# Taurus or S&W 357?



## Theprofessor

What would you choose and why?


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## Baldy

I have bought S&W guns all my life and never had a problem with them. So I see no reason to change that habit. I would buy a Taurus at any given time if I find one that strikes my fancy. I use to do a lot of trading around with guns and I have had more than a few Taurus and there was nothing wrong with them. It's just I could make more with the Smiths,Colts and Rugers.


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## JimmySays

The S&W more for the resale/market value than anything else. I have 3 Taurus revolvers and I have never had a problem. I have the 617 and have placed many HOT 357 full Magnum rounds downrange with the only problem being the web of my hand absorbing all that recoil. I have 2 S&W's, but I tend to gravitate to the older smith's like my 57 or model 10. 
Either way you will be happy.


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## James NM

If your'e on a tight budget, get a Taurus. Otherwise buy a Smith.


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## big dutchman

taurus has the better price, smith has the better quality. what's more important to you? have you looked at rugers yet? they have a great selection of top notch revolvers too, my choice for 357's.


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## Bob Wright

I have gone through many .357 Magnum revolvers, and I believe the S & W Model 586 Distinguished Combat Magnum to be the finest DA .357 Magnum of all, including the original 357 Magnum, the Model 27. I found the Model 27 and the Colt Python to have cylinders slightly too short to handle some of my heavy bullet handloads.

In the '60s, custom smiths were putting Python barrels on the Model 19, with good results, though somewhat short lived. The 19 couldn't hold up to a steady diet of heavy magnum loads, which prompted Smith to introduce the L-frame. This, in my opiniion, became the perfect match of gun frame to cartridge.

As to single actions, the pre-73 Ruger Blackhawks and current flattop Blackhawks are pretty hard to beat.

Bob Wright


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## Revolver

Don't discount Ruger's GP100 or Security Six(if you can find one).


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## Benzbuilder

out of all the da pistols, I have to choose the S&W. It has a much better trigger.


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## hberttmank

Colt and Ruger make nice revolvers, but my favorite will always be S&W. Taurus isn't even close in my opinion.


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## Queeqeg

hberttmank said:


> Colt and Ruger make nice revolvers, but my favorite will always be S&W. Taurus isn't even close in my opinion.


I concur


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## a1huntingsupply

I like them both but picked the Taurus. They are accurate, reliable and affordable :smt023

My Taurus .... I have never had a single problem with it.


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## Kruz

a1huntingsupply said:


> I like them both but picked the Taurus. They are accurate, reliable and affordable :smt023
> 
> My Taurus .... I have never had a single problem with it.


same here.. I found the Taurus to be a wonderful handgun.


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## mvslay

I chose Taurus because of price. I don't have anything against S&W. They are fine guns by all accounts. I'm just more price sensitive when it comes to revolvers.


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## Guest

I choose the S&W because there wasn't an option for Ruger. If it were a woods or house gun it would be a GP-100 and if a carry gun an SP-101. I own both S&W and Taurus but don't feel they hold up like a Ruger.


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## camper

Currently have three Taurus, three S&W, and had a SP101. Never a problem with any of them. Traded the 642 I had for a Taurus 651 because I prefer the shrouded hammer for DA/SA.


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## drummin man 627

I surely don't have enough information. New? Used? Models? Use? And prices?


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## PanaDP

Personally I would buy a Taurus. If money was no object, I would probably get a S&W. Unfortunately money is always a consideration.


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## .357mag1

I love my taurus. It's a blast to shoot and the price was unbeatable.


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## PX

Theprofessor said:


> What would you choose and why?


S&W has a long standing reputation for quality, backed by quality Customer Service/Warranty Repair.. Excellent resale value.

Taurus has a long standing reputation for "iffy" quality, back by Poor Customer Service/Warranty Repair. Not so excellent resale value.

No brainer.....

Just personal opinion/YMMV.

