Modern revolver with a good trigger?

[Kablemodem]

686 SSR

[klewan]

A 686 from the '90s will have a 'snapping a glass rod' type of trigger. No movement, it just releases. Need to pay a gunsmith to get that with the newer guns.

[rideordie]

I like the GP100 or a used 686 is nice too.

[dfletcher]

I'm looking for a revolver, under $1000 chambered in .357mag or .44mag.

Every single new one I've handled, and I've handled a few of them, feel like ****. I don't know if it's the safeties in the trigger or what, but even the single action pull feels like garbage compared to my mid-80's Colt Python.

So, for an under $1000 budget; What should I be looking at? The #1 thing I'm concerned with, over size and caliber, is the quality of the single action pull.

As much as I like the Colts and have a few of them I've never been enthusiastic about their SA trigger pull. I can't speak to new S & W revolvers because I don't own one, but the SA pull on older Smiths is (IMO) much better than the Colts. I have a few Rugers and don't think their SA pull is all that great. I'd suggest hitting up a LGS and checking what they have, see how the SA pull on an older Smith feels.

[mulyhuntr]

$10 spring kit in a gp100 makes for a pretty slick trigger IMO.

[Khromo]

686 SSR

Yes, sir! The Pro Series 686 SSR will cost less than your $1,000 limit, after sales tax and DROS.

Mine is still brand new, as it came out of the box. The single action pull weighs about 5 pounds 2 ounces, and it is clean and crisp with barely any movement. Outstanding SA trigger for a gun at this price, with no after market work. Yet.

The double action pull weighs about 9 pounds on a Lyman gauge, about 8 pounds on a Timney. It is very smooth with a clean, consistent break. After a thousand rounds or so this should lighten up a little, but I'll probably be polishing the guts on this one very soon, just on general principal.

You can't compare a $1,000 modern revolver to an '80's Python, in my opinion, because you're not paying for the hand workmanship in a modern gun at that price. I do believe that the 686 SSR and $100-150 to a good Smith smith would produce a gun that compares very favorably to your Python, though!

Where are people finding these Rugers with great triggers?!?! I must be doing something wrong.

[9M62]

Yes, sir! The Pro Series 686 SSR will cost less than your $1,000 limit, after sales tax and DROS.

Mine is still brand new, as it came out of the box. The single action pull weighs about 5 pounds 2 ounces, and it is clean and crisp with barely any movement. Outstanding SA trigger for a gun at this price, with no after market work. Yet.

The double action pull weighs about 9 pounds on a Lyman gauge, about 8 pounds on a Timney. It is very smooth with a clean, consistent break. After a thousand rounds or so this should lighten up a little, but I'll probably be polishing the guts on this one very soon, just on general principal.

You can't compare a $1,000 modern revolver to an '80's Python, in my opinion, because you're not paying for the hand workmanship in a modern gun at that price. I do believe that the 686 SSR and $100-150 to a good Smith smith would produce a gun that compares very favorably to your Python, though!

Where are people finding these Rugers with great triggers?!?! I must be doing something wrong.

I'm leaning heavily towards a 686, maybe the 686, maybe the 686 Plus, or maybe the SSR.

Just on a personal note I am not a Ruger fan. Had bad experiences with them with two firearms (albeit both Semi-Auto, but it was the company that I disliked, not the gun) and I just won't give them my money.

[GMG]

I recently bought an older S&W (model 28) that had a trigger job done.

In DA it's like buttery smooth and lite, in SA it's almost to lite.

[trigger945]

686 SSR

Yes, sir! The Pro Series 686 SSR will cost less than your $1,000 limit, after sales tax and DROS.

Mine is still brand new, as it came out of the box. The single action pull weighs about 5 pounds 2 ounces, and it is clean and crisp with barely any movement. Outstanding SA trigger for a gun at this price, with no after market work. Yet.

The double action pull weighs about 9 pounds on a Lyman gauge, about 8 pounds on a Timney. It is very smooth with a clean, consistent break. After a thousand rounds or so this should lighten up a little, but I'll probably be polishing the guts on this one very soon, just on general principal.

You can't compare a $1,000 modern revolver to an '80's Python, in my opinion, because you're not paying for the hand workmanship in a modern gun at that price. I do believe that the 686 SSR and $100-150 to a good Smith smith would produce a gun that compares very favorably to your Python, though!

Where are people finding these Rugers with great triggers?!?! I must be doing something wrong.

I'm leaning heavily towards a 686, maybe the 686, maybe the 686 Plus, or maybe the SSR.

Just on a personal note I am not a Ruger fan. Had bad experiences with them with two firearms (albeit both Semi-Auto, but it was the company that I disliked, not the gun) and I just won't give them my money.

Another vote for 686 SSR. Using a 10-pull average on a digital caliper, SA trigger pull weight came in at 5.0 lbs. I did not measure the DA pull.

The statement to follow may not be worth much, and I have said it many times here at CG, but my SSR is highly unlikely to get sold or traded. If I were to keep one revolver, it would most likely be it. And I have sold many, including older pre-lock Smiths (686, 586, 27, 29, 60, 19) and newer ones from the PC, as well.

Good luck!

[Steve_In_29]

My 20+yo Ruger GP100 has a very good SA trigger, with NO take-up or creep and a crisp break. I did stone the surfaces when I first got it but it wasn't really that bad to start with.

My pre-lock S&W Model 629 has a good trigger as well with just a hint of creep but I bought it used so I have no idea if anything was done to the trigger.

[jumbopanda]

I've owned two Ruger LCRs and both of them had excellent triggers. I don't really understand why most full size revolvers don't have triggers that good.

[pklin1297]

I wonder how the new DW 715s are... Too bad they seem to be above the $1000 mark now.

[floogy]

If I had $1000 for a revolver I'd buy a 686 and get a little custom work done on it. Or put $1000 into my GP100.

[DnS121111]

S&W Model 60LS

[DArBad]

Go with either the Ruger GP 100 or the Smith 686. SA on either one is just plain.......delicious. DA is where the difference becomes " a little bit " distinct.