Ruger VS S&W newb questions.
- Thread starter Chainsaw.
- Start date
Both guns will handle industry standard ammo just fine. The Ruger has a reputation for handling ammo beyond industry standard. As far as handling outdoor field use, the Smith is great, but I would nod to the Ruger for being able to handle more abuse and still function. A lot of people like the Smith action better, but it comes at the cost of more moving parts. I would recommend handling and at least dry firing both before you buy.
I do have the Freedom Arms 7 1/2 454 and a Redhawk 7 1/2 in 44 mag. I hunt with them both, and in a belt carried holster (same holster). They carry the same, and I can't detect any weight difference.
If you are teetering between 454 and 44 Mag, and as you said, a handloader, I would just add that you can cover the entire spectrum of both rounds' capabilities with the 454 Casull, from 45LC to "Ruger Only" 45LC 44 mag equivilents, to the lighter 454 loads to the full power pain generators. I can't imagine firing full 454 loads in a short barreled one though.
I do have the Freedom Arms 7 1/2 454 and a Redhawk 7 1/2 in 44 mag. I hunt with them both, and in a belt carried holster (same holster). They carry the same, and I can't detect any weight difference.
If you are teetering between 454 and 44 Mag, and as you said, a handloader, I would just add that you can cover the entire spectrum of both rounds' capabilities with the 454 Casull, from 45LC to "Ruger Only" 45LC 44 mag equivilents, to the lighter 454 loads to the full power pain generators. I can't imagine firing full 454 loads in a short barreled one though.
Not what I wanted
I searched for a Ruger SRH in 45 colt. Never found one.
I did buy a smith model 25 in 45 colt. I loaded it like a 44 mag with no problems. I hunted deer with it a few years. I practiced with the hot loads and took a lens out of my glasses from the recoil.
Since then I found a Ruger SRH in 44 mag and bought it. I hunted deer with it, and shoot hunter silly wets every year. Zero problems, trigger was good right out of the box.
So the smith held up with no problems and The ruger did too.
The smith is a little more accurate @ 100 yards with 255 gr home cast @ 900 fps than the ruger is with standard 44 mag hand loads.
Both are fine.
Just for fun, this gun fired some handloads
That this one could not. It was a grand mistake and A long story. Both are 44 specials, the loads were 44 magnum in 44 special cases done by my dad.
The smith was purchased new around 1985. We shot pins with it sometimes 200 rounds an evening. It shows no signs of wear 30 years later.
They are all good!
David
I searched for a Ruger SRH in 45 colt. Never found one.
I did buy a smith model 25 in 45 colt. I loaded it like a 44 mag with no problems. I hunted deer with it a few years. I practiced with the hot loads and took a lens out of my glasses from the recoil.
Since then I found a Ruger SRH in 44 mag and bought it. I hunted deer with it, and shoot hunter silly wets every year. Zero problems, trigger was good right out of the box.
So the smith held up with no problems and The ruger did too.
The smith is a little more accurate @ 100 yards with 255 gr home cast @ 900 fps than the ruger is with standard 44 mag hand loads.
Both are fine.
Just for fun, this gun fired some handloads
That this one could not. It was a grand mistake and A long story. Both are 44 specials, the loads were 44 magnum in 44 special cases done by my dad.
The smith was purchased new around 1985. We shot pins with it sometimes 200 rounds an evening. It shows no signs of wear 30 years later.
They are all good!
David
jackmoser65
New member
So everyone who ever shot a model 29 loose is a liar? The gunsmiths that fixed them are liars too?
You can shoot anything loose. I had a Dan Wesson model 14 I returned to the factory twice for out of time from too many too hot rounds. I am a bullet caster so it was costing me $1.50 to $3.50 per box of 50. I shot pins with that one too.
45_auto, thanks for the laugh.
David
Edit:
The 624 pictured was my dad's. It is the one that got me to get a permit and buy my own handguns. You can not replace the time spent with my dad because of that 44. I will pass it on to my daughter in time.
Me, my brother, son and daughter took that 44 out and shot it when my dad was in kidney failure.
45_auto, thanks for the laugh.
David
Edit:
The 624 pictured was my dad's. It is the one that got me to get a permit and buy my own handguns. You can not replace the time spent with my dad because of that 44. I will pass it on to my daughter in time.
Me, my brother, son and daughter took that 44 out and shot it when my dad was in kidney failure.
