ZEBRARANGER
New member
Ruger
With a little bit of work one can achieve a trigger to give the S&W a run for the money. I have a big pat on the back from a S&W armorer about the trigger on my GP-100 match champion.S&W is forged/milled and has a superior trigger.
I posted on this thread about one that went out of time twice.I don't know if I've read a post about someone's 686 going out of time...maybe ever.
Concur 100%.If you are talking new production now, I would choose the Ruger GP-100 over any S&W revolver made now.
However, I would absolutely choose an older used S&W revolver over any GP-100 and any new S&W revolver.
My comfort zone would be right around 1999 or older, and I find a real sweet spot between about 1983 and 1993.
Smith & Wesson made today has a pretty good chance of zero, and I mean literally zero QC inspection. That entire department has been outsourced to the consumer. If you buy a new S&W, and especially a revolver, you may get to try your hand at the fine reputation of their customer service and warranty. The problems you might see are unlimited. Frankly, it's a laugh riot. I'm a S&W revolver guy through and through and S&W QC today makes my stomach turn. It is revolting.
As for operational difference between GP-100 and a K-frame or L-frame S&W .357 Magnum:
Single action on the S&W is noticeably better
Double action on new S&W and GP-100 might be close comparison... S&W smoother but hits a heavy, obnoxious dead wall at the end that you have to bash through. The Ruger is springy and sproingy but mostly predictable -- the trigger stroke seems to take F O R E V E R but it gets there.
The S&W is more receptive to improvement in the double action feel if you are comfortable going inside the revolver.
The Ruger is far, far, far, FAR more bulletproof to issues with regard to timing and wear. To put this another way, you can go out and find a million S&W revolvers with timing that is a little off or a little slow or a little erratic, but it's half a miracle to find any Security Six, GP-100 or Redhawk with timing problems of any sort.
Summary:
1) get a S&W from 20+ years ago
2) get a Ruger GP-100 from whenever
3) get a new production S&W from right now and report back anything and everything you find that ain't right with it