GP100 v. Python v. SW686

[orsogato]

I am pretty sure that the Python is probably the best quality, but which of these three the gp100, python, or S&W 686 would you say is the best buy for the $$$$$.? All things considered.

I think I am leaning toward getting the Ruger but I dont want to buy a "dud" just to save a few $$$$$.

 

[Lucas]

Best buy: Ruger
One I want: Python

 

[fubsy]

for my money its the 686, although the ruger is an acceptable alternative.....between the two its just personal choice....fubsy.

 

[zot]

I allways wanted a Python, the ones I've handeled were well made accurate pistols,
I think the GP-100 is a better deal than the
S&W 686,Smiths are smoother, but Rugers are
cheaper and the solid frame, no side plates
makes it a strong gun,the GP can be smoothed
up nice with Wolf springs and some polishing,
if I HAD the money I'd buy the Python.

 

[Long Path]

One more vote for the Python in an ideal world, Ruger in my real one. Actually, on 2nd thought, I think I'd save up one more month for the Python.

As far as the Smiths having smoother triggers as a rule, that's true... except for the Pythons. I may have only handled 'smithed guns, but I have never handled a Python that had anything but a silk-on-glass trigger. Although they are stacked, as all Colts are wont to be, they are very smooth.

Dang it, now I've gotta stick that one in my new Top Three Wish List! Which to bump down?... Hmmmmm

 

[JJR]

This may upset some folks, but I actually sold my Python and bought a 686. The Colt was beautiful to look at and had the best factory action I've ever seen, but I got tired to taking it to the gunsmith every 2 months. My gunsmith is an absolute expert on fixing python problems. I asked him why and he said because he did it a lot. Just my experience, not on overall statement on Colt quality. My 686 has worked flawlessly for several years and thousands of rounds.

I think Ruger handguns (revolvers and autos) are some of the most under-rated in the world (and I don't even own one). They aren't sexy and they aren't refined but they always get the job done and they never complain. One of the best values for the money.

I think all three of your choices will make you happy in one way or another. Just a matter of which meets your needs better. Good luck.

 

[Long Path]

JJR-- couldn't have put it better myself, to everything.

 

[Grayfox]

I admit to being a S&W fan, so I might be a little bias.

The Ruger is a fine gun. Nothing real fancy, butt ugly, but a good shooter and tough as nails. Could use some trigger work. Excellent choice for a shooter on a tight budget.
The S&W is a fine gun right out of the box. Accurate, totaly reliable, strong and generally has a good trigger.
The Python is the Holy Grail of .357s. Beautiful piece, nice trigger and very accurate. Also very expensive. However, I'm hearing more and more about quality control problems at Colt. If I were going to buy a Python, I'd look for a good used one. The older the better.

The original question was which is the best buy for the money? I'd have to say it's the S&W 686.

 

[Sid Post]

Best buy for the money? S&W 686 Power Port

Ruger GP-100's are good guns but, in general I find over time that I prefer the S&W in the same format because the Rugers are only slightly cheaper in price but, rougher overall (not just in the places you see on the outside). While the Ruger ads make a big deal about about their beefy nature - how many of us have broken a S&W? That's a good ad campaign but, only marginally valid in the real world - especially with the average number of rounds fired by the average user. If you are shooting 10,000 plus rounds a year, you will literally wear a gun out and durability aspects like this may have some valid merit.

S&W uses the proper materials for the job so, even though the top strap may appear to be weaker, it is made out of the correct steel for the intended forces and stresses and does not have to be that thick to do the job. If they used a different steel with lesser qualities, I'm sure it would be made thicker as well. I will also note, that if you had a problem (which is unlikely) S&W warranty and repair policies are very good and you will not be disappointed - they run a first class shop.

My S&W 686 Power Port has a six inch barrel with an additional half inch in front of the front sight with a expansion chamber and port to vent gas. That combined with the full under lug barrel and excellant ergonomics make for an extremely tame shooting pistol. You can shoot the nastiest recoiling loads in this gun without (at least in my case) sore wrists after a long hard day shooting (more then 6 hours and more then 300 rounds in one pistol). Quality control is very good and S&W does not cut corners in places where it is not seen by the average retail consumer - a quality pistol through out.

