Decision, inexpensive .38 special or .357 mag snubbie. Armscor or Rossi or Other?

[sparkyguy]

GRIZ22 wrote:
Please read my post. I said I consider Ruger the equal of Colt and S&W in quality. I have never had or seen a Ruger revolver break but I've seen a lot of broken S&Ws. Not the norm but I do have "a" Taurus 85 that I would equal to a S&W. I didn't say Taurus.

I did read your post. You said "I have Taurus' I consider equal to a S&W", the s' indicates plural. You may have meant one, but indicated more than one. And "a lot of broken S&W's"? Really? Let's not embellish things to make a point. I've owned two Rugers, the first being used, the second being brand new. Guess which one had to be sent back to Ruger for repair. Hint hint..it wasn't the used one. All manufacturers have klinkers here and there. Taurus is off the chart.

 

[GRIZ22]

Let's not embellish things to make a point.

To make a judgement on Rugers based on your experience with two can be embellishing.

I have about 30 years experience as a firearms instructor/armorer. During that time I've seen at least 500 S&Ws and about 20% of them needing some kind of work from timing to totally shot (stretched frames, severe flamecutting, catastrophic failure (cylinder blowing up) etc). Does that mean S&Ws are garbage? Of course not but the K frame size guns are not as durable as Security/Speed 6s. The only time I saw a Ruger revolver needing work (probably oversaw 50-100 of those) was timing and that was after about 20,000 of full magnums during a torture test.

Taurus generally does not as good a trigger as a S&W but not so bad you can't work with it. I have a Taurus 85 for 20 years that has a better trigger and sights than a J frame of that era. I also have a Taurus M66 that doesn't have a great trigger but has put up with about 20 years of magnums with no quality issues. If Taurus was so bad they would have been out of business long ago.

Notice I refrain from making a judgement on Armscorp as I don't have any experience with them.

 

[Goblin]

For $250.00 go with a used S&W .38

 

[nelson133]

I don't care what this guy buys, but I do a lot of gunshop checking and gunshow walking and the $250 used Smith or Colt or Ruger is a myth around here.

 

[Bboomer]

I don't care what this guy buys, but I do a lot of gunshop checking and gunshow walking and the $250 used Smith or Colt or Ruger is a myth around here.

Same here.

Anything decent anymore (used) is 4-5 bills here. I'm talking Smith's & Ruger. Colt's are outta sight.

 

[coyotehitman]

250.00 will net you a Taurus, at best, if we are talking new guns. And given the budget constraints, that is what I would go with if i had to have a new gun. I wouldn't consider a Rossi or Armscor. What I would consider is looking for a used S&W or Ruger. IMO you are getting more for your money, will have more folks interested if you ever decide to sell it, and will recoup your investment in that scenario.

 

[Confederate]

I know [I may] start an argument, but I have Taurus' I consider equal to a S&W.

Won't get an argument from me. There will always be cases where some Rossi or Taurus revolvers will be better than some Smiths. That said, the best Smiths will always be better than the best Rossis or Taurus revolvers. I have a Rossi .38 Spc. in stainless that's never been fired. It had a brother that I fired a lot and never had a problem with. This one's at least that good because I've measured the key specs. I keep it loaded with +P LE JHPs. I can say I'd rather have it than my dad's Smith 60 .38 because my Rossi has a 3-inch barrel rather than a 2-inch.

Here's a good article for the new revolver buyer.

 

[woad_yurt]

For $250, you can buy a pretty good used revolver. Or, for less that $200, you can have a new Armscor .38. My friend has a snubbie and it's a good gun for the money. I does what it's supposed to do. I like shooting it.

 

[indie]

thank you all for the great advice. I did not make my purchase yet.

I am still considering the armscor. The price, the favorable reviews, and the 6th shot are tempting. Plus it comes with small wood grips. Does anyone know if it takes the same grips as the colt detective?

The rossi 462 i was looking at got away for only $200.

I am also considering a used taurus either M85 ultralight or M605 357 mag..

i thought about compromising the 6th shot, but in the event i can get a 357 mag, i think i could compromise on that. Or a compromise for the carry weight of the ultralight in 38 special.

Another thing is that i can later pick up laser grips for the taurus if i am not mistaken?

Im going to stick to my budget however and only jump on something sub 250 for now.

I have a guy offering me a taurus 357 magnum on another forum for 240 shipped to ffl. Its blued. He says its a model 85 but i thought 85s were only 38 specials? Is that correct?

 

[indie]

i just got back from a local pawn and gun shop, mainly just to see what they had and to inquire on FFL transfer fees and they just happened to have the armscor 206 in stock.

Its a nice little gun and i compared it to a taurus 85 and there wasnt much difference in size at all. The smaller grips might actually help it conceal better.

Im going to get the armscor. I think it fits my purposes and i really like it after seeing and holding it today.

 

[moga]

I'm curious about where one can find used S&W snubs for under $300. Nowadays, your lucky if you can find one for under $400. Same thing for the SP/Speed Six.

 

[Euclidean]

No kidding, I picked up a slightly used SP101 hovering right around the $350 mark the other day and I considered it a good bargain. The used Smiths command even more of a premium.

It's gotten to the point used Smith and Wessons cost as much as the new ones save for 50-100 dollars difference. The days of sub $350 pawn shop bargains are gone except for the occasional screamer of a deal someone gets.

About the only hope for a crazy good deal on any used firearms any more are the ads you occasionally find in the free classified ads publications like the Thrifty Nickel etc. If you find someone who just wants to get rid of it for more than the $200 the gun store will offer them, you can still find some real good $300 guns. The problem with that is those are very erratic at best.

