Dirty Dan Dawkins Posted March 9, 2023 Posted March 9, 2023 Have one of each available to me $575 vs $800 Both used. I do like a 44 special Ive never handled either model I know Jeff Quinn wrote up positive reviews on both
July Smith Posted March 9, 2023 Posted March 9, 2023 If it were my choice between these two 44cal handguns I'd go for the Ruger GP100.
Three Foot Johnson Posted March 9, 2023 Posted March 9, 2023 I've posted this many times before - I managed the gun room at Sportsman's Warehouse from 2007 - 2012, and I sent back as many, or more, Taurus revolvers for service than everything else we carried, combined - revolvers, pistols, rifles, and shotguns. There are two possible explanations; #1, we sold more Taurus revolvers than other brands because they cost less, hence, all things being equal, there would naturally be more Taurus guns being returned. #2, they really are that bad. Of course, not every Taurus revolver has problems, or they'd be out of the revolver business in short order, but they required a notably higher rate of warranty work. On the other hand, I can remember sending only two Taurus autos back for service, and one of those was due to a customer stripping or breaking off a front sight screw. I can't remember what the other one was.
Dantankerous Posted March 9, 2023 Posted March 9, 2023 I have each... My Taurus Tracker 44 mag is a decent revolver. Nothing special but problem free so far. A good "work" gun, I suppose. That said I paid waaaaaaay less than the price you're looking at paying, for a new gun. I would not pay $575 for a Tracker. I find the squishy grip texture on the Taurus not the best for magnum loads but fine with specials. My GP100s in 44 Special are all excellent guns. I prefer the 3" over the 4" barrel. Ruger has excellent customer service, if needed. $800 is a bit high for a used Ruger unless it is the GP100 Jeff Quinn commemorative gun but probably close to going price for a new Ruger GP100. All these 44 special Rugers are built solid and will last, well, outlast you. I'd go for the Ruger.
Charlie Harley, #14153 Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 Ruger is making a 5-shot 44 special? Oh Hell-To-The-Yes! I’ve been pining for something like that ever since stupidly passing on a S&W 696 many moons ago. Almost bought a Charter Arms Bulldog at one point, but the coin wasn’t there at the moment. Coin is back. Might have to look deeper at the GP100.
Dantankerous Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 12 minutes ago, Charlie Harley, #14153 said: Ruger is making a 5-shot 44 special? Oh Hell-To-The-Yes! Yes they do and they are niiiiice. Love mine. Ruger also makes an 8 shot Redhawk .357 mag. THAT is sexy.
Pat Riot Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 I bought a used GP100 .357 Magnum 4.2” for $700 in California a year ago. The gun had 50 rounds of .38 Special fired from it, per the prior owner. He had paid $925 for it new and 2 boxes of ammo. The gun came with two half boxes of ammo. I saw the receipt for it when the guy bought it new with the ammo, so I believed him regarding the number of rounds through it. I said all that to say that I would jump on the GP100 .44 in a heartbeat. i really like mine.
Rooster Ron Wayne Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 The Ruger GP-100 44 Special is a Fine Firearm Just Sayin Rooster
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 The only .44 Special-only I own is the Charter Arms Bulldog. Very light gun (19.5 oz) and great for pocket carry in the woods. The GP 100 a bigger gun, of course. I have a Redhawk in .44 mag that I shoot Special in 80% of the time. I do like a bigger gun in mag since you can shoot the specials. But that that Ruger is the better gun is for sure.
Trigger Mike Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 my local store was telling e the differences between a taurus 44 they had in stock verses a smith and wesson. they said the taurus was a good gun if you only plan to shoot it very little. the smith was for if you plan to shoot it a lot and wanted long life. I've never met a bad Ruger revolver.
Still hand Bill Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 Being a 44 spl aficionado, I have a few rugers in that cartridge. My gp100 is a nice gun, but I shoot it the worst of the batch. Not sure if it’s the shorter barrel or the gun itself. Because of that it’s not my favorite and isn’t one that gets shot a lot. Really wish S&W would rerelease a true 44spl and not just a 44 mag.
Dantankerous Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 9 hours ago, Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 said: The only .44 Special-only I own is the Charter Arms Bulldog. Very light gun (19.5 oz) and great for pocket carry in the woods. Another great option for a lightweight 44 is the Smith model 69, 2.75" barrel. 5 shot 44 mag that weighs 34 oz. Handles 44 mag but excels with 44 Specials.
Dantankerous Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 14 hours ago, Dirty Dan Dawkins said: Have one of each available to me $575 vs $800 Both used. I do like a 44 special Ive never handled either model I know Jeff Quinn wrote up positive reviews on both If you can find one, a Rossi 720 (I think) is also a decent little 44 Special..available in hammerless and hammered configurations. I saw one several months ago for around $400 and did not jump on it. Stupid me.
Pat Riot Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 I have been hearing, online and in stores, that the new Taurus revolvers and pistols are better than they used to be. Apparently there has been a change in the CEO here in USA and his focus is QA and customer service. Bret Vorhees took over Taurus USA in 2020. Taurus owns Rossi and if the Rossi rifles I have seen lately are any indication of that CEOs focus then I think he may be making good on his plans.
Pat Riot Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 7 minutes ago, Dantankerous said: Another great option for a lightweight 44 is the Smith model 69, 2.75" barrel. 5 shot 44 mag that weighs 34 oz. