Shopping for a 357 revolver, help!!

Can I be the first? You should probably get a Glock.

With that out of the way. What do you want it for? Once in a while possible carry? Carry some times? Targets at the range? 6" 4" 3" 2"? 686 and GP100 are fantastic options. Look used and a little smaller for K frame Smiths: 19, 13, 66, 65, or maybe a Ruger SP101. An N frame Smith is a fantastic choice, or perhaps a Ruger Redhawk. Kimber and Colt's new offerings are certainly worth a look especially if you're going to conceal it, and Smith's J frame can be had in .357,and the Chiappa Rhino has its fans on this board.

I personally love K and L frame Smiths and a nice GP100 is a thing of joy.

And I would really, seriously consider looking at used L frames (586/686) and GP100s. Very solid durable firearms.

Both the 686 and the gp100 are great. Best bet is to head off to the LGS and see if you can find some to fondle. Buy a used one and save your self some doe. Seems like most used revolvers I see at my LGS haven't been shot much. Don't see many used 686 in my neck of the woods so not sure their going price. But used gp's tend to run 550 or so.

With 800 bucks I think I'd get a talo edition gp100 Ruger. A solid do all gun. Range, woods carry, a bit large for ccw. But that would be most of your cash

90s interams Rossi 971 is a good gun at $350-400 used. 2.5", 4", and cyclops models are available with the cyclops commanding more money. I like stainless steel so I'm biased.. Ruger sp101 used about 450-500, also a good gun but substantially heavier than the same sized rossi. But, I would trust a Ruger with full time .357s whereas the Rossi is more Smith like and may loosen up quicker with lots of stout loads. The Rossi has six shots vs five for the sp101.

I'm sure someone will show up and roundly bash Taurus and Rossi.

But, you should probably just get a Glock if it hasn't been mentioned yet (kidding of course).

Gp100 , it will outlast you and smooths out with use . the 686 is smoother out of the box but the one I owned a few years ago was not well built. I like 6" barrel but 4" is handier. Hard to go wrong. As for Taurus, I have no recommendation one way or another, a friend of mine has one and loves it- however he isn't a shooter, he's been working on a box of 50 I gave him 3 years ago and still has some left...
357 is best in a da/sa revolver in my opinion. Single action for bigger stuff.

I have a Smith 686, a Ruger GP-100 a Taurus 6-shot snub (38), and had a windicator 357. The first three are very good to excellent quality. The last went away because it was not. If you are wanting something made really well and supported really well, go local and find a Smith or Ruger. See how you like them in hand. After that, either one will be well recommended.

Did anyone mention that you should consider a Glock?...er, uh, I mean, 1911?

You said you wanted it for a woods, range carry gun. You mention 7 or 8 shots.
I have a 327 Night Guard 8 shot .357 and love it. I am considering a 327 TRR8 or a M&P R8. These are 8 shots with 5” barrels. My 327 runs like a champ.
Ruger also makes an 8 shot .357 but I have no experience with that except I did handle one at the LGS and it is a bit heavy but it appears very nicely made.

Outta the new choices, I vote for a 686.

+1 on the Rossi 971. If you can find a good used model. Put a couple thousand rounds through mine. Not a single problem. And more accurate then me.

For around $800 you can really go big!

https://grabagun.com/s-w-627-pro-series-4-357-sts.html

Love my 627 pro, I put a Hi-viz sight and some Ahrends boot grips on it.
I love my other Rugers and Smiths, but this 8 shot N frame is top of the heap.

This Redhawk wasn't available when I got my 627, otherwise I might have this..
https://grabagun.com/ruger-redhawk-357mag-4-2-ss-as-8sh.html



These 8 shots are big! Great for range or woods carry (or open carry if desired)
"Cadillacs".

For a "cool" .357 Mag, look at the Ruger Match Champion SP-101 4.2".

Only 5-shot, but then, it's a trim and handy 5-shot that speed-loads as fast as anything else.

P.S.

You GLOCK guys are psychotic.






GR

Well I'm a S&W bigot, so naturally I'm going to say a 686 or 686+ for 6 or 7 shots. (Did you know it's easy to change a + over to a 6 shot? & visa versa?) Or move up to a 627 for 8 shots.

Saw a fairly unused 686 4" go for $500 on GunBroker last week.

Garandimal said:

For a "cool" .357 Mag, look at the Ruger Match Champion SP-101 4.2".

Only 5-shot, but then, it's a trim and handy 5-shot that speed-loads as fast as anything else.

