S&W revolvers, the best there is??

[Multigunner]

Smiths are good, almost as good as a Colt Python. When I was a dealer (25 years) I sent more Rugers back to the factory than all other brand combined. Some 2,3, or 4 times. No thank yolu on a Ruger.

I've also had problems with Rugers quality control.
One new .357 my brother had been offered at a greatly reduced price was probably the worst I've seen.
The store owner let him take it out for a test firing.
He asked me to fire it first .
The bullets, .357, could be seen spining sideways through the air, and not a one came within a foot of can no more than thirty feet away.
When I looked down the bore, which I should have done to begin with, I found the lands with concentric cuts from one end to the other.
Apparently a chip had been caught in the reamer before rifling and no one even looked before finishing out the barrel.
How anyone could let a pistol leave the factory like that I'll never understand.

Years before I had to take a Bearcat back when it spit lead in my face at every shot. I never figured out why till I ran across a page on the bearcats a couple of years ago. It turns out that quite a few of the early production Bearcats had made it past inspection with no forcing cone cut at all.
the bullets were being engraved right at the gap with the displaced lead being blasted off the base.
How lead got from the cylinder gap all the way to the shooters face at arms length is still a mystery, but could be it somehow bounced off the inside of the frame.


PS
For the main question, for a Single Action I'd prefer a Colt. For a Double action I'd prefer a Colt to a Smith if both were in new or excellent condition, but if both were worn to any extent I'd prefer a Smith to a Colt.
The Colt lock up handles wear less well than the Smith.

[S.R.Custom]

If someone made a double action revolver as well as Freedom Arms makes a single action, I'd probably own only one handgun.

[exile]

I have two Smiths. The other day I took my Ruger SP-101 in .327 Federal out to shoot some .32 H & R mags, two out of three cylinders, one shell did not eject and was stuck behind the ejector. Maybe the rim diameter on the H & R is different than the .327 Federal (I need to check) but that did not give me a great deal of confidence since I bought the gun as a self-defense firearm. Anyway, that is the long way around to say if I wanted a double action I would buy a Smith if I could afford it, and if I wanted a single-action (no big news) I would buy a Ruger. However, Ruger makes affordable guns in double-action in calibers Smith and Wesson will not touch (at least not at a price I can afford) so there is that. For what its worth.

[9.3X62AL]

I have lots of all three revolver makers' products (Colt, Ruger, S&W). Single- and double-actions. I must be a George Bernard Shaw advocate.

[Bucks Owin]

Well, my two centavos: Love my M19-4 1979 vintage S&W Combat Magnum, (But would swap in a heartbeat for a nice Python) thought my M29-2 was OK but had no problem letting it go to own a 10" Flattop Ruger (which was more accurate in my hands). My Old Model Super Single Six shoots rings around my New Model SS6. Love OM and FT Rugers, like NM's, love Colts, like S&W, badly want a FA M-83 and would sure play with a BFR if the occasion arrived....Loved old Fords, despised Chevys love old Willys but wouldn't own a Chrysler...(But am amazed at my 350K miles '92 Cherokee!) So, there ya go, ya seen me in my underwear! LOL! (Oh BTW, would NEVER, NEVER sell any of my Winchester P-64 M-70's and M-12's, but put Remington in with the Chevys!)

[Bullshop]

Supermag
Have you ever heard of the Korth double action revolver? I think they were made in Germany. From what I have read they are what you described, a double action made like a Freedom arms.
BIC/BS

[MakeMineA10mm]

I'd rate my Freedom Arms #1, Smith's #2, Ruger's #3, and then the others! And that is based on out of the box accuracy. Strength? Freedom probably still #1, Ruger #2, Smith a close #3. I think the strength of the Rugers has been enhanced somewhat on computor keyboards. I have had difficult extraction from warm loads happen at about the same level with both. Since I don't blow up my revolvers I cant' verify the "ultimate strength" level, It would go to the Rugers,I'm sure, but I have Smiths that have been fired more than many shooters shoot in a lifetime, that are still tight and accurate. Pythons have wonderful actions, and are accurate, but the two I've owned weren't shot enough to make a determination about durability, although I've heard that a Python might need a "tune up" earlier than other guns. However, folks don't buy Cadillacs in preference to Volkswagens to avoid maintenance,? Generally, what "feels good in the hand", points well for you and fits your budget is the advice I'd give.

