Cost vs. Brand

[shaunbowler@yahoo.com]

I am having a difficult time deciding which '"compact revolver."
I would like a .357
Home/Ranch defense only; for my girlfriend-16 year type of girlfriend.
Rueger, Charter Arms, Colt, Taurus, Springfield, etc.
The weapon will only be used in practice target shooting, or real life defense.
ie- livestock, snake, and "****heads."
Do you think that spending $400.00 compared to @$1000.00 on a revolver that will most likely never be used for it's purpose, be a consideration?
How about Brand?
We have a few firearms.
Please let me know your thoughts.
PS
I once went to buy a Motorcycle Helmet. When deciding what to buy the sales person said to me, "If you have a $10.00 head, get a $10.00 helmet.
I bought a $400.00 helmet.
Thank you for any advise.
SB

[BarrettM99]

Price is not a good judge of reliability, quality, etc...

You can find plenty of reliable and quality firearms that are reasonably priced. Personally, I'd check out these two revolvers:

Ruger LCR.
Smith & Wesson 637

They run $350-$400 and are a fine firearm.

[hadjin]

I would get a Ruger 101 with 3 or 4 inch barrel and be done with it.
Opposing objectives/demands for "compact" and "ranch" use, but the 101 will work fine as a general duty multi use revolver for your lady friend. Should run you sub $500 here in the classifieds

Good luck

[Khromo]

You need to decide how she's going to carry it and for what purpose, or purposes. If she is going to carry it concealed, the S&W aluminum J-frames are the comfortable limit for most folks. She probably won't be shooting full-house defense ammo with one of those.

If she's going to be wearing it in a holster on her hip, a 3- or 4" barrel is a better choice for most folks, because she will be able to shoot .357 loads without too much difficulty.

If she's defending herself against humans, she can get away with .38 Special +P's in a pocket pistol. If the ranch means she might be seeing something tougher than a human, well the 4" revolver with .357's is probably a better choice.

There are a variety of decent revolvers available for not much money from S&W and Ruger. In my experience, the S&W triggers are useable out of the box. The Rugers are a different story, long and heavy. The length of the Ruger trigger pull always bothered me more than the weight. Might be worth checking out a few rentals. Others may not agree, but I've got experience with both, and the difference between the ones I've shot has been very significant.

A S&W Model 19/66 is a sublime gun. I've got a 2 1/2" barreled one that is a dream to shoot and to carry with the right leather, although .357's have a severe blast and flash out of that short barrel. Severe. The 4- or 6" Model 686 is a gun that many users fall in love with. I just got a Model 67 (4" heavy barrel, .38 Special +P) that shoots itself. I want to sleep, shower, and take long walks on moonlit beaches with that revolver.

Have fun, and let her make the final decision. Ask me how I know that!!!

[Garv]

Using your helmet analogy, how much is your life worth IF you need it?

Ruger and S&W are the most reliable generally.
I'd suggest a 4" or greater barrel since you will be plinking.

Taurus is hit and miss with quality based on a number of threads here, similar comments have been made for Charter.

Good luck and tell us what you end up with.

Edit: I did not see concealed carry, so shorter barrel maybe if that is the case.

[steel30]

I would get a Ruger 101 with 3 or 4 inch barrel and be done with it.
Opposing objectives/demands for "compact" and "ranch" use, but the 101 will work fine as a general duty multi use revolver for your lady friend. Should run you sub $500 here in the classifieds

Good luck

This^^^

[P5Ret]

I'd stick with either a Smith or a Ruger. Charter has had some issues for awhile, Taurus can be hit or miss. Colt if you can find a used one, since they are no longer in the revolver business can be a good choice if not to expensive. Springfield as far as I know never made a revolver.

I'd stick with a 4 inch, maybe a 3, 6 inch guns can be a burden working around the ranch, depending on how it's carried.

[shaunbowler@yahoo.com]

Thank you for your advice.
I forgot about the length of trigger pull, which is paramount in a stress event.
It will be a CC weapon to.
I recently saw a S&W 4".357 for $750.00.
I think it was to heavy. However, the weight is supposed to reduce hand shock...
What do you think about that consideration?