View attachment 883740
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P.S.

You GLOCK guys are psychotic.






GR

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I really like the sp101 match champ. Don't like the front sight hump, other than that the size is right in the sweet spot for carry but prefer some extra size for range use.

Garandimal said:

For a "cool" .357 Mag, look at the Ruger Match Champion SP-101 4.2".

Only 5-shot, but then, it's a trim and handy 5-shot that speed-loads as fast as anything else.

View attachment 883740
​

P.S.

You GLOCK guys are psychotic.






GR

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Click to expand...

I wanted to post that gun but I couldn't remember the name, I thought it was a talo but couldn't find it.

Meeks36 said:

+1 on the Rossi 971. If you can find a good used model. Put a couple thousand rounds through mine. Not a single problem. And more accurate then me.

Click to expand...

Nice, glad I'm not the only one who appreciates the guns Rossi put out during the 90s when they retooled their plant. I have a 720, great gun and also much more accurate than me. I think Rossi was set to blow right by taurus. I heard a rumour that the Brazilian gov consolidated all firearms manufacturing under the taurus label by law, hence interams Rossi's demise and the new less nice braztech Rossi's by taurus.

You say cool. Myself i would look at a nice used k or n framed Smith and wesson. N frames are a little big for me but no doubt my family will shoot long after I'm gone. I haven't looked at price but bet you could get a nice one for under your price. Rugers and others can be bought off the shelf all day long so not really cool.

I would look for a lightly used S&W Model 686. Still like the 4' barrel overall but might consider a 3" barrel as well.

Vintage S&W Model 686-no dash revolver. Vintage S&W Survival Knife not included.

I have a GP100 and a Security Six. Both are excellent 357's and as was posted previously, the GP 100 is a tank. I also have Taurus. All of them shoot excellent.

Each one has something that I like about it. The Security Six has good weight and isn't large, but it handles 357 ammo without much recoil. The GP100 is solid and large, but has handled everything I've put through it. When I'm working on a new load, it's definitely my goto. The Taurus, it also has good weight, is super accurate, and what I like most about it is the price. It is by far the cheapest, but by no means cheap in terms of quality.

I like S&W as well, but I don't have one in 357. I do have a 629 N frame, and it's a solid gun. I will say that S&W revolvers are real nice, but they are usually the most expensive.

You won't go wrong either way you go. They all have the nice click and cocking the hammer makes one of the coolest sounds. Sure they don't hold 10+ rounds, but it is a tool from a different era.

I’d go with a 686, a 686+, or a Ruger Match Champion.

Edit: The new Colt Python is of great interest to me as well, however I have not laid hands on one, so logically I can’t recommend one.

I own 7-8 357 revolvers so really like the round and guns for it. I have owned several Taurus 357 model 66 revolvers and never a complaint with any of them. I prefer the older models that came with wood grips and no lock in the hammer. I don't like the new matt finish they are using now. It looks cheap to me and thats probably why they use it. Its cheaper to apply.

You will never go wrong with a S&W. I, like most would rather have the older guns without the lock. But for me the lock or MIM parts is not an issue. I don't like the new EDM rifling that doesn't shoot lead bullets as well as the older broached rifling. I shoot a lot of mid range lead loads.

For Ruger I have two GP-100s, the older guns with the wood insert in the rubber grip. Also an SP-101 that is very smooth after a little work and new springs. I also have two Security Sixes with 4" barrels and those are excellent guns that can still be bought for good prices.

For a woods/range gun a 6 shot cylinder is fine. A 7-8 shot cylinder might be OK but not a deal maker if you find a better buy on a 6 shot gun.

In the used camp there are plenty of Ruger six series floating around.

For carry I like the LCR357, for fun shooting I like the Bisley Valquero, (it's the one in my picture), but it's an SA so it doesn't meet your critera. Both are Rugers.

Ruger makes a great looking revolver. I never bought one but really considered a GP 100 Match Champion. What I did buy was a S&W 686 and later traded it for a 686 Pro Series S.S.R. I've had a deluxe action job, changed the front sight, and got a set of Kim Ahrends grips on it. It shoots dead on & I will never get rid of it

I love revolvers and at the moment I carry the 686+ with 3 inch barrel. I use the model 617 as my understudy for my carry gun. It is a great way to practice double action and sharpen your skills and strengthen you grip without breaking the bank. As much as I love the look on the gun with the wooden grips I wish I had bought the one with rubber grips. I find the wooden grips too smooth and difficult to maintain a good grip on it after recoil.