I have had a nice 4-inch barrel S&W Model 63 for twenty years. It has been my favorite little "kit gun" and is a great trail revolver.

But.....I recently handled one of these new Ruger SP-101 8-shot revolvers.

Should I sell my Model 63 to get one of these??? Can't keep both...House rule is one gun out for every new gun in.

Update:

Took some photos:



If you go to this link, you can see all ten of them by scrolling

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...r/IMG_6137.jpg

Don't sell - break the house rules and buy it too.

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Bud
67-60 3"-63-642

I owned a 4" 63 years ago. My son fell in love with it as a kid and I gave it to him. I recently purchased an SP101 in .22, and like it, but if I had to choose to have either a 63 or the SP, I'd take the 63.

I'm going to have to look into the Ruger, I would not sell the older S&W though, find a way to have both.

Yes you should sell the model 63 to me for $10 bucks because nobody wants them and then go buy the Ruger.... kidding of course its funny I am drooling over the 63 and here is some that has a 63 drooling over something else.

I met a friend at the range late last year. He had his new 4" 8x .22 SP101 - I had my year old 3" 63. I was impressed with his Ruger - it was far better than the old .22 SP101 from years ago - it has a real adjustable rear sight. It also had a good for a Ruger - but still an obviously new Ruger - SP101 trigger. My 3" 63, little change from NIB 11/10, was significantly smoother and more predictable in it's DA trigger release. At the end of the day, my 3" 63 was the winner. It just feels like a better quality revolver. The '60 Pro' grips help. Oddly, he paid a premium to get the first new .22 SP101 - and could have had a new 3" 63 for the money spent.

Here is my 3" 63 - and a holstered 3" 60 Pro. Both sport '60 Pro' grips - and fit the S&W Accessories' 3" J-frame holster sh0wn:



If you realy want the Ruger, find some way to buy it. I believe you'll be sick later if you trade or sell that 63 to fund the SP101. YMMV.

Stainz

You're asking a S&W forum if you should sell a Smith to buy a Ruger? Blasphemy! Keep the 63, it will keep it's value long after the "new Ruger hype" has faded from glory.

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Dick
SWCA #2292

Those "pro" grips on the Model 60 and 63 look great. I'm beginning to get the message that I should keep the Model 63.....But I sure want to try out the new Ruger. May have to wait until Uncle Sam sends me that tax refund check....

Keep the Smith...you'll regret getting rid of it.

Trust me I know...I had to learn the hard way.

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NULLI SECUNDUS

I really like those Rugers,and have plans to get one myself.However,in this case I'd break the house rules and keep the 63 too. You'll always regret it if you let it go.

They are not the same ones a S&W ....
the other is a Ruger....
You still will only have 1 Smith..... and 1 Ruger... works for me......
Keep the Smith, if she ask the Smith has retired so you have to pick up a replacement. ie the Ruger. Best of Luck

Grey Eagle....Great suggestions....I am going to use this!

There is a reason it is so hard to find a 4" no-lock model 63, no one wants to sell them. Take the hint! Rugers will still be around in a year or two, give time for the new gun urge to die down. Your kids will thank you when you pass the gun down. I will NEVER sell mine!

I sold my 4" 34-1 after I had the SP for a couple months. For me and my hands, the SP feels like a real gun where the J frame always felt like a cap gun to me.

Nice photo. thanks for posting it.

My Ruger Bearcat is the pistol that feels like a cap gun to me...Way too small for my hands.

I am going to buy a 101 in .22lr when I get around to it, but no way I get rid of any of my several Kit Guns or M K22 for one.

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Run Fast, Bite Hard!

the new Ruger SP-101 is a fine looking revolver. i especially like the grips, they fit my hands very well when i had an opportunity to shoot a new 101 a few month ago. BUT the DA trigger was H E A V Y !

NO way would i swap a S&W model 63 for a ruger sp101

Step away from the cliff!!! My suggestion is buy the ruger and give both a comparison.

Can that Ruger action be "worked" on ?

I had a chance several years ago to buy an old Model 63 from a friend who is a Colt trader. He happened to actually have two, and wanted to sell one. Finances, or some other silly **** prevented me at the time, and I've KICKED myself ever since. Late last summer, I had the chance to get one from one of our outstanding forum members, and I did it, even though I had to drive from Northwest Alabama all the way to Southeast 'Bama to get it. I wouldn't take nothing for it; don't sell yours for the Ruger; you'll regret it VERY soon. I'd like to have a Ruger as well, but not enough to dump my sweet little 63.

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MARK

Bearcat,
How did the weight of the Ruger compare to that of the 63? Rugers are typically heavier for the same "type" of revolver.

I also recommend that you keep the Model 63. Every time I have sold a quality gun, I have regretted it later.

LT

Those new Ruger SP-101s are very well done. I'm glad Ruger listened to their customers on this one and gave us the features that made for a really nice field DA 22 revolver.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't give up a well liked old S&W Model 63 for one either. But there must be something else you could trade. For example -- have any Glocks? One of the most easy to get rid of/trade away guns in the world and no one ever misses one of those! (further proof that no one ever willingly trades away a quality gun who doesn't miss it later )

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" I said, good DAY! "

I would not trade or sell any S&W .22lr revolver for another make (finally have 317,34-1,63,17-3 in 6" & 8-3/8",18-3, only missing a 43c). Traded a 34-1 once and regretted it immediately.