[TripleThreat]

Ruger GP 100. 4 inch.

Triple

[SoldierLife7]

I wouldn't buy a "cheap" gun for self defense.

I would buy a dependable, quality gun. For under $1000, both Ruger and S&W make reliable revolvers. I would avoid Taurus and Charter Arms for self defense. While they do make decent guns, they have a reputation of having reliability issues. I've been looking over a gunsmith's shoulder for a few years, and I have seen first hand why they have the reputation that they do.

A gun that I would consider that is "less-expenisve" is the new Rock Island Armory M200. They seem well built, and very reliable (so far).

[L84CABO]

"If you have a $10.00 head, get a $10.00 helmet.
I bought a $400.00 helmet.
Thank you for any advise.
SB

I think you answered your own question there my friend.

And I'm not saying you need to spend a grand. But if it's a pistol that you're going to bet your life on, this is not the time to skimp. Make sure that it's a quality firearm.

Now with that said, why a compact revolver? And especially if it's not for CCW? A larger pistol will have a longer sight radius that most people find to be more accurate and the compact revolvers aren't usually much fun to shoot since there isn't much of the gun to soak up recoil. This, to me, is a very big deal particularly with someone who isn't really a shooter. If your GF isn't into guns to begin with, she probably isn't going to find a compact revolver pleasant to shoot which will likely impact her desire to practice with it. If it's not going to be a carry piece, I would really go with mid to full size gun.

[SoldierLife7]

Thank you for your advice.
I forgot about the length of trigger pull, which is paramount in a stress event.
It will be a CC weapon to.
I recently saw a S&W 4".357 for $750.00.
I think it was to heavy. However, the weight is supposed to reduce hand shock...
What do you think about that consideration?

A lighter revolver will have more "felt" recoil and muzzle "flip" than a heavier one. I would highly recommend going to a range that has rentals and trying out some revolvers (lightweight and heavier ones) to see what works best, and is most comfortable for both of you.

[Khromo]

...It will be a CC weapon to.
I recently saw a S&W 4".357 for $750.00.
I think it was to heavy. However, the weight is supposed to reduce hand shock...
What do you think about that consideration?

The gun that lends itself to concealed carry is not much fun for plinking, and may be marginal against a pissed off animal.

I think the concealed carry issue creates serious wardrobe considerations, which can be harder for women than men. A 4" revolver is hard to conceal, and pretty much requires a jacket, or at least a vest, for most folks. Shorten the barrel, and it is more difficult to shoot, and the .357 becomes a brutal round to shoot that doesn't perform much better than a hot .38.

I see two guns in your girlfriend's future. A S&W 642 for concealed carry, and S&W or maybe Ruger 4" for around the ranch. You can easily do it for under a grand with the Ruger, maybe a hair over for two new Smiths. Two guns very well suited to their purpose, rather than one that is not too good for either.

I do not see a wedding ring in your girlfriend's future, Shaun. Fear of commitment? Sometimes they get tired of waiting, you know.

[sholling]

Since I don't know your priorities I'll just throw out some suggestions. First I'd stick with the major brands like Smith & Wesson and Ruger. Both are accurate and reliable and are backed by lifetime warranties.

Decide if you want small and light for concealment (like a 2" Ruger LCR in 38spl), or mid-sized and lightweight (3" Ruger LCR in 38spl or S&W mod 60 Pro series in .357mag) for carry around the property, or a heavier mid-size .357 (like a 4" Ruger SP101), or a more easily controlled full-sized .357 revolver like a 4" or " Ruger GP100, S&W 686, or 686+ (7-shot) for home defence and a range toy. Each has their place. Because of their poor sights snubbies aren't very accurate and because of their lightweight and small grips aren't all that fun to shoot. Full-sized are accurate and fun to shoot but weigh a lot (~2-1/lbs) to be carrying around a lot. Mid-sized have good sights and are light enough (1-2lbs) to carry but can still be a handful to shoot.

[Krejaton]

I do not see a wedding ring in your girlfriend's future, Shaun. Fear of commitment? Sometimes they get tired of waiting, you know.