[Brutz]

I am sure that this question has been beaten to death with an ugly stick,:banghead: but please bear with me. I have been looking into getting a new gun and I am strongly attracted to two specific revolvers. I am interested in the ruger gp100 and the s&w 627 whichever I decide on will be a 4'. I have surprisingly small hands like my wife. Thanks for your opinions.

[Walkalong]

The GP-100 is a somewhat smaller gun than the N frame Smiths. They are very nice guns, as are the Smiths.

[20nickels]

Both very fine revolvers. It's just a matter of if you want 6 or 8 shots. Either will fit your hands with the right grips. I don't have overly large hands and the N frame feels like it was built for me.

[goodtime]

You can't lose either way. Handle both, try the actions and the feel in your hand . . . pick one , don't look back.

[gwnorth]

You could also get a pair of GP100's for the price of one 627! I like the 627, but not that much.

[FullEffect1911]

Target practice? Bedside gun? Carry piece? Truck gun? Competition?

[MachIVshooter]

You could also get a pair of GP100's for the price of one 627! I like the 627, but not that much.

That's like arguing that you can get two Mustang GT's for the price of one Corvette C6. No comparison in Fit & finish, and overall performance.

[gwnorth]

I disagree. Having owned S&W's and currently with a pair of GP100's, I do not feel the Smith is worth the premium price point. The GP100 is just as good or better a revolver.

My opinion of course, but I think S&W's these days are significantly overpriced for the quality of the product.

[Fat Boy]

In my experience, the Ruger is a strong, well made gun- The Smith should be well made, but perhaps not a strong as the Ruger....

That zipping sound is me putting on my flame-proof coveralls... :)

[FullEffect1911]

Well this comparison is a bit different then your standard 686 vs gp100 contest... This is an N frame vs Ruger's equivalent of an L frame. So I would say it depends a great deal on what he wants the handgun for.

[HoosierQ]

I cry myself to sleep almost every night for having sold my GP100 when money was tight (4 kids in college). Mine was stainless and was beautiful. No matter how close you looked at any part, it was flawless. The trigger was the best I have ever felt on any gun of any sort...period.

I really like the Smiths (I am a big S&W semi-auto fan) but they are just so darned expensive. I am seriously, now that everybody is out of the house, considering going right back out and buying another GP100...this time probably a 6" half-lug, blue instead of my 1988 or 1989 4" full-lug stainless. But who knows. I saw I think it was a 627 at Gander...the 8 shot model. It was a beut...for $1,200!

[Duke of Doubt]

Smith.

[FullEffect1911]

I saw I think it was a 627 at Gander...the 8 shot model. It was a beut...for $1,200!

Did that come with a few steak dinners too?

Please tell me that that revolver wasn't just a run of the mill 627 and at least was the fancy V comp.

[hinton03]

I paid $850 for my 327 NG and think it was worth every penny.

I do like Ruger revolvers, but in my opinion they are like hard working trucks and Smiths are like fine automobiles. There are times when either one can be the right fit for the purpose.

[Eightball]

I do like Ruger revolvers, but in my opinion they are like hard working trucks and Smiths are like fine automobiles. There are times when either one can be the right fit for the purpose.This is some very well-spoken wisdom on the nature of the beast, my good sir.

IMO, I'd rather be shooting the Smiths. Rugers will work.....but the Smiths I've seen have the edge in fit and finish. If you can't pick up a comperable Ruger and Smith, one in each hand, and tell the difference in fit, finish, and quality.....then buy whatever's cheaper. If you CAN feel the difference, well.......the answer should be obvious.

[FoMoGo]

That's like arguing that you can get two Mustang GT's for the price of one Corvette C6. No comparison in Fit & finish, and overall performance.
Dude... have you paid attention to the corvettes in the last 30 or so years?
Kia has pictures of them in their factories saying "dont make our cars feel THIS cheap".
The performance is amazing for the price... compared to the rest of the new vehicles.
However fit, finish, and materials quality is crap... they are no better than a cobalt.
and actually share interior components.


