$300 .38 Revolver...

[Bill B.]

JMO but I would rather have a S&W M10 Police trade in from Bud's than ..........

TAURUS-M85... RIA-M206... ROSSI-351... CHARTER ARMS-Undercover 13820

Being new means little when function counts.

 

[Deaf Smith]

$300? let's just say is it ain't Colt, S&W, or Ruger.. then no. I'd rather pay a bit more and get one of the three mentioned.

Deaf

 

[beag_nut]

I have a Charter Arms Police Undercover. Its a 6 shot 38 Special. I also have a Rossi 462, a 6 shot 357/38 Special. I would recommend either to anyone. Listen to the people who actually own, and shoot these guns, not the EXPERTS who tell you they are crap.

Charter Arms make very good, very reliable revolvers, and has excellent customer service. Rossi makes very good revolvers, but service has to be done in Brazil. If you were worried about that, you could purchase a Rossi through a Davidsons dealer, and they have a fast replacement warranty on everything they sell.

Unlike one of the "experts", I own a CA MagPug, and KNOW (by experience) it's a POS. Am waiting for a local gun buy-back to get rid of it, because I don't want anyone else to get the POS.

 

[CraigC]

Listen to the people who actually own, and shoot these guns, not the EXPERTS who tell you they are crap.

In response to a similar discussion about cheap guns, a wise man once said, "I do not have to lick a turd to know that I do not want to eat one". We do tend to pick up a good bit of useful knowledge through the years of buying, selling, owning and shooting firearms. I don't have to own a specific cheap gun to know that the same generalizations apply to virtually ALL cheap guns and I don't need a price tag to know something is "cheap".

The "experts" who own them are seldom specific about their experience. Rarely to we hear about high round counts or detailed reports on accuracy. Generally speaking, those who are satisfied with cheap guns don't shoot much and/or have relatively low expectations.

All that said, for such modest requirements, I'm sure they're fine. Personally, I'd rather have a used S&W or Ruger than a new cheap gun. Although I have been tempted to try one of the new Charter .44Spl's.

 

[joem1945]

Look for a used police trade in S&W mod 10 or newer. Many years ago I bought a mod 27 for $250.00. Like new. If the LGS had more I would have bought them to.

 

[Tallball]

I have had two Taurus Model 85's and they have both been great. The "spend more money to buy a Ruger or S&W" is a classic that is apparently more entertaining the more often it is read.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I own a Taurus 82 in .38 Special and here is my opinion.

Drop the "NIB" requirement if your budget is only $300 so you can take a step up. Hey, we have what we have and if you've got that amount to work with then that's what it is. I had $200 to spend when I picked up my Taurus. That's why I decided on it. The same shop had Smith 10s for $339. Wish I could have stepped up to it. The Taurus has been to the gunsmith twice since I got it.

You said you would be happy with a 3". I think I would compromise on the barrel length and take a hard look at the link that was posted with the S&W 10.

Just my opinion.

 

[MCgunner]

I can highly recommend Taurus....Rossi to a lesser degree.

 

[skeptical_in_Ohio]

This got me looking around, just for curiosity.

If buying new, this time of year, you're looking at $265 or so for a Taurus 85 (after rebate), $380 or so for a S&W 442, and $400 for a Ruger LCR 38.

I have shot the Taurus and the Ruger, and a Colt DS. I would rate the DS best and the Ruger surprisingly close, but the Taurus wasn't bad at all. Any reasonably competent shooter will put a lot of rounds in the middle of a target at 21 feet in either SA or DA with any of the three (obviously DA only with the Ruger unless one gets a LCRx).

I haven't shot the 442, but did dry fire one. Didn't like it. At all. I have also shot a S&W Model 10. Single action great, double action is where I'm reminded that my hands are apparently tiny. Not as comfortable for me as the smaller-framed ones.

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Put another 50 rounds thru my Taurus today---again no problems and shot where I aimed it---probably 300 rounds through the gun so far---only had it about a month

 

[Spooler41]

I recently acquired a EAA Windicator ,.38 spl. 6 shot, NIB for less than $289.oo. I've had
no prior experience with EAA weapons. They are built in Germany and imported to the
EAA company in Florida. Upon receiving my weapon,after inspection, I was very
impressed with, Fit ,Finish and overall workmanship. This turned out to be a very fine
weapon. It fits my hand ,has an excellent trigger It has become one of my favorite guns.

