Best .357Mag DA Revolver??

G

Gasanwu

CGN Regular
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Hello to all fellow CGNs, I recently sold my S&W 686 in order to get the SP-01. The more I think about it the more I miss it...:rolleyes:. It's like breaking up with a gf, and the only cure is getting together with another girl! So I decided to buy another DOUBLE ACTION revolver in .357 in the near future. As soon as I get enough $$ that is. And this time, I'm looking for a keeper. Something really good and accurate. I don't have a 12(6) so I'm looking at either 6" or 5" barrelled revolvers. Anything over 6" just isn't my cup of tea.

I haven't had much experience with different revolvers, so I need honest opinions from people who has handled different models and makes.

Colt - Python/King Cobra
Dan Wesson - Model 15???
Smith & Wesson - Performance center 627
Ruger - GP100
Taurus - 608SS

I'm looking at the S&W performance center 627 V-comp(removable comp), looks like a damn fine piece of art to me. Any idea who sells performance center revolvers in Canada? Opinions on any of the brand mentioned above are also welcome!!

O, and I'm not going to use it competitively any time soon, but would like to leave that option open.

I realize many people will recommend the S&W 686, but I have tried it already would like to try something different and maybe even better please?

I thank you all in advance.
 
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My opinion, your experience may vary :

Colt : Good but way too overpriced
Dan Wesson : No experience with them, so I prefer to say nothing
Smith and Wesson : Personal favourite, I used to have a 686, now have a 629. Good for the price, nice look and nice trigger.
Ruger : 2nd place IMO, very close to S&W. Same reasons pro, less the look (I find the superredhawk ugly, because of the stepped barrel)
Taurus : Function well, but I've been said that they have poor customer service and that spare parts hard to get, never had to experience that yet...
 
I'm sure you will get a lot of repliwd on Rugers, Colts and Smiths, so I will cover the Taurus;

you can get a .357mag Tracker in stailness for about $550 new, there's also a 608 (IIRC) model which is an 8 shot, Both have 6in barrels.
 
I'll throw in my $.02 as well. Having both the S&W686 and the GP100, I find that I like them both equally. I agree that the trigger on the S&W is really nice but my GP is also really nice, just not quite as smooth. Neither has had any additional work done and altho the GP is a 4", I find it as accurate as the 686 at ranges less than 20yd. The GP is built like a tank and I believe the Smith to be a bit more delicate but certainly nothing to worry about. You wont go wrong with either fo sure. I have Taurus revolvers as well and the new models are very nice indeed, but I have not handled their new 357's as I have no need for more than the ones I already have, but their large frames are really nice..As for the others, I agree with what was stated earlier. You wont go wrong with either the Smith or Ruger but try them on for size and see what you prefer. You may want to try Hogue grips on them as well as they make it really comfortable.
Enjoy, and good luck
cheers
dB:)
 
i have a 686 and love it the only other 357 comes close for me is the Model 27 5'' barrle that i have
 
Accuracy and durability wise how do Taurus Tracker compare to Ruger and S&W?
Click to expand...
I don't actually own any Taurus revolvers in .357 but my .44 is pretty accurate...The 608 model is huge and Traker is also availabe in .44mag... so think they can handle .357 just fine.
 
My Dad has a 4' Stainless Colt Python...Really nice fit and finish...BUT huge $$$ and it gets dirty easily and requires detailing to keep it functioning well. So IMHO this may not be the best route for all. Damn ###y pistol thought!!!
 
Colt-great guns, Pythons are wonderful revolvers, and the old leaf spring troopers give you the same action at 1/4 to 1/2 the price. The newer Troopers (Mk III and newer) and King Cobras (the coil spring actions) are no where near as smooth, but can be tuned up nicely. Basically, they were a price competition to S&W and Ruger, back when cops carried real guns.

S&W - The old ones have great, smooth actions, the newer ones not so much. Thier N frames are probably the best combination of portability and power going. K frames are comfortable to shoot, and extremely tunable. The J frames are cool, but like most coil spring actions are a little stiff and rough. My personal favourite would be a 5" Model 27, and a 5" 19 next in line.

Dan Wesson - The smaller framed guns (15, 715, etc) are out of production. Only the stretched frame (maximum length) guns are still being built, and parts are hard to come by. Good shooting guns, harder to tune then the others (trigger wise) but usually the most accurate as well.

Taurus. I've never owned one, the only thing I can tell you is that if something goes wrong, it's a ##### to get parts.

Ruger - brute strong guns. Usually need atrigger job, and even then they aren't the smoothest thing around. If I was looking for a 357 I could feed scarey "whack the bear" loads, this would be the one.

Your milage may vary. - dan
 
From what I have heard, there may be a new Canadian Taurus distributor coming in the very near future:eek: . If in fact that is the case, the issue with parts etc should be resolved, or so I would hope. Lets keep our fingers and whatever else you may choose, crossed.
dB:)
 
Accuracy? Using S&W 686 accuracy as a standard point, cuz that's what I regretably sold... How does Ruger and Taurus compare? And how come nobody knows anything about the performance center 627-V comp ??? At least tell me who else performance center models?

Canadian Taurus distributor in the future...? So where's all the Taurus' in Canada coming from?
 
I have owned a 686 since 1989 and have never had an issue with it, I love it. I have shot GP-100's and I like them too, but as previously mentioned they aren't as slick, even the ones that have been professionally tuned. I would really like a python but wouldn't get rid of the smith in exchange and I am sure if I did get a python it would become a safe queen.
 
S&W and Ruger are about the same accuracy wise in my experience. I forgot to mention the L frames (probably because the only one I like is the 696), but I have shot quite a few of them, I don't find them any better or worse then thier k and N framed brethren. Lot's of Tauri being imported, no service tho'. Perhaps a new distributor will correct that. Of the current crop, the Python is usually the most accurate (I believe because of the taper within the bore. I don't know if they still do this, all the Pythons I have owned were older ones. I still keep a four inch, just because it really is one of the best 357's around.). There are exceptions, of course. - dan
 
Ruger and S&W are about the same accuracy wise... ok. I've heard amazing things about Colt and Dan Wesson. Only Python is now a display piece, and Dan Wesson have as much replacement parts available as the Taurus. So how does the Taurus accuracy compare to the rest? There aren't too many reviews on the 608 online.
 
Dan Wesson 15

Do not buy DW 15. They are pretty but this is a baby DW and completely dissimilar to the other more robust models. They are accurate but they are way to fragile. My first .357 was a DW with a "pistol Pack". I would not own another one. To many problems. Timing problems, side plate sizes vary which is not a good thing cause they break. They do not stand up to stout loads and they are hard to get parts for.

Stick with 686, GP100, Python or Cobra. 627 if you can find a good one. Those are my choices. I ve shot them all and owned several. I'm partial to Smiths, a tuned Smith trigger is a thing of beauty.
 
for my money, I would stick with Colt or S&W. I am not saying you won't ever see a bad one, but your chances are way better then the rest. you get what you pay for. I learned a long time ago to get the gun I really want the first time, getting something that is second best will never make you happy and you will allways regret it.
 
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