40 replies to this topic

[JakeKelley]

My dad is getting a revolver for home protection as well as protection on our long hikes and fishing trips. He wants a Colt but they are 1300 dollars. Someone who works with him has a 6 1/2 M-29 44 smith and wesson they want to get rid of. They are willing to sell it for around 500-600 dollars. Should my dad wait and save up for the colt 45 or buy the smith and wesson?

[ShooterJohn]

Buy the .44 mag S&W, Colt only makes the .45 long colt in a single action now.

[Bennie]

I have two Model 629's and Colt Anaconda in 44 Mag from my bear hunting days. One of the Smiths is worn out and needs a good gunsmith or I need to send it back to the custom shop. They are both good pistols.

[ShooterJohn]

Why not split the difference and buy a S&W in .45 long colt.

[4RHUNTS]

If its a single action you want check out the Ruger Blackhawk in 45 Colt/45ACP. Has an extra cylinder for 45 ACP. I can handload the 45 Colt up to and beyond 44 mag. velocities with a heavier bullet at that. With the 45 ACP cylinder it is a joy to shoot. And the Ruger has a lower price tag than both the S&W and Colt.

[JakeKelley]

My dad is really looking at the colt since he is more into single actions. He is friends with Johnny Brusco who tells him if you are going to get a single action get a colt. So he is leaning towards just waiting another 4-6 months to save up for the colt. But he is very interested to see whether he should get a double action instead.

[Jason]

Ruger, Colt, and S&W are all great companies with great products when it comes to wheel guns. It would be hard to go wrong no matter which company you chose.

[Mick17]

I'm a S&W guy so I'm a little bias. I do have to say that after numerous years of buying guns, I've sold myself short and felt like poop after doing so. If a Colt is what he really wants and is patient enough to wait, then by all means go for the Colt---Don't sell yourself short, you'll only regret it later.

[JakeKelley]

Thanks! He really does want the Colt sadly he will have to wait till may or june. But I think it would be worth it. Now I also will be wanting a sa revolver for cowboy fast draw shooting and protection when I go on hikes alone. I am thinking about a used ruger vaquero or a Uberti.

[Braz]

Here is a good place to keep an eye out if you are interested in SAA type handguns. http://www.sassnet.com/forums/

[Bisley]

Single actions are great pistols, but, you are now down to carrying 5 rounds instead of six (hammer resting on empty cylinder). They are also a lot more of a pain to unload/reload if you're getting in and out of a vehicle frequently while hunting. If you are using anything close to full house mag loads, DA grips tend to be much more comfortable for most shooters. And lastly, $500-$600 for an old 6-1/2 inch 29 is a very fair price (they quit making that length for many years). Just some things to consider also. Good luck with whatever route you go.

[JakeKelley]

Actually with the ruger vaquero a man said you can hold all 6 live rounds in it. Also from what everyone says rugers are built like tanks.

[Bisley]

With the transfer bars, you can carry six, many still carry five. Yes, Rugers are built very tough, (Super Blckhawks, not the Vaqueros so much, smaller frame). Do a little looking into it before you buy to make sure you get what you want. Some are made to handle anything you can throw at it and some are made on smaller frames for ease of handling in Cowboy Action Shoots. The smaller frames were designed for black powder pressures, not smokeless. If you plan on reloading to .44 specs, you either need to buy enough gun in .45, or just by a .44.As far as Rugers being a "tougher" gun, that's like saying a Hummer is tougher than an F-250. Yes, it is, but that F-250 will still do everything you will ever need it to do. I was also raised in a S&W family, but still love my Rugers. Two things I can pass along to you are this. First off, I keep hearing about how massive the Ruger frames are. While true, I have never seen an N frame not hold up. Of the 10 in our family, never a glitch. Funny how the folks spreading rumors (about anything) usually have never even used one. This leads to the second thing. I had heard and read a lot about the QC in the .45cal Rugers. Everything from chamber throats to bad barrel lands. I put not much stock in it until a friend of the family owned a Blackhawk that would keyhole at 25 yards. It seems the lands were very deep on the left side, and very shallow on the right. The odd part is that it only seems to be an issue with the .45cal guns. Weird.As said before, good luck with whichever way you go. Do yourself a huge favor though if you go with the SAA, make sure the platform you choose will handle the stronger hand loads if you plan on going that route. And give it a very thorough look before you purchase it, even if it is brand new. I hate to see anyone buy something that's not what they expected and regret it. Here's to hoping you enjoy whatever you get

[JakeKelley]

Sadly I probably won't get a revolver till June or July but that gives me a lot of time to do research. My dad is getting all the research about the smith and wesson from the person who is selling it right now. If he decides to get the smith and wesson and likes it I might just follow his lead and get a smith and wesson myself.

