snub nosed dilemma (help!)

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paladin

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Hey all.. recent transfer over from TFL.. just had a question for everyone ...

I am now in the market for a snubby for carry and general protection. I would like to carry this gun in my pocket, and have narrowed the choices down to 2 pistols:

1. S&W 637. NIB.

2. Taurus 85 UL. Used but in perfect condition.

My dilemma is this.. which should I choose? The taurus is 50$ less than the 637. Both of them seem perfect in construction, and I am not experienced enough to tell the difference in the trigger pulls (they both felt fine to me, but I'm pretty sure the S&W was a little better. Again, I didn't really study them for as long as I should have.. I will soon.)

So basically.. Just looking for opinions from knowledgeable wheelgun guys.. Anything I need to know.. better grips... better reliability.. service issues... accuracy... anything? If it means anything.. it seems to me that the Taurus grip would be more comfortable (friendly looking rubber).

All help is appreciated.

Thanks.

~j
 
While I have nothing against Taurus I would go Smith here. I find S&W to have the best triggers out of the box, than any other revolver. You can have a trigger job done on any gun though. I feel S&W makes the best revolvers. This is just my opinion though. You cant really go wrong either way though.
 
I know two very knowledgeable people (one retired as a homicide detective from a big city police department) that carry a Taurus snubby. One's is a .38 UL, while the other's is a .357 magnum model 650. I am not familiar with new S&W's like the 637.

You are on the right track: Airweight gun in .38 special for pocket carry. The S&W 637 and the Taurus UL are both rated for .38 special +P. Round grip is easier to conceal then square grip. Get yourself a pocket holster. I carry a 16 oz. revolver with a hammer spur in a Mika pocket holster--it hides gun outline, covers hammer spur so gun doesn't snag when drawn, and stays put when you draw (Cost + Shipping = $14.95, from Wisconsin to Indiana.)

I can recommend a few discontinued airweight blue finish S&W's, and they are the model 37 and the model 38 and the model 42. The 37 has a hammer spur; the 38 has a shrouded hammer(frame covers sides of hammer but you can still thumb it back for single action shooting.); and the 42's hammer is completely covered. These are not +P rated. If gun is in perfect mechanical condition then I personally would practice with standard pressure ammo, carry +P ammo (or standard pressure Federal Nyclad 125 gr. lead hollowpoint), and fire just a couple +P's to see how they feel.
 
I would definitely take the Smith over the Taurus. Its not that the Taurus is necessarily a bad gun but IMHO the Smiths are kings of the snubby realm. I have a nickled S&W 37 that is great.
 
Another vote for the S&W

I've rigged two blue M37s with bobbed hammers and they are my idea of a proper pocket revolver. The original is elswhere. Recently began switching the other out with a Colt Agent.

Best,
Johnny
 
Price of S&W 637

I don't know what price you are looking at for the 637 but I bought one about ten days ago off of Gunbroker Auction for $334. Here is a link to the same dealer I bought it from. It's likely you can buy it for $329 + $20 shipping. You can use a credit card without any additional charges for the use.
http://www.gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=8378629

The dealer has a gun store in the New Orleans area and I live about fifty miles away so I was able to go down and pick it up to save the shipping and FFL fees, but had to pay the state taxes.

I have gone to the range twice with mine and really like it, it's really amazing how accurate it is for a snubbie. I haven't shot any of the 38+P in it yet but the kick is not bad at all with the 38 special, 125g. It has a very light trigger in S/A but is quite stiff when shooting D/A. Eventually I may get some trigger work done to lighten the pull in D/A.

Hope this helps.
 
I think Taurus makes some very good guns. Their snubbies are among the best anyone makes. The aluminum UL models may be some of the best values out there in snubby revolvers.

However, S&W is the standard by which all others are judged. They make great guns (of course) and even the much maligned new ones are still very good (though I think new Taurus J-frame equivelents often have better triggers out of the box now than new manufacture S&W J-frames, though the S&W may still clean up better after a trigger job). The S&W will certainly have a better resale value should you later decide to make a switch.

S&W is probably a better gun but Taurus is quite good. At typical prices I don't think it would be worth paying the extra money you usually must to go S&W. However, at a $50 difference I would go S&W. With the guns being a used Taurus and new S&W at $50 more for the S&W I'd certainly go w/ the S&W. However, it may be possible that you may be able to bargain down to a more realistic price on the Taurus in which case the difference may then point to the Taurus (or maybe it is a consignment gun with an unrealistic owner).
 
Thank you for all the great replies.. I am going to go and pick up my new 637 tomorrow :)

One more thing, however... the price on the smith is 350$ plus tax and bground check. Is this reasonable? I noted that they are similar on gunbroker which likes to play invisible hand a lot...

~j
 
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