J. Pomeroy


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## nrd515525

For investment an S&W, to carry and really shoot, A Dan Wesson Model 15 or 715.

Taurus isn't in my future, it was in my past though, what a nightmare.


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## nicknitro71

I've had a S&W 686. I have a Taurus 608 and a Ruger SRH. They are all fine revolvers. The Ruger is a tank and rough and over sprung out of the box. Drop lighter springs and a bit of filing and polishing and the thing becomes butter...butter!

The S&W is a damn fine gun but honestly the Taurus is so comparable that I really would not buy another S&W given their higher prices...unless you are going to sell it. My 608 has the best action out-of-the-box I have ever felt on any other revolvers and the amount of polishing and filing needed was minimal and the springs are almost dead-on. The 608 has a smoother action than my former 686.

The Ruger SRW is my favorite large revolver and the 608 my favorite .375 followed by the Ruger GP. I'm not a huge fan of the Raging Bulls.


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## Pointblank

I like old S&W's. I don't care for the quality of the new ones I've seen lately. I don't like Taurus at all. I had one that malfunctioned right out of the box. I sent it back and they never did get it to work right. I've found Rugers to be of very high quality and very strong. Ruger has greatly improved the action on their GP models to the point I think they are better than the new S&Ws.


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## Bullseye

Neither, I prefer Ruger or Colt. Exclude the Colt since they dont make em anymore. I only own one S&W, no issues with it as of yet, but its pretty new. I never have owned a Taurus, but I have never heard anything good about them either.


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## Capt. Mike

My CCW is a S&W Mod. 19 Combat Magnum in 357. I never ran the s# but it I think built in the late 60's or early 70's. It's rode hard and put up oiled and works 100% (it's a 2") I like Tauras' autos, but don't care for their revolver.


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## Guest

Get a Ruger and be happy.


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## bill111444

I'm sorry to say, Taurus has been a bit iffy lately. I had a timing problem with mine, NIB. 7 to 10 week waiting period. The one gun shop I deal with stopped selling Taurus all together. He said it's a 50/50 chance if they work, and his customers got mad at him because of such a long wait. I had a Taurus five shot .45 LC that worked perfectly; there's my 50/50. From now on Smith or Ruger for me.


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## arkansasbowman

*I really liked my Taurus revolver*

Actually going to try and trade my Mil Pro PT140 for one.


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## stetson

I'd buy a used smith and wesson over a new taurus anyday.Taurus is just
not my brand.Not to say they don't make good stuff,I am not going to spend my hard earned cash on their stuff because I like other brands better !


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## unpecador

I don't own a revolver (yet) but I have fired a Taurus and S&W in .357 and noticed in that brief experience that the trigger pull in double action was smoother on the S&W. As far as reputation goes I would prefer the S&W but from a financial perspective I could live with a Taurus although I'll probably spend the extra cash and get a S&W.


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## forestranger

I have SW M13-3" and M66-2 1/2" and a M651 Taurus. Had 3 Rugers. Only reason I have Taurus is it's an all steel "version" of my M38 Bodyguard & it was only $240 at the time. It's held up fine for several years but has mostly shot 38s and mid range 357s. Shoots Rem 158 LHP+p extremely accurate. Rather have SW but the Taurus has been ok.


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## PX

unpecador said:


> I don't own a revolver (yet) but I have fired a Taurus and S&W in .357 and noticed in that brief experience that the trigger pull in double action was smoother on the S&W. As far as reputation goes I would prefer the S&W but from a financial perspective I could live with a Taurus although I'll probably spend the extra cash and get a S&W.


un: JMOFartO:

Do yourself a favor.. Buy the S&W. If you have to save a bit more before you buy, consider that the price of getting the better weapon..

I'm NOT saying Taurus can't or doesn't make a good firearm, but if you care to Google Taurus Customer Service I think you will find many, many negative posts.. Taurus has a lifetime warranty, but apparently their customer service is crappy at best.

