wanting to buy a 4" 44 this week am I cheating on my Smiths looking at a Ruger

[CWH44300]

Both are great guns, I'm a big fan of the regular 4" 629's but there's always room in this house for a few ruger 44's

What you really need to do is try both, then get what feels best in your hand with your loads. Hope this helps.

 

[Samsonxd]

Cal44 if you dont mind me asking what did the Ruger cost I am seeing them on gun broker for 500-700 dollar range what would be a good price in these troubled days?

 

[Cal44]

Cal44 if you dont mind me asking what did the Ruger cost I am seeing them on gun broker for 500-700 dollar range what would be a good price in these troubled days?

The price was $599 before tax.

By the time I paid tax and the California DROS fee, it was about $670.

Interesting point is single actions are not covered by the latest California safety regulations and don't need to appear on the roster of approved hand-guns.

Hence the lack of an internal lock.

As for the trigger, the trigger seems good to me. Of course, you can only compare it to a 629 in single action mode...

My next Ruger, if I can ever find one, would be a 45 colt convertible which comes with both a 45 colt and 45 ACP cylinder.

Dave

 

[Samsonxd]

Wow Sir your collection is impressive to say the least. I have held the 629 mt gun and have shot the 7.5" I think it was Ruger. I have small hands I thought the Ruger had a comfortable grip I learned to shoot the Ruger with my pinky under the grip and the way it rolls up just sets it in line to thumb cock with my left thumb as it comes down.

This may be a stupid question but if you were going to be able to take just one gun in the wilderness with you would it be the Smith or Ruger?

Both are great guns, I'm a big fan of the regular 4" 629's but there's always room in this house for a few ruger 44's

What you really need to do is try both, then get what feels best in your hand with your loads. Hope this helps.

 

[radar1972]

Couldn't go wrong with a Ruger Redhawk .44 mag, stainless, 4" barrel.

 

[Samsonxd]

Thanks for the info I was talking to a buddy that was stationed out in Ca he was telling me my FN 45 was a assault weapon because it had a threaded barrel. Ca is beautiful especially up in the Redwoods but the gun laws make me shake my head. I am glad something is not on the list there then thanks a lot for the help I hope you enjoy your fine pistol have you shot it yet.

The price was $599 before tax.

By the time I paid tax and the California DROS fee, it was about $670.

Interesting point is single actions are not covered by the latest California safety regulations and don't need to appear on the roster of approved hand-guns.

Hence the lack of an internal lock.

As for the trigger, the trigger seems good to me. Of course, you can only compare it to a 629 in single action mode...

Dave

 

[Samsonxd]

Couldn't go wrong with a Ruger Redhawk .44 mag, stainless, 4" barrel.

I thought that but I heard and It could have been wrong that you are limited to how much of a trigger job you can do on a Redhawk or SRH, and several people told me you want a trigger job but their results were hit and miss, I would love more info if that is wrong or was biased somehow I couldnt stick around to ask why that was at the time. If I was going DA I would rather stick with a Smith though.

 

[THEWELSHM]

I have a Model 19-4, Ruger 44 SBH 4 1/2" Blue, S & W Model 500 Sig Sauer SP2022 40 cal and a 9mm cheapy. Love the Smiths for Trigger, The Sig with Crimson grips is the half asleep gun in the dark But the Ruger is very nice too in single action.

My 02 share it around , but I want a 29-2

thewelshm

 

[BCDWYO]

Not exactly to the OP's point but I had a Ruger Redhawk 44 mag that I liked but didn't love...sold it to a fellow forum member who hopefully loves it more! It was a rugged tank but just not as comfortable to carry or shoot as some of my Smiths...

I have to agree with Andy...the 629 Mtn Gun is about perfect...I won't be selling it.

 

[deanodog]

I love smiths AND rugers. Until smith makes single actions I will keep some rugers around.

 

[kemper]

I have 2 Ruger Blackhawks in 357

You Sir have great taste that is exactly what I want set up wise but in 44 what size Ruger you have?

I have 2 Ruger Blackhawks in 357
Both are blued New Model revolvers.
One is 4 5/8 the other is 6.5 inch barrel.
Both wear standard factory grips and adjustable sights
Actually I usually carry the 4 5/8 blackhawk in a crossdraw holster, especially while riding on the ATV.
Prefer the shorter barrel length due to size and the fact that
at 25 yards it shoots as good as the longer 6.5 inch blackhawk
I use the Marlin lever gun for anything past 25 yards.
I keep the first round to fired in the cylinder with a shot shell
The other 5 are JSP or JHP rounds

 

[Pilgrim]

At one time I had 10 Rugers, ranging from the early ones in the mid 1950's up thru brand new. A couple were pretty rare, like a .30 carbine Blackhawk. I went thru a period where I NEEDED more Smiths, so I sold all 10 over a couple month period and bought 5 Smiths.

I have since bought a New Vaquero to replace the one I sold. There were a couple that I wished I hadn't sold.

I like some Rugers, but I like all Smiths.

 

[Rick_A]

Either is good. I've found the Smiths to be less bulky, I prefer the cylinder release, and the triggers are also smoother in double action and crisper/lighter in single. Overall, even the modern ones, are more elegant in design. For regular heavy load use most seem to favor Ruger. Ruger revolvers seem to have a look that says "engineer" over "craftsman." Nothing wrong with being all business. I'm a big fan of the Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter.