You are also missing one of the best: a Model 35 (blued j-frame with 6" barrel).

Keep the Smith.....leave the canoli.

OK...You guys have convinced me. I will keep the S&W Model 63....and find the money for the Ruger elsewhere.....Once I shoot them both side-by-side, I can decide if it is advisable to sell one. I did take the 63 out for a walk in the woods today and did a little plinking with it...It sure is a smooth little revolver....

I love my old model 63. That would be my last gun out! Ok, maybe my 617...

I have an SP101 in .22 and while a VERY nice gun-it does not replace my 63. If I had to get rid of one-the 101 would go based on the trigger pull and lighter weight. The SP101 is more akin to the 617 4" . Tough choice here as well, but I would keep my 617 because of the nice trigger.
The SP went back to Ruger when I bought it because the trigger was abysmal and what I got back was as nice a trigger as one has a right to expect from a Ruger. It is still not on par with the 63 or the 617 (or the 317-1 or k22 for that matter). The trigger IS better than my 317.
I flat out like the Ruger a lot I like how easy it is to take one down if it gets dunked in salt water and how well it's built-but it is not, nor ever claimed to be a Smith and I wouldn't sell one of my Smiths to buy one.
Tell you something else about Rugers, I also like my Super Redhawk and my SP101 in .357 too

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Deuteronomy 23:1

I started my revolver craze with Rugers, my first-ever DA revolver having been a 7.5" SRH in .454 Casull, which was my all-time favorite Ruger. It was far better than The Redhawk & SP101 I would later own - and they were better than any of the myriad of new SA Rugers I owned. They were all delivered - new - as 'works in progress' - I became adept at cleaning up pawl channels and properly reaming holes - including chambers! My 4" .32 H&RM was by far the worst QC example - it took a while to clean it up. Finally cleaned up, trigger-wise, I still didn't have much - the .22 & .32 H&RM SP101s back then only had a windage adjustment on the rear sight. Additionally, the two .32s I had - the 4" SP101 and 4.6" BHG SSM - had huge, almost .338" ID chambers, which overworked the brass - .32 H&RM and .32 S&WL alike - resulting in very short case life. I sold everything with Ruger on it - save my 'Old Army' bp revolver.

If you get an SP101, checkout the Ruger forum and their SP101 tuneup instructions. Take particular heed of the advice to put the trigger group in a Ziploc bag before further dissassembly. Cleanup helps - and some like the lighter weight Wolff springs, too, although I'd keep the OEMs for a rimfire revolver. Don't clip springs!

Still, from one to one comparison in shooting at the range - new 3" 63 and new 4" SP101 - both 8-shooters - my 3" 63 was the clear winner. Oddly, 2nd place wasn't that bad...

Stainz

I have two Ruger SP-101s in .357 Magnum that I bought at least a decade ago. Both are reasonably smooth double actions and the single action trigger pull is heavy, but crisp...no creep. I have dry-fired both a lot and put a couple of hundred rounds through each. No idea of the round count before I owned them, but they both looked like new when purchased.

They are one of the reasons that I thought a new SP-101 in .22 would be great. I'll have to test the trigger pull on the new SPs if the dealer will allow it. I know some guys are funny about that, especially with rimfires....

I took some photos after taking the little Model 63 out for walk yesterday. You can view 10 of them here: http://photobucket.com/Model_63_revolver

Its simple, add an ammendment to the "house rules" and get what makes you happy!

I would only buy the 101 if I could see and handle it first . No blind internet order . A guy on Rimfire Central was bitching up a storm because of the piss poor fit and finish on his new .22 101 . I think he said he had to send it back twice to get it corrected and working right .

Thanks, Nick. That is good advice with any modern handgun purchase. Ruger, Smith & Wesson, and others all seem to be lacking in the quality control arena.

Go lie down, the urge will pass, and you'll get to keep the best of breed. Ruger for a nice Smith? No.

Much as I like my new SP .22, I'd advise keeping your Smith.
It's a great little gun, better DA trigger, no lock, already stainless, and it's paid for.
If you can do both, go for it. Otherwise....
Denis

i have a 63 no lock sistem 4 barell 6 shot,for me is little great pistol.the ruger is good prouduct but no can is the number one for now.

I got a Model 63 from the original owner of the gun along with a Model 66 no-dash a couple of years ago and love it. It is a P & R model but, unfortunately, the original grips are long gone on it. The Model 66 has the original grips on it. Here is a quick pic of my Model 63 taken when I got it. I have a few Rugers also but I would never sell this to buy a SP101 in .22. I am still looking for some S&W Target grips for it locally but in no hurry.

My one and only Kit Gun from 1991. Perfect size for a 22.

The club where I teach NRA Basic Pistol just bought 10 of the SP101 Targets... We have been using instructor donated guns for 20+ years. Most have been S&Ws with a few Colts, Dan Wessons and Taurus thrown in.

They are a very solid gun but off the bench at 5 yards the Rugers didn't shoot near the groups that the Smiths did even the Model 63s and 34s. And the DA pulls are very hard and we teach DA shooting in our BP Course...

I have two 63s that I use for training and although I plan on buying a SP101 the 63s are not going anywhere... Given a choice I'l take a 63...smaller, lighter and better balanced.

Bob