Under $300 .38 Snub?...

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On the cheap, cheap, you could get a Rock Island .38 SPC 6 shot. I think they are $209 from online stores. Look up the model number M200 4" and M206 2" from Rock Island.
Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U35zW2Yhilw
You will see mixed reviews. I don't have any personal dealings with Rock Island/Armscor, and I don't work.


I have owned Taurus Revolvers, and like them. I currently own a Rossi M729 fixed sight model .44 SPC that has been has some work done on it that I asked for, but even before that it was super accurate. It is DA only, and is an InterArms model from probably the early to mid 1990s.

I think if new Rossi comes out with a decent .38 non-+P at Academy for like $259 twice a year. At least they did. The finish isn't the best, but it would work. Also, the Taurus 605 would be a good gun to own. It is a .357 6 shot. I have heard good things about them from who I think are reliable people.
The M85 is a nice J-Frame .38 as well.

But for $279 you can buy a Bersa .380 ACP, and load all the +P ammo you want in it from companies like Underwood or Buffalo Bore, and have a very fast shoots and easier reloads. No, it isn't a 158 grain slug, but the companies I mentioned are serving up some very good ammo for the .380 ACP these days.
 
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Thanks Eb...
Armscor/RIA has made an excellent, 'reasonably' priced 1911 for many years, that's real good quality for the $$s...
Was wondering if this quality transfers over to their Revolver line. Also, their CS is reportedly A+... always important!
Have seen several on-line sellers in that UNDER $250... Has anyone shot/own an M206...
Also, it says the M206 has a 'floating firing pin'... is this a negative or positive, or what????
.
 
Only issue I saw with mid 80's Taurus 85s was some had to small a barrel cylinder gap and would wedge themselves tightly closed after a couple of cylinders full of .38 Special. Saw it on several new guns back then and even took to carrying a green scouring pad and an old lead off cloth in my Range officer bag. Before and after that lot I saw no issues with the 85s.

I like the Undercover, I like the Taurus 85, I even like the Rossi we had and have shot them all in local yokel competitions in years past.

I have no experience with the Armscor so can't say.

I would just go look at and handle any of the first three and decide which you like the feel of, controls on, trigger pull of, and finish on and go with it.

I no longer really see the point of Plus P ammo in a two inch gun so that is not an issue to me.

-kBob
 
If your patient and scour the forums and gun boards, you can find S&W J-Fames for $300.

I scored a 637-2 for $300 just a few weeks ago on this very forum.
 
I love my taurus 850, stainless, I did have to use a lighter powder charge on my reloads to keep it shootable than what I reload my heavy barrel colt official police.
 
Thanks CO... saw one of these Windicators awhile back at Gander, nice!...
Only problem is EAA Customer Service...
Never owned an EAA pistol but almost everything I've read/heard says their CS 'sucks' big time if you have any problems!...
Other than that, a nice looking gun at the right price (Bud's).
Thanks
 
kBob said:
I no longer really see the point of Plus P ammo in a two inch gun so that is not an issue to me.
Click to expand...

Probably a valid point, but sometimes the only thing you can find is +P.

It takes a lot of looking and luck to find standard velocity .38 Special defensive loads sometimes. IIRC, Hornady still loads 158 grain JHP, and Remington and Buffalo Bore load 158 grain LSWC-HP's. Magtech loads a 158 grain JHP, but I'm not sure how the expansion is on it. If there's just a little bit of a shortage or you catch them on a seasonal run, you might not be able to find any of those easily.

So I prefer a gun that's rated for +P if only for that reason.
 
Of your options I'd pick the Taurus, the 85 series is pretty solid IMO. If you already have a 60 I'm not sure why you want a "range beater", you'd do yourself better to spend the $300 on ammo.
 
GZOh said:
Thanks Eb...
Armscor/RIA has made an excellent, 'reasonably' priced 1911 for many years, that's real good quality for the $$s...
Was wondering if this quality transfers over to their Revolver line. Also, their CS is reportedly A+... always important!
Have seen several on-line sellers in that UNDER $250... Has anyone shot/own an M206...
Also, it says the M206 has a 'floating firing pin'... is this a negative or positive, or what????
.
Click to expand...
I have one of the Armscor M206s. I bought mine a number of months ago for $229 before tax.

I got mine just to see how there were, and I also own a Rock Island 1911. As you can see by the markings, they now are sold as part of the "Rock Island" line, vs just "Armscor" like they had been in the past.

It is a no-frills firearm that for me, has worked just fine. I replaced the little wooden "peg" grips with Pachmayr grips made for a Colt Detective Special. They aren't a perfect fit, but they work. The wood grips were atrocious and that LONG (and kinda sharp) hammer spur would hit my hand when I shot it with them. The Pachmayr grips are a huge improvement.

