Can the average shooter tell the difference between a high price relover and cheaper

[bugsbunny45]

The only relovers I have used are what many might call cheap or no name.
My grand daddy would let me shoot his old 38 revolver that had to have been older than me.
I shoot and love my Rossi Revolvers and in cowboy action I use Ruger vaquero's.
Name and value wise Colts and Smith & Wesson are the way to go but can I tell the difference in shooting them.

 

[CajunBass]

I don't know about you but I could. The triggers and such are better of course, but better guns shoot better.

I remember taking a a Harrington & Richardson 22 to the range once. I couldn't hit the side of the house and I thoughht I was really having a bad day but figured I'd try the S&W Model 17, I had with me. I shot the X ring out of the target.

Same shooter. Same ammo. Same range. All that changed was the gun.

 

[sequins]

If you consider a Ruger low-dollar then I doubt you'll feel a difference. I mean, what's better than Ruger?

I've only personally fired Smith and Wesson versus Ruger revolvers. I chose Ruger. I don't think a Colt would be any better, based on the rumors I bet it's worse in terms of function, although a Snake pistol holds legendary status in my heart regardless. The Vic Stacey case has made the Python in particular a complete legend to me.

http://www.ktxs.com/news/RV-PARK-KI...-with-gunman-who-killed-two-in-Early/15933066

 

[9mmepiphany]

but can I tell the difference in shooting them.

Not only will you be able to tell the difference, but a nicer gun is more of an aid to an "average" shooter shooting better than to a more experienced shooter.

Especially when a revolver is concerned, there are a multitude of parts which benefit from more exact fitting in higher end revolvers. Higher end revolvers can usually be tuned to a higher level also

 

[Deaf Smith]

You need to shoot a few S&Ws, Colts, and Rugers side by side with your Rossi.

Do that a few times and you will notice the difference, especially if they are older Smiths and Colts.

Deaf

 

[berettaprofessor]

I am a lower than average shooter and I can. While some "cheaper" guns are okay...I dont know that I ever met a S&W that I didnt marvel at.

 

[MedWheeler]

The only side-by-side I've ever done was with an agency-issued S&W M67 and a Taurus M66, both from the mid-eighties. I recall the trigger of the Taurus being lighter, and the trigger of the S&W being smoother.

I remember not seeing any real difference in how they felt or "ran" in my hands. However, I was still learning (and still am, nearly 30 years later), and might not have yet had the ability to discern any subtle differences.

I still have that Taurus, but have nothing to compare it to.

 

[BSA1]

It is in a large part depends on how good of a shooter you want to be.

In general there is a noticeable difference in higher quality guns such as Smith & Wesson.

However this is offset by how good of shooter are you and want to be. We see frequent comments like "my groups were good for me" meaning 10" spread at 7 yards. This is a far cry from a shooter that wants to put all 5 rounds in the X-ring at the same distance. The first shooter will never benefit from a high quality gun because they lack the desire to shoot smaller groups and the second shooter will be a quest for the revolver with the best trigger pull, accuracy and handling characteristics.

Also when I say it general remember guns are production line products. One made on Monday morning may well not have the same quality as one made later in the week.

 

[jrdolall]

I have some of both, from $2500 Colts to $75 Brazilian guns. There is absolutely no comparison between a "cheap" revolver and a truly high quality revolver.

I am not an expert on wheel guns so I probably don't really get all the advantage out of the high end guns that others might. A quality Smith or Colt just "feels" better but that could be my mind. I personally am no more accurate with a Colt than with a Charter Arms.

The OLD Smiths are really a joy to shoot. I just need a lever in 357 and a 10 gallon hat.

 

[Bama Drifter]

While I'm by no means pro.... just avg gun enthusiast, I see a huge difference in the feel of shooting Colts and Smiths vs. Rossi, LA Deputy, Taurus while Ruger lies somewhere in the middle. It all boils down to triggers. The older top brands will have a noticeably smoother feel w/ the "glass rod" break. Newer cheap stuff will have more of a grinding "crunch".

FWIW, I can print a 1.5" group at 15yds using a Smith M10, however my GP100 would only eke out something double that size. And my Glock 19 is combat accurate (3.5"-4") at same distance. Of course I'm no Miculek!

 

[JR47]

Reading this is sort of amusing. Colt makes no revolvers besides the SAA. Haven't for over a decade. S&W? Always the "older ones". Oddly, we heard the same thing in the 1970's, as well. Apparently, any S&W made after 1950 isn't as good as the "old ones", either.

Most of us, despite all the chest-thumping, have never held a truly good revolver, like a Korth. Compared to one of those, these Smiths and Colts were made using chisels, saws, and coarse files.

Competition guns are a world of difference from Duty guns, and should be. Sure, comparing a gun that cost 10% new of that other gun will reveal much better fitting, and finish. However, most of us just look at them, or use them to punch holes in paper. Back when these guns were made, they were successfully used to hunt, and against criminals. They were all that cash-strapped people could afford.

