which one for accuracy, reliability, between 357 dan wesson, ruger gp100, s&w 686

O

oznewbie

Inactive
hi guys,

i'm in the market for a brand new 6 inches barrel
357 magnum for target shooting and just want to
have your advice which one to get between dan wesson, ruger gp100, s&w 686. somebody told me
to get a 38 special for target shooting but i
think it is better to get a 357 because i can also
load 38 special into it.

how about those expensive brand like manurhin, and korth, are they really worth the price? are they
really in different level when it comes to accuracy?

hoping for a lot of response, and thank you very
much to all.

cheers & always shoot safe....
 
Don't even think about the Korth.

Use the same amount of money to buy one of EACH of the guns you mentioned.

They each have their merits.
 
Sorry Sam. that's not homework. It's B.S.

I do realize that you are one of your Saviour's "Apostles" and therefore like to beat a dead horse until it is atomized.

Give up. the boycott has failed miserably. It has NO chance in hell of putting S&W out of business. Face it. Get over it.

I recommend buying new Smiths. Check one out. Pick one out. Take one home. You will be helping the company stabilize. A stable company makes a better product than a company in turmoil.

Take a look at a new 686 Plus. Then a new Ruger GP100. One of them will call to you to take it home. I guarantee it.
 
I just purchased a Smith 686-5 with the 2 1/2" barrel. While not the 6" model, this 1999 production number is excellent in both fit and finish. The trigger was very nice right out of the box. 25 yard accuracy for this short of a barrel is great.
This is my opinion, and your mileage may vary. :)
2002772719908618470687.jpg
 
Which to get

I have both a GP-100 and 686 Plus Mtn. Gun. I like each. Go look at each and see what you think. If you get the 6" Ruger you will have anothe decision (heavy underlug barrel or light). Again try to find an example of each. Also, if you can find one new or used look at a Colt Python. If you want to look at a Korth try:

http://www.korthwaffen.de/en/

I have never seen one but am given to understand you would be looking at $6,000 or so. Manurhin was sold to a firm in Australia the last I knew. I doubt either will shoot better than a Python.

Jim
 
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My vote goes to the Smith & Wesson six-shot, 686-5 with a 6" barrel.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
The "other" revolver brand

Oznewbie: Have you considered the Taurus? In days of old a Taurus was just a Smith knock-off and you still can see the "family resemblance," but Forjas Taurus has taken the original design and gone their own way with improvements. And you gotta love their lifetime guarantee. If you regard the having of a couple extra rounds on tap as a good thing, consider the M608, in .357 mag. Eight round cylinder. Can you imagine Dirty Harry putting THREE holes in the perp in the "make my day" scene? Mine is the 8" bbl. for accuracy's sake; it was not intended as a CCW. Loaded as a .357 mag it is a fire-spitting dragon with 180 gr hard-cast bullets pushed by Alliant 2400 for deer or pigs, but for target work I load the .357 cases with a .38spl-size load of Win 231 and wadcutters, and it is mild and easy to practice withÑAnd more accurate than I am! Tried .38 spl cases, but my gun at least, likes the longer cases better.

Taurus also makes .44 mag and other caliber revolvers, up to .454 Casull if you are interested, and has a wide selection of bbl. lengths. Personally have not tried the big bores as I'm happy with my "little" .357 mag.

Something else about Taurus: They usually don't cost an arm & a leg. And who wants to buy a "name" with which to impress others? :)
 
Actually, if the main criteria is accuracy and reliability, the Ruger BLACKHAWK has the most potential :).

Right, that's SA.
 
If you go and hang around a couple of service or action matches at any of the Sydney clubs you will notice that just about all of the revolver shooters use S&W686's. Check club notice boards for second hand guns , chances are you will get a bargain.You can't wear out these guns with the types of loads we use, generally a 135gn wadcutter and about 3.9gn wst for power factor somewhere around 127000.Email me for more info.
 
I'd vote for an older S&W with the 6" barrel in either 357 or 45acp. Personally, I find that the 45acp is more fun to shoot but that has never stopped me from shooting the 38/357's. :D

You can find a very good example of a S&W 357 or 45acp for about half of what a new one would cost. With the money saved you could buy a Ruger Security Six which IMHO, is one of the most underrated revolvers out there.
 
I've shot both the GP and the 686, and I prefer the 686. The Smith had a much better trigger, and was much more accurate (in my hands). You can't go wrong with either, though...
 
for reliability, the only choice is the ruger GP100...it is just built tough...but, if accuracy is a factor the only choice has to be the dan wesson.

the factors contributing to its outstanding accuracy are:
1. lockup at the front of the barrel
2. adjustable barrel/cylinder gap
3. barrel under tension
4. flat crowned muzzle

the old colts, if you are looking at a used gun, had the advantage of 1-14" rifling twist and a "choked" barrel
 
If new, Ruger GP-100 series. Check our TFL archives for lots -- thousands of posts -- of information regarding this subject.
 
Manurhin was sold to a firm in Australia the last I knew.
Click to expand...

Manurhin was sold to a small French gunmaker, Chapuis Armes. Specifically, Manurhin only sold the gun brand and some of the equipment related to the guns. The factory is still in business producing ammo and industrial equipment. They are now called Manurhin Equipement. The word "Manurhin" is a contraction of "Manufacture d'armes du Rhin" (Rhine arms factory).

PS5
 
If I was to buy a new .357 it would be a Smith, but that's largely becaue I already have a Ruger Security Six and a Colt Python. However, I do think Smiths have the best "feel", better than the Colt, even. In fact I've been itching to buy a 686 or 66, but the woman thinks I'm silly for eyeing yet another .357 (though she loves collecting the 9mm's).

Get a GP100 and a 686 side by side and do these things, in no particular order:
- just feel the grip
- cock the hammer
- try the SA trigger
- try the DA trigger
- align the sights
- close the cylinder

One of them should "call to you".
 
I have a 6" 686 and the accuracy is outstanding. I once mounted a scope to test load accuracy and was simply amazed at the grouping ability of the revolver. It is my favorite 357 , have also owned a 4" 686 and a 2.5" 686.
 
And when checking the GP100's feel, compare the "big grip" of the adjustable sight models with the smaller "roundbuttish" grip on the fixed-sight. If the small grip "calls out to you", it can be added to any big-grip GP100 for the princely sum of $30 total. See also Lett grips. I like the smalls, myself, by a big margin.

The GP100 trigger responds well to a spring kit and either minor internal buffing (after a tool-less disassembly) or a lot of dry-fire (which won't hurt it any).
 
GP100 or 686. From personal experience with both (6"-ers even), both are accurate and well balanced (for me) and well made. I love wheelguns and these two are the ones I consider absolute tops for .357's. The S&W M19 is nice, but doesn't have the 6" barrel as far as I know and won't withstand a lifetime of full-power loads.
 
I think you can't go wrong with either a S&W-686+, or a Ruger GP-100.
I have owened Rugers in the past and I think they are great guns. I now own three S&W revolvers, Models 686+, 386PD, and the 360Sc. My 686+ has a nice smooth trigger, very accurate, is very well built, and durable.
 
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