s&w 586 vs Ruger gp100

[BruniX]

hello !

in French shooting clubs, obtaining an authorization to buy and hold a handgun is very rigorous and time-consuming.
after a year and a half, I should be able to get it, to use the 25m firing range and acquire a revolver.

two models have caught my attention, both by their quality, reasonable price and ... I admit ... their aesthetic is important for me
I intend to draw mainly from the special 38 and, from time to time, the 357 magnum and recharge myself, which I already do for 45-70 (marlin sbl 1895, impossible to get a henry 45/70 brass in france... )

This is the Ruger GP100 357 magnum, and the S & W 586.
rather in steel version than those in stainless steel ...

What do you think of these two revolvers?
(solidity, ergonomics, reliability, dismantling ...)

I also hesitate between 4 'and 6' for the gun ...
I prefer the 4 ', is it good for shooting at 25m, or a little short?

Thank you !

[PT7]

hello !

in French shooting clubs, obtaining an authorization to buy and hold a handgun is very rigorous and time-consuming.
after a year and a half, I should be able to get it, to use the 25m firing range and acquire a revolver.

two models have caught my attention, both by their quality, reasonable price and ... I admit ... their aesthetic is important for me

This is the Ruger GP100 357 magnum, and the S & W 586.
... What do you think of these two revolvers?
(solidity, ergonomics, reliability, dismantling ...)

I also hesitate between 4 'and 6' for the gun ...
I prefer the 4 ', is it good for shooting at 25m, or a little short?

Thank you !

BruniX,

I think you've placed a tough choice in front of you. For the four criteria you are looking at, "solidity, ergonomics, reliability, dismantling," both have a lot of good qualities to offer.

I have owned both S&W and Ruger revolvers; however, not the specific models you are considering. My closest experience to the Ruger GP100 (the K-frame) is the smaller J-frame SP101 .357 Magnum. I have owned two with different barrel lengths: a 3" snubby, and a 4.2" kit gun.

Base on your criteria, I offer these general comments on a Ruger.
Solidity. The Ruger is built like a tank. It will handle even the strongest .357 loads on the market. As you will be reloading, you'll find it easy to go after your best ammo build.

Ergonomics. Especially with a Hogue Tamer Grip, my 4.2" revolver fit like a glove and very comfortable to handle.

Reliability. I purposed my 3" snubby for a daily CCW. In order to do that, for me it must be more than reliable. I would not use a revolver, or any handgun, if that level of dependence is not met.

Dismantling. I've disassembled my SP101 at the basic cleaning level; did not go further. But I've seen some good internet video helps on further take-down procedure. The GP100 has a similar design.

Barrel length. My Ruger with a 4" barrel shoots very accurately. However, now that I'm shooting a pistol with a 10" barrel, I would opt for a GP100 with the 6" barrel length. I think there will be easier target acquisition with the longer-length sight radius.

I trust others will provide some good insight. Best as you work through to your final choice.
PT7

[BigAl52]

Either gun will serve you well. The Ruger in my opinion is the tougher of the two. I as well would probably lean toward the 6 inch although I like the looks of the 4 better. I would also opt for 357 mag only and load them down to the 38 special loads. It saves creating 2 fire rings in the cylinder which can cause issues if a steady diet of only 38 special is done.
Im not saying you cant shoot 38 special as you can but you will need to pay attention to the cylinder when cleaning to make sure you get that carbon cleaned out so that a 357 round will chamber. Its just easier to use the 357 brass for both.

[JEBar]

BruniX ....

delighted to see you back on the open forum, you've been missed ..... as already noted, both are fine revolvers, we own both .... its really a matter of personal preference because there isn't right or wrong answer .... we have 2 GP100 357's with 6" barrels .... both are very capable revolvers that have taken multiple deer .... the biggest edge I'd give to the Rugers is its much easier to adjust their trigger pull .... with you loading your own ammo, I would strongly recommend you do not use 38 spl cases ....they are shorter than 357's .... that can result in cleaning issues .... its fine to put 38 level loads in 357 cases

[North Country Gal]

I've owned half a dozen GPs and even a few more Smiths, both in the 586 and 686. To me, accuracy is what it is all about and, in that respect, I've never had a GP that could shoot as tight a group as the best of the Smiths and it took the best of the GPs to keep up with the least accurate 586/686. Most have not been able to do it. This is shooting from a rest at 25 yards, testing for group size, by the way. It is not just my general impression.

As for reliability, I've had more issues with the GPs. The extractor star on the Rugers is notorious for collecting dirt and causing jams. If you go to the range for a long session with a GP, be sure to bring a small brush and clean as needed. By contrast, I have never had that problem with any Smith 357. Ruger uses a cast frame and on some individual GPs I've owned, the action would begin to bind when the gun got too hot.

