Thinking about a .357mag

[Hookeye]

Ruger SA's are OK (pre warning or 3 screw- yes aesthetics are important).
I like Security Sixes over the GP series.
Colts are nice but overpriced. The least I'd get there would be a Trooper Mk3 (and hell no to the MK5-what an ugly rig that was).
Pre lock Smiths are very nice- probably the best for the $ IMHO. Like the 66 and 19's but for a little more ruggedness, proly 686 the best. 27/28's are cool, but I can't work an N frame double action for crap- always shoot my N's single action- even when hunting and shooting fast.

 

[JBI812]

Now if you really want a winner.....keep your eyes open for a stainless model of the old Ruger GP100 with the half shroud. The model number would have been something like GPF-841 with a 4 inch barrel & 357 bore. I had one and sold it before I realized how rare it was. They are few and far between and really fine handguns to have in your collection.

 

[Tombs]

As a former life-long wheel-gun guy this would be my recommendation:

1) GP100

2) SP101

3) PRE-LOCK S&W 686

I can't recommend Taurus to anyone. At their best they are cheap medium quality knock-offs of much better guns. At their worst they are low quality pieces of JUNK. My first handgun was an M85 5-shot .38. A couple of the cylinder charge holes were so over-bored that I was getting severe key-holing at 21 feet!

Of course the life-time warranty fixed it but at that point I had lost all confidence in the gun. Confidence in your gun is fairly important in a carry piece. I had a similar thing happen with a .45 Colt Anaconda! You wanna talk LET DOWN. That is a VERY EXPENSIVE GUN to have out of spec charge holes! I wasn't happy but Colt's legendary reputation for quality allowed me to file this one under "odd anomaly"....Taurus's reputation does NOT allow for that kinda "2nd chance" leeway.

Solely ragging on the lock is kind of pointless. After stripping the gun completely down, there's no fore-seeable way that thing could ever cause a problem unless you actually bother to lock it.

What I would rag on would be the build quality of later model smiths. Seems like everything these days, no matter how much you spend things are going to be a little off or someone will have forgot to do something.

My new 686 SSR has the very slight cant to the barrel that pretty much all smiths seem to have, doesn't bother me as it locks up correctly and the sights are dead on. What really peeved me was the crap I found inside the gun after I popped the side plate off. Looks like they had just worked the action with some polishing compound inside of it, and forgot to clean it out. All in all it's an amazing shooter with a DA pull pretty much on par with a standard glock, never felt a revolver that light that reliable struck primers, much less struck them extremely hard.

I'm plenty happy with the gun, and it's already one of my favorite shooters. I don't really feel ripped off either, it's just what I've come to expect from american gun makers.

 

[Madmax]

S&W 66...HooRah!!!

 

[Tombs]

taurus is good

Well it was, back in the late 80s. Not so much now, hahahaha.

My father has a j-frame copy I did some trigger work to, and it's actually a nicer gun inside and out than a current production j-frame smith.

Hyper accurate little 1-3/4" snub 38. If I'm having a bad day at the range with everything else I can always pick it up and look like a smart***.

 

[Tyrusvirus1]

Look around a little, I found a 1975 Ruger Security Six in perfect condition for $350

 

[Mgderf]

I have the following Taurus wheel guns:

model 605 .357mag 5-shot 2" snubbie, total titanium
model 607 .357mag 7-shot 4" ported, blue
Taurus Judge .45 Colt/.410ga 5-shot 4" "Ultra-lite"
Taurus Raging Bull .45Colt/.454 Casull 5-shot ,8-3/8" ported, brushed stainless

Newest is the Titanium snubbie (about 5 years old, and my EDC), oldest is the model 607 and has to be at least 25 years old.

Not the first issue with any of them. All shoot great, all spit out any ammunition I feed them.

I've taken whitetail with the 607, the Judge, and the Raging Bull. I even took a coyote at about 60 yards with the 607 4" barrel.

It's just my opinion, but folks that bash Taurus do not know of which they speak. Other brands may have a better finish, and likely cost MUCH more, but I've not found anything wrong with the Taurus brand.

 

[SAILORGOLF46]

Have a few s&w and a few Ruger double action BUT want a single action .357 with a birds head grip. Know of any body making one?

 

[Plinkuh]

Have a few s&w and a few Ruger double action BUT want a single action .357 with a birds head grip. Know of any body making one?

Ruger Vaquero?

Ruger Vaquero

 

[Lodogg2221]

Sold my one wheel gun, a S&W 4" SS 66....wish Id have kept it.
Why is it every time I sell a gun I always regret it? No more selling guns for me, only buying.
Now I have to replace it, and I will probably do so with a 3" SS GP100...size is just right.