Range and fun gun in 357 Mag

[osteodoc08]

My mother has my 586 at her house pulling duty as HD gun. I want to find another DA/SA in 357 with 4-6" barrel. It will be used as fun and range gun. Also I've been contemplating shooting more 38/357 due to cost and conservation of resources. I was thinking of Smith or Ruger. I've even contemplated a full size in the smith N frame line, especially a 27 or one of its permutations. This isn't anything like a gotta have it yesterday. Just want to look at my options and perhaps I'll come across the right one over the next year or so.

[Prs61109]

The S&W Model 27 is high on my list for next purchase for the same reasons. I'm already set up for reloading .38 Special/.357 Magnum for indoor target shooting at my pistol club.

I presently shoot a Model 25 in .45 Colt. I love the look, feel and heft of N frame revolvers. When my range buddies are shooting 9 mm or 45 ACP, the .45 Colt speaks with real authority but it is more costly to reload. I'm thinking my wife or grown daughters could handle mild .38 Special reloads with no problem. I can load these for about the same money as 22 rimfire (when I can find any).

Let us know when you get one and how you like it.

[jmort]

Gp 100

[waco]

Gp 100

What he said.....

[dubber123]

The short cylinder in the N-frame S&W's can be kinda irritating. It bugs me that a longer nose boolit will fit in my J-frames than my N's. It hasn't stopped me from buying them though. :)

[Lonegun1894]

Ruger, whatever model you like best. I have a New Vaquero, a Security Six, a GP100, and am always looking for a Blackhawk... Guess you could say I'm a bit prejudiced.

[Bzcraig]

Gp 100


What he said.....

What they said!

[Hammerhead]

I bought a GP100 2 years ago, still very happy with it.
It likes my handloads.

[sandman228]

you cant got wrong with a s&w 686 ,a gp100 ,or even a Blackhawk ,I own all 3 and think there great, my gp100 is a 327 though the others 357.

[375supermag]

Hi...

I have a bunch of .357Mags that I shoot regularly, including a very accurate S&W 686 Silhouette model. It does get a little unwieldy at times with its 8-3/8" barrel, though. And I do seriously enjoy shooting my three dRuger BlackHawks in .357 also.

But...for just fun at the range I found a couple Colt Troopers in .357 a year or so apart several years ago. IIRC, I didn't pay more than $325-350 a piece for them used. I don't believe one of them had ever been fired before I bought it. Accurate and fun to shoot...my son and I put thousands of rounds of my generic LSWC load through them each summer.

A used quality DA revolver in .357Mag is a great value and can provide bucket loads of fun.

[btroj]

Gp100

[jmort]

^ you use an I-Pad too as I recall. I could not get it to capitalize the "p" in GP100 either. I guess you have to bury it in a sentence.

[SSGOldfart]

Dan Wesson 15-2 pistol pack in 357 still shooting the first one in 82,no problem with it ever they just announced their new model: being released:o

[taco650]

I wouldn't mind having a .357 again myself. Had a 4" Model 28 (retired Oregon State Patrol gun) that was good. Also had a 4&5/8" Blackhawk. Both were lots of fun and strong enough to handle any load I could make. However, if S&W were the brand I wanted, a 686 or 681 would be my choice. The GP100 is just as good IMO. Same with Colt's Trooper. Guess there's too many choices LOL! Why not a Python if you want to go all out? Guess I'm no help, sorry!

[Airman Basic]

Might I suggest a Rossi 357 rifle in whatever version. They are my go to fun guns lately.

[jonp]

Gp100

[osteodoc08]

Might I suggest a Rossi 357 rifle in whatever version. They are my go to fun guns lately.

I've got a JM Marlin with Lyman peep on it. It needs a partner. Moms got my 586 and had to sell off my 686 and blackhawk.

[freebullet]

Nuther +1 fer GP100 can't go wrong with that one.

[yoter]

The good ole' 6 shot S&W 686 is hard to beat. It's a stainless 586.