Colt - if you get past their anti-gun politics, bankruptcies, labor union troubles and, varying quality, you still have a company living on past glory and name recognition, not a company that can stand on its own merits in this century. The Python is a pistol that, when quality control is good, is an excellant target piece that works very well with light target loads. If you intend to shoot it a lot, especially with hotter loads (38+P & 357Magnum), plan getting it tuned up periodically. This pistol is known for being "soft". For a self defense or general hard target use pistol, I would look towards the King Cobra. You won't get that finish you can shave in or the best double action trigger in the country but, you have a hard use gun that will hold up much better over time. For the money though, personally I think the S&W 686 is a better choice with a near dead even tie between the King Cobra and GP-100.

With all that being said, your initial choice of a Ruger GP-100 is not a bad one. They are good solid pistols priced pretty good. I still have a strong perference for the S&W L-frame series in all its variations (Power Port, 7 shot "Plus", etc.) since they are priced so close to the Ruger and give you better quality. My advice on Colt is to pass. Colt is making a better product now and will re-sell well because of name recognition and, in general, an uninformed consumer is the most likely purchaser.

My thoughts are starting to stray off topic so, I'll close here for the moment.

Sid
---
TX FFL dealer

 

[fubsy]

As a side note here....Ive owned a couple of pythons and they were back when the python was touted as the gun, one couldnt stay in time and one went out out time constantly, one of the things i liked was there accuracy they were very accurate,,,,,Ive owned only one gp-100 and I picked it up from an officer who had just had the pd armorer go through it and he transferred to a pd with autos, I dont know how it was done but that gun had a great action and the stock's are the best factory Ive ever used............but im biased and will readily admit it I like smith's.........Ive passed up pythons galore to get another smith, we had a local store selling an estate and the prices for these pythons were under $500. and i had no problem walking away. otoh, friday I purchased a 7 shot-686 brand new for $400.00, I couldnt pass it up....fubsy.

 

[4V50 Gary]

S&W. Good design, easy to maintain and parts are midprice if you have to replace them. Easy to smoothen the trigger for a steady trigger pull. The older 5 screw and 4 screws had a sear which was long and elegant - very much like the Python's. This made for an excellant trigger pull in the earlier guns. Modernly the sear is probably "mim" (metal injection molded) and while it works well, is just slightly inferior to the Colt sear. Weaknesses: screws must be checked periodically for tightness. Internal parts are surfaced hardened and if you stone it, you must be very careful not to remove too much lest the softer inner metal becomes exposed, accelerating wear. This could happen with time anyway, but that depends on how hard the shooter uses the gun. Rotation of cylinder is away from the frame and towards the crane. Thus the need for locking bolt beneath the barrel and inside the frame.

Colt Python. Easily the best trigger pull of any revolver (except German Korth). Quality 4140 steel used for internal parts. If out of time, you rarely have to replace parts. You hammer it to lengthen it back to fit and file/stone to finish. Once a Python is properly tuned, it'll stay that way for a very long time. Rotation of cylinder is into the frame. Thus, it needs only one locking piece to hold the cylinder in place. Weaknesses: screws which must be checked for tightness. Not a weakness but a difficulty, find a gunsmith who understands its mechanism.

Ruger. Able to absorb the highest amount of abuse of any of the three. Period. Worse trigger pull of three. Also most reliable of the three. If you're Y2K or "survival" oriented, Ruger is the only way to go.

Korth. Since I mentioned it, the Korth has a roller bearing for the Sear. Something which Cylinder and Slide copied for their hammer/sear setup for the Smith and Wesson revolver.

Each revovler has its strengths and weaknesses. It's for the user to determine which is more important. BTW, I know people when asked which one they'd want, their response would be, "All of them."

------------------
Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt

 

[Mike Baugh]

I am a Smith fan but I just picked up a GP100 4" stainless that was an unfired trade in . I put a spring kit in it and it is as smooth or smoother than my Smith's . The gun shoots very well and I would buy another . I do think the Smith's are made a little better but the GP100 is a great gun . Good luck , Mike...