I would have to say my favorites are most S&W. I am a serious shooter (not a collector) so that makes a difference. However, to be honest, I have a number of excellent Rugers, also. I have two deer hunting revolvers (an S&W Model 29 scoped 8 3/8" and a Ruger scoped Red Hawk 7½"). I preferred the Smith but on bad weather days, I would ALWAYS take the Ruger. I got as many deer with the Ruger as I did with the Smith.

My latest handguns are Ruger Single actions. I have been EXTREMELY happy with them.

Talking about favorite makes is really a good bit about "Cheverolet or Ford". If we were honest, it would't make a rats a$$ which we use. The shooter makes the difference. The great playright, George Bernard Shaw, said it all, "Comparisons are odious"!!

Dale53

These two are right on point with my experiences. The majority of my DA revolvers are S&W and most of my SA revolvers are Ruger. I've got a colt SF-VI (modern-made stainless Det. Spl. basically), and I've recently played with a Python for the second time.

Basically, my take on it is this: The S&W double-action trigger system is the easiest for me to hit with.

I know the Python has a great reputation as being better, but I found it's stacking / shift of the weight of pull during the DA pull to be unmanageable. Maybe if I'd spent more time with it, this would be different, but when you also kick in the prices that Colt charged for Pythons, it became one of those "someday" guns. (And, someday never came...) I like the SF-VI (and I've owned a Det. Spl. and a Cobra in the past), but it's no better or worse than the Smiths, in general, but it has the backwards cylinder latch and stacking DA trigger pull, so it's not my #1 favorite.

I've handled and shot several Ruger GP-100s and I think they're a fine revolver for the money, but they're significantly heavier and bulkier and they're trigger is just not as nice. I've got a couple internet friends who have described spring kits and trigger jobs that reportedly get them adjusted to very close to a S&W, and I don't doubt it.

Basically, I wouldn't feel poorly armed with ANY of them, but my preference, especially for an out-of-the-box DA revolver would be a S&W. Trigger, feel, the whole combination of all the little things make it preferable to the competition, but I wouldn't feel upset/bad if I had a Ruger or Colt.

As far as Single Actions go, I've left Colt and went Ruger. I've got a handful of them now, and they're not bad at all. Like most, the newer they are, the more challenging it is to find one that is made right, or so it seems.... (Old timer's used to say the same thing, about the stuff we think is keen now, didn't they??) I'd really love to get a Freedom Arms, but for now, they've priced themselves out of my range. Someday... At least they offer higher quality for the price, as opposed to Colt who offers the privilege of owning a gun with "COLT" stamped on it for a high price (and no better quality than 150 years ago...). If I bought a Colt SAA these days, I'd look for a 2nd Gen. or 3rd Gen., but the prices on those are getting ridiculous for a decent one, and we're still talking all the foibles of the Colt SAA design. (Screws loosening and springs breaking, etc.) A New Vaquero is preferable to me.

[69daytona]

I have a little bit of everything, mostly S&Ws, Dan Wesson 44 pistol pac, some old first gen colts,
ruger 22 and a few uberti clone SAAs and a tauras 357 snubby. all shoot great with the right bullets
Love em all but the old Dan Wesson is hard to beat.

[BD]

Dan Wesson. M15 and 744. The best trigger I've ever pulled was on my S&W M37, but I've worn it out, not even 20,000 rounds and it's out of time and the firing pin bushing is worn off center.
BD

[deltaenterprizes]

Korth is a very expensive well made revolver.

The new breed of S&W revolvers leave a lot to be desired. The haammer and trigger are MIM(metal injection molded) not forged like the old ones and the prices are outrageous.
Look for the older S&Ws and scoop them up at half of a new one, better gun, better price.

Yes, I love my older Smiths

[S.R.Custom]

Supermag
Have you ever heard of the Korth double action revolver? I think they were made in Germany. From what I have read they are what you described, a double action made like a Freedom arms.
BIC/BS

Interesting. Price seems kind of steep, tho.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=143670646


But seriously, it looks like an interesting gun. Their website shows no activity since '03, tho, and very few have come up for sale on gunbroker. It does not appear they made a .44, either, a pre-requisite for my "only handgun."