[Bennie]

My smith that is worn out is exactly that = worn out. I shot a lot of max reloads through it. It was not the max loads that hurt it. It was years of shooting real fast using the double action. Shooting it as fast as you can pull the trigger and trying to make it group. Just like you would shoot at a charging bear or pig. After thousands of rounds the cylinder started over rotating. I will get it fixxed when I find the right gun smith. It is probably just a weak spring that needs replaced. I am not saying any thing bad about S&W, Colt, or Ruger. They all make fine pistols. I liked my S&W well enough to buy a matching one when mine wore out. I am thinking your dad should get what ever pistol he wants so he does not have buyers remorse later. What is good for one man may not be the best for another. I personally think a short black pump shotgun is the best home protection weapon for me. That is what the bad guys will be looking at if they ever come to my house and try to do me harm.

[JakeKelley]

The smith and wesson has grown on my father. I think by mid January it will be his next purchase. He loves with the old west and the looks of the Colt 45, but sees how smith and wesson's revolvers are more evolved with the rear sights and easier reloading. I too love the old west and still sometimes find myself watching John Wayne in Rio Bravo. But in our case where we want home protection weapons as well as bear protection smith and wesson seem like the right choice.

[Braz]

With a S&W, or a Ruger, or any of the other Double Action Revolvers, you can get speed loaders for them too, and that will really speed up the reloads.

[Anchor Man]

With a S&W, or a Ruger, or any of the other Double Action Revolvers, you can get speed loaders for them too, and that will really speed up the reloads.

I think I read somewhere that speed loaders are illegal in CA.

[4RHUNTS]

I think I read somewhere that speed loaders are illegal in CA.

Not at all illegal if this is what you mean by speedloaders. http://www.pistoleer.com/hks/revolver/

[Braz]

Yep, that is a speedloader, and yep they are perfectly legal. The other big name brand is safariland.

[4RHUNTS]

I remember the upgrade from drop pouches to speedloaders. A big improvement for sure. Some may ask "whats a drop pouch?"

[JakeKelley]

Could everyone give me some more pros on the smith and wesson. My dad and I know everything about Colt and Ruger, but nothing about Smith and Wesson.

[4RHUNTS]

I also own a S&W 629 Classic in 44 mag. Great revolver although I did not care for the Hogue grips that came with it. Exposed backstrap was uncomfortable. It is a very accurate gun with both 44 mag and 44 special handloads. I also like the 5" barrel. I do not think they are offered with that length anymore. I did have a problem with the trigger known as "hammer push off". It is when the hammer is cocked back and it can be pushed forward and fall without the trigger being pulled. I sent it back to S&W and had it back in a week, repaired at no cost. they also covered the shipping both ways. Great customer service for sure. I have several other S&W revolvers and am very pleased with all of them.

[ShooterJohn]

I've got a few Model 29 S&W's. The one thing I really like about the .44's were that both the .44 Special low powered loads and the .44 Magnum loads shoot to the same impact point. So I could shoot the specials all day long and be able to switch to the more powerful magnum loads without having to adjust my sights or hold. As with any gun familiarity with shooting it makes all the difference.

[JakeKelley]

Are smith and wessons more accurate than Colts because they are technologically better or does it just dpend how good of a shot you are? Also can a .44 mag stop a charging black or brown bear? Finally my dad loves leather holsters and doesn't think there are any good ones for the smith and wesson. Do any of you know a nice leather holster for a smith and wesson?

[Bennie]

There is no difference in accuracy as far as I am concerned. I can shoot very accurately with mine and most people that practice lots can also. Yes they will stop a charging black bear, but you have to have the right bullets loaded. I would not bet my life on a large brown. I would want a shotgun loaded with shot and slugs alternated in that situation. A company called Bianchi makes some very fine holsters and shoulder holsters for pistols.

[Stan]

If you can shoot a 44 single action and a 44 Red Hawk or Smith 29 before you make your purchase and do it with target and full power ammo it will help you a lotI started out with a Ruger Super Blackhawk 44 when I was about 19 purchased the Redhawk in 1980? could not compete and reload shooting bowling pins with the single action The time to return to target on a single action verses a double action is Huge single action goes up and a double action goes straight back meaning the energy from the gun when you shootStart with lead loaded to 800 fps and get 500 rounds down range double action and single action at more than paper 44 is very accurate place some empty shotgun shells on a stand and learn to shoot double action and pick them off one at a time The one thing that I was shown that helped was learn the feel of the trigger as the cylinder goes to the next round and locks up than smoothly pull through you will see Put in some snap caps and play with itAnd don't forget the hearing protection 44 can give a nice Ring for weeks for that 1 lousy rattle snake shot with 240 grain hollow point full power loadYes nothing spells Flinch for a beginner like full power 250 grain or 300 grain bullets or the Adrenaline felt

[JakeKelley]

My family is actually in Arizona right now with me to see family. My Grandfather shoots at the Scottsdale Gun Club and said he could get us free rentals to try out the smith and wesson and the colt.

[Yodel Dog]

Some may ask "whats a drop pouch?"

That will mostly be from the under 50 crowd.

[4RHUNTS]

Probably think it is something on a kangaroo......