Smith & Wesson on the other hand has an excellent CS reputation. The S&W also will come with a Lifetime warranty, but one backed by a company with a good reputation.

I don't know what frame revolver you are considering, but in a snubby I have found in my experience (I bought a new S&W 640 years ago) that the 357mag. round in a small frame is simply too much drama and recoil.. With the new dedicated self defense rounds in 38 cal. you CAN get an excellent round, and I think most folks will find it easier to shoot accurately, and will still get the "job" done..

I love the 357mag. round, and in fact my wife prefers an old Ruger Security Six as her "nightstand" firearm.

Hey, Ruger makes good revolvers, and I'd buy one of those in a heartbeat over anything made by Tauri'...

But, opinions are like buttholes, we all have one, and this is just mine.

No offense to those with contrary opinions..

Best Wishes,

Jesse

P.S. The "search" function, (especially on gun forums) can oftentimes be your best friend in a situation such as this...


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## auburntiger1998

i have owned several Taurus handguns. Love em! I currently have a PT100 and the old model 65. They are truly worth e3very penny you pay for them. Would chosse them over the Smith even if $$ was not an issue.


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## PX

auburntiger1998 said:


> i have owned several Taurus handguns. Love em! I currently have a PT100 and the old model 65. They are truly worth e3very penny you pay for them. Would chose them over the Smith even if $$ was not an issue.


au:

Hey, no arguments here.. That's the great thing about opinions/choices.. We all have one, or more, and based on individual experience what is best for me might not be best for you..

Recently a friend of mine, who is now in a nursing home, gave me his two firearms to "keep" until he gets better.. (Not likely.)

One of the two was an old H&R topbreak 22cal. pistol he bought "used" in 1948.. The other, (his "carry" pistol), is a 25cal. FIE Titan (Miami mfg). I think the jury has long be in as to the quality of the FIE Titan as being a fine representative of what a "Saturday night Special" would be, but it' worked for my friend, for decades..

Nope he never fired it in anger (a lucky thing), but it gave him a feeling of security, and he carried it for decades thinking he was "well armed".. Turns out, for him, he was well armed.

Perhaps, (and probably) had he needed it in a crisis he might not have been so well armed?

Anyway, after I got the two old firearms, I cleaned them up and went out and shot them. The H&R is a neat old plinker, and in fact has adjustable front & rear sights.. Go figure?

The Titan it turns out has been 100% reliable (for the few rounds I've shot through it), and quite accurate. So, as far as the enemic 25cal. round is concerned, perhaps he was well armed.

All to say what is good for one is not necessarily good for another. My complaints with Taurus firearms is based on two personally owned pistols (PT92 & PT22). Both had problems, I sold them. Then I kept reading horror stories about the Customer Service/Warranty Repair division of Taurus, and I just decided I didn't need any more.

But, as with my friends Titan.. If you are happy with your Taurus firearms, that's all that matters.. To you..

No offense intended & Best Wishes,

Jesse


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## teknoid

Between those two choices- Smith, hands down.

Personally, I'd take either a used (pre-lock) Smith, or a new Ruger.


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## dannyb

I have 3 S&W revolvers. I also have had a Taurus 9 mm for years - never gave me a problem. Based on the 9mm experience I bought a Taurus Model 94 - what a POC. Timing bad out of the box, extractor rides over the empties, cylinder wobbles and binds. I'll keep the 9mm and am sending the 94 back for warranty work. Frankly, I'll never buy another Taurus revolver nor likely Taurus anything else.


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## Don357

I chose Taurus. While their quality was questionable in the past, it has vastly improved and their guns are built on the designs of Colt, Ruger and Smith & Wesson. For the money, Taurus is the best buy, and is what I would buy, but there is no substitute for the original.