I can afford better quality guns today than when I was growing up. Besides that, I can afford to buy food, and my chances of a confrontation have lessened markedly. Today, those small groups on paper count for something. What, I'm not sure, but I like them.

Buy what you can afford, and use it to get better. Remember the first rule of shooting is always, have a gun. Not wishing that you could save enough for the best one.

 

[CraigC]

Do you think that the average driver, even a very young one, could tell the difference between driving a 1982 Chevette and a new Cadillac?

 

[Deaf Smith]

Someone post a photo of a Rossi revolver.

Here's a Ruger and Smith.

And that Ruger is in my hand right now.. A 160- that I've had well over 25 years. The S&W, a 66-1, sleeps in the safe.

Deaf

 

[BobWright]

Bob Wright

 

[Doug S]

I'm no connoisseur of fine revolvers, but what I have noticed with some brands like Taurus, Rossi, and EAA is that they seem to break sooner and/or easier. I have been on the range with friends, when the new EAA Windicator 357 Mag broke within the first few cylinders. Another time this same friend had his Rossi break while on the range. In both cases these were breakages that stopped the revolvers from functioning. I've had my own fair share of problems with Taurus revolvers. So I just don't have much faith in some of the so-called "cheaper" brands. As you'll see around here, plenty of others like them, and sing their praises.

 

[Crayfish]

21 years and thousands of rounds, still tight as ever. My everyday Rossi M88. Maybe I got lucky but a new Smith snub has a much worse trigger than this snub ever did. I have no idea what Rossi's are like now though. I prefer Ruger on my big bore flavors over S&W.

 

[22-rimfire]

My experience is that once you are familiar with revolvers, the difference between the inexpensive revolver and the name revolver such as Colt or S&W is quite prominent especially with double actions. But it takes a bit of a knowledge base to evaluate.

My story.... my first revolver was a H&R 999 Sportsman (22LR). It cost me a bit over $100 new at a hardware store in Texas. I shot the thing for a few years. I really enjoyed it. I had never owned a revolver before. Anyway, the little things just began to trouble me more.... is this normal? Is it normal to have my face and hands burnt with hot lead or power when shooting a revolver? I really didn't know. I wanted a comparison and I purchased a 4" Colt Diamondback 22LR. The difference was amazing to the point that I never wanted to shoot the H&R again. It sat for years until I finally sold it for about what I paid.

For years, I wouldn't consider a Ruger revolver. I compared the fit and finish with Colt and S&W and for me, there was a lot of difference and the extra cost did not bother me. It was not like I was buying 100's of guns then. With the introduction of the Ruger GP-100, I changed my mind on "Rugers". I bought one. Then a bought a number of the other models over a period of a few years. I found them okay; not great; but certainly okay. I never did buy one of the new SP-101's in 22LR.... I had plenty of other ones already. The old one... well, let's just say that I handled 10 or 20 new ones and always put them down.

I pick up Rossi's, Charter Arms, and even Taurus stuff and put them down. However in general, the fit and finish of Taurus DA revolvers is pretty good. The problem was the reputation and the heavy triggers in the 22's. Not worth buying one to try out.

Life is too short to shoot crappy revolvers.

 

[ROAshooter]

Even an average shooter...can tell the difference...between a Ruger Old Army...and a Pietta 58....fit...finish..quality....and after shooting a ROA since 1974...with no need for repairs.....thousands of rounds....a Pietta 58 will never be a match

 

[palmetto99]

Much like pizza, single malt scotch and women, once you have had one of high quality, you can tell the difference in the lower quality stuff.

 

[22-rimfire]

It occurred to me that a fitting analogy might be my yard vs neighbor's yard... Both are green, but the neighbor's yard is about 75% weeds. Some can't tell a difference, but I sure can. If it's green, it's good. If it shoots, it's good.

 

[rcmodel]

Can you tell the difference?

Yes, you can!!

rc

 

[gbran]

My Performance Center revolver is perfectly timed and has the sweetest trigger. You can certainly tell the difference.

 

[entropy]

Once you've owned not one, but two Pythons gone over by an excellent gunsmith, you'll notice everything else seems clunky by comparison. (except possibly a Korth.)

That said, Stock S&W's, Rugers, Colts, Taurus', and Charter Arms are acceptable serviceable revolvers. I usually replace the stock springs with Wolffs, but haven't done so in my BodyGuard 38.

 

[Waveski]

I was considering how to weigh in on this topic , and I can't do better than this :

"Life is too short to shoot crappy revolvers." Credit: Palmetto99

 

[CraigC]

It occurred to me that a fitting analogy might be my yard vs neighbor's yard... Both are green, but the neighbor's yard is about 75% weeds. Some can't tell a difference, but I sure can. If it's green, it's good. If it shoots, it's good.

Hey, as long as it's green!!!