Ruger vs Smith and Wesson Revolvers

I have a half a dozen ruger revolvers, 3 are DAs, and they are well made and shoot well.

However, the last dozen revolvers I have brought have all been S & W....they just fit, feel, and shoot better for me.
 
<<<I can't wait to hear about the first guy in a life-or-death situation that his his SP101 trigger lock up at the critical moment, a common problem in the SP101>>>

lol


Never heard of such. But I'd like to see documented cases of this happening... if you can provide them.
 
I will probably never own a smith, my budget won't let me unless I find a crazy deal like I did on my ruger service six. However there isn't a smith I know that I could shoot any better than my ruger. I don't shoot much but everytime I do it just keeps amazing me on accuracy. I am gonna try over 25yds soon, anything under 15 and I can't even count my shots as they are clustered so close. At 25yds I have been keeping them in less than 3 inches, single action is butter smooth, double is longer but silky smooth too. might be how it was made or could be the 2-3000 rds I was told had been shot in it before I bought it. Smith's may look nicer but I wouldn't trade my ruger to one. If I have one problem with my ruger and it's one I am trying to over come is that it is blued and the bluing is wearing off. thanks
 
I've got several Smiths ranging from the 36 up to a 629. I've also got a couple Rugers ranging from a MK1, Charger (its still a pistol! lol), GP100, SuperBlackHawk, and had a LCR. Now would I trade one for the other? Maybe to only get a .500S&W (always wanted one lol). Of all my centerfire wheel guns, I shoot my 629 and SuperBlackHawk the best, mainly because I shoot them the most with my cast reloads. I've even played around out to 400yds at a man sized steel target and could hit it with both pistols after figuring out holdover. Each have their ups and downs. Depends on what you want/like.
 
Have you ever seen a Ruger revolver win an action shooting competition? Maybe, but it's not very common. Smiths rule the roost during a season of matches requiring shooting thousands of rounds. Why? Their triggers are easier to tune, their accuracy is good, and competitors prefer them.

Overall, I've had better results with SWs although the sample size is small.

I have 2 Smith and Wesson 625s, a 625-3 stainless that I bought used and shot in USPSA competition so much that the hammer nose bushing needed replacement. After the second trip back to the factory (after 15,000 + rounds), they gave me a new frame. It still shoots well although the notches in the cylinder are peened and it started skipping chambers. Off to the gunsmith to fit a new cylinder and a 4" barrel to be my IDPA revolver.

My other Smith is a 625-8 stainless with MIM parts. After a few thousand rounds I sent it to Mike Carmoney who bobbed the hammer, did a slick action job (despite the dreaded MIM parts), and installed a titanium cylinder. It runs flawlessly. I put in a Wolfe Gunsprings lighter weight mainspring and it lights off my reloads with Federal primers without problems. I have only 5,000 or so rounds through it but haven't taken the sideplate off it in the past 2 years.

The stainless finishes on both 625s have been very good. Unlike others, I don't flyspeck the finishes on my guns.

I have a GP-100 6" heavy barrel. From the factory, the cylinder throats were three different sizes (.3575, .357, and .358) A machinist fixed that problem but it was hard to improve the trigger for USPSA competition purposes. I spent a season shooting major with .357 magnum loads and then bought my first 625. A friend who claimed to be familiar with Rugers tried to do an action job but the gun kept "pushing off", e.g. the hammer dropped with the slightest pressure on it. It will go back to Ruger soon to put on a 4" barrel and put the lockwork back to factory original. It will become my IDPA Stock Service Revolver.

I have a SW 638 Airweight and a Ruger LCR in .38 spl. The Ruger has better sights and a better trigger from the factory. The SW has better grips and a better trigger after installing the Apex Tactical Spring kit. The LCR has a weird trigger reset that can cause it to skip a chamber or lock up. I prefer the SW 638.

So what does this mean? I would be interested to know whether the SW 629 or the Ruger Rehawk or Super Redhawk are more popular in Revolver silhouette competition that requires distance shots with heavy .44 mag loads. I would think the strength and reliability of the large framed Rugers would give them an edge in that arena but I don't know.