Jim

[JR47]

The Ruger will be the one that ends up being taken places where the "fine fit and finish" of the S&W gets left at home. That fine fit and finish, like the high-priced car, comes at a price. They rarely last as long without more maintenance under regular use. That fine finish is also more vulnerable to dings and scrapes.

After all, someone thought enough of the "fit and finish" to consider it important. That said, it would result in the gun being left out of "bad places", where you just might need it.

FYI, "fine fit and finish" in today's world doesn't include the likes of S&W, period. There are any number of .357 revolvers that exhibit truly "fine fit and finish". Look at a Korth. Compared to it's fit and finish, the S&W is a Lada sedan.

[Brutz]

Target practice? Bedside gun? Carry piece? Truck gun? Competition?

All the above.
Thanks for the input guys.;)

[PcolaDawg]

My favorite handgun right now is my Smith & Wesson N Frame 625JM. I love that gun and, to me, it's the perfect revolver.

With that having been said, you are going to be extremely pleased with the Ruger as well, should you choose to go that route.

Ultimately, your final choice is not going to come down to which gun 'wins' a debate on here. They are both great guns and will have their fans and detractors.

It's going to come down to a choice of the heart (since it's almost Valentine's day, I thought I'd throw a heart reference in here :p).

Ultimately, it's going to be a matter of just finding out which one makes you happier when you think of buying it. It's not scientific, it's just the way you feel about it.

And either way you go, you'll win so ---- go with your gut instinct on this one and enjoy! :D

[Sgt. Rock]

Smith.

What he said. Pre lock and with firing pin on the hammer.

[MachIVshooter]

In my experience, the Ruger is a strong, well made gun- The Smith should be well made, but perhaps not a strong as the Ruger....

Smiths are every bit as strong as Rugers; you just have to make sure you're comparing apples to apples.

J-frame=SP-101
K-frame=Six series
L-frame=GP 100
N-frame=Redhawk

From there, the Super Redhawk falls between the N and X frames.

When comparing a GP100 to the 627, the Smith wins hands-down for strength. It's a .357 on a .44 frame.

The GP-100 and L-frame are both very stout service-size revolvers. I have pounded my 6" 686 (no dash) with some absolutely nuclear 158 grain loads (1480 FPS/768 ft/lbs) with no ill effects. Still locks up tight and is in time. I would never, ever run these loads through my Security-six or model 19, model 65.


Kia has pictures of them in their factories saying "dont make our cars feel THIS cheap

Forgive me if I don't put any stock in the motto of a car company who's automobiles often do not make it to the 100k service before they snap a timing belt, resulting in a f*%#ed motor. Kias are absolute garbage, far worse than the rest of the plastic junk all automakers have been putting on the market for the last 30 years.

I'll keep my old Detroit steel, thanks.;)

[jackslayer]

There are many variations of the 627. The only 627 that would fit the posters required 4" barrel would not be a performance center it would be the 627 pro. Huge difference in price and likely quite a difference in quality as well. We can't just assume that the 627 is a performance center. By the way, if you spend more than 1000 on the performance center then you are not looking hard enough unless that's for the comped version. it's on my short list for shure. Also check out the 327 on buds gun shop. $824 shipped with the sam e 8 shot cylinder

[jackslayer]

just looked it up at buds. The pro is 767 shipped, the performance center is 936 shipped fyi

[hinton03]

Well, I can't afford the best of everything, but I buy the best that I can.

I take my guns everywhere and I use them; wether it be an $800 pistol or a $3,500 shotgun dings are part of the deal.

Having said that, I don't sell my guns once purchased; if you are constantly worried about using your guns because of resale value go with the minimum quality required to meet your needs. In a self defense gun I would consider the minimum quality to be very high. In a plinking or field gun paying for the extra quality may take a back seat.

I just like quality firearms, they can bring a smile to my face by just holding them......and there is something to be said for that.

[BigBlock]

If you take out the stupid brand name bias, and the ridiculous over cost for that ugly S&W stamp, any engineer will tell you that a GP100 is just flat out a better gun. Better design all around.

