4'' barrel 357/38 what brand?

[The Evangelist Cowboy]

I just put down a taurus 65 an older model when they were still blued for about 279 at my LGS, its a fixed sight k frame size .357 , stick 158 grainers in there and your good. However if you can wait I second the notion on a smith L frame.

 

[The Evangelist Cowboy]

there is a s&w model 28 w/4" bbl on gunbroker for $650 right now.

murf

I used to own a model 28 brand new in the box traded it like a fool.

 

[SteadyD]

IMHO, the greater fit & finish S&W used to enjoy over Ruger is a thing of the past. In a newer gun, the S&W 686 and Ruger GP are equals but I'll take the Ruger. If I'm buying a S&W, it's going to be an older gun.

View attachment 766494

I'm digging those grip inserts on the stainless model. Very nice look.

 

[Tallball]

I have a few each of 4" and 6". For targets I definitely prefer a 6" barrel with adjustable sights. For HD a 4" seems handier.

I have Colt, Rossi, Ruger, S&W, and Taurus in 38 and/or 357. I haven't cared for my Rossis much. I've owned good and mediocre examples of the others. What I would be looking for would be a used revolver that wasn't shot much and has a good trigger. Also it would have to be a good bargain for what it was. A nice old Taurus is probably worth less than half of a nice old Colt, even though they might both be good deals.

If it is mechanically sound, fits my hand well and points well, has nice big sights, and a good trigger, I would consider buying it... if the price were right. I have Rugers, Smiths, Colts, and Taurii that fit that criteria. My favorite is an old S&W K frame, but have good examples of the others that feel good to shoot, are reliable, and definitely more accurate than I am.

 

[TUBBY1]

Like sp101 but gp100 is a better range weight. I have both but 3" and 5" respectively . If I could only have one, I'd do the sp101 in the 3".

 

[Varminterror]

The "Service Revolver" is an animal I just have never been able to justify, outside of specialized competition setting - which I say equally for the "service pistol," so it's really not a revolver thing (I'm a revolver guy, if anything). They're of a size and function which just don't fit my NON-LEO paradigm - they're too big to be concealed effectively, but lack the sight radius and knock down power (in .357mag) of a full sized N-Frame/Redhawk/Raging 41/44mag 7.5"/8 3/8" hunting revolver. A 627 was the first revolver I used to take deer, and an SP101 or 60 can frequently be found under my jacket, but I just haven't found a happy place in my life for a GP100 or 686. I have both, but they only get trotted out during beginners handgun classes as demo's or loaners. Both great revolvers, but I just don't have much use for a 4-6" 6 shot 357mag - just like I don't have much use for a G17, and favor a G19 since I can sneak it more easily under my jacket, or much use for a Commander, as I prefer the Government full size to reach farther targets.

Personally, as a lover of wheelguns, I second @CraigC's comments about the gap between S&W and Ruger's in current production. Fit and finish will be a toss up, triggers will be comparable in the same frame, but the Ruger's are more robustly built. Without a "wild hair," my money is spent on Rugers, and my recommendation to would-be buyers always leans to Ruger first.

The Match Champion sights and the faster handling short lug with lightened barrel would be my vote, considering your intended application.

 

[MrBorland]

The Match Champion sights and the faster handling short lug with lightened barrel

Funny thing, IME, about those "fast handling" underlugs - they quickly become tricky to shoot well when things speed up. It doesn't seem like we're talking a big difference in underlug weight, but it feels significant to me when shooting fast - the standard GP100 and 686s are more stable and less sensitive to subtle grip changes than their MC and SSR counterpart. It's not likely an issue unless you start competing, but the OP indicated they weren't ruling competition out.

As far as the extra factory TLC & tuning the MC & SSR get, IME, it's pretty conservative. Either of those guns would be good options if you didn't want the hassle of having your gun tuned by a good 'smith, but honestly, I think you'd have a better gun by buying the standard version and spending the difference on having it tuned.

I do agree with the favorable nod towards Rugers. I've always shot S&Ws, and while I think S&W still makes an excellent revolver, I wouldn't hesitate to pick up a GP100 if/when I need another. Both the Ruger and the S&W have their strengths and weaknesses. Below is a link to a recent thread where I offered my thoughts on the matter (post #4)...

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...7-mag-4-your-choice-why.826901/#post-10652639

 

[Varminterror]

Funny thing, IME, about those "fast handling" underlugs - they quickly become tricky to shoot well when things speed up. It doesn't seem like we're talking a big difference in underlug weight, but it feels significant to me when shooting fast - the standard GP100 and 686s are more stable and less sensitive to subtle grip changes than their MC and SSR counterpart.

"Fast handling" doesn't mean "more stable." It's faster onto target, and will come off target just as fast if the shooter doesn't hold up their end of the bargain. If a guy needs muzzle weight to slow down their bobbling front sight, then they aren't advantaged by a faster handling revolver.

