Looking for a 357 revolver on a budget...

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dookiesbud

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Ive seen a couple of Taurus's under $300, like the 605 and 617. Does anyone have one of this revolvers to give an opinions on them?
 
I carried a 605 for quite a few years and never had any trouble out of it.
I shot everything you can imagine through it, from light .38's to heavy .357's... It always kept ticking right along, no matter what. ( A 605 is a bit of a handful with the mags though.... Not for the recoil sensitive. )

The particular specimen I had would make one ragged hole with 5 rounds at 10 or 15 yards too, if I did my part.

Wish I'd never sold it. :(


J.C.
 
My advice: either save up for a new Smith or buy a used Smith that works great.

It won't take you very long to put $300 worth of ammo thru that gun, not to mention that you'll have to buy cleaning supplies, eye/ear protection, possibly a holster, possibly a safe and I mentioned the ammo, which isn't cheap.

Yeah, you're saving some dough now, but you won't have the gun very long before you've spent a lot more beyond that and you may find you wished you had spent it on a quality piece that will not only last a lifetime, but can re-sell at anytime for a great price.
 
SJshooter said:
...either save up for a new Smith or buy a used Smith that works great.
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Although I can agree with buying an older Smith that's in good shape, over the Taurus, I have to say that I've seen absolutely nothing to indicate that new Smiths are any better than new Taurus revolvers.... And I'm not for spending $200 more on anything just because of it's brand name.

But this is just my opinion. *shrug*



J.C.
 
Well, look again. The new Smiths are great. They may not be as good as older Smiths, but they're head and shoulders over a Taurus.

To the original poster: You'll find plenty of happy, fully-satisfied Taurus owners here and in other forums. And if that's the route you go, I hope you get a lot of enjoyment out of your gun and the sport of shooting. But you'll also find plenty of people who believe those guns to be inferior pieces of crap that are prone to breakdown with no re-sale value. Respect to those in the former group, but count me in the latter group.
 
SJshooter said:
Well, look again. The new Smiths are great. They may not be as good as older Smiths, but they're head and shoulders over a Taurus.
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Okay, I'll bite; WHY are the Smiths "head and shoulders" over a Taurus?

Materials? Design? Workmanship?

I've owned, shot, and carried both brands for a very long time...better than 20 years. In all that time, and through all those guns, I've never owned...or even seen.... a bad Taurus revolver. Never gotten a bad Smith, either, although I've seen a couple. ( This may be due entirely to blind luck, or the fact that Smith & Wesson revolvers outnumber Taurus by a good margin here. )

Yes, the older Taurus guns were a bit rough, but that seems to have changed in the last 15-20 years. Smith & Wesson, on the other hand, has gotten a bit sloppy, in this same period of time.

Anyway, I'm not trying to start a fight here, and I'm not trying to change anybody's mind that likes one brand and not the other.... I'd just like to know what the perceived defects are.


J.C.
 
You might want to look at a Ruger SP101 in .357

I have one, carry it constantly, love it.
 
dookiesbud said:
Ive seen a couple of Taurus's under $300, like the 605 and 617. Does anyone have one of this revolvers to give an opinions on them?
Click to expand...


Take a walk over to the Taurus Forum and have a look around. Might be an eye opener.

Good luck in your search.
 
dookiesbud said:
Ive seen a couple of Taurus's under $300, like the 605 and 617. Does anyone have one of this revolvers to give an opinions on them?
Click to expand...

I have a Taurus® Mdl 617 2SS my wife gave me for my birthday in 2003. It's absolutely flawless in performance.:D It's highy accurate and utterly reliable.:) ;)
 
They all break no matter who's name is on the side. All factories are still running a repeair department. So do a complete check of whatever you decide and take your chances at what passes.

BTW... a S&W resells for more than a Taurus because it initally cost more than a Taurus.
 
I personally have purchased a 586 no dash in very respectable condition for 300 even.

Hold out for a Smith.
 
I'll throw another two out also that can be real deals: the Ruger Security Six and Speed Six. I have found both of these in like new shape for around $225.00 in the blue finish. Pawn shops are a good place for deals on all brands this time of year and would be one of my first stops. :)
 
I'll add a vote for a revolver that hasn't been mentioned, the Colt Trooper MK III. I love mine. I shoot tighter groups with my 1970 4" Trooper than I do with my shootin' bro's 6" King Cobra, even though the KC has a lighter DA trigger and better grips. Dunno why.

The DA trigger is a bit heavy, although quite smooth and linear. The trigger in SA is just about perfect. Replacement spring kits are available, and I'll be putting one in someday. The service grips are a bit fat at the bottom, but otherwise are fine. I'll be replacing them, not because I hate them (I don't) but just because they could be better. People with more knowledge than I'll ever have have declared the Mk III Colts to be one of the strongest .357 service revolvers ever made.

The blueing on mine is better than anything you'll find now, short of a Holland. Of course, that seems to be the case with older American revolvers in general. Bluing steel seems to be a lost art these days.

They seem to get no respect, at least in terms of resale value. Maybe the Pythons are getting all the love.

Every time I shoot mine, I think, "why in the hell can't Colt make a gun like this now? They'd clean house." Of course, I feel that way when I shoot an older S&W, as well.

I doubt I'll ever buy a new revolver. They really "don't make 'em like they used to."

--Shannon
 
All factories are still running a repeair department.
Click to expand...

With the Ruger "Six" Series... just barely. "One guy in a small room" is what I've heard... and that for many hundreds of thousands of "Six" revolvers.

If I were looking for a .357, my first choice would be a Ruger Security Six. I love these revolvers. :)

StrikeEagle
 
Find yourself a Ruger! No questions. Though I am not a huge Ruger fan, I do like their revolvers more than well enough. A used Security Six, Speed Six or GP100 should serve well. Used GP100s around here go for between $300 and $350, depending on condition and variation. My father has 2 GP100s; both are smooth enough and accurate. My only gripe? They don't have a S&W action job.
 
You ought to be able to find a solid k-frame for well within your price range, maybe even an L-frame.

I paid 250OTD for my 98% 586 no dash. I see 19s all the time for that kind of money. The only other gun Id consideris the Ruger Security/Speed Six guns. Ruger really screwed the pooch when they dropped it for the abomination of crap, the GP/SP series.
 
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