 

[Ed Brunner]

S&W vs. Colt trigger pulls are a lot like blondes vs. redheads. It all depends on what you like.
The Colt DA trigger pull is about the same all the way to letoff.The Smith has a slight increase just before it falls.
I can do much better with the S&W pull on rapid double action because I can refine my sight picture just before it fires and the rhythm of the action is much easier to follow.
But like I said, a whole lot of people like the Colt.
I havent found the Ruger to change my mind on the Smith.

------------------
Better days to be,

Ed

 

[Cat]

S&W K and L frames. My choice. They fit me.
Cat

 

[Hiker]

I have a SS Colt Python w/6" vented rib barrel that I bought in 1982. It is by far the best trigger and most accurate pistol I have ever owned.
Hiker

 

[cornered rat]

686 7-shot with 6" barrel is ever so slightly muzzle-heavy. Great for deliberate slow fire (2.5" groups off-hand at 25m, and I am not a good shot) but 4" or 5" would be better for defense. S&W grips fit my hand better than Ruger. However, GP100 is a lovely design that would be, I would expect, as good or better than the 686. I would avoid Colt based on (non-existent) customer service, among other things. I can accept that in a cheap Makarov but not a $600 wheelgun.

 

[Hiker]

I feel the same way about the new Colts. There is a difference in the old Pythons and the ones you buy new now, you can feel it in the DA trigger. Was it you Rob that explained the differences between the new and old a while back?
Hiker

 

[Duncan]

I believe this topic was covered rather extensively some time back in the rec.guns newsgroup.

But that is neither here nor there since this is a forum unto itselt.

My humble opinion it that my Ruger with 6 inch barrel is what I will take hunting (wild pig) using a trusted friend's 170 gr flat/soft-point handloads. Or were they 180 gr? Regardless of bullet weight, the Ruger feels like it can handle the blast better. Also, I have never noticed the trigger pull being a hindrance in the heat of the moment.

Now, for target shooting, I've always been better with that same friend's S&W. There, in that setting, I do notice the trigger pull and can say that out of the box, the S&W wins. The stock grips fit me nicer for that type of shooting as well.

As for the Colt, to my uneducated eye, its internals look less solid than the Ruger or the S&W. I admit to not having as much shooting experience with the Colt either, but when I did shoot it, everything worked as well as it could and I hit what I was aiming at.

In the end, the people who have stated their views prior to me are pretty much exactly as I have always heard, and that in the end, you cannot go wrong with any....unless you get a lemon, and well, all bets are off then.

I ended up going with the Ruger for the following reasons:

#1. $324.00
#2. To my eye, it is the most rugged of the three.
#3. I've fallen down a few times chasing (running from?) a pig, sending a full load of dirt and filth everywhere in the mechanism. I'd then shake it out, continue on and fire without any stoppage. Perhaps not wise of me, but very real world.
#4. Slippery rock + creek = Duncan on his butt up to his chest in water, pistol covered with goop. I would hate this to happen to a Python.
#5. I've never owned a Ruger before.
#6. My friend had a S&W.

Duncan

 

[B Shipley]

I'm pretty sure the Python isn't the best quality as I send mine back for the third time in less than a year. It looks the neatest, so if you want to wear it most of the time, are making a movie, or plan on mounting it on your wall, buy one. The used, 50s, 60s, and somewhere in the early 70s guns are the guns that made the Python's rep. Mine was from the Colt Custom shop, no less.

 

[B Shipley]

I have a S&W 617 with a better trigger feel than my Python before its action job, though I did put in a Wolff rebound spring in the Smith. I plan to buy more S&Ws. My python has gone in, mostly, for cosmetic flaws, such as nicks, and an ejector rod that froze in place the second day I owned it. It took two trips to get my cylinder replaced, and they replaced it with one that was nicked on the barrel face of one chamber, in the 6 o'clock position when indexed under the hammer. Produces flyers. The service is incompetent, and you will need to know that the service dept. supervisor is Dick Welch, X1676, like I do now.