Why Ruger is better than Smith & Wesson

[md7]

jad0110 pretty much nailed it on the head. except the GP fits my hands better than the 686. they are both really great revolvers. you could buy one and be just as well off as if you had bought the other.

also, just recently dealt with ruger customer service pertaining to my GP. they were awesome. really great folks and sent my GP back better than new. i'm sure SW is the same.

 

[Benzene]

Cost difference

If both guns are equally well-made (ignoring the lock), accurate, durable, American made, why the HUGE price difference????

 

[Gryffydd]

When you get Jerry Miculek to agree, you can PM me.

As soon as Ruger pays him more than S&W does now, I'm sure he will agree. That's like saying Springfield Armory pistols are better because Rob Leatham likes them.

 

[KINGMAX]

S&w 686-1

S&W 686-1, Ruger's, P90, Ruger Super RedHawk, Super BlackHawk, Bisley, & P100. I own them all. I can not and will not tell you to go one way or the other here. ALL ARE GREAT WEAPONS (IMOHO)!!

You will have to make that decision on your own.

If I had to make a selection in each category of weapon: Revolver = S&W 686-1, Semi-auto: GLOCK G21, SHTF Assault Rifle: AK47 in 7.62x39, Bolt action rifle: Remington 700 ADL in 270 or 308NATO, Shotgun: Remington 870, Derringer: Bond Arms in 45 colt, Fighting knife: GLOCK Field knife straight edge, folder: Kershaw Ken Onion Blackout w/ straight edge.

These are my choices for my own reasons that serve my purpose at the price I can and are willing to pay. All are quality pieces that I have put together.

 

[Revolver Ocelot]

I need to start reading whats up in the forums before starting threads.....

 

[Ghost Tracker]

My beautiful, old S&W revolvers have now become valued heirlooms, like a polished, garage-kept, classic car. My (stainless) Rugers are now my working handguns, like my tractor & bush-hog. I've only known a few shooters who've claimed to have "worn-out" a S&W revolver. I've never met (or even heard) of a shooter who's worn-out a Ruger.

When you get Jerry Miculek to agree

I've had the pleasure of meeting & chatting with the remarkable Mr. Miculek. He speaks highly of Ruger wheelguns. I know what he shoots when he's wearing his S&W colors...but I'll bet large he's got a Ruger or two tucked away at the house.

 

[ArmedBear]

QC, fit and finish on the two NIB Smiths I've bought have been as good as any I've seen. Not sure what anyone's talking about, there.

I own more Ruger firearms, and I like them.

I don't know which are "better", but I do know that Smith & Wesson .357s are priced a tad too high now. My NIB 629 cost me less than the price on the price of the 686 in the case next to it.

 

[BlayGlock]

When you get Jerry Miculek to agree

The fact that he works for S&W would make that difficult I am sure. I will say that Massad Ayoob has used an out-of-the-box GP100 to win several SSR competitions, but in the same article said that "If I was just starting out, with a full checkbook, my SSR would likely be an L-frame S&W 686 with an action job and a good, fast holster."

 

[GP100man]

i`ve shot revolvers since i was able to & have shot all brands & i save shipping money with rugers.

GP100man

 

[oneounceload]

why the price difference??? Because one is powdered metal and cast, so they make it larger than necessary for a forged gun, versus a gun from forged metal???....A lot of these are the same folks who will DISS Kimber for MIM parts, yet have no problem with cast metal powder....

Is that process cheaper??? Yes, by a long shot - that's the difference.....

YMMV

 

[christcorp]

Simple question: Why Ruger is better than Smith & Wesson

Simple answer: It Isn't

 

[Tamlin]

I have always been a Ruger fan - I have several Rugers, including the GP100. I recently bought a S&W 629 (44 mag) and am equally impressed. I do think Rugers are the heartier brand (meaning, the Ruger will outlive the Smith) - BUT I will not be shooting them for 100 years. Go with what feels better in your hand - and with what you can afford. Neither will lose value.

 

[PzGren]

As soon as Ruger pays him more than S&W does now, I'm sure he will agree. That's like saying Springfield Armory pistols are better because Rob Leatham likes them.

Not exactly, the difference is in the double action trigger pull of revolvers and the 1911 made by SA is basically the same design that other manufacturers are using.

I have four Ruger D/A revolvers and only one of the Six series has D/A characteristics that are comparable to a good S&W.

 

[JWJacobVT]

Sorry I will take my Smiths any day. For several reasons: 1. It feels better in my hand. 2. I can fix it with a rock and a screwdriver. Last resort of course. Easier to work on action. 3. BAD luck with rugers, company I work for got 150 GP100s. I went through 3 before I found one that would fire more then 12 rounds and then I still had to dry fire the day lights out of it. I think of the 150 we sent half back to the factory due to problems. Yes we still had to reorder another 75, and yes half of those were bad. OF course the Ruger is still better then the Tarusus that we used to have. Now those were junk, revolvers that jammed.

 

[Stainz]

I started with Rugers - and now I am S&W-only, most with the 'dreaded' IL. My only older S&W is my only one bought used - from '96 - the rest are '01 or later - and they were bought new. One Ruger was bought 'LNIB', the rest - brand new. All but my .454 SRH were QC nightmares. All needed burrs, etc, cleaned. One - my 5.5" SS RH in .45 Colt - even had rough voids between the cylinder exit bores (It went back for replacement.). Biggest S&W fault: loose ejector rod.

Now, let us look at the '09 Ruger catalog (pg 78) and the S&W 'catalog' (pg31) and compare the GP-100 with the 6-shot 686:

KGP-141 40 oz $680
164222 39.7 oz $909

That's a 0.3 oz difference. It was more - 1.3 oz - the older gripped GP100 did have the SRH-style grip with laminate inset panels, now they are just rubber. The MSRP difference is $209 - which should translate to ~$165 at a decent store offering a fair discount. The S&W costs more because it's construction is more labor/step demanding - hammer forged & heat treated takes longer than casting. Cast steel is less dense - and the large shroud, etc, looks massive compared to the full lugged look.

I prefer partial lugs - the 7-shot 620 is a 4", too - weighs 36.9 oz - and lists for $893. It was my choice for a 4"-er - until I saw the 627 Pro last spring - it was $80 more - and well worth it, but that's another matter.

I was totally turned off by the tool-marks, nicks, etc on the KGP-141s I saw around town - poor QC - until they changed grips a year or so back - it seems the QC inspectors must have gotten new glasses then. I admit to a certain interest in them now... just because they once filled my safe, I suppose. At least I know how to work on them...

There is a place in the market for both. I won't have any more SAs - or as varied a caliber range (My Rugers were .32-.454 while my S&Ws are .38-.45.) - or as many - but mine are S&Ws. It's nice to have choice.

Stainz