Next purchases? A Ruger Six (Security Six, Speed Six) in 9mm, hopefully with a 4" barrel. A SW K frame with a 4" barrel.

For me, Ruger = good and SW = very good. And, as always, YMMV.

Chris
 
Smith & Wesson pre-lock as everyone agrees with , S&W has the fit and finish over the Ruger . I have a lot of both ... Ruger can really handle the heavy loads , have to give them that .
I like both manufactures , right now I have this love affair with my Davidsons Custom 5" GP100 , just a great balanced gun when you need a break from the 4" and 6" Wheel gun ... Why not 5" !
 
skidder's pic is a fine example of two similar sized guns (K frame). the Ruger is stronger as it does not have the weaker flat cut area at the bottom of the forcing cone like the S&W does.

barring the regular use of 125gr. SJHP .357 magnums, the S&W and Ruger are equal in strength. however, the Ruger will take more hot loadings than the S&W, though the S&W has a better D/A trigger out of the box.

if you like the Win 145gr. STHP .357 mag load like I do, the S&W would be the better choice. if you prefer the vaunted Rem. 125gr. SJHP which made this caliber legend, the Ruger is the better choice.
 
IMO current offerings between the two are almost the same (in my hands, I'm no revolver wiz) and the Rugers are generally cheaper, or at least were when I was buying my revolvers. There are pre-lock Smith's I'd love to own eventually, but that's another story.

My Rugers are all belt guns for the field, and I don't really care if they look all that purdy, they go bang and hit what I shoot at.

Good enough for me.

Hmm, I guess except for my LCR, but I won that for free, so it doesn't count :D Great little gun though.
 
I have owned both a S+W 686 and a GP100. I still have the GP, which says something there.
Close call between the 2, but I simply prefer the grip of the Ruger.

However for my carry gun, the BodyGuard beat out the LCR.

Go figure:confused:
 
Have you ever seen a Ruger revolver win an action shooting competition? Maybe, but it's not very common. Smiths rule the roost during a season of matches requiring shooting thousands of rounds. Why? Their triggers are easier to tune, their accuracy is good, and competitors prefer them.
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Yeah, but the guns are lighter weight and shoot bunnie farts, all about the race and not real life. That's not a test of reliable street use.
 
Yeah, but the guns are lighter weight and shoot bunnie farts, all about the race and not real life. That's not a test of reliable street use.
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You make a solid point... however the larger argument is heavily flawed.

Competition does something to firearms that carry for service or defense is unlikely to ever accomplish, and that's a VERY high round count. Some call it "an accelerated use test" and regardless of how light the loads may be, it puts the revolver through a far heavier volume of actual use than the average recreational shooter ever will, which may be even heavier use (in so many cases) than any LE ever will with an issued service gun.

On gun discussion forums with passionate hobbyists, the "Ruger vs S&W" conversation is just another of the classic duels in conversation. Frankly, either of them is pretty much going to work for what the end user hopes or needs. It's going to be irrationally difficult to tell a guy who loves his choice that there is a better choice than the one he has decided on. And really... that's flawed also. Because if it's HIS choice and HE is happy with it, it's nonsense to even suggest that there exists a better choice.

I own two double action Ruger revolvers and I can absolutely see at least two more specific ones down the road in my chase. I have a slew of S&W revolvers and I prefer them, but that simply does not make me enjoy my two Ruger revolvers any less.
 
Competition does something to firearms that carry for service or defense is unlikely to ever accomplish, and that's a VERY high round count. Some call it "an accelerated use test" and regardless of how light the loads may be, it puts the revolver through a far heavier volume of actual use than the average recreational shooter ever will, which may be even heavier use (in so many cases) than any LE ever will with an issued service gun.
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The implications of high round count should not ignore that the ammo was too mild to be anymore than a way to shoot out the rifling. Real world ammo would likely be far more demanding on the gun.
 
Don't agree at all. Two different types of wear would be fine testing for two different types of failures.

