S&W vs. Taurus Revolvers

R

rock_jock

New member
A good frined of mine is about to make his first purchase of a handgun (he already owns a Beretta 92F given to him as a giftso he is familiar with handgun safety and function) and is leaning towards a .357 Mag. The gun will primarily serve as a concealed carry weapon. He is thinking IWB holster and a shrouded/internal hammer on the gun. Of course, being a CCW gun, considerations that will come into play are concealability, stopping power, accuracy and to some degree, comfort. The two manufacturers that come to mind are S&W and Taurus, with the former sporting 640 and 649 as candidate models and latter, the 605. I want this guy to get some unbiased feedback, so I am setting my personal perferences aside and coming to the "experts" (or at least those with open ears and a friendly word) with a few questions:

1) S&W is a more expensive gun than Taurus - is the extra expense worth it, i.e., is it reflected in better quality?
2) I saw an ad for a Model 649 for $360. Is this fairly reasonable?
3) Is there any advantage in getting the stainless steel version?
4) What are your opinions on the .357 Mag vs the .38 Special for CCW?
5) What kind of add-ons should he consider, i.e., night sights, laser?

P.S. Save the diatribe on S&W being a bunch of godless pinko commie sellouts - this guy just wants to buy a gun, not lead a revolution.
 
No diatribes.

S&W guns are superior to Taurus in just about every way, but Taurus has been gaining in QC and innovation. The major difference for many is still the price. As for features or add ons, that is purely a matter of preference.

If price is a consideration, there are many S&W police trade-ins in .38 and .357 available for bargain prices, and I would look at that area first. In most case, there will be outside wear, but the guns will be tight and the barrels like new.

Stainless has no real advantage over a blued
finish in practical terms, unless exposure to salt air or the elements is a factor.

Jim

[This message has been edited by Jim Keenan (edited May 02, 2000).]
 
I have a S&W 640-1 .357 and a S&W 642 .38. Love both of them. Carry the .357 every day as either on-duty backup or off-duty primary. I have had no problems at all with either, but that should be a given with a S&W revolver.

I have never had any dealings with a Taurus, but people who have speak highly.
I paid $355 + tax for the .357, $329 + tax for the .38.
S&W is stainless only, I believe.
Get the .357 if weight isn't prohibitive. You have more versatility in ammo.
I haven't been able to locate night sights. The only real add-on I've considered is grips, and I finally chose Uncle Mike Boot Grips in place of the UM Combat Grips.




[This message has been edited by h2o-5o (edited May 02, 2000).]
 
having carried a sw642 and having shot one quite a bit (i shoot 5 rounds and eject catridges with 6 shot revolvers on rapid fire all the time). i found it to be an excellent, easy to carry gun. i kick myself every day for getting rid of it.

the 640 probably wouldn't be much different except for the ease of carry/weight issue.

i would go 642 for a dedicated ccw piece.
 
Sorry rock-jock but I cannot simply "save the diatribe on Smith & Wesson...."

It isn't about his wanting to start a revolution. It is about the second amendment, it is about our rights, it is about freedom and above all else it is about solidarity. Certainly one person such as your friend purchasing just one more new S&W will not make a difference, nor will two or three. However there comes a point where if there are enough it will make a difference. That difference will eventually lead to the down fall of the RKBA. Purchasing a new Smith & Wesson does nothing but under mine the efforts of your fellow gun owners. There are more than enough used S&W's on the market for him to locate and purchase one of them if he feels the Smith is the better choice.
Don't try to tell us not to deride Smith & Wesson. That is nothing short of asking us to simply bow down and except what is being down to our rights. I for one will sure as hell not do that!

------------------
Gunslinger

TFL End of Summer Meet, August 12th & 13th, 2000
 
no expert but...

1)no - not on a new gun. I'd watch the older taurus ones, though
2)don't know about new ones. Used, they go for 200 - 250 around these parts.
3)yes - sweat, weather, and cleaning habits.
4)Always take .357 over .38 unless weight is a factor.
5)no gadgets, LOTS of practice

If you go S&W, please buy used.

:mad: S&W is a bunch of godless pinko commie sellouts :mad:

:) sorry :)
 
Rocxk_Jock,

My only revolver is a pre-treason, all stainless, Smith 627 "N" frame, with a five-inch barrel and a full-under lug. It is a wonderful handgun: unbelievably accurate, beautiful quality of materials and manufacture, exceptionally reliable and durable.

This said, if I wanted to buy a NEW .357 mag/.38 Special today, I would certainly opt for an all-stainless Ruger GP-100 series rather than a Taurus.

Finally, I would definitely select a .357 magnum rather than a .38 Special. As you know, all .357 mags fire all .38 Special rounds. This fact alone provides a strong reason for .357 magnums: the easy availability of a very wide range of .38 Special and .357 mag loads. In addition, .357s are designed and fabricated for the extra pressure of the magnum load; therefore, they are likely to be an intrinsically more durable revolver.

[This message has been edited by RWK (edited May 03, 2000).]
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Ezeckial:
You get a better deal with the Taurus revolvers with the following caveats.

Taurus does seem to have some quality problems right from the factory. If you buy one, put at least 200 rounds through it to see if it's OK.

Taurus trigger pulls vary quite a bit from gun to gun. You might get a good one, you might get one that isn't so good.

Taurus does have an excellent warranty policy. If the gun goes for work, you'll get a better gun back (not cost effective for Taurus though...they do need to get there assembly processes squared away).

I've owned 5 Taurus revolvers: (2) 85CH's in stainless, (2) .357 full size revolvers in stainless and an 85UL.

The 85UL had to go right back to the factory dues to light primer strikes. It was returned in about 3 weeks. Now it's a sweet, very reliable CCW handgun. It's "+P" rated, very light and concealable. This is my primary carry piece. I sold the 85CH's when I bought the 85UL (in my opinion, the weight of a carry gun is a major consideration).