[c1skout]

I vote GP100 also. Put one of the Hi-vis sights and your grip of choice on it and then just try to wear it out!

[coloraydo]

Another vote for GP100.

[Mk42gunner]

GP-100. I have had a S&W 586 6", 686 4", and a GP-100 in both 4" and 6", I ended up keeping the 4" GP-100 because it is handier, but for a dedicated range or hunting gun I would go with the 6". N-Frames just don't fit me well long term.

The stock grips are pretty comfortable as they come from the factory, although I currently have a set of rubber Hogue Monogrips on mine.

Robert

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

." ...

[telebasher]

Handi-Rifle!

[Bonz]

Ruger GP100 Match Champion

101001

[osteodoc08]

Never having shot a GP-100, but if using my redhawks as a litmus, I find the Rugers, lacking in the trigger department when compared to my Smiths. How are the GP triggers?

[Petrol & Powder]

Gp100

[LUCKYDAWG13]

love my 686-3 with 6" barrel but was just looking at a GP100 with a 4" barrel

[Petrol & Powder]

The Rugers are far better than a lot of people are willing to admit. The triggers are acceptable but can be improved greatly with just a little work. A reduced power spring set from Wolff will put most GP100's in the modern S&W category as far as DA action. It's a few bucks & 10 minutes worth of work to fix what the product liability attorneys F****d up. With just a little bit more work (careful polishing and shims) the GP100 action can be made as good as any new "out of the box" S&W and 100% reliable. The Rugers are very strong, durable, accurate and generally cost less than the S&W.
Now, I'm not exclusively selling Rugers. The S&W L-frames like the 686 and a good N-frame model 27 are also works of art. The S&W's generally command higher prices and finding a good model 27 or 28 that won't break the bank can be a challenge these days.

[jetinteriorguy]

Take a look at the S&W 627, 8 rounds of goodness and an N-frame will last forever. I'm absolutely loving mine, I've officially semi-retired my M57 I've loved since 1980 and the 627 has taken it's place. I put in the lightest spring in my Wolf spring kit and the trigger is just out of this world it's so smooth.

[Lonegun1894]

I shot my GP100 and my Security Six side by side with several S&Ws, and a couple of the S&Ws triggers were very slightly better, but I am so used to the Ruger trigger that the S&Ws didn't give me any advantage, and I have not worn out my Rugers (with almost 90K rds through my Security Six that I got used so don't know how many rounds went through it before it came to live with me), even though I have been trying.

[C. Latch]

I have a 6" 686-3 that I've owned a long time and shot more times than I could count. For a purely fun revolver to shoot, it's hard to beat.

[Lefty Red]

S&w 65

[osteodoc08]

So there's quite a bit of love for the GP100.

Would you go 4" or 6" and blued or stainless? What is the street price for them?

What's the cylinder length of the 586/685 vs GP vs 27/627 vs Security Six? In other words, will I have any issues loading the heavies (180gr +)?

I may have to see what all the fuss is over the GP100. I've got a box of virgin brass from starline sitting downstairs along with some "blemished" 125gr XTP's as well. Not to mention the 3 molds and a few hundred pounds of smelted COWW begging to be sent down range.

[osteodoc08]

Ruger GP100 Match Champion

101001

Very sweet, however, that rear sight doesn't look adjustable.

[Ed K]

What's the cylinder length of the 586/685 vs GP vs 27/627 vs Security Six? In other words, will I have any issues loading the heavies (180gr +)?

If you want a S&W 27/28 just get yourself a 180gr WFN mold with a compatible nose... this is Cast Boolits after all! I went through Veral Smith but there are group buy molds and also Tom at Accurate that can fix you up. I wouldn't let it become an obstacle.

[Mk42gunner]

So there's quite a bit of love for the GP100.

Would you go 4" or 6" and blued or stainless? What is the street price for them?

What's the cylinder length of the 586/685 vs GP vs 27/627 vs Security Six? In other words, will I have any issues loading the heavies (180gr +)?

