Need advice: Ruger vs S&W

[stantheman86]

I wasn't aware Ruger still made the 5.5" .44............I had thought it was dropped years ago.

I had been told that production of the Redhawk had slowed, and that the "plan" by Ruger is to eventually replace the Redhawk line with the Super Redhawk. But, I doubt this will ever happen. I know I have yet to see a brand new Redhawk but I have seen 2012 production SRH's and Alaskan's. Prices for used 4" .44 Redhawks is going up because they are so hard to find new or used.

 

[lfpiii]

Ruger v S&W
Pros & Cons


Ruger

Pros

Lower prices
Built like a tank

Cons

Power trigger pull
Serious lack of accessories
Hard to get parts from the factory
Lower resale price
More of a block look


S&W

Pros

Better design lines
Lighter weight for carry
Lifetime warranty
Better availability of factory parts
Many accessories to be found
Higher resale price

Cons

Higher price
Some strength issues
ILS problems

All this said if the gun is for woods I would say go with a Ruger in 44 mag.

 

[Lost Sheep]

Among my other guns, I also own a Ruger SP101 357Mag and I carry it for CCW.

The problem is that I am now itching to get a larger wheel gun and I have looked at different articles and forums comparing S&W and Ruger for the larger frames revolvers. So far, the points that were consistently brought up were that S&W have better triggers and Rugers are made like tanks (they just keep firing no matter what you do to it).

How much truth is in there? What are your thoughts? Are Ruger triggers heavier than stock S&W triggers? Are S&W revolvers sensitive to dirt if it is used in the woods? I will be using this gun for self protection in the woods in the northern states.

I have found S&W to have better double action triggers than Rugers. Single action, the difference is not so noticeable, but S&W gets the nod there, too. That is box stock. Polishing the action can do wonders for any gun.

But I prefer Rugers. Here's why:

I owned two S&W revolvers in my past. Model 28 6" Highway Patrolman .357 Magnum and a K-22 Masterpiece 6" 22 rimfire. When I took the sideplate off the .22, I saw all those small parts inside (comparing it to my Dan Wesson, which had about half the number parts as the Smith.) I lubed the inside lightly, put the parts that sprang out back in and never opened it up again. I traded them off shortly thereafter. The Dan Wesson, in addition to having fewer parts, seemed to have more robust parts as well. Ruger parts are even more robust than the Smith or the DW. I like that.

Undeniably, the Smiths are beautiful guns, but Rugers have their own style of beauty. And, "Beauty is as beauty does." However, My Dan Wessons have lock times that other guns can only dream of.

On the strength question, about 25 years ago, S&W made a big deal about the relative merits and strength of forged frames (S&W) vs investment cast frames (Ruger). Yeah, forged has an edge in strength-to-weight and strength-to-size ratios. But that edge has shrunk and, considering Ruger's frames are one-piece frames without sideplates, the design was always inherently stronger (opinion alert). And Ruger doesn't just make Ruger guns. They make frames for other gunmakers and investment cast parts for many other industries. Bill Ruger was a pioneer in investment casting post-war and Ruger still is a player in the industry. Meanwhile, many S&W parts are using MIM Casting technology.

Anyhow, a little extra weight has its own advantage in a heavy-recoiling gun.

Happy shooting.

Lost Sheep

 

[arthury]

Cons

Hard to get parts from the factory

What is I send the gun back to the factory, would they still have difficulty finding parts or are you talking about parts which one can order direct from the factory?

 

[arthury]

Anyone care to share with me your favorite dealer for revolvers?
I saw someone bought a new Ruger 5.5" Redhawk. Looks like it is still made.

 

[arthury]

Also, it seems like S&W has lifetime warranty. Does Ruger warranty their revolvers?

 

[Sal1950]

Also, it seems like S&W has lifetime warranty. Does Ruger warranty their revolvers?

Ruger has no written warranty at all. They just take care of their customers better than any company I've ever done business with in my 62 years on this earth.
Sal

 

[arthury]

What about comparing the S&W model 500 4" to a Redhawk 5.5" or a Super Redhark 4" ?
Are they close to hardiness for bear loads?