The (2) .357's have been great guns. One did go back for repair (the cylinder rotated freely...I don't know what was broken). I did get a better gun back.

Never owned S&W...too expensive for what you get. And it doesn't seem like S&W quality is that much better then Taurus to justify the extra cost.

For a concealed hammer...the Taurus 85UL does have that now (didn't when I bought mine).
As far as caliber for self defense...I prefer .38 Spl +P. They're easier to shoot in a small frame handgun and don't have the excessive penetration that .357 Magnum has. In a self defense situation, you should be concerned about the rounds that miss as much as the rounds that strike the assailant. Not much of a backstop on a city street...

[/B][/quote]

[This message has been edited by Ezeckial (edited May 03, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Ezeckial (edited May 03, 2000).]
 
Any gun currently for sale in a gun shop is NOT the property of Smith and Wesson. It is the property of the retailer who bought the gun in good faith from S&W prior to the Sellout. Boycotting the current inventory hurts the dealer, S&W has ALREADY been paid for the gun. Ask the dealer if he/she intends to order more S&W products. If they say yes, you may shop elsewhere in good conscience. If they say no, go ahead and buy it from them. When they sell you the gun they can then use the money to order ANOTHER gun from ANOTHER manufacturer.

That said, S&W makes a fine revolver of predictable quality. Taurus revolvers range from okay to very good. There is a lot of variation in trigger quality. But the good news is that some polishing and a set of Wolff springs gives a trigger as good as a S&W. The other thing to watch on new Taurus revolvers are the tolerances. The guns used to be pretty sloppy, now some are TOO tight and can cause the cylinder to bind in some cases. As has already been stated here, put 200 rounds through the gun. Get that gun HOT. If it doesn't bind when too hot to touch the cylinder it should be okay. If it does bind, send it back and ask them to increase the gap between the forcing cone and the cylinder.

Bottom line is, Taurus guns can be just as good as S&W, except when they aren't. You can save around $100 buying Taurus over S&W. But you might have to get some work done to the gun. Then again you might not. The decision is up to you.

FWIW I bought a Taurus 85UL (the aluminum, not the titanium model) last month. I had a trigger polished and some springs replaced. I ordered a set of Eagle "Secret Service" concealment grips. I plan on replacing the hammer with the "CH" hammer. Then I will have a great little pocket pistol that will still have cost less than a S&W.

[This message has been edited by TBeck (edited May 04, 2000).]
 
All good replies - keep 'em comng.

As far as buying S&W, I told this guy I would give him advice on guns, not politics. Besides, he is as much of a conservative as I am. Finally, if buying a S&W protects his life better than another brand (and I'm not sure it does, that's why I started this post), then that's what I would recommend.
 
I don't own either one myself, but I have a buddy with the stainless .357 5 shot snubby taurus, exposed hammer. It is a good gun, shoots good, trigger is good. Plus right now Taurus will throw in a free NRA membership when you purchase the gun (check their web page for details) now that is a cool deal.
 
Have you looked at the Ruger SP101 KSP model?
They are 357Cal. with an overall weight of 25 to 27 oz. carry 5 rounds, no trigger to get hung up on. And have a full shroud. they come in 2 1/4" and 3 1/16th". these are exellent carry pistol.
Here is a picture and the spec's http://www.ruger-firearms.com/das/sp.html
The Prices are about 30% over what you can
get one for.

Hope this Helps
Tony Z

------------------
www.vote.com
also for gun accessorys. http://gungoodies.com

[This message has been edited by tonyz (edited May 03, 2000).]
 
Follow TBECK'S advice and he'll be fine.

Tim :)

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Why dont you get rid of that nickel plated sissy pistol and get yourself a glock. :::Tommy Lee Jones:::
 
TBeck knows his stuff... :)

6forsure: I would hate to think where we'd be now had the Russkies not been on our side in WW2.
 
i didn't mean specifically. they are both traitors. i like products from both companies. i will probably buy products from both companies. which is also sort of hypocritical since i think that they are both traitors.
 
I've got a S&W mod. 49 that I've been shooting hard for over nine years. It's still as tight as when it was new. I've got a 640-1 that I've been shooting hard for 4 1/2 years and, if I could have only one gun, it does everything that I really need a gun to do and it fits in my pocket.

I've got a stainless Taurus model 85 with the bobbed hammer that I have hardly shot in the nearly 5 years I've owned it. I bought it new and probably haven't shot 500 rounds thru it. It wasn't as tight out of the box as my model 49 still is after 5,000 rounds. It is noticebly less accurate than any of my Smiths, even when shooting such precision targets as bottles, cans, and floating river driftwood.

I love my Smiths, but my next gun will be a Ruger SP 101 with a bobed hammer. Years ago, I had a Security Six and a Service Six. They were indestructible. I wish I still had them. I have a friend who has a SP 101 that I get to shoot occasionally. Incredibly strong gun although it is still not quite as accurate as my Smiths.
 
Here's my experience:
Bought a Taurus .22 revolver in the late 80's, decent quality but needed some work to be reliable.

Bought a Ruger, very good piece but didn't have the fit and finish of a S&W.

Bought a S&W 646 in .357, HAPPY!

Bought a Taurus 85UL in 1998, very impressed w/ the quality of fit and finish,accuracy,and trigger. Better fit and finish than some of the newer S&W's I've seen and handled.

What did I buy next? The Taurus was the better value but the S&W holds value longer.
Can't help it, I love S&W revolvers!(the older ones)

If your friend wants a new one and money is in any way an object, I'd recommend the Taurus. If he doesn't mind used or money isn't an object, get the Smith.

Good Luck,
Dave
 
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