Best Budget .38 Special Revolver?

[Wedcopan]

I posted the other day about maybe getting a Ruger GP-100, but that deal has come and gone, and it does not look like I can find another good condition full size .357 mag in my price range, so here goes:

I am looking for a service sized (3-4") .38 special. I have found quite a few in my price range (no more then 300$, not including shipping, FFL fees etc.) and I just wanted to see what everybody recommended and why.

So, without further ado, here are the choices:

Ruger Service Six- http://catalog.jgsales.com/itemdeta...temnumber=25-97

Pros: Stainless steel, good brand name, and abundance of aftermarket parts and accessories
Cons: Fixed sights, small wood grips (I imagine those aren't the most comfortable things to hold on to)

S&W Model 10 - http://catalog.jgsales.com/itemdeta...mnumber=25-1359

Pros: The quintessential .38 special revolver, abundance of aftermarket parts and accessories and the price (lowest of the bunch, which means more money for ammo)
Cons: 3" barrel, wood grips, fixed sights, and blued instead of stainless.

S&W Model 64 - http://catalog.jgsales.com/itemdeta...emnumber=25-497

Pros: Stainless, not sure on aftermarket parts/accessories
Cons: The most spendy of the used guns listed

Taurus 82 - http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...oducts_id/31369

Pros: New, Lifetime warranty, stainless steel
Cons: Hard to find aftermarket parts and accessories, fixed sights, most spendy of all guns listed...


And there are all the ones I have been able to find.

And, just so you know, this will not be a CCW piece. It will be for toting around while hunting/fishing/hiking, home protection, and range use.

 

[slick6]

IMHO, I'd go for the Ruger Service Six! It is built like a tank-and, it is a much stronger revolver, than any of the other choices! In .38 Special, you aren't going to be able to shoot this revolver loose as easily as the other gun choices that you have listed!

This is not to say, that the S&W M10(And, M64)aren't great revolvers-but, for the money, they just won't stand up to the punishment that the Ruger Service Six can take in stride(Without even breathing hard!)! And, there are fewer parts inside the Service Six and disassembly(For cleaning, etc.)is quick and easy to do(Being of modular construction)!

The small grips are no problem, because you can easily find Ruger(Or aftermarket)target grips(Wood or rubber)for reasonable prices! Ebay is a good source for these! Also, Ruger keeps many parts on hand for servicing the ruger "Six Series" revolvers(At reasonable cost-or, sometimes at no cost!)! Ruger service has proven to be second to none!

If you don't want the "Fixed" sights-then, you could just wait until you can find a stainless Security Six(Which is exactly the same gun as the Service Six(Except for having the adjustable sights-and, being unavailable in .38 special(Except for a very few, "Rare" Security Sixes(Mostly exported to other Countries, made in .38 Special caliber(Instead of .357))! However, you can still shoot .38 special's in any .357 magnum revolver!

I have all of the revolvers that you have listed(EXCEPT, for not having the Taurus 82!)and, my M64-3, is now at the S&W Company being repaired for excessive end-shake(And, shooting itself loose!)however, I have never had this problem, with any of my Security Sixes or Service Sixes! Again, I like all of my S&W's, Colt's and Security/Service Sixes, for different reasons(And, I wouldn't want to give-up any of these revolvers!)but, I do tend to "Fansy" the Ruger "Six-Series" revolvers(More than the others, in many ways!)but, of course, everyone has different likes and dislikes? So, the choice is yours? Good luck, in whichever revolver that you might decide upon? :banghead:

 

[Marshall]

Your links aren't working.

 

[GreenFurniture]

Too many reasons to list and too many models to pick. You can't go wrong with either the Smith or the Taurus.

 

[scubie02]

I've had good luck with taurus' (tauri?) and you'd have the warranty. Honestly on new guns I don't see a huge difference between a taurus and a smith (I have both). That having been said, you might look for one of the old colt troopers or police positive or whatever models--classics that are probably better made than alot fo what you get today. I really think guns were made better even 10 years ago in general than they are today.

 

[HSMITH]

Stainless M64, icky. Blued M10, MMMMMMMmmm, NICE!!

 

[WT]

A 3" blue Model 10 is a gift from Heaven!

 

[roo_ster]

3" blued M10 is the coolest of the bunch & the one I'd lay down my cash on.

 

[Dienekes]

If the S&Ws are rock-solid and not in need of any internal or refinishing work, they are excellent. If work is needed it will cost quite a bit more than comparable work on the Rugers. The Rugers are, push come to shove, more durable in the long term. Grips are grips; easily changed so not really a consideration. All my DA revolvers except for a rarely used GP-100 have non-factory grips that suit me better.

One factor that has made refurbishing these good older guns less cost-effective is the PITA overnight air shipping required by UPS and Fedex. Nothing like a $40 surcharge because their companies have internal theft problems. Consequently I think longer now before starting one of these projects.

 

[Lloyd Smale]

find yourself a good used model 15 smith they can be found cheap yet and you wont find a finer .38

 

[c_yeager]

They are all good choices. Personally i would never list being blued or having fixed-sights as being a negative quality in a general purpose or carry revolver.

 

[bakert]

Any of those would be fine. I have an old model 10 S&W That I still carry sometimes. Bit worn outside but perfect otherwise and just plain fun to shoot.

 

[tbeb]

I'd look for a S&W Model 15 (as suggested by Lloyd Smaley). It has an adjustable rear sight. I traded my 15 a long time ago--big mistake. Same gun in stainess is the S&W Model 67.

 

[logical]

Service Six...except look for a Security Six, same gun but with adjustable sights. GunBroker should have one you can get for under $300 easily. The .38 special police versions don't go as high as the .357's so you have that going for you. Grips can be changed to any number of aftermarket ones for under $20.

The same class of gun in a Smith will always cost a tad more. A used Ruger or Smith in my opinion is a better value than a new Taurus.

 

[Frenchy]

Got this model 10 last night on Gun Broker...$189.00...

He's got a model 64 for $180.00 (Auction# 33279104) ...

 

[logical]

I paid $192 + shipping for this Service Six stainless DAO .38 spl. on Gunbroker a few months ago.