The finish on this gun is a very utilitarian parkerized finish. As far as the floating firing pin, Smiths, Rugers, and Taurus revolvers all have them. It's a non-issue.

Here's a pic of my M206:

P7052538.jpg
 
If you are going to push the budget to $400 then a Ruger LCR or SP101 snubnose should be considered.
 
My brother-in-law likes his EAA Windicator. He hasn't had a bit of trouble with it.
 
I handled one of the Charter Arms 9mm pitbull revolvers a couple weeks ago. I was actually pretty impressed with the fit, finish and lock up. DA trigger was a bit long and stiff, but smooth and not gritty as I've heard them to be. Stainless bead blasted finish was nice. I couldn't find a flaw for the life of me. Nice looking gun. Not sure how well they work under firing conditions, but I tell you if it was on one of their southpaw frames, it'd be in my pocket right now rather than the case at the LGS.

Taurus 85, I'd put right about the same. Felt good in my hand, fired well even though the trigger wasn't smooth or light in DA. Break was predictable and consistent, recoil was manageable. Accuracy was what you'd expect from most budget 2" snubbies. Not perfect cloverleafs at 5 yards, but definitely capable of 5 center mass vital hits in rapid succession at close range shooting from the hip.

IF you can find a S&W J-frame for that price, don't hesitate to snatch it up. But if you're looking for a cheap, knock around gun that'll spend more time in your pocket than the range, either the Charter or the Taurus would get my vote. Charter being my preferred revolver of the ones you mentioned.
 
I once stumbled on to an SP-101 for $279.
I immediately sold a Bulgarian Makarov I owned at the time to buy it.
The same deal would likely go $50 more or so now, but I'd still go a little over budget for a deal like that.

Decent used revolvers aren't as common as they used to be, but that makes it even more fun when you find one.
 
My daughter has a Taurus snub in 38 special, her husband has one in 44 special , and I have one in 45 acp , model 455, we have shot them quite a lot , especially the 44 and 45 . No problems with any of them. These guns are great, considering how much they cost. The 45 acp snub isn't getting away from me for all the tea in China......I realy like it.
Taurus has come a long way in quality and I would buy another. For your needs the Taurus would be fine.
Gary
 
I'm a S&W fan, but there is nothing and I mean nothing wrong with a Taurus revolver.
 
Agree with those that recommend the Taurus 85, Considering the price as well as the Taurus lifetime warranty, it has your name all over it.
 
Taurus gets a lot of stuff wrong and justifiably catches flack for it.

But they have manufacturing a quality inexpensive J-frame facsimile down pat. Buy an 85 or similar with confidence.
Click to expand...

This

and this:
The Tracker and Raging Bull line, as well as their Beretta clones and the 85 model line all seem to be slam dunks.
Click to expand...


Having owned two Taurus 85s in the past, I can say with confidence that both were very reliable and more accurate than the little guns had any right to be.
Incidentally, both were bought used in excellent condition for $225.
 
Rossi 88/68

I have the Rossi 68 (blue) and 88 (SS) from the 90's. These are solid snubbies and are highly recommended. I also have a S&W 36, J-frame and an older (60-70's) vintage Rossi "Bangor-Punta" S&W M36 clone which is nearly identical to the S&W version.

These Rossi's should be available through GB for under $300.
 
This is the Charter Arms 32 magnum snub I bought for my wife and daughter to shoot. I think I gave around $220 for it used, in very good condition. I prefer my Taurus Model 85 snub, but this one has given us no problems.

ec157307-6308-415b-b9aa-b6e39e1df9bf_zpsisjdedi3.jpg
 
Useful thread. I'll admit my inclination for Rugers and S&W's when they're working right, but if I could find a decent Charter or Taurus to try out, I think I would. I always kinda liked the Taurus 605...
 
I like snubs. I have a bunch of them. Of the ones I own that cost in the low $300s, my favorite is the Charter Arms Police Undercover. Its a small frame 6 shot .38 Special. All the other small frame .38s available(Taurus, Ruger, S&W), are 5 shot. I ordered the DAO spurless hammer from Charter($20), and the 2 finger boot grip(also $20), and its an excellent choice for a concealed revolver. Charter puts a silly tall front sight on all their snubs, causing them to be shot low, but filing the front sight, or simply using a sight picture with more front sight showing, and they shoot accurately, and reliably. Wolff makes Reduced Power mainsprings for the Charter revolvers, and that will be next, just as an experiment. Charter Arms has a lifetime warranty on all their recent revolvers, and I have found them to be excellent, no-frills working guns. I trust my life to a .44 Bulldog, and a .38 Police Undercover.

First pic... next to my 5 shot J Frame, second pic... 6 shot cylinder...

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photo%202%2019_zpsv6czkn20.jpg
 
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