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## DevilsJohnson

While Taurus does make a much better gun now Smith still has one of the best customer service dept you can ask for. Something's wrong? Send it to them and it will get fixed fast and they will do more than you ask. They will make sure the gun is perfect when it comes back. That alone tips the scale for me


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## oak1971

a1huntingsupply said:


> I like them both but picked the Taurus. They are accurate, reliable and affordable :smt023
> 
> My Taurus .... I have never had a single problem with it.


I have one just like that. M44 right? 10 years and many hot loads later, still going strong. I have a Smith 629 Classic power port. Sweet action, but the top strap seems paper thin compared to Ruger and Taurus. My Choice for .357 is the Ruger Security Six. It is beefy looks great and has a smooth action. Mine is 30 years old and still flawless. In 44. I want a Redhawk. Best 44 around. Smiths are nice but I will never trust one with hot loads, just looks too flimsy. In fact the top strap on my Ruger 357 is thicker than the Smith 44. WTF?


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## Desertrat

they are both pretty reliable, the SW being a little better cosmetically.


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## bwanatom

cylinder yoke problem with my 686 after first use (3 days after purchase), had to repurchase a 2nd gun. :smt022


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## bwanatom

S&W praise has been temporarily recanted due to problems with a 2nd purchased 686, firing pin bushing problem. See reply below.


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## Bisley

I chose S&W because I have owned a few, and handled and fired several others. They are consistently good guns - accurate, reliable, durable, and often with very nice triggers. The people I know personally who own them, usually keep them. Also, they have maintained a good reputation for over a hundred years, with very few bad revolvers, during that time.

On the other hand, the Taurus guns that I have handled are good sometimes, and not so good at other times. I have seen more than one with rough machine work and misaligned parts in important places. I have heard about an equal number of good and bad reports from people who have owned them, and noticed that a lot of the folks who really brag on them don't really shoot them very often. Most of the firsthand bad reports I have heard have come from people who have put a lot rounds through them.

Granted that this is anecdotal information, and others may have entirely different experiences. But I will not buy a Taurus to see for myself, unless it is just too good of a deal to pass up, and then I will 'wring it out hard' to see if it is dependable.


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## tekhead1219

If it has to be between these 2, it's a no brainer to go with S&W. From what I have read, you don't want to ever have to mess with Taurus CS.


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## bwanatom

Well, this is my experience so far. I purchased a s/w 686 6"-6 shot on a wed. I shot 45 rds thru it and the cylinder yoke had a problem, along with the screw/spring holding it in place. There was damage to both. I took it back to Bass Pro Shop and they bought it back from me in order to sell me another. (that's just the way the paper work has to be done). This was 3 days after I bought the gun. I bought the 2nd gun, same model as the first, and realized after 100 rds of flawless shooting, the "firing pin bushing" was partially misdrilled, see: http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/580103904/m/7641072243?r=7181053243#7181053243
I had this gun 3 days as well. Maybe it's luck of the draw, so to speak, but you'll have a hard time right now convincing me that the Smith is as great as you think it is, and as great as I thought it was. Two new guns in about 1 week had problems? I'll believe it when I see it, as far as their quality. Right now, as I type this reply, 3 weeks have gone by, $670 has been spent, and I still don't have a gun to show for it. This is not a sigh of quality to me . How would you feel???


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## Hoodie

Well Revolvers aren't going to give u many problems either way!!! Simple mechanics that rarely fail. But in my opinion I'd Still choose the S&W!!! I have a .357 Highway patrolmen, my father gave to me and its survived Decades with NOT ONE problem at all!!! I just bought a Taurus "Judge" and i do like it, but when you talk about Taurus people give you 50/50 reviews S&W is a gun a lot of people normally talk very highly about!!! My money is on S&W!!!


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## clanger

Vague question (understatement). 

Which model? 

Have you held any of each make? 

Shook hands with a S/W 686 once, worst grip ever for me. It was awful. Gave it back and didn't shoot it. Didn't even feel like a Smith to me.

SP's and GP's are like slippers. Same with Taurus. 