 

[BigBill]

When the movie dirty Harry made the s&w m29 hard to get we went with the ruger super Blackhawk in 44mag with the 7 1/2" barrel and we hammered it for many years till the first redhawks were offered. Either ruger in 44mag will serve you well. I like my ruger revolvers but I love my s&w' s. So I would walk into danger with either revolver.

 

[MikeyB]

I would love to have a SS .44 Redhawk with the 5.5" barrel.

 

[GM4spd]

There will be no Rugers in my safe .....Pete

 

[Nframecollector]

Nothing wrong with a Super Blackhawk. I own a few myself. A 7 1/2 blue and a 7 1/2 SS. Excellent shooters too!

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Hi all I am looking for a 4" 44 and am leaning towards a Ruger Super Blackhawk 4-5/8" for another tool in the tool box type thing for camping hiking etc...I know this is a Smith board so dont beat me up to bad. I have gotten great info from here on all my Smiths.

I have a lot of good woods guns this is what I am working with so far Glock 20sf and 29sf for my 10mm addiction, I ordered the 6.61" threaded and 4.6" lonewolf barrels. I have the following Smiths 629 stealth hunter, 329 AK Backpacker, Governor, 460V, 686+ talo, and 340 M&P, my non smiths are a Taurus Raging Bull 44 6" and Chiappa Rhino. As you can see no 4" revolver and that just aint right I can hardly sleep at night knowing that I dont have a 4" powerhouse in the collection.

I would like to pair my 44's with a Stainless 1894 JM Marlin 44, I hope to find one by the end of the year. I have 2 Stainless and a blued gold trigger JM Marlins 2 336's 30-30 and 35 Remington (35 is blued) and a 1895 guide gun, I love the guide gun but it would be nice to have a pistol rifle combo that shares the same ammo.

So thats why looking at the Ruger SBH strong, less complex less money be a more natural fit with the lever gun; and though my Smiths are awesome I tend to baby them. I looked at a 629 V-Comp as well, almost bought it, but i would be to scared to take it out and scratch it up for the cost.

A 629 Mt gun is an idea if can find one for the right price the MT guns looks just dont appeal to me that much though. I have never owned a Ruger and have only shot my buddies a couple times but his SBH was very accurate and I had a lot of fun shooting it, so I dont know much about them. Still on the fence here. Am I misguided looking at a single action for self defense in the woods, trail, camping etc... Something I dont mind getting dirty etc.. I have not had this much of a problem picking a gun in forever.

Thanks for the help all

Go buy the Ruger and enjoy. I have one......It and its bretheren sleep under the shelf where the Smiths lay.

 

[BigBill]

A few years back before the Obama surge I found a ruger SBH with a 10 1/2" barrel in 44 mag used for $329. Next to it was a used unshot ruger vaquero in polished stainless with a 7 1/2" barrel in 45 long colt for $289. Being torn between the two I purchased both. My point is there are good used one's too. My vaquero is no longer offered in the 7 1/2" barrel.

The ruger firearms are built like Mack trucks. Very dependable, no screws to loosen and can go the distance with any hotter load.

The smith and wesson firearms are like Peterbuilt trucks with smooth lines. Plus there a well balanced and Purdy too. Shooting standard loads it will last forever. But the screws do come loose at times.

Either way I like them both.

 

[VAdoublegunner]

I have both a Ruger 4 5/8" SS SBH and a S&W 4" 629-4 (probably the finest and most desirable model, imho). Both are great shooters, i.e. I seem to shoot both equally well, and are well made, handsome sidearms.

I tend to baby the 629 a little more. It has been used for hunting in the past on a number of occasions, and is plenty tough and rugged for that. I also use the Ruger quite often afield, especially when conditions are a little more iffy, like in rough country or when it looks like a soaking rain is a possibility. To me, the Ruger carries better than the Smith because of the grip shape and grips themselves, especially when carried crossdraw. I never really carry a rifle and revolver in the same chambering when hunting, but sometimes carry a revolver with a shotgun or 22 rifle (or pistol) when mixed bag small game hunting and deer season is in (we have really long deer seasons). The crossdraw Ruger doesn't seem to bump on a long gun's buttstock quite as much.

For most field applications, you cannot go wrong with the Ruger. It is tough, easy to transport, and the short barrel versions are near perfect packin' guns. SA is no disadvantage in most situations where you need to use it. I also feel there is a little extra toughness when using heavy bullet hot handloads in the Ruger, although the S&Ws post enhancements are plenty capable of a steady diet of factory load equivalents.

I shoot them at steel plates on occasion too, from 50 to 200 yds. Either is equally capable of scoring good and frequent hits. I find the Ruger a little less fatiguing for long shooting sessions with heavier loads because I can let that SA grip roll in the hand to dissipate some of the recoil. Still, I like shooting the Smith and have less tendency to jerk it off target at longer ranges with a trigger snatch.

Either is a good option. I don't think you will regret owning the Ruger in the least.

Edit: and fwiw, one of my favorite new Rugers to carry is a Lipsey's special flattop with a 4 5/8" barrel in 44 Special, with the factory black hard grips. Following some of Brian Pearce's load data from Handloader, you can drive 240gr jacketed bullets up to ~1200fps, good enough for most any tasks, and very pleasant to shoot and exceptionally accurate with the Speer 240gr LSWC driven to ~1100fps with my handloads. Even more compact than the SBH to carry, with some of Ruger's better felt quality builds ever, they have quickly become personal favorites.