I may have to see what all the fuss is over the GP100. I've got a box of virgin brass from starline sitting downstairs along with some "blemished" 125gr XTP's as well. Not to mention the 3 molds and a few hundred pounds of smelted COWW begging to be sent down range.

As I said, I kept the 4" purely for handiness reasons. It is my grab it and see what is making the dogs bark at night gun; it fits better in my pocket than a 6", once I am on the way back to the house. For a range gun I really liked the first 6" I had back in the late 1980's.

I never tried 180's in mine, but my current one from the early 2000's will accept my version of the Lyman 358429 in full length brass. Others will not, and I am not sure if it is a cylinder length issue or if it is caused by Lyman's varying cherry dimensions. If I had to bet I would say the varying cherries used over the years. There have been a few long threads about this in the past.

The actions can be slicked up considerably with not much more than a couple of stones and a piece of crocus cloth by a knowledgeable revolver armorer or smith, although those are becoming somewhat rare these days since almost all the police are carrying bottom feeders. I come from a military/service gun background so I don't like putting weaker springs in a revolver, (or backing the strain screw out on a S&W).

Both my Gp-100's were blue, but there isn't anything wrong with the stainless version. Both of the Redhawks I had were 5.5" stainless and I liked them. No idea of current prices.

Good luck with whatever you decide,

Robert

[Lonegun1894]

I love the looks of a blued gun, but mine are defensive/hunting/field guns and as such they see all kinds of weather conditions, so not safe queens or even range toys at all, so I almost always go for a stainless gun when given the option.

As to cylinder lengths, here it is for my Ruger .357s:

Security Six: 1.607"

SP101: 1.579"

GP100: 1.611"

I can't provide measurements for S&Ws and others cause I no longer have any, but hope the above helps. Now those measurements are the cylinder itself, and are not for the overall length of the round itself, cause the above does not include the space at the back of the cylinder that allows for the rim of the case itself.

[Petrol & Powder]

As for stainless v. blued that's a personal decision but one that is influenced by simple truths. Bluing looks great but it is a fairly fragile finish with carbon steel under it. If the finish wears off or is damaged, it exposes the underlying carbon steel. This may not be as big of a deal with a range gun or a gun that lives in a nightstand/safe/desk, etc. Also some people are a little bit better at cleaning and caring for firearms than others. Toss in a wet climate and rust becomes a big concern.
Stainless Steel is not a surface finish, its the same material all the way through the metal. If you damage it, it just exposes the stainless steel under the surface. Stainless is not rust proof but it is far more rust resistant. A stainless gun still requires maintenance but when it comes to potential rust, but the material is far more forgiving than carbon steel.


As for barrel length, another personal decision that is influenced by facts.
For pure range only /target only / maybe hunting activity; the 6" barreled revolver offers a little longer sight radius. Longer sight radius can be an advantage. In any other setting, I consider the 6" barrel to be unwieldy. For all around usefulness I find the 4" tube to be a good compromise and even prefer the 3" tube for some carry guns. The small loss of velocity between a 6" barrel and a 4" barrel is trivial and not worth the penalty of that extra 2" of steel. If all you're doing is poking holes in paper, that little extra velocity is meaningless.
Just my opinions, YMMV.

[dg31872]

Everyone has their own preferences, but my 686+ in six inch is pure joy to shoot.

[osteodoc08]

If you want a S&W 27/28 just get yourself a 180gr WFN mold with a compatible nose... this is Cast Boolits after all! I went through Veral Smith but there are group buy molds and also Tom at Accurate that can fix you up. I wouldn't let it become an obstacle.

I currently have a Lyman 358429, MP 360-180 WFN, NOE 358429

All are superb and enjoyable.

I mostly launch them out of a Ruger RH with 5.5" tube. Dang gun is so heavy, it feels like a 22 when firing off even the stoutest loads.

Thank you LoneGun1894 for the measurements. The GP is indeed long enough.

