[RTFM]

Ok, ladies and gentlemen, a question for you. Let me start off by telling you I am not a revolver owner, but have a chance to purchase one.

My wife’s uncle has several revolvers that he is going to sell, and says only two of them are worth selling to family.
They are both 6” barrels, they are both .357 caliber.
One is a Smith & Wesson Model 28; the other is a Ruger GP 100.
What (if any) are the pros and cons of each model?
The Smith’s been used, in the line of duty as an actual State Police side arm from the 60’s and has a very well taken care of black leather weave holster.
The Ruger, is stainless-steel.

Any thoughts, things to keep in mind, things to watch out for etc. will be appreciated.
I have read Jim March’s post on buying a revolver (Excellent Jim, Thanks for your work)
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=57816
And also the comments from Gearbox’s post,
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29749
I guess the most important thing is shooting them both, we hope to get together this week end so I can shoot them both.

Thanks for the input.
RTFM.

[priv8ter]

You have touched upon a very popular topic my friend. I'm sure using the search function to look up GP-100 will turn up way more data than you can ever read.

A quick review of things they way I understand them:

The Ruger GP-100 is concidered to be the strongest .357 out there. Cor-bon uses the GP-100 as their test gun for load development, and have yet to break one. If your goal is shoot nothing but full-house .357 loads for the rest of your days, then the Ruger should be your choice.

Now I have yet to fire a S&W Revolver, but most folks agree that the trigger on a Smith is better than the trigger on the Ruger. I myself have never had any issues with the triggers on my Rugers, but like I said, I have nothing to compare it too. Since the GP-100 you are looking at is used, it could be the trigger is already broke in nice.

If it was me, I would probably go with the Ruger, just because I am buying a gun to shoot it!

Good luck to you.

Greg

[Wildalaska]

S&W 28....you can always buy a Ruger cheap but a nice S&W 28 is getting harder and harder to find...

More accurate, better trigger and better looking IMHO...not as strong too, but how many nasty big loads ya gonna shoot...

WildgetthesmithAlaska

[ruger357]

M28.

[JohnK]

The Ruger GP-100 is concidered to be the strongest .357 out there.

Off the top of my head I can think of four that are stronger by a good margin. 357 Redhawk, 357 Blackhawk, 360 Dan Wesson, 353 Casull. Generally not as cheap or easy to find as the GP100, the Blackhawk being the exception, but they're still all significantly stronger than the GP100.

The GP100 is very strong though, strong enough for anything close to sane loads, and some not so sane.

To answer the original question I'd go with the M28 Smith because you can always go to the local gunshop and pick up or order a GP100, old Smiths need to be bought when you have an opportunity.

[Ala Dan]

Greeting's All-

Let me start off by saying that both the S&W model
28 and the Ruger GP-100 are great weapons. And
in the end, both would serve you well for many
years to come. The Ruger was proof tested at the
factory with loads that normally run at least 30%
above normal; so quite naturally the Ruger would
be the stronger of the two. But, I'm a Smith &
Wesson revolver type guy; so with that said, I
have too vote with my gut feeling. And that
feeling has always had a reserve spot for N-frame
Smith's; with the model 28 being the leader of
the pack!:D :) :rolleyes:

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

[Poohgyrr]

Rugers aren't bad. I had my old stainless Ruger .357 beadblasted and it's a keeper. But I'd buy the M28 & keep my eyes open for a 4" barrel. The N frame .357's are great revolvers and should last a long, long time.

[Dave Markowitz]

Both are great guns, but as others have pointed out, Model 28s are becoming a cult thing thus the prcies are going up. You can always get a new GP100, while the Model 28 has been out of production since the 1980s.

Get the Smith, if you can't get both.

[clown714]

really tough call:p





NOT!:neener:




get them both:D

clown

[Quantrill]

S&W #28. I have had mine since 1969 and it has stood me well. Quantrill

[priv8ter]

Grrrrrr....

Off the top of my head I can think of four that are stronger by a good margin. 357 Redhawk, 357 Blackhawk, 360 Dan Wesson, 353 Casull. Generally not as cheap or easy to find as the GP100, the Blackhawk being the exception, but they're still all significantly stronger than the GP100.

You are of course, correct...I should have prefaced my statement by saying that they are regarded as the strongest affordable/commonly available .357's.

And I change my vote to the Model 28.

greg

[MJRW]

Clearly the Smith. Its harder to come by than the "I can go to the store around the corner and buy one" GP-100. Its going to have the ye olde craftsmanship and quality blue. I can't go around the corner and get one.

[PlayTheAces]

I have both and while I like the Ruger, I love the S&W. Better action, finer workmanship, and as others have noted, they ain't making em anymore.

As far as strength, I seriously doubt you could wear out an N frame without resorting to outright abuse.

[Zip06]

M-28. Snatch that puppy up...pronto.

[RTFM]

Thanks, everyone. :D
The simple fact that the Model 28 appears to be harder to find, and I now have one offered up to me, looks like it’s going to be a no brainer.
I will be picking it up next weekend from my wife’s uncle.
I really do appreciate all of your input,
RTFM

[hlpdobro]

Anyone care to comment on this offering?? (http://www.kyimports.com/sw.htm#s&w)

Howard

[Jim March]

My vote is for the classic, assuming it's in good shape.

