Wow...........
You're going to get a ton of different answers.
Some love Rugers, others Smith & Wesson and yes some love Colt's.
You're asking for a range gun ?
I'm guessing then that you will want a .357 with adjustable target sights.
Why not adjust the sights instead of where you're aiming the gun ?
Your main choices will be the...
Model GP100 from Ruger
Model 19 (K frame blue) Smith & Wesson
Model 66 (K frame Stainless) S&W
Model 686 (L frame Stainless) S&W
King Cobra (Stainless) Colt
The above would be the most common choices.
(You could also get into Taurus & Rossi. They both have some good choices as well.)
The Colt will take some work to be found under $400, but it can be done.
I've owned all of the above and here's what I've heard, learned & Read.
The GP100 is built like a tank and will last a lifetime for sure. The action is a little more stiff and feels more mechanical from the factory and not as smooth as a Smith or Colt out of the box. You should be able to buy a nice used 4 or 6 incher for $275-$325. They are plentiful, so you should not have to overpay for a nice one.
The Model 19 S&W is a wonderful gun. I've never heard anyone one complain about them. They shoot great and the actions are generally very smooth out of the box. The only drawbacks I've heard is shooting too many 125 grain .357 mags through these guns. If you are primarily going to shoot .38s you should never see any problems. These are Blue and have not been made for several years. You can still find a very nice one in the $300-$350 range.
The model 66 S&W is a great gun as well. It is the Stainless version of the model 19 (above). This would be a little more durable finish wise and would run right around the same price.
The 686 is a little more beefy than the 19 or 66 above. It is Smith & Wesson's "L" frame and are very durable. Nice actions out of the box and also can be found Ported & even a 686 plus version which would be a 7 shot version. Nice durable gun in stainless and should give you a lifetime of use and a nice used one should run you around $300-$400 depending on how old, ported or not, 7 shot. Overall I would say a very good pick.
The Colt King Cobra is built very well and should last a lifetime as well. The actions have been very nice out of the box and this is a very durable gun. This will be the most expensive of the bunch and will probably take your $400 to buy a nice one if you can find it. (Some people love Colt, some hate them because of the general cost). These came in both Blue and Stainless. You'll find about 10 stainless guns to each Blue one.
Now you need to decide if you want Blue, Stainless, 4 or 6 inch.
An 8 inch or 8 3/8 would work, but are not as readily available. Also are a little tougher to sell if you don't like it.
Hope this helps and good luck on your choice.
Oh, by the way.... Grips/stocks can make a big difference in the comfort of your revolver. If you go with a "K" or "L" frame S&W there's a grip that will fit you one way or another. You can have plastic, wood, rubber, Target, Combat, finger groove, smooth or checkered.
There's something that will work for you. Buying a S&W is like buying a small block Chevy. Everyone makes parts to fit it. The other mfg's may be a little tougher to find what you're looking for. (Just a thought)
Jeff (GUNKWAZY)