Note that my intended usage is to stop a very large brownie, if I have no choice. Yes, I understand that a guide rifle such as a Marlin 45-70 would be optimal but I have availability to carry such a rifle. I am not on horseback.

 

[stantheman86]

Cor-Bon and Buffalo Bore make .44 Mag loads that approach .454 power levels.

Given that the .454 Alaskans are nearly impossible to find unless you want to drop $1200, a new .44 Mag Alaskan should fill the bill nicely.

There's also the 4" .44 and .45 Redhawk which are also harder to find.

If you have unlimited $$ to spend there are a lot of choices out there, if I were buying a gun solely to defend myself against possible bear attacks I would spend the cash and get a .454 or .480 Alaskan.

The 7.5" .454 and .480 SRH's are a bit large for holster carry but it can be done. I have a 9.5" .44 SRH with a monster scope on it that is more of a revolving hand rifle than a revolver.

I would rather trust my life to a Ruger than carry a S&W .500 or .460. That's just me. I don't think there's anything on Earth than can't be stopped with a hot loaded .454 Casull.

 

[batmann]

I have both and IMHO, as much as like Rugers, I will still take my 629 (.44M) Mountain Gun as my primary 'woods' gun.
The new Ruger DA's have much better triggers than ones of just a few years ago so the trigger is pretty even on the new ones. The reason I will take my MG over my .44M Alaskan is weight. Eventhough the Alaskan is only a few ounces more, that can make a big difference if you carry is all day. Add a back pack and a few others items and that difference of just a few ounces can be a lot.
My S&W is MIM and despite what you hear about MIM parts, they work and are more consistant than most forged parts.

 

[hunter rob]

not that any manufacture cant have issues, but i bought a sw 41 mag model 57 last month. Fired several rounds to find almost all casings split. long tory short, 44 mag cylinder in a 41 mag frame. still waiting to get it back from SW

 

[stantheman86]

I have a lot of S&W's and don't plan to get rid of any, but I honestly am looking only for Rugers anymore.

The S&W's are fun, I just like the mechanics and simplicity of the Rugers more. They are handsome guns in their own right, all business and made to work.

 

[Sal1950]

not that any manufacture cant have issues, but i bought a sw 41 mag model 57 last month. Fired several rounds to find almost all casings split. long tory short, 44 mag cylinder in a 41 mag frame. still waiting to get it back from SW

OUCH, bet that one got your attention! Bummer! No slam on S&W, I've heard just as bad if not worse stories hear about new OTB Rugers.

I have a lot of S&W's and don't plan to get rid of any, but I honestly am looking only for Rugers anymore.

The S&W's are fun, I just like the mechanics and simplicity of the Rugers more. They are handsome guns in their own right, all business and made to work.

IMHO after 40 years of playing with amateur smithing this is my position,.
In the light weight frame guns the SP101 is a far superior gun to the S&W J frames. I can tune a SP to a smoother, lighter action than any J frame, just the way it is in their design.
For mid-size framed guns, the S&W K, L and N frame guns rule the roost.Their design allows for DA pulls in the 6-7 lb range and SA pulls can be pushed to the sub 2 lb range while still retaining competition level reliablity, that's why they maintain the position they do in competition. I have a couple of GP's and they're fantastic guns, the strongest, most abuse tolerant 357s on the market, but that said you'll never see Jerry Miculek compete with the GP, the just couldn't hang in the speed department.
When we get into the larger frame guns such as the Redhawk and Super Redhawk verse the S&W X frames I'd call it about even. They both have some strong points and weak points. I've got both and can't choose between them, they both have there superior areas. Too bad Ruger has choosen not to enter the modern day hand-cannon market.
Sal

 

[stantheman86]

I trimmed two coils off of a S&W rebound spring and put it in my GPNY .38 and the trigger reset is so fast, if I had the skills I could probably squeeze them off as fast as Miculek with that gun 8) It has a heavy, but very smooth DA pull and I shoot very well with that gun. After 50 rounds my trigger finger is tired though =)

One of the few things S&W revolvers have over the Rugers is generally, the S&W's have a more positive trigger reset with lighter springs. I have a 10-14 with a light rebound spring that still snaps the trigger back. But, light trigger latch springs like 8 lb. Wolff springs in a GP, don't often work very well. I tried one in one of my 6" GP's and that gun is WELL broken in, and it still feels like the trigger is barely making it back to reset.