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I look at it from a comfort and "most sugar for a dime" standpoint. The Ruger SBH (square trigger frame) will be immensely more comfortable to shoot, particularly with 300gr bullets. Second, the Ruger will be significantly less expensive; however, you'll have to add a Belt Mountain Base Pin, Bowen Rough Country Rear Sight, and a trigger job (About $150.00). Have done to my 6 Blackhawks and all shoot extremely well.
jackmoser65
New member
Why would you "have" to add a Rough Country rear sight? All new Ruger single actions come with an all steel rear sight, as opposed to the earlier aluminum version. I see no need to replace it with an non-adjustable, adjustable rear sight. 
I added the larger base pin because I got tired of the base pin coming out shooting heavy loads in 44M, 44Spl, 41Mag, and 45 Colt, both cast and jacketed. Trigger job because the 10+ Blackhawks that I've owned (still have 6) have needed trigger work for my taste. I've also owned 10 S&W N frames (still have 2) and none needed trigger work.
jackmoser65
New member
It is adjustable and then you Loctite the whole thing into place. In 40yrs, I've seen exactly one damaged rear sight and that was the aluminum Ruger sight. Zero steel sights.
I was an Army Small Arms Repairman 75-78, and in that time, I replaced 3 (three) 1911A1 rear sights (steel) that had been ..mashed. (all from armored or cav units, btw).
I think, bottom line, steel or alloy, if you drop it on a hard surface, expect damage.
FYI during the same time, I replaced the rear sights on M2 Browning .50s a LOT (again, almost all from armored or cav units). The rear sight ears work wonderfully to protect the rear sight, but when you drop the 84lb receiver (or worse with the additional 28lbs of barrel included) onto a hard surface like a tank hull or concrete, the ears suffer. Bent and broken sight ears, and broken charging handles (same cause) were 99% of the repairs we did on Ma Duce.
jackmoser65
New member
That's the thing. I think the RC sight will be more likely to save your adjustments but it won't be any less prone to damage if dropped.
I probably don't live in the same world some of you do (certainly I've been told that a time or three, 
)
But I can count on one hand the number of times I have dropped a handgun (or had it fall out of a holster), over the last 50 years, and have several fingers left over.
Been decades since I had to worry about combat, I'm not an LEO, and don't play tactical games. For me, being damage resistant is a plus, but not enough reason to replace a part on its own.
If it does something else better, that's different. Being able to survive being dropped simply doesn't enter into my personal plans.
Your situation could be quite different, decide for yourself.
)But I can count on one hand the number of times I have dropped a handgun (or had it fall out of a holster), over the last 50 years, and have several fingers left over.
Been decades since I had to worry about combat, I'm not an LEO, and don't play tactical games. For me, being damage resistant is a plus, but not enough reason to replace a part on its own.
If it does something else better, that's different. Being able to survive being dropped simply doesn't enter into my personal plans.
Your situation could be quite different, decide for yourself.
This has turned into the same old Ruger vs S&W thing that has been done and redone eleventybillion times.
What I'm not seeing in this thread is the distinction between models. Since he seems to be leaning towards 44 Magnum I'll share these.
Naturally, the value leader is the single action Blackhawk. Other variants raise the price such as the Super Blackhawk and Super Blackhawk Hunter. They all use the same frame. Differences are in the grip frame, barrel, and cylinder.
Next up would be the Redhawk. It has the old style double action setup that is smooth and designed to minimize stacking. The single action isn't quite as crisp as the others but it's still pretty nice.
The Super Redhawk is a totally different animal than the Redhawk. It uses the new style double action that has a crisper single action pull than the old Redhawk.
A S&W 29 is generally priced on par (or slightly above) the Super Redhawk. The current guns out of the box have a double action that feels similar to the Super Redhawk but carries a crisper single action.
I currently run an N-frame (25-2), (big) Vaquero, Redhawk, and Super Redhawk. They are all in .45 bore. The lightest is the 5-1/2" Vaquero. Next up would be the 25-2 with it's 6.1/2" barrel. The Redhawk and Super Redhawk are both 7-1/2" barrels and my scale can't tell the difference between them.
My Vaquero needed wide grips to fit my large hands.
The Smith was perfection with the presentation grips I found.
The RH and SRH are a bit of a mixed bag. I really enjoy both of them but they handle in a very different manner. The RH fits me better than the SRH but it feels a bit more nose heavy. That big SRH frame puts more weight in your hand as opposed to being in front of it. The gel insert on the 454 grips really helps the recoil.
I have worked all the actions on my revolvers. The Smith is my favorite by a large margin. It just feels good and the action is so light and slick it surprises some shooters. The SRH actually needs a heavier trigger spring now that the action work is complete. It is too light, especially for a heavy caliber.
