Off-Brand revolvers....Opinions and Reviews?

[SouthpawShootr]

Why not a beater S&W 65? There's plenty all over the place. Just check the shows. Seem them for as low as $150 (with considerable holster wear, but as tight as new). Get one that's all scuffed up? Fixing a stainless finish is pretty easy.

 

[senior]

s&w 38

for trigger pull, balance, acuracy & ability to stop someone, my s&w 38 3 inch model 64-5 is my favorite revolver, never a fail-to-fire or any malfunction, with hydo shoks i sure dont feel underarmed

 

[MatthewVanitas]

How were H&R and NEF centerfire revolvers?

I saw a .38Spl (not S&W) birds-head NEF revolver in a pawnshop for $85 once, should have grabbed that.

I have a H&R 622 .22LR that I like considerably for the $65 I have into it. Boxy, incredibly simple, but decent sights and good DA/SA trigger.

How are their centerfires for "off brand"?

-MV

 

[461]

Some very nice 3" GP-100's from I believe Canada on the market. You sure couldn't hurt it by having it bounce around by the spare tire.

 

[warwagon]

How about a Rossi 720, .44spec? can be found used around here for about $150.00. Mine functions perfectly, and is a great shooter!

 

[palerider1]

just remember one rule,,,,,,,,,,,you get what you pay for. quality costs, thats how good firearms manufacturers stay in business.

 

[22luvr]

In praise of "Non-quality" revolvers...

I've owned 3 what-I-would-call budget revolvers:

An older Rossi 6-shot .357 mag with 2" barrel. It is my current nightstand defense piece. Large, heavy and UGLY but shoots like a dream and is reliable as night and day.

I've also owned two EAA Windicators which I still consider "Best-buys" for the money. They are made in Germany I believe by E.H. Weiruch. The first was a 2" .38 spcl 6-shot with adjustable sights and was (and is) still the most accurate revolver I have ever owned. The Hogue style grips were extremely comfortable and the weight helped recoil. The other was an almost identical .357 mag with 2" barrel and 6-shot capacity. Both were 100% reliable with decent triggers and excellent handling characteristics. The only 2 drawbacks I could cite were their weight/size. These did not fall into what I would call the concealed carry or pocket variety revolver. Both were about 30+ounces and large framed. Also, the owner's manual did not recommend plus-P ammo. Other than that, I was thoroughly satisfied with them.

Charter? Never owned one but I've handled'em and am seriously looking at either their bobbed hammered undercover model in .38 spcl or their hammerless Off-Duty model. Either would make an excellent pocket gun in stainless steel with their small boot grips and J-framed size....and for quite a bit less money than "them thar hi-falutin" brands."

I hope this helps to enlighten things a bit.

Best wishes....

 

[foghornl]

Rossi & Taurus are now owned by the same parent company. Most of their later stuff [last 5 years or so] seems farily decent.

Charter Arms/Charter/Charter2000 has gone though several ownership iterations, with various quality issues. I had one of the 1975/76 vintage .44Spl Bulldogs that I liked very well. Didn't shoot it a lot though; at the time .44Spl ammo was almost $30 per 50, while .44Mag was only $15-$19 per 50.

Oh, yeah. . .The "RG" as in Rhom/RG brand does NOT mean "Real Good"

 

[P. Plainsman]

But, if you don't mind your revolvers carrying several extra ounces of weight with big billboards on the barrels ... and barely adequate trigger pulls, I guess you could go the Ruger route ...

Bah. The SP101 is exactly right for a small .357 that you actually want to be able to hit things with. A great revolver design, preferable to any of S&W's steel J-frame .357s. And don't tell me current S&W Js don't have lousy trigger pulls.

The GP100 weighs 0.5 oz less than the S&W 686. It is a soft-shooting, accurate .357 Mag. holster gun. Mine has the nicest DA pull of any revolver I own except for my target-tuned Model 10.

Ruger billboards vs. S&W zit locks; that's at least a toss-up. Many would say Ruger carries that point. With a stainless Ruger you can polish the billboard off. The S&W zit lock is permanent. It isn't even in a particularly intelligent location. Taurus, for example, out-designed S&W on that score.

 

[cookekdjr]

Look at used S&W and Ruger's, including LE trade-ins. Some of the best revolvers you can buy, tough as nails, and very accurate. Will always go "boom" when you pull the trigger.
Can find either for approx $200 (in .38); sometimes .357 is a little more.
I'd go with the .38 and load it with the "FBI load" (158gr LSWCHP). In fact, I have done that.
Good luck,

David

 

[TonyB]

I have a Rossi 461 2" 357mag.After a trip to the factory for an in consistant trigger(now I think it just needed to be broken in)in shoots like a dream.$150.I use it in IDPA....made marksman in SSR with it..next month going for Sharpshooter.
It's the same size as a k frame..I like the rubber grips.I was originally looking for a s/w model 10 in 2",but couldn't find one around here.I saw the Rossi for $150 and decided even if it sucked,I was only out $150...turns out I love it.

 

[MCgunner]

you get what you pay for.

Not necessarily.

 

[hurrakane212]

That's my Rossi. Great little gun. I gotta get grips for it though. .357's through that are a little rough. The trigger is pretty smooth and .38 special recoil is negligible. My 5'2'' wife shoots it and loves it except she likes to cock the hammer and shoot it SA instead of DA because the DA pull is hard for her small hands.~Nathan

 

[Snub60]

Just my 2 cents here with my first post. Bought my first gun...shot my first gun...9 days ago. A S&W model 60-14 ( 2 1/8" snub ). Been to the range 3 times. Let me tell you this little snub and me are hitting bullseyes and having app. 3/4 to 1" groupings at 5 yards. I LOVE IT !!!...BTW I definately think 38+p is the way for a .357 *snub* (unless I need to shot a bear) and the regular .38 specials feel like .22's to me. I clean her after every session and I know S&W will never let me down because she's as tight as she was the day I married her. (225 rounds later...50 being .357mag)
p.s. I could have REALLY bought 2 Rossi's for the money but I didn't and I am very happy.

 

[R. W. Simms]

One gun that nobody's mentioned is a Dan Wesson. I routinely see the fixed-sight Model 14 priced in the $150-$175 range. This gun is the size of a Python, is generally found in .357, and is a high-quality weapon. It's just not in high demand. Makes a great truck gun, though.

-Bob