Do you honestly believe that you're going to purchase any average Smith & Wesson revolver (or Ruger) and wear it out? Especially one that you deem needed or put in to the role of "street use" ?!

C'mon, roll back the blind passion. And "bunny fart" competition loads are running lead bullets, typically SOFT lead bullets. They won't wear out the rifling, either.
 
I am currently on the hunt for a barrel, because my gunsmith said the barrel of my Ruger Police Service Six is "shot out", barely any rifling left. I bought it used, and when I had it checked out, the gun wouldn't hold acceptable groups.
 
Own Quite a few double action Smiths Rugers Dan Wessons and Colts, even have a Korth.My favorite22 is my Dan Wesson it is spot on accurate period. I like the Smith chiefs special for a pocket gun the Ruger speed six is my choice when it comes to a snubby mag. for 357 range gun, I like the Dan Wesson for longer range shooting but my Colt python has a better double action. I choose my 686 smith as best of both worlds. I m not partial to the ruger gp 100, not a bad gun just not as smooth as the others. My Smith model 27 seems too large for a 357 so I don't shoot it much. For 44 mag, I prefer my 51/2 inch redhawk good pointabilty and able to digest my 350 grain cast bullets with heavy charge of w 296. My old nickle model 29 i bought in 1973, while real nice action and trigger and sights had to go back to smith and wesson for a rebuild and refinish after ten years of moderate shooting. My Dan Wesson 744 is my favorite for silhouette and hunting pigs. I like the interchangable barrel feature and it holds up well to heavy loads. I dont use my superedhawk much anymore, it is heavy and handles the 454 well but, well I'm getting up there and its a heavy mother. These are just my opinions, and I am just trying to help as not everyone has all types of handguns to compare with. I shoot about 25000 rounds per year not counting 22s in handguns. Hope this helps.
rr
 
real gun said:
Yeah, but the guns are lighter weight and shoot bunnie farts, all about the race and not real life. That's not a test of reliable street use.

The implications of high round count should not ignore that the ammo was too mild to be anymore than a way to shoot out the rifling. Real world ammo would likely be far more demanding on the gun.
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You really ought to at least try a competition before making false statements about the equipment. It tends to make people attribute your incorrect statements to false passion on your part.

To maximize their score in IPSC/USPSA competition, you'll find that revolver competitors need to shoot ammo that makes Major power factor, which is 165 or greater. Power factor is bullet weight in grains times velocity in FPS divided by 1000. Most factory 357 magnum ammo barely makes Major, while factory .38 Special +P will put you way back in the Minor class with a power factor of about 125. Anything that factors below 125 is not even scored.

I know very few people who consider factory 357 magnum ammo as "bunnie fart" ammo or "mild" ammo. Exactly what loads do you shoot in your guns that you consider "real world" ammo?
 
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Yeah, but the guns are lighter weight and shoot bunnie farts, all about the race and not real life. That's not a test of reliable street use.
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There is competition and competition.

Enhanced service revolver division in IDPA has a power factor limit of 165, all others have a 125 factor. SSR has 105 since .38 Special did not meet 125.
 
Competition does something to firearms that carry for service or defense is unlikely to ever accomplish, and that's a VERY high round count. Some call it "an accelerated use test" and regardless of how light the loads may be, it puts the revolver through a far heavier volume of actual use than the average recreational shooter ever will, which may be even heavier use (in so many cases) than any LE ever will with an issued service gun.
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The implications of high round count should not ignore that the ammo was too mild to be anymore than a way to shoot out the rifling. Real world ammo would likely be far more demanding on the gun.
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I said nothing about what kind of competition. The one with which I am quite familiar is IDPA but not revolver. The 45 ACP guys clearly shoot light loads. Let's assume they change their ammo for qualifications. I don't see why this mindset of gaming would change for revolvers.
 
revolver competitors need to shoot ammo that makes Major power factor, which is 165 or greater. Power factor is bullet weight in grains times velocity in FPS divided by 1000. Most factory 357 magnum ammo barely makes Major
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That's because 357 is not really a "major" caliber except in someone's technical sense.
 
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