*

So- while remaining as vague as the question and sticking to the two Brands mentioned, IMHO- 

S&W's are the prettyest, but, not the strongest by a large margin. And most expensive (read WAY overpriced, but, I guess someone has to pay for all the recond's and CR). Good CR and skilled laborers. Smith's are eye candy to me. Worth the investment so long as they can afford to stay in business. 

Taurus is the least expensive (cheap, unskilled labor from God knows where) with the most features. Made in Brazil. YMMV. Never called or dealt with thier CR. They make some way bitchen wheel guns. They hold and shoot great. Depends on who puts it together though. Getta good one and enjoy the savings and shoot the beans outta it. If it flubs send it to a local smith, screw sending it back to Brazil or wherever.


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## bwanatom

Well, 
I just called s/w and my 686 will be back from warranty work tomorrow(fri). I guess Bass Pro Shop (BPS) was able to put a rush on it due to new gun problems. It was only gone 1.5 weeks. Crossing my fingers and hoping something else isn't ^&*&*ed up. I will say the 100 rounds thru the gun before it was sent back would be catagorized as "very satisfactoy shooting". I hope it continues. I will see tomorrow.:draw::draw::draw:


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## clanger

p/s: 



Almost every revolver will shoot loose after "x" number of full-house rounds. Smith's, as expensive as they are, are not immune to this by a long shot. Neither is Taurus. 

And- I'm willing to bet a box of ammo there's way more safe-queen Smith's than Taurus's. 


:mrgreen:


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## JeffWard

I'd go Smith or Ruger. I know guys love their Tauri just fine, but I think they are hit and miss, and I do trade guns... I think the Smith or Ruger would holf better value. The used Smith revolvers are darned near full retail...

JW


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## jimmy

Just bought my first revolver yesterday..A S&W Model 686-1 blue with a 6 in barrel and a wooden grip (square bottom)..I love this gun.


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## clanger

jimmy said:


> Just bought my first revolver yesterday..A S&W Model 686-1 blue with a 6 in barrel and a wooden grip (square bottom)..I love this gun.


-1?

Excellent score.

Post a thread about it with a pic.

Nice piece. :smt023


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## BigSkiff

S & W is nice but overpriced. Taurus is nice and priced right. Both have had their issues but both are good guns. I prefer the Large frame Taurus to the mid size Trackers.


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## nailer

Those who buy a taurus buy it because it is cheaper or at least that is why I bought one. I soon sold it. It didn't have that solid feel to it. Now, I wait until I have the money for a S&W or Ruger when it comes to revolvers.


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## Landor

If money was not an issue I would go with a S&W.

If you are just looking for something to use a few times a year I would go with a Taurus. I own the Taurus's, two are revolvers. So far no problems.


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## fiasconva

Get the smith, take care of it, and leave it to your grandkids. Enough said...


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## Barryd

I have a Taurus 617CH in polished SS. I've never had any trouble with it. 

Barry


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## 9mmFan

I would get the Taurus. 
I have both and carry them equally.


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## austin88

there definitely both nice but if i had the extra money i would go with the s&w but seeing as how i dont have the extra cash i would choose the taurus


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## Braddubya

easy question

although i vote ruger


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## DevilsJohnson

Braddubya said:


> easy question
> 
> although i vote ruger


I'm sorry but that guy was just too calm. I've shot doe years and if that happened to me I'd do more than calmly show it to the camera guy.

I'm not saying everyone needs to run out and get a Taurus revolver but that video looked staged to me.


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## oldphart

I'm in the process of falling in love with the Smith 686 + I just got. I've never owned a Taurus, but I hear nightmare stories about customer service. I'd get the Smith or the Ruger.


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## oldphart

DevilsJohnson said:


> I'm sorry but that guy was just too calm. I've shot doe years and if that happened to me I'd do more than calmly show it to the camera guy.
> 
> I'm not saying everyone needs to run out and get a Taurus revolver but that video looked staged to me.


Yikes


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