 

[indie]

i looked for the elusive sub $300 smith a year ago when looking for a 4" K frame. I did find a few ruger GP100's for around 275 back then.

But its getting to the point its hard to find a sub $250 taurus now it seems.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Just digging this back up...

...Indie, got any reviews of that Armscor? Been contemplating one and the price is right. Heard good reviews about the 4" version.

Oh, yes, any Colt Detective Special grips will fit. Got that right from the horse's mouth - Ivan over at Armscor in Nevada.






For the record you can find Model 10's for under $250 today but as mentioned above you REALLY have to look and move quickly. I got my 10-8 this February from J&G Sales and while it's tight and all there it's definitely been around the block...and bounced off the curb...a few times. They had six or so of them all under $220 and they all vanished within two weeks, never even made it onto their website. I think after shipping and transfer mine was right about $250 total.

Now anyone who says you can find a S&W snub for that much...please show me where?

 

[RIATAC45]

I also would like a range report on that Armscor 206. I have a Rock Island Tactical .45 that I love. It's a little rough but shes a good shooter.

On the subject of cheap Smiths, I bought my wife a model 36 for $195 OTD at a gun show a couple of months ago. It looks terrible, but it is tight, appears to be carried alot and shot a little. With that being said, cheap Smiths can be found, but I'm starting to think I got the last one. I have been looking to buy another for me to carry, but I can't find one even close to that price range.

 

[evan price]

With regard to the screaming cheap S&W's:

I picked up a Model 10-8 heavy barrel at a gunstore March-08 for $219, looked nearly unfired. They had gotten a big batch of LE trades and had maybe 15-20 of them.

They are out there but you have to turn over a lot of rocks. Snubs are still made of gold, apparantly.

 

[MedWheeler]

I pocket-carried my Undercover 38 for a long time when I was a LEO, until I switched departments, and started working for one that allowed autoloaders. Then, I acquired a PPK/S .380 for B/U and O/D carry. Get what you know will work, doesn't break your budget, and can be safely carried. As to the people telling you that, if you can't afford more, how can you afford practice ammo, just tell them that the cost of ammo is why you're trying to be sensible with the firearm's price. After all, most of us figure the cost of ownership (fuel, insurance, etc.) when making a vehicle purchase, right?

 

[bluetopper]

EAA Windicator.........they are German made.

 

[machinisttx]

2. Those $200 smith model 10s everyone recomends are far from being a CCW gun. A revolver designed to be a holstered duty weapon worn on a belt loaded with equipment does not translate to an easily carryable CCW for the average civilian. Try slipping that model 10 into your pocket. Plus, in seven years of gun shopping I have never seen one. I have seen a few for around $250 but the were obviously run hard and put away wet

I have seen many that were in good shape for $200, and several years ago I could have bought a dozen at $100 each. They exist, but they're harder to find now. The common price seems to have gotten to $280-$325.

With that said, I know where a rough looking, but entirely functional, 2" S&W M&P(Pre model 10, and it's even a 5 screw!) is for $250 shipped..... It's not suitable for use with +P, but IMO +P is unnecessary anyway. I'll message indie with a link.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Any reviews?

 

[CajunBass]

I've been hearing about those "cheap" trade in Smith and Wesson revolvers for years.

I used to hear about Jeeps packed in cosmoline for $50.00, too.

I never saw one of those either.

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

I will have agree on the mythical cheap S&W. As far as resale value of Rugers I have a .357 Blackhawk, early 80's, blue, 6 1/2" barrel, 9&% with a slight turn line that I have been trying to sell locally for $285.00. All I get is lowball offers of around $150.00. Comment are "there are so many of them made that they aren't worth much, Rugers always were as cheap gun, single actions aren't worth much". I would hate to think what a dealer would offer me for it. I bought the Ruger thinking I could get what I had in it($285.00) when I went to sell it, boy I guess I was wrong.

 

[BigBlock]

I don't care what this guy buys, but I do a lot of gunshop checking and gunshow walking and the $250 used Smith or Colt or Ruger is a myth around here.

I agree 100%. You can't get a Ruger or a S&W for under $250 unless it's a beat up POS, or you get really, really, really lucky.

I have been SCROUNGING the entire area - 4 gun stores, and 2 gun shows, for a beat up old revolver of a brand that I recognize for under $200-250, it is not possible. Most old smiths are in the $400 range. The cheapest thing I've been able to find is a used Tuarus for $250, but now I'm leaning towards the Armscor "colt" as well.

Even those fugly Nagant revolvers were $160 at the shows...

 

[Galen]

I'll throw in my two cents worth here. Regardless of what you get, run at least 250 (I would do 500) rounds through it to make sure it will go bang EVERY time.

I'll gladly use a $150 pistol for SD if I know it will go bang EVERY time I pull that trigger.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I thought I would never see one of those good/great deals everyone always talks about online but I finally did. About 6 weeks ago I stopped by one of the local shops to pick up some lead-away cloth. I rarely go to this shop because they usually have very few handguns and almost no revolvers. Well, that day was different. He had just gotten in (like 5 minutes before I got there) a 2" Model 36 no-dash vintage 1975 that was un-shot except for the factory test shots. It has the box and papers and the serial number on the grips match the revolver so they are originals. It locks up tight as a drum, the timing is perfect and the trigger is one of the best I've felt out of the box. When the dealer told me he wanted only $300 I couldn't get my wallet out fast enough. I thought I would never see a good deal but I can't say that anymore...