.......................... Jack

 

[CoalTrain49]

I've got a Taurus 85. Had it for 25 years. Just as durable and dependable as any S&W 36. It also displays the same incredible lack of accuracy. I'm not sure why anyone would want one except maybe to shoot someone at very close range, say 10 feet or less.

 

[Waveski]

I am sorry , but saying that a Taurus m85 is comparable to a Smith & Wesson 36 Chief's Special is absurd. It just is.

Incredible lack of accuracy? Either revolver needs to be property aimed and operated.

Maybe you just don't like snub nosed revolvers.

 

[Jim K]

CoalTrain wrote "...as any S&W 36. It also displays the same incredible lack of accuracy."

I have owned three Model 36's and carried a 3" square butt for several years as a deputy sheriff. They all shot well. Shooting DA, I can still put all the shots in 2" at 10 yards with the 3". I have little experience with Taurus revolvers, though their quality control has been spotty in the past, so I can't make a comparison, but I can only think that, within the limits of a short barrel, the S&W Model 36 will shoot very well, though it takes practice to bring out its best.

Jim

 

[Magnumite]

Had a Smith 36, it was S&W accurate, i.e. good, 2 - 3" groups at 25 yards.

I've tangled with three revolvers in this tier. None of them stayed long. With the spotty reputation you'll need to see if one's FFL is going to be doing the shipping for warranty. Most will tell you to contact the manu service center. Email them for their policy and to see if they will send a call tag to pick up the shipping cost. If not, then that pistol will cost you $60-$85 to ship for service. That gets one into good quality revolver cost range.

 

[weblance]

Im not going to argue with you guys. Its pointless. The OP asked for a NIB $300 revolver. Charter Arms, Taurus and Rossi all offer very serviceable revolvers at that price point. If they were all offering junk, they wouldn't still be building revolvers. It doesn't take very long these days with internet forums, to wreck a manufacturers reputation, if they are building junk.

To beag_nut. Charter Arms has excellent customer service. IF you have a revolver that has been made recently, its silly to complain about it being a POS, and not let Charter fix, or replace it. IF its been to Charter already, and it was returned in unsatisfactory condition, then try again. They don't want unhappy owners of their products. There isn't a company making guns that cares more about their reputation than Charter Arms.

Charter will not warranty revolvers made by the previous operators. If you have one of those, you are on your own. They wont take responsibility for products made that weren't made under their control.

 

[Stephanie B]

I have a Taurus 605 which I bought 15 years ago. It's been a reliable gun and I have nothing bad to say about it. But Taurus had a stretch well-documented quality control issues for a time. Whether or not they are past them, I can't say.

For $300 or so, I'd seriously consider finding a police trade-in Model 10.

 

[C0untZer0]

You left the EAA Windicator out of the mix.

They go for $245~ish

 

[JDR]

Here's a nice S&W Model 10, $319.00 cash price from Bud's;

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...790/used_s&w_police_model_10_38sp_square_butt

 

[Jim NE]

I have two Interarms era Rossi five shot snubbies and they are great! I also have a Taurus era Rossi snubbie, which is also great, but a little less steel in the frame. Funny, though...the Taurus era Rossi is rate for +P, but the Interarms era guns aren't, so keep that in mind.

Also have a Taurus blem Polymer snubbie and just ordered an old school Smith and Wesson model 36 with come minor cosmetic defects. My experience with other model 36's has been very positive. As all the other guns I mentioned have been.

All of the guns I've mentioned were purchased for under $300. Any would be suitable.

 

[ScaryWoody]

Just got a Ruger LCR for $289 plus shipping.

 

[jd70]

I too recommend a used model 10. I picked up a Australian police trade in last summer. Lots of holster wear, but a beautiful action. Broken in very nicely and accurate to boot. 279.00 worth every penny. Does house duty on my hip a lot.

 

[bikerdoc]

I have had all four of those guns. Mine all workd well. That said I got a smith 649 for $350 and a ruger sp101 for $325, both used but not abused.

 

[edknn]

There are great deals on Smith 38's today. The 642 and 442 among others are $336.99. Even a scandium mode ic $399. http://www.sportsmansoutdoorsuperstore.com/products2.cfm/ID/64137

 

[Elkins45]

That scandium 360 for $399 is a CRAZY deal!

BTW I agree with the others about a S&W model 10 police trade. I have two of them (3" & 4") and both are fantastic.