[txbirdman]

Chargar nailed it for me. I've had Colt revolvers and sold them. The pinned barreled S&W's I've mostly kept except for a 4" 29-2 that was brutal on my hand. In single actions I love the feel of my SAA but shoot the Ruger's more and if JMB didn't have a hand in developing the auto pistol I don't like it.

[machinisttx]

Supermag
Have you ever heard of the Korth double action revolver? I think they were made in Germany. From what I have read they are what you described, a double action made like a Freedom arms.
BIC/BS

Korth revolvers, new, are about $5,000 now for a base model I think. Expensive enough for a federal excise tax anyway....

http://www.korthusa.com/revolver_en.htm#

[Bullshop]

OUCH!!! I remember them being expensive but not that much.
Shure would like to pinch off a couple shots with one.
BIC/BS

[Mumblypeg]

If you're talking DA, Smith. Single action, Ruger. Look around, what do the competative shooters use? I've seen more comp guns built on Smith actions than any other. Like rifles, 700 Rem actions. I've sold all the Colt DA's that I've ever owned, Still have most of the Smiths. What ever works for you...

[Halfbreed]

I had only 1 S&W, 629-5, a 3"bbl, carried great, accuracy was poor, carried it as a ccw. 44spcls on the streets, then heavy mags in the woods.
had lots of timing problems, cylinder would lock up bad, flame cutting of both the top strap, and the cylinder face off center, bent crane without being abused,
It went back to the factory twice, it came back in worse shape than it was sent in the first time. Second time only a week later, they reamed the cylinder throats with what looked like a hand held die grinder, I could not beleive it.
Customer service was terrible and I traded it for a Ruger P-97, apples to oranges I know, but it goes bang every time I squeeze the triger, Then when I go woods bummin, I pack the Taurus rb in 45colt, also hunt with the RB accuracy is so much more than the 629 ever could be.
So to wrap it up, I will never own a S&W anything. Not because i think they are all junk. But because for me their CS dropped the ball big time. They did not care that this was a ccw.
John

[jack19512]

I had only 1 S&W, 629-5, a 3"bbl, carried great, accuracy was poor, carried it as a ccw.

had lots of timing problems, cylinder would lock up bad, flame cutting of both the top strap, and the cylinder face off center, bent crane without being abused

And this was your choice for a ccw.

[Four Fingers of Death]

The double actions that I predominately have are Smiths because they are well finished, accurate and reasonably priced. The Single actions that I predominately have are Rugers because they are well finished, accurate and reasonably priced.

I have had no experience with Ruger Double Actions or Big Bore Smiths.

I think that the main reason that the Smiths are so popular here in combat matches is that they were easier to tune than the Cobras when they were availible, cheaper and most guys shot them because most guys shot them if you get my meaning. In cowboy stuff, get two possees of 12 travelling together through the scenarios and you will possibly see someone with clones, maybe two and the rest shooting Rugers, both new and old model Vaqs and ROAs. Hell for stout and ultra reliable.

My USAFs are better finished but were more than twice the price of the Rugers when new.

Smiths DAs and Ruger SAs, they work and they make sense!

lets see,

3xSmiths, all in 38 or 357 (I was sure that there is more than that down there, I'll have to have a look).

9x Ruger SAs (make that 11 if the deal to buy back the 45 BH Convertibles I sold comes off),

5x Colt SA Clones

1x Colt 1911

1x old Colt Po Po.

1x 92FS (about to be replaced by a 1911 or a Glock)

++++ lotza odds and ends!

;D

[RSOJim]

As a range officer, I see all brands on the firing lines. Mostly S & W"s shot single action, then Ruger single actions with a smathering of Redhawks thrown in. I hardly ever see a Colt double action, but I do see old Colt single actions from time to time. Taurus, well from what I understand from most shooters that have bought them is that they have been returned for factory warranty repair and will be sold if and when they get them back. thanks Jim

[dubber123]

As a range officer, I see all brands on the firing lines. Mostly S & W"s shot single action, then Ruger single actions with a smathering of Redhawks thrown in. I hardly ever see a Colt double action, but I do see old Colt single actions from time to time. Taurus, well from what I understand from most shooters that have bought them is that they have been returned for factory warranty repair and will be sold if and when they get them back. thanks Jim

You sound like you work at my range...