Bill Ruger looked at what smith was offering and specifically designed his guns to be BETTER, stronger, and more compatible with the modern magnum fads.


Furthermore, try taking a S&W apart in under 2 minutes. You can't do it. Unless maybe you use a plasma cutter.

[madcratebuilder]

Dude... have you paid attention to the corvettes in the last 30 or so years?
Kia has pictures of them in their factories saying "dont make our cars feel THIS cheap".
The performance is amazing for the price... compared to the rest of the new vehicles.
However fit, finish, and materials quality is crap... they are no better than a cobalt.
and actually share interior components.


Jim

Obviously you have never driven a C6, or even a C5.

Of course we all know Rugers are bullet proof.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d37/madcratebuilder/100_0326.jpg

[FullEffect1911]

Of course we all know Rugers are bullet proof.

nothing is bullet proof, not even things that are "bullet proof".

I do think that Ruger is the better design, but they just are not as refined feeling/looking and don't offer enough variations of their revolvers.

Target practice? Bedside gun? Carry piece? Truck gun? Competition?

All the above.
Thanks for the input guys.

If carry is in the mix, then I would most certainly go with the GP100. It will be slightly lighter and will have some slimmer dimensions.

Although I could carry N frame sized stuff (and really did give it a good shot), the weight and size really gets to me after a while.

[BigBlock]

Of course we all know Rugers are bullet proof.

No gun will hold together if you do something stupid like a double or triple charge as that gun so obviously experienced. That said, if I HAD to shoot an overcharged round I would definately pick a Ruger to do it in.

[GRIZ22]

Due to the grip frame design used you can get smaller grips to fit the GP100 than a N frame. This should be your deciding factor if small hands is the issue.

[Travis Bickle]

They're both great guns and you can't really go wrong with either.

Smiths tend to be more finely crafted and accurate, but the Rugers tend to be tougher. In car terms, the Smith is kind of like a Ferarri and the Ruger is kind of like a sturdy Ford pickup that can take a licking and keep on ticking.

If you think you ever may want to try some thermonuclear handloads, then the Ruger is the gun for you. Whatever blew up the Ruger in that pic probably would've done worse to a Smith and also to the person who was shooting it.

[Clarence]

S&W makes the finest revolvers. Rugers are totally reliable, but they lack the charm that S&W puts into their revolvers.

[22-rimfire]

I have a 3" GP100 which has a slightly smaller factory grip. They fit the 4", but did not come standard. You should be able to pick one up and install it. My 3" GP is my home defense gun. It doesn't see a lot of mileage outside the house except for range trips.

The triggers smooth up with lots of dry firing. :)

[scottishclaymore]

Buy them both! :P

Seriously, though, this question always comes down to one thing; which gun feels better in your hand? If either are within your price range, then handle them both, try and put a few rounds through them both if you can manage, and just make your decision based on which one you like better.

[FoMoGo]

Obviously you have never driven a C6, or even a C5.
yep... sure have... and it was possibly the cheapest feeling car that cost over $10K I have ever seen.
Its pitiful... some may say disgraceful.


Jim

[BCRider]

S&W K frame of some sort? That would be the models 10,14, 19 and quite a few other options depending on if you want .38 only with the option for some +P or go right to a .357 Magnum with the option of downloading to +P and .38Spl. Buy an older used one in good condition and if you can do so through a shop you trust ask them to look for one that has had a trigger job done to it.

I've shot three such guns now where two had trigger jobs and the third was just naturally smooth with a great break. With such guns my accuracy was affected hardly at all when shooting DA compared to SA. These were absolutely amazing guns to shoot compared to anything else I've ever shot.

Why the K frame? Because from my own reading the Ruger small frame is still slightly more bulky and heavy than the S&W K frame. Plus there's a huge number of stock and custom grip options to suit any sort of hand so there's bound to be a setup that'll suit both your preferences.