 

[MrBorland]

It's faster onto target, and will come off target just as fast if the shooter doesn't hold up their end of the bargain

Yes, that makes intuitive sense, and the marketing behind the MC and SSR pushes that idea, but in actual runNgun games, a "faster handling" gun doesn't offer an advantage, and if it does, for all but possibly the very top dogs, it's minutiae compared to everything else that you need to do to make fast and effective transitions.

If "faster handling" guns did offer a net advantage, the trend in the runNgun world would be towards lighter, "faster handling" guns, but it ain't. In fact, the sanctioning bodies impose weight limits to keep guns from getting too heavy. Even the great Jerry Miculek did the majority of his competition with a 5" fully-underlugged 625.

 

[straightshooterjake]

The discussion of fast handling vs stability is an interesting one, but it is a little bit different than how I think about the full underlugs. When I consider the full underlug revolvers, I am thinking about carrying vs shooting. The underlug is a benefit for taking an accurate shot, but the weight may not be a good tradeoff for a gun that will spend much time in a holster.

So while the underlug is often a benefit at the range, overall, I am not really a fan. I think one of the overall best S&W revolvers is the 686 Mountain Gun, and prices for used ones indicate that I am not alone in this view. I have sometimes wondered why the Mountain Gun did not become the standard 686 instead of the full underlug version. Though I don't really like the look of the 686 SSR, it has a similar balance to the Mountain gun, and I think it is a fine choice for a gun that will be both carried and shot.

I will admit that my 6" 686 with a full underlug is a gun that I would like to have if I needed to take a long and precise shot, but that does not mean I would want it in a holster. I also find that it is a bit too forward weighted for one handed shooting, though some people feel that it is well balanced for that.

 

[Vlad3572]

I have both a 6 inch Smith 686 and Taurus 66 in stainless. Side by side they almost look identical except for the firing pin, but of course the S&W has a slightly better fit and finish. They both shoot about the same with any of my reloads hot to mild. Maybe because it cost less and just seems more rugged to me but for some reason the Smith usually sits in the safe and the Taurus goes about the farm with me on a daily basis. The only problem I've had with the several Tauruses I own in the past 10 years or so has been a few screws working themselves loose. So for $400 or so maybe get the Taurus, practice and enjoy it, and as you get get more resources you can add a Smith to your arsenal. Then you can see which one you shoot more.

 

[sequins]

Taurus gets a bad rap because of bad QA, but by and large they make a good cheap product. Budget models don't compete on fit and finish, they compete on price. When you're focusing on the front post your fit and finish don't matter much anyhow.

 

[thomas15]

It would need to be a double action for shooting amateur IDPA style matches. My club does different things each week such as 1911 night, revolver night, 2 gun, semi auto only, any gun, etc. One guy did it with a single action and it was horrible.

I have been shooting revolvers for 3 years so take this with a grain of salt. When I decided to get my first revo it was for the same reason above, I wanted a 4" .357 for IDPA. My home club has a number of reasonably good revo shooters and 1 very exceptional revo shooter in competition circles.

At that time for me the choice was the Ruger GPxx stock service model and the S&W 686 I didn't consider anything else. All of the advice I was getting was get the 686 period. So I got a 686 4" .357

I really like this gun, I had action work done on it right at the start. Later I had other things done to it in particular had it cut for moons.

These days I shoot very little IDPA, in fact this year I only shot the classifier and to be honest that was the only time I shot my 686 this year. Next year however I'm going to get it out more, I intend to actually practice the classifier. Don't ask why.

A couple years ago IDPA made some changes to the revo rules and now allows moon clips however you need to shoot major power factor I think it's 155 maybe higher. For that reason if IDPA were my game I would look into getting a S&W 625 (45acp). You might find one used on GB or in a store at a deal. IDPA is one of the few places where a 625 has a home these days. A 686 or any other .357 or 38 spl shooting minor power factor uses speed loaders. Moon clips are the way to go.

Any new S&W revo will need to have action work done to make then shootable in any competition. Depending on how light you want your trigger you will probably need to handload with federal primers. I just bought my second S&W 929, both of them had 14 pound triggers from the factory which is unacceptable. My newest one is as we speak being worked on will have an approx. 6 pound trigger when I pick it up.

A final note, in the USPSA (Front Sight) Magazine they list in all of the divisions the equipment used by those shooting at the Nationals. For revolver it is this year 99% S&W, 1% Ruger. Action lock and injected molded metal parts not withstanding. I worked as an RO for all three days at the 2017 East Coast Steel Challenge Championship match, which is the largest steel challenge match in the country, watched up close many of the top revo shooters these days and every single one of them shot late model S&Ws. Take this for what it's worth.

 

[22250Rem]

I second the motion on the 4" 686. Got this one brand new in Dec. 2009 and haven't modified it in any way.... I love it as is. It's probably more accurate than I am, ( I'm not the world's greatest pistolero) and there's good used ones around if the OP is on a tight budget or a used Ruger GP-100 which is another sweetheart of a pistol based on my limited exposure to them.