But there's a caveat: the 27 and 28 have a weakness where it comes to lots of very rapid fire. The power of the ammo doesn't matter for this flaw to manifest; basically, the large cylinder comes to rest on too little metal, beating up the points where it meets.

Eventually the guns go out of time. Guys who run mild to medium 38Spls and then spray 'em out as fast as they can yank the trigger don't get along well with these.

In this respect, the newer 8-shot guns might have an advantage.

I believe they're rebuildable from this point though. It's not like the frame is stretching...

Now, if you treat a 28 like it was meant to be treated, you load it with lead slugs of 158grains or so, moving at anywhere from 1,200 to 1,500 and you boom 'em out slow. By necessity :). Switch that to jacketed 158, and barrel/forcing cone wear goes up a hair but not that significantly. With hot 125s, wear goes up maybe another notch...still not huge.

Weirdly, it's the LIGHT loads that'll do a 28 in, when combined with a spastic trigger finger.

[RWK]

I’ll join the crowd: get the Smith M28, presuming it is in top-shape (see Jim March’s superb inspection criteria, in the floater at the top of this section, to ascertain its quality).

I own six .357 magnum revolvers: (a) three Rugers (two GP-100s) and (b) three S&Ws (two “Special Edition” 627s and a 30+ year old 27-2). ALL of these are OUTSTANDING revolvers, without any question. You simply cannot go wrong with this selection. However, you can always buy a NIB GP-100 (they are inexpensive), but Smith 27s and 28s were built with a quality and design that is not found in current manufacturing lots.

A final point: If the M28 is “pinned and recessed” (and from its production year, I would presume it is) that is a clear, additional "plus" for the Smith.

You are fortunate to have this option.

[Ala Dan]

Seasons Greetings All-

I got to second my friend RWK's opinion! :uhoh:
As a good Smith model 28 is awfully hard to beat. :D

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

[444]

Well, you leave out at least one very key piece of information (unless I missed it which is always possible).
Price.
I couldn't recommend one over the other or even recommend buying one at all unless the price was in line with what else is out there.
I own both revolvers and they are both terrific guns. I personally would not want to get along with less than both. Here is why. To me, classic S&W revolvers are things of beauty. As was mentioned, the M28 isn't being made anymore and even if it was, it probably wouldn't be of the fine quality of years gone by. Really nice older Smiths arn't exactly rare, but you don't see them every day either. But, if you really want one, you can check the on-line auction sites, Gun List, and your local dealers and odds are, you could have one in your hands within a week. My S&W revolvers are primarily owned for the satisfaction and enjoyment that comes from owning a very fine gun. I like to sit and admire them. I shoot them occasionally, but don't stress them in any way and wouldn't think of putting one of them in a holster and carrying it (I realize this is just me, and what I choose to do with my own firearms) On the other hand, my GP100 is my "go" gun. It is the gun that I take out and fire 500 rounds out of without cleaning. It is the gun that I take out to try my hottest handloads. It is the gun I wear on my belt when out in the backcountry; and if I sit down next to a rock and get a blemish on it it isn't going to make me cry. It is the gun that I carry when I am out on a cold wet deer hunt when I am going to be living out of a tent for a week or two. It is super rugged, but to me this doesn't diminish it's performance in any way. I feel that mine is plenty accurate and is plenty smooth enough for my uses. In fact, I think it is just as good if not better than many of my Smiths. I honestly can't say this in comparision to my M28 because my M28 has one of the smoothest actions I have ever felt.
You have a dilema on your hands. Two of the finest .357 revolvers ever made in my opinion. I don't think that one is better than the other performance wise.
I bought my Model 28 used, but I seriously doubt that it was ever fired and appeared to be brand new. I bought my GP100 new.
I paid far less for the M28. Since someone else mentioned totals, I own something like 13 .357 revolvers. If for some reason I absolutely could only own one, it would be the 4" stainless GP100.

[hlpdobro]

To Clarify my most recent question:

Anyone have any particular experiences with the M28's as sold by KY Imports here? (http://www.kyimports.com/sw.htm#s&w) $240 is a great price for a decent M28...at least in my neck of the woods.

Anyone pick up one of these and care to comment?

Howard

[JNewell]

Eventually the guns go out of time. Guys who run mild to medium 38Spls and then spray 'em out as fast as they can yank the trigger don't get along well with these.

I have gotten the same impression reading over the years. The same thing happens when people dry fire M28s like crazy. I wonder if the issue isn't the greater mass of the cylinder, compared to .44 cal cylinders?

[Jim March]

Whatever it is, back when revolvers were being set up for rapid-fire light-loaded 38Spl in competition, the N frame was universally disdained for the purpose.

Instead, you'll find Ks set up with super-heavy 6" barrels PLUS barrel weights.

Think, boys'n'girls? Why add all that weight to a little K instead of starting with a big ol' N?

'Cuz the N has an Achilles heel...one that RTFM oughta be aware of.