Need your revolver thoughts
 

Here's my situation: I would like a k-frame sized revolver, 4 inch barrel, in .38 or 357 mag. for work as a trail gun and is viable for home defense. (Smith k-frames, Ruger and Colt police and security models are what I'm thinking in terms of size).

I'm a beginner in terms of shooting skill. I currently own a nagant revolver which is great for hiking, but as a home defense gun, it's in the "better than a sharp stick and "beats a .22" category. It's also expensive to shoot and that limits practice.

My budget is $300-$350 in cash and $200 in trade in value with my Nagant and another old gun.

Here are my thoughts on options:

1.) Buy a Heritage .22 single action revolver and practice, practice, practice. Use my remaining cash and trade-ins on a used Taurus model 82, or perhaps a new EAA Windicator 357 revolver. If i get lucky and find a solid Smith/Ruger/Colt at that $300 value, jump on it.

2.) Put everything into a new Windicator or a used Smith/ Ruger/Colt and a Lee Loader to reduce shooting expense. I saw a 6" barrel Ruger 200th anniversary model with box for $400 and a new Taurus 65 stainless for $425 in 357.

3.) Get a Used Taurus 82, get a Lee Loader for less expensive practice shooting, and keep the Nagant as a back-up gun.

4.) Buy the .22, practice till I can pass the CCW shooting test, and use the remaining cash to finance a CCW permit. I'd be carrying a Nagant revolver for awhile, but that beats carrying nothing.

5.) _______________ (You fill in the blank.)

Buy that Ruger for $400 and don't look back!!!

+1

Rugers are over built - plus 6" 200th Anniversary Edition ............$400, Done !!!

Buying any Taurus might bite you in the butt. You might get lucky and it treats you well for a long time, or you might get a lemon, and if you do, Taurus customer service will leave you hanging, no question. They sell cheap crap and don't stand behind it. The ONLY products they produce that I would buy are their all steel revolvers, and I have been burned by a few of them over the years. I will strongly recommend you do not even consider any of their non-steel revolvers. The firing pin bushing and mainpin/cylinder bushing issues they have been having are rampant, and absolutely no way to fix them. Taurus will replace the revolver with another one with the same potential for catastrophic failure after you hound them for about 6months, and they'll likely send you the same busted revolver back once or twice without fixing it before they actually replace it.

Personally, I'm a Ruger guy. Not to say it's necessarily a better revolver than a Smith or Colt, but it's at least as good of quality, at a far more affordable price. For my money, I have only a few smith's in my safe, and a couple dozen Ruger revolvers. The Ruger .357mag SP-101 is one of my favorite firearms I've ever held, handled, worked on, or fired. You'd be looking for a GP-100 I suppose in that barrel length, which is also a very fine piece (don't currently own one, just traded my last towards another SP-101).

I would own an EEA Windicator if you gave it to me for free, but I'd only shoot it at night when nobody was around to see me with it. I wouldn't spend my money on one, and wouldn't buy one for a defense weapon. Maybe the ones I've worked on were just lemons though.

Which model Ruger is the 200th Anniversary that you're talking about? I wasn't aware they produced a 200th anniversary in a Double Action model? I only ever see Blackhawks, Mark I's, and No.1's in the 200 yrs of freedom line, would love to see what the DA revolver looks like.

Are you saying that because it's a "steal of a deal" or simply the best option I've listed.

I thought it was a security six. My "Gun Trader's Guide"doesn't specifically list it, but they do show up on internet searches in that configuration.

***Both and add in what Sheridan said is why!

Is this the model you are referring too ?

http://www.gunauction.com/buy/111198...pecial-edition

Hmm, Sexy! I didn't know they made a Security Six Liberty Edition... $400 aint a bad deal!

Now, if you don't really care about the 200th anniversary edition part, and would rather have a more modern model, you can get Ruger GP-100's or SP-101's for around that same price point used. Sometimes less. Guys will argue whether the GP-100 or SP-101 is really a mechanically better revolver than the old Security Sixes, I won't participate in the debate, as I know where I stand (both are great, but the new tech in the modern ones offers a bit more security).