Originally Posted By: ironworkerAre you a hand loader ? The Ruger is stronger it will take much much heavier loads then the S&W . But I like the looks of the S&W more so if your don't load Big Foot loads or just shoot factory ammo I'd get the S&W .
+1, But, along with all that strength comes a clubby, hunky, heavy blob of stuff with less resale value and the entire owners manual stamped heavily into the side of the barrel. Not to mention a very low alloy stainless that will rust anyway...isn't "rust free" the whole point of stainless???? That said I would look for a used, slightly older S&W 629. They have had some quality issues in the last several years. I mean, how godforsaken hard can it be to put a barrel on with the front sight at 12:00 high???? It aint rocket science but I have had 6 S&W revolvers come into the shop for this problem in the last year. S&W will fix it, but as I see it they had their shot. Most S&W's have a way better trigger and they have 5 groove rifling which is better for cast bullets. In the new ones they cut the rifling with an EDM machine and it has a very fine "sandblasted" appearance, when viewed thru a borescope. So, plan to take the time to give it a good break in period before you see the best accuracy and it quits fouling. Ruger has no barrel issues and I have never seen one with the barrel screwed on wrong. If you like single actions better I would suggest you look at the Freedom Arms revolvers. It is sad you have to pay so much for such simple things, like real stainless steel, a straight barrel, a good trigger and a smooth tool mark free bore that shoots right out of the box. The last two S&W's I bought had to have the barrels removed and put in a lathe to turn a new crown, because the factory one looked like a circus chimp with a bit brace tried to crown them!!!! Ridiculous.