Now this is not to say that the Ruger option could not be set up for the same feel. And there's also something to be said for a bit more mass to control recoil if you're shooting +P or Magnums on a regular basis. Also I have to admit to not having shot a Ruger DA yet and I'm going on the descriptions from others that say the Ruger trigger feel is not quite as smooth as the S&W.

Or just buy two so there's a his and hers...:D

In any event you'll want to go and handle the guns side by side for grip and balance. Only you and your wife can know what feels right. I'd add that you should try dry firing while staring down the sights and look for an option that causes the least sight wander during the trigger stroke. For me that is a huge part of shooting a revolver.

You're also probably going to find that the best range/competition gun is not the best carry/car gun since the range/comp gun will want to have a longer barrel for a longer sight spacing. Typically this would result in a gun that isn't the easiest to carry or grab from the glove box or concealed area in the car. But again only YOU are in a position to determine what you want and why and how you percieve it being used.

As I see it asking about stuff as in your first post should be more about us providing guidance about the questions and things to look for so you can answer your own questions. Hopefully this gives you some points to ponder so you know what questions to ask yourself.

[JR47]

Haven't driven a Navigator, then.

You don't think that a screen name of FoMoGo would indicate a bias, now would you?

We own a Ford, and I've driven one of the new GT40's, as opposed to the original ones. It's price put it on a par with Ferrari, Lamborghini, and other exotics. The ride was appalling compared to them. The interior belonged in a 1950's Triumph, and it's handling was inferior to a friend's C6 Corvette, the STANDARD version.

Truly an ill-tempered beastie. One with pretensions to efficiency.

[FoMoGo]

I own dodge and ford... and have no bias at all when looking at vehicles.
I look at vehicles for what they are, and am quick to call a spade a spade.
There are many reasons that imports have gained ground to american car in the past few years, the finish, fit, and feel is a huge part of it.
If I was a "NOTHING BUT FORDS" guy, I wouldnt have compaired the vette to the interior of a kia... most of the newer fords I have been in are not much if any better... they also have not been costing over $100K.
You sell a car that costs a man $125K to buy, try and make it nice... and that it feels like a $125K car instead of a $12,000 one.
You may not like what I said here... but it doesnt make it wrong ;)


Jim

[Rexster]

S&W N-frames and Ruger GP100s are both stout sixguns, plenty strong enough for any sane .357 load. (That pictured SP101 was blown by a seriously over-pressure load!) I like S&W products, and I like Ruger products. Each have their good/strong points. So, that leaves hand size. I wear a medium-sized glove, and a GP100 fills my hand well. An N-frame is simply too big for me to shoot double-action, unless the trigger has been modified, with material removed from the face to make for less of a reach., and the weapon is fitted with very thin grip panels. Thin grips are NOT good at cushioning recoil! Moreover, the MIM triggers in the current-era S&W sixguns are somewhat hollow in the back, not leaving enough metal if a 'smith were to grind on the front and sides of the trigger. So, if I were in the market for another N-frame, I would look for an older one with a forged trigger, or a Performance Center sixgun, all or most of which still use forged triggers of solid construction.

[kmrcstintn]

GP100 w/ Hogue Monogrip (it's smaller than their older rubber grip w/ wood insert and it also changes the 'feel and balance' vs the older style grip)

[BlayGlock]

Get the Ruger.

[spentbrass]

Rugers just felt more ergonomical to me. So I've been a Ruger fan ever since. *shrug*

Pssst...it's true, Rugers are built like a brick house!

[SouthShoreTJ]

I paid $850 for my 327 NG and think it was worth every penny.

I do like Ruger revolvers, but in my opinion they are like hard working trucks and Smiths are like fine automobiles. There are times when either one can be the right fit for the purpose.

Which is why when I drive a hard working truck into the back country I pack a Ruger GP100. I want trucks and guns to do their jobs as tools and I don't want to feel guilty when I scratch them.

[hinton03]

SouthShoreTJ, that is like saying I married an ugly woman so I wouldn't have to be jealous.

Scratching a gun is part of the deal, buy the best you can and use it.