Help me pick the best deal(s)

L

LH2

New member
Found some pretty good gun deals today but decided to sleep on 'em.

Here's the deal, I need a CC gun like a S&W 642 or other shrouded hammer or DAO design, and I also want a plinker, something cheap to shoot in a .22lr.

I eventually want a better range gun and am thinking 3 or 4 inch GP100. Here's the deals I saw today, let me know if you think any of these are worth jumping on.

1) S&W Pre-Lock 642 used, looked very clean, and the trigger was better than any new J-frame I've seen. Barrel looked kinda dirty with some stuff in the rifling, not sure if it was lead or just regular wear. Barrel reads .38 Spl NOT .38 +P like newer J-frames. Does this mean I'd need to practice with regular .38's and carry +P? $309

2) Ruger SP101 .22lr 2-1/4" Used but unfired with box. Everything is tight, looks new. For a plinker, the short barrel isn't ideal. Rear sight adj for windage only, 6-shots. Might be a good tool for working on DA shooting though if I get a GP100 or .357 SP101 later. $240

3) Browning Buck Mark standard model NIB blue. Probably more accurate and fun as a plinker or at the range than the SP101, but less of a DA learning tool. $265

4) GP100 4" stainless NIB for $390. Doesn't fill the role of plinker or carry gun, but I was planning to get one eventually in 3 or 4 inch bbl. This is $50 less than I can get this gun for at a store near me that stocks them regularly.

Anything stand out? :)
 
Last edited:
# 1 can not use +P at ALL. I had one.Its a nice gun but if you wanna carry +P's you need to look for a 642-1 or a 642-2.I decided on a 2 1/4 ruger sp.

#2 I collect rugers and that is a very good price for the .22.Please email me the info if you decide not to get it.

#3 The Browning Buck Mark is a nice gun but their service SUCKS.I had a Browning Buck Mark that the nickle was bubbling from underneath and they wanted over 200 bucks to renickle it ,agian I went with a ruger.
 
That's the cheapest I've ever seen a Ruger SP-101 in .22lr. The few I've seen in that time went for close to double that price.

Not sure about the other two, but I think the Buckmark price is about average.
 
The SP is the one you need to grab right now. I wanted an SP 22LR for training with my .357 Mag SP-101, but wasn't going to pay $400-500 for it. I got a Ruger semiauto 22 instead, for less than $200.

The 642 you can get brand new for not much more than that gun costs used. And it will be clean and shoot +Ps.

You should also be able to get a Buckmark or similar .22 semiauto (e.g., Ruger) at any time for close to that price.

~Ichiro
 
# 1 can not use +P at ALL.
Click to expand...

So if I *could* use +P ammo, would the barrel read .38 Spl +P like the newer J-frames? I don't really want to carry standard pressure .38's so that's not ideal. How would I know if it was a 642-1 or -2?

I forgot one another one that looked like a good deal: GP100 4" stainless NIB for $390. I wanted to get a full-size .357 range gun eventually but wanted to first get a plinker to replace the Mark II I sold :rolleyes: (hence the SP101 .22 or the Buck Mark) and a CC gun.

Regarding the 2-1/4" SP101 .22 - Isn't that short bbl just going to drive me crazy trying to shoot a decent group at the range or hit a can plinking at 15 yds or so? Or is it more accurate than I think?
 
The SP is the one you need to grab right now. I wanted an SP 22LR for training with my .357 Mag SP-101
Click to expand...

I'm defintely getting a .357 SP101 or GP100 before too long.

So you think there's a definite benefit in owning the SP .22 revolver for learning trigger control and working on finger strength for shooting a SP .357 or GP100 later? I like that they would share the Ruger feel.

On the Buck Mark, it's about $15 more at Sportsmans Warehouse anytime I want one, or I could opt for the Nickel for a little more cash. But it's not really a killer deal, you're right. :)
 
Im not sure if it says it on the barrel.But if you open the cylinder it will say if it is a 642- whatever on the hinge of the cylinder.
 
For training purposes, there is a definite advantage to having a .22 with the same manual of arms as your .357. For one thing, at the range, you can blow through hundreds of rounds of .22LR for only a few bucks before bringing out the much more costly (but more fun and realistic) .38s and .357 magnums. A couple hundred extra rounds per range session will definitely add some extra shooting "muscle."

Also, it will be much easier to try alternate shooting techniques first with the .22. One-handed, weak-handed, one-hand-weak-handed, point shooting in every configuration, etc., will be much easier to handle with the .22 first. Then, you can go to .38s and finally .357s. I do this with my Ruger 22/45, but it's nowhere near as close to the real-deal as it would be with the same gun in a .22. The grip, size, and manual of arms is completely different.

My range does not allow rapid-fire shooting, but they don't seem to notice when people do this with a .22.

Last but not least, if you're introducing friends to shooting, a .22 is definitely the way to go. When you introduce them to .38s in your bigger-bore SP, they won't have the anxiety of dealing with a completely different gun. The grip, weight, and manual of arms will be the same.

~Ichiro
 
Learn to crawl before you run, so I'd start with a .22. Since you've found a short barrel .22 revolver that everyone thinks is a good price on an uncommon pistol, I'd go for that. Learning to shoot with that winky sight radius will go a long way for when you decide to move up to a J frame in a bigger caliber, plus as you've noticed, you can get a new Buckmark for barely more than what you've posted, so as a deal goes, its not that exceptional.

As for +P? To me, no lock would be worth it more than the ability to shoot +P. Maybe that makes me naive, but I figure that bringing a .38 to the party puts me above the guy who's got nothing and the badguy will rethink his day whether 158gr of lead hits him at 800fps or 900fps. There's lots of merit in alot of discussions about what you need to protect yourself, and I think its all hyperbole.

Well, mostly, at least. Flame in in PMs, folks, or a new thread. ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top