[Petrol & Powder]

Did I mention the GP100 ? :wink:

[Beagle333]

GP100
I been tryin to wear mine out since 1985. I think it's just broke in good! :grin:

[lar45]

I've had a 4" stainless GP-100 since about 93' and love it. A great companion piece is the Rossi M92. Lots o fun there also.

[osteodoc08]

Looks like I'll be on the hunt for a 4" GP100 then. Thanks guys.

[MtGun44]

I'd rate the 585 at 100 and the GP100 at 95. . . . . both are
good guns

Bill

[Petrol & Powder]

OK, I'll bite, What makes the GP100 slightly inferior to the S&W L-frame in your eyes?

[dubber123]

For me it would start with a better out of the box trigger..

[fecmech]

OK, I'll bite, What makes the GP100 slightly inferior to the S&W L-frame in your eyes?
The only thing in my eyes is the DA trigger. If you are competing in a game like PPC where there is a lot of high accuracy DA shooting the S&W is the way to go. Other than that, same same.

[silverado]

I did shoot a "basic idpa/Dixie wheelgunners" course a few times and for ME my 6 inch gp100 was difficult to draw quickly. I can also shoot that pistol 90% or so in a 2 inch circle at 15 yards no rest or anything. 158 grain tumble lube powder coated last time. The trigger is great on mine after a gut estimate of 1500 rounds.

[Piedmont]

Let me add the grips as another point where the GP-100 is inferior. It has been my experience that all the S&W and Ruger revolvers point the same for unsighted fire up until Ruger decided to go with a grip stud. Even my friend's 4" Redhawk was right on for me when I tried it out point shooting a few years back. That is comforting when you have a selection of revolvers that you know you can use quickly and instinctively in poor light.

[Petrol & Powder]

For me it would start with a better out of the box trigger..

I've owned a shot a bunch of both makes and the "out of the box" trigger label is a bit relative to the production date for both makes. I'm beginning to think that it may just be a line to help sell S&W for more money. They're both good mechanical machines but I'm not convinced that the expensive 1890's S&W design is a whole lot better than that 1985 Ruger design. I am convinced that the Ruger design is clearly stronger and generally costs less. I'll pay for quality but I will not pay for a brand name - and by the way, I own far more S&W's than Rugers. I think the S&W revolver is an outstanding design and one that I trust, I just don't think it's superior to the GP.

[dubber123]

I've owned a shot a bunch of both makes and the "out of the box" trigger label is a bit relative to the production date for both makes. I'm beginning to think that it may just be a line to help sell S&W for more money. They're both good mechanical machines but I'm not convinced that the expensive 1890's S&W design is a whole lot better than that 1985 Ruger design. I am convinced that the Ruger design is clearly stronger and generally costs less. I'll pay for quality but I will not pay for a brand name - and by the way, I own far more S&W's than Rugers. I think the S&W revolver is an outstanding design and one that I trust, I just don't think it's superior to the GP.


The GP has attributes of it's own, strength of design and construction being the biggest. I have a pile of S&W's, and occasionally tune one for a better D/A pull, but I don't think I have one with more than a 3# S/A pull, stock. I don't think I ever handled a stock Ruger that light. Tuning triggers isn't generally that hard, so it's not really that big of a deal. The other point in favor of the S&W's is I personally prefer the aesthetics. They are both good, and their sales and fans reflect that.

[Petrol & Powder]

OK, I will freely concede that the S&W's look better than the Rugers.

[dubber123]

OK, I will freely concede that the S&W's look better than the Rugers.

It seems a petty reason doesn't it? :) It has kept me stocked up on Smiths, and few Ruger revolvers. I do kinda like the half lug GP's though. If I was in the market for a heavy duty, medium frame .357, one of those would get serious consideration.

[Petrol & Powder]

You got me there. :D
I often accuse my liberal leaning friends that they make decisions based on emotion instead of logic. Maybe I should go shoot my S&W's and Rugers while I sort out this conflict in my mind :D

They're both excellent guns.