That's not a condemnation of the Ruger's. The GP is plenty accurate for most applications where you would use a 357 and the GP does have other features I like. One is the modular takedown, which makes it easier to disassemble, but the first few times everything can be very tight and the takedown hard to do. Yes, it is a tougher built gun, but how tough do you need? The 357 Smiths are widely used in the action shooting circuit, more so than the Ruger's, and that competition puts a lot of strain on a revolver. S&W has NOT been swamped with heavy repairs on these revolvers. If you're just shooting 38s, good luck wearing out a GP or a Smith 586/686.

Barrel length for bullseye target work favors the 6". If you're just shooting paper, there is no need to go with a 4", unless you have a preference for that length. For action shooting, the 4" makes more sense and that's the preferred length for that kind of competition.

For shooting in double action, the GPs have a longer DA stroke than the Smiths, but the Smiths stack more, as a general rule. Take your pick. Some shooters prefer the Ruger, some the Smiths. I do well with either one. Just takes a little practice.

[Mistered]

If both are available I would definitely recommend the S & W.
I won't paraphrase the previous posts on the quality of the Ruger but if both were in front of me I would take the Smith.

[BruniX]

Hello ,
thanks !
Very, very interesting answers!
I hold with great interest the suggestion to use only brasses of 357, with low loads !

For the length of the barrel, it will be more difficult to choose, because I would like to test action shooting circuit, but shooting clubs where that is possible are far from home ...
So I risk, actually shooting on paper targets, most of the time ....
initially, the preference for 4 inches was rather aesthetic ...

I also saw an intermediate, the 686 PLUS 3-5-7 Magnum Series 5 "cal.357, a little more expensive...
I think it must be a good tool, but the aspect I like less than the 586, which I like the side a little "retro" (old good thing ??, do not kow how to translate) Some of us have experience with this model ? may be it will be a good option...

Few of you have talked about steel or stainless steel?
apart from the personal taste for the aesthetics of steel models, is this a good idea?

@pt7 : whait is CCW ? i don't understand this word ...

[markiver54]

If both are available I would definitely recommend the S & W.
I won't paraphrase the previous posts on the quality of the Ruger but if both were in front of me I would take the Smith.

DITTO!
BruniX, I own the 686 ( stainless ) in 6". It is my favorite hand gun. Have had mine approximately 35 years with no issues.
I agree with what others have said about a large diet of 38's followed by 357's. Will need to clean those cylinders in between.
BTW...CCW stands for Concealed Carry of Weapons.
Good to hear from you again!

[North Country Gal]

BruniX, I've owned the current 586 Smith and it is every bit as good a gun as the stainless 686 versions. You just don't get as many different options with the 586 as the 686. I also prefer the look of blued revolvers to stainless, but that is a personal preference, of course. If you plan to use your gun in extremes of weather and/or in moist locations, stainless is an advantage, but a blued gun will work fine, too.

[Mistered]

Few of you have talked about steel or stainless steel?
apart from the personal taste for the aesthetics of steel models, is this a good idea?

Nothing like a deep blued Smith but the reality is stainless steel is easier to maintain and if you get any small scratches or dings on them they can be polished out to a degree.

[tractortad]

You can't really go wrong with either a Ruger or S&W when it comes to 357Mag revolvers - you will hear lots of opinions on both...We own both a 5" S&W 686 and a 4.2" GP-100 in 357Mag. They are both fine revolvers. If I had to choose one, it would be the Smith - mostly because of the barrel length. I personally believe 5" is the perfect barrel length for a revolver - just feels right and shoots right for our purposes. I also think the Smith has a better trigger than the Ruger, but not by much. We also like how the Smith's cylinder can removed by taking out one screw. The GP-100 has to be totally disassembled to remove the cylinder. We typically do not disassemble either revolver to clean after firing so it is much easier to clean the Smith cylinder than the Ruger's cylinder after a typical range session. The GP-100 is also available in 5".

[Mistered]

I also think the Smith has a better trigger than the Ruger, but not by much.

I agree - especially with earlier pre-lock S & Ws.
Triggers seem to vary more dramatically on the Rugers than Smiths however my one and only GP 100 had a fantastic trigger - rivaling that of any good Smith trigger.

[Shakey Jake]

I own both and couldn't put one ahead of the other. Ruger makes a good product and Smith has the reputation.

[Mistered]

Ruger makes a good product

Yes they do - I am still PO'd at myself for not acting on the LNIB 6" GP 100 for $325 a few days ago!!

[BigAl52]

Bought a GP100 match champion when they first came out with the fixed sights. Its a very accurate and nice revolver. But I have also owned a couple of the Smiths. I would not be able to say which one is better.