 

[NMPOPS]

A M65-2 DAO along with a 38 Special M10-5

 

[WC145]

I have always like revolvers and only have a s&w 642 but I would like a target gun but I cannot afford $800 for a new smith and Wesson. I was looking at Taurus but everything ive handled from them seemed like junk. any suggestions on a decent 4'' barrel revolver?

Shop the used market. Back in the spring I bought a practically new Ruger GP100 Match Champion for $550 and it has turned out to be an outstanding gun.

 

[Stainz]

My 4" 627 Pro was bought new 9.5 yr ago - and it was a keeper from day one! 8 shot, moonclip ready, easily changed front sight, and comes with a modicum of a trigger job, it's a firearm you can shoot as-is - or customize to your style, ie, grips, front sight, etc. Use loose ammo, moonclips, or a speedloader. The tapered/partial lug and slab-sided barrel means it will point naturally, too - it's a fun plinker. I reload, so I use lighter loads - glorified .38 Specials - in .357M brass. I keep 158gr LHPSWC's (.38 Spcl +P) in moonclips for self defense. You can't pay too much - within reason - for a good revolver. New you have S&W's great warranty, too.

 

[jmace57]

I'd pick a used S&W Model 14. You can buy a really nice one for around $400.

 

[CajunBass]

I'm a big fan of medium frame, 38/357's. Especially Smith & Wesson's. It's hard to beat them. Ruger builds a good gun, but after the Speed/Security Six's, they have never interested me enough to even hold one.

I've also owned Colt's, Taurus, Charter Arms, and probably one or two I don't remember. They were all good guns.

It's hard to beat a Model 19/66 in 357. If you're willing to go with 38 Special (a less expensive option), either a Model 10, or a Model 15 are good choices.

 

[bluzman]

Another vote for Ruger GP100 Match Champion.

 

[RealGun]

I have always like revolvers and only have a s&w 642 but I would like a target gun but I cannot afford $800 for a new smith and Wesson. I was looking at Taurus but everything ive handled from them seemed like junk. any suggestions on a decent 4'' barrel revolver?

Target gun and 4" barrel don't really go together. And if you are going to be shooting 38 Special, buy one, not a 357 Magnum. An older Smith 38 with adjustable sights should shoot like a champ, but a real target gun has a 6" barrel.

 

[Charliefrank]

I bought a Taurus 689 back in 92. It's been a great gun. Never experienced any problems. It's accurate, eats all the variations of ammo I feed it and has a great trigger. Don't get me wrong, I love old smith's, but I've never traded this off.

 

[Charliefrank]

I'm going to second those who've recommended used S&Ws. While I have opinions on the 586s/686s, I'm going to say only that a used K-frame (Model 19 or 66) might just be what you're looking for ... you say target shooting (presumably you want adjustable sights), not competition, so you may to make the rounds of all the LGSs, pawnshops and regional gun forums/websites to get an idea of what's out there. I found, for the princely sum of $395, this baby (a 19-3 with only a tad bit of wear/pitting on front site, but superb lock-up and accuracy):
View attachment 766208

Frankly, as far as the used market goes, I'd favor S&Ws over Ruger. As stated previously by one member, the Speed SIx/Security Six market is drying up quickly with ridiculous asking prices lately, and as robust as the GP-100s are, the Smith K-frame is lighter, points and feels better, and typically is more accurate.

Side note, my brother has a early '90s Taurus 66 (back when the company did nice bluing with more discreet role-marks) which, although the internals are not as nicely finished as a comparable S&W, has provided excellent performance and darn good accuracy. Can't speak to recent Taurus revolvers, but I've gone through a couple 85s and an 82, all were worthy pieces and hardly "junk" (kinda think the way you phrased your opinion of Taurus in the OP invited the usual brand-basher suspects to come in).

Sweet 19

 

[Axis II]

Target gun and 4" barrel don't really go together. And if you are going to be shooting 38 Special, buy one, not a 357 Magnum. An older Smith 38 with adjustable sights should shoot like a champ, but a real target gun has a 6" barrel.

not really target, target gun just something to plink with.

 

[entropy]

My experience with Taurus is that they run hot and cold. If you get a decent one, they are decent pistols, however there are more than a few that are truly lemons and have numerous accuracy, fit, finish, reliability, or durability issues. My suggestion would be to save up for a bit longer and spring for either a Ruger GP100 or a Smith 586/686.

Between my son and I, we are 3 for 3. That's even better than I am for Colts, where I am 3 for 4. (Thought the problem with the Colt was easily fixed, and caused by me, anyway.) My son has a Taurus 66 4", dependable and accurate. Sure, the trigger isn't like a tuned Python, or even a Performance Center S&W, but is OK, out of the box, and a spring job is easy and makes it much better.