I've said it before but IMO, S&W mastered the "Special" revolvers but Ruger is IT for Magnums. There's no way any sane person could say a 29 or 629 is as durable as a Redhawk. The S&W .44's are no slouch, I have a nice older Model 29 but I would not run the type of rounds through it that I do with my 4" Redhawk.

You really can't beat a gun like a S&W Model 10,64,67, or 15, as a .38 Special shooter. With normal .38's they will last pretty much forever and are far from fragile. But the K-frame .357's are no match for the DA Six series as far as durability.

 

[Sal1950]

I trimmed two coils off of a S&W rebound spring and put it in my GPNY .38 and the trigger reset is so fast, if I had the skills I could probably squeeze them off as fast as Miculek with that gun 8) It has a heavy, but very smooth DA pull and I shoot very well with that gun. After 50 rounds my trigger finger is tired though =)

Fast reset but too heavy a pull to hang as a speed shooter. That's the trick the S&W mid-sized revolvers can pull off that the Rugers can't Bet Jerry's DA racer has a sub 7 lb pull but snaps back like a rocket.

But ya Stan, you've pretty much nailed the strengths and weaknesses of the two manufacturers.
Sal

 

[ftlupton]

i gave my lcr to my daughter and bought a smith 637, beautiful trigger, hammer so I can shoot single action and it's light as a feather. love it and it shoots great at 10yds so I pack it in the woods. not knockin ruger at all, wifey shoots lights out with her lcr but i like my smith. for big bores and hunting i shoot ruger single actions, .357 and a .45 convertible.

 

[stantheman86]

I used to be a dedicated S&W nut, but now Rugers are my "go to" guns and the S&W's are pretty much just range shooters for me now. I would still bet that I will never wear out any of my Model 10's, 28's etc. but my Rugers do everything that S&W used to do for me, and I like the Ruger style better.

S&W's are still made with "updates" to an action that is over 100 years old, which isn't a bad thing but even the X-frames have their roots in the early hand ejectors of the 1890's.

You can't beat S&W for history, they served in every conflict since the Civil War,with many Union and I'm sure CSA soldiers buying the .32 Rimfire breaktops for "backup".

Ruger is still the "new kid" compared to Colt and S&W. The first Rugers didn't see "service" until quite a few Blackhawks were unofficially carried by our guys in Vietnam. The Service and Speed Six were military issue weapons, the Army issued them to MP's for a time and some US marked pieces pop up for sale here and there, for a premium............. and I believe CID still lists the 2 3/4" .38 Speed Six as an inventory weapon, along with 2" Model 10's.

Not saying there's anything wrong at all with S&W's, just that my personal tastes changed and most of my shooting is with my Ruger wheelguns. I personally don't notice enough of an accuracy difference or any advantage in the trigger pulls to make a difference to me. I do have some S&W's with sweet triggers but I can hit center mass with ease at 25 yards in DA with any of my stock Sixes or GP's, and I'm far from a master handgun shooter.

 

[arthury]

Well, you guys did a fabulous job in convincing me. I now have a spanking new 4" Redhawk in my hand, waiting for the new ammo and reloading supplies to arrive so I can cook some recipes for this baby.

The test cartridge says Jan 2012, it seems like the factory released a batch early this year.

 

[arthury]

The original Hogue grip does not wrap around the backstrap and the recoil hurts quite a bit.
Is it worth it get the after-market Hogue grip that wraps around?

 

[Sal1950]

The original Hogue grip does not wrap around the backstrap and the recoil hurts quite a bit.
Is it worth it get the after-market Hogue grip that wraps around?

Absolutely, only problem is there's not much to chose from and you want to get something that fits your hand. I have smaller hands and ended up with a set of Butler Creeks. They've been discontinued now for a long time but the good news is Numrich still has new ones in stock for $13.95.
http://www.gunpartscorp.com/catalog/Detail.aspx?pid=1287770&catid=8352
Sal