I originally bought the RH as a possible replacement for the SRH. After owning both of them, I cna' bring myself to part with either.
For me, the 25-2 returns the best performance but I don't know how that would change with a set up to 44.
What I'm not seeing in this thread is the distinction between models. Since he seems to be leaning towards 44 Magnum I'll share these.
Naturally, the value leader is the single action Blackhawk. Other variants raise the price such as the Super Blackhawk and Super Blackhawk Hunter. They all use the same frame. Differences are in the grip frame, barrel, and cylinder.
Next up would be the Redhawk. It has the old style double action setup that is smooth and designed to minimize stacking. The single action isn't quite as crisp as the others but it's still pretty nice.
The Super Redhawk is a totally different animal than the Redhawk. It uses the new style double action that has a crisper single action pull than the old Redhawk.
A S&W 29 is generally priced on par (or slightly above) the Super Redhawk. The current guns out of the box have a double action that feels similar to the Super Redhawk but carries a crisper single action.
I currently run an N-frame (25-2), (big) Vaquero, Redhawk, and Super Redhawk. They are all in .45 bore. The lightest is the 5-1/2" Vaquero. Next up would be the 25-2 with it's 6.1/2" barrel. The Redhawk and Super Redhawk are both 7-1/2" barrels and my scale can't tell the difference between them.
My Vaquero needed wide grips to fit my large hands.
The Smith was perfection with the presentation grips I found.
The RH and SRH are a bit of a mixed bag. I really enjoy both of them but they handle in a very different manner. The RH fits me better than the SRH but it feels a bit more nose heavy. That big SRH frame puts more weight in your hand as opposed to being in front of it. The gel insert on the 454 grips really helps the recoil.
I have worked all the actions on my revolvers. The Smith is my favorite by a large margin. It just feels good and the action is so light and slick it surprises some shooters. The SRH actually needs a heavier trigger spring now that the action work is complete. It is too light, especially for a heavy caliber.
I originally bought the RH as a possible replacement for the SRH. After owning both of them, I cna' bring myself to part with either.
For me, the 25-2 returns the best performance but I don't know how that would change with a set up to 44.
Of course it turns into the same old thing, after all, we are talking about the same old guns, AGAIN..
Everybody has their own boat to float, so to speak, S&W has their points, Ruger has others.
If S&W made a single action .44Mag we could really talk some stuff!
I like the large frame Ruger SAs. Have (new model) Blackhawks in .45 Colt, Had a (original) Vaquero in .44mag, wanted adj sights, traded it for a Super Blackhawk. Wasn't entirely happy with the feel of the Super, but after shooting it a bit, it kind of grew on me.
I don't have any Ruger DAs, have handled and shot several over the years, they just never lit me up.
I have a 29-2, inherited, and there is definitely a limit to the velocity I can manage with stock grips without pain. However throw a set of pachmyrs on it and it gets much better for me.
Personally I'm not the kind that has to get every last fps or shoot the heaviest bullet I can fit in the gun. The .44 Mag has a LOT of utility and performance in its "standard" form, and the S&W handles that just fine.
Also have a 10" Contender .44Mag barrel, and a Desert Eagle. between them I have a .44 for everything I need, and a lot more, besides.
If I were to run across one of the Redhawks at a bargain price, I might pick it up. Not interested in the Super Redhawk, or the full prices of either.
Everybody has their own boat to float, so to speak, S&W has their points, Ruger has others.
If S&W made a single action .44Mag we could really talk some stuff!
I like the large frame Ruger SAs. Have (new model) Blackhawks in .45 Colt, Had a (original) Vaquero in .44mag, wanted adj sights, traded it for a Super Blackhawk. Wasn't entirely happy with the feel of the Super, but after shooting it a bit, it kind of grew on me.
I don't have any Ruger DAs, have handled and shot several over the years, they just never lit me up.
I have a 29-2, inherited, and there is definitely a limit to the velocity I can manage with stock grips without pain. However throw a set of pachmyrs on it and it gets much better for me.
Personally I'm not the kind that has to get every last fps or shoot the heaviest bullet I can fit in the gun. The .44 Mag has a LOT of utility and performance in its "standard" form, and the S&W handles that just fine.
Also have a 10" Contender .44Mag barrel, and a Desert Eagle. between them I have a .44 for everything I need, and a lot more, besides.
If I were to run across one of the Redhawks at a bargain price, I might pick it up. Not interested in the Super Redhawk, or the full prices of either.