 480 or 475 is a much better choice.

[ARS1911]

Thanks for all the input fellers, things have been so busy lately with work and family haven’t had a chance to get to the gun shops to check out the revolvers. Hopefully after the new year I’ll get to really compare and make my decision. All the knowledge and first hand experience from this group have been a big help.

[MT Gianni]

I recently picked up a used Model 69 Smith 4.2" 44 magnum. Built on the L frame it is light and accurate. I am considering it might replace the Redhawk 5.5 inch solely because of weight issues. The last times I have spent days in the hills I have not packed the Redhawk solely due to weight.
The L frame Smith is not a gun to shoot a lot of 300+ grain loads with but it will be there when I need it.

[onelight]

I recently picked up a used Model 69 Smith 4.2" 44 magnum. Built on the L frame it is light and accurate. I am considering it might replace the Redhawk 5.5 inch solely because of weight issues. The last times I have spent days in the hills I have not packed the Redhawk solely due to weight.
The L frame Smith is not a gun to shoot a lot of 300+ grain loads with but it will be there when I need it.

One of my shooting buddies has a 69 I really like it. I have shot 240 grain factory loads and 240 and 180 cast loaded 1000 to 1100 FPS all shoot well .

[gwpercle]

For a double action I prefer the S&W .
But lets not forget the other rugged action ... The single action
Ruger Blackhawk / Super Blackhawk , maybe a convertible or flat top ... extremely rugged .
Gary

[megasupermagnum]

The Redhawk trigger is just something you have to try. The way some people talk, it is the worst there is out there. Mine has a decent single action pull of 4.5 pounds. I've never done any work to mine, I do know there are gunsmiths that can do magical work to get these way down. The double action I believe is what most people refer to. The redhawk DA trigger stacks right before it breaks. I would not put a lighter mainspring in the gun. Mine is nice and smooth, but the DA pull weight and stacking is what it is. If I were to buy one with the intent on shooting it often double action for practice or competition, I would look elsewhere. Ruger would be wise to make the super redhawk in shorter barrels. I have hopes though that they intend the new super GP100 to fill that role.

I'll put it this way, a J frame double action trigger is generally worse than an SP101, which is worse than the redhawk, which is worse than the N frame.

I would not buy a new S&W. Even older S&W's were not truly up to the task of full power 44 magnums without some issues. If you only intend on using lighter bullets at more medium and lighter loads, it is not an issue. I consider the 41 magnum to be the limit of the N frame. Recoil is the issue, not any danger to the gun. Mainly, the cylinders tend to rotate under recoil.

I would recommend you shoot a Redhawk. Ruger quality is as good as it has ever been, and their customer service is great anyway. Maybe you will like it, maybe not. You can shoot any 44 magnum load your heart desires in a redhawk.

[DHDeal]

I don't see how a Ruger DA can be shot accurately when you have to look away from it when it's in your hand or nearby. Maybe if you really squint your eyes you won't be able to see it, but that can't help accuracy either😂😂😂😂😂😂

I couldn't help it and I apologize to all of the Ruger DA fans (both of you). Did it again so I'll duck and run.

BTW OP, did you look at a Ruger Blackhawk? They're easy on the eyes, silly accurate when you feed them correctly, not hard on the wallet, and strong enough that you won't have fun with the loads it can handle. Most owners can make the trigger pull smooth and relatively light. The only real problem with a RBH is that one has a habit of multiplying.

[MT Gianni]

Biggest problem with a used SBH is wondering how far the previous owner went into the 70,000 PSI zone trying internet loads with it. I would only buy one new.

[Murphy]

A lot of good advice here. My personal thought is to look for a good pre lock model 629. If possible and you have one available, carry a sized boolit of at least .430 with you to check out any you look at if the shop owner will allow you. Just ease the cylinder out like you're going to load it and try slipping the base of the boolit in the throat. For a while, S&W 629's had a bad habit of leaving the factory with .429 cylinder throats. A friend had a new out of the box one and boy did those undersized cylinder throats ever create a leading problem. So beware of that.

As for loads, I tend to lean toward factory fodder velocities and weights. You'll enjoy your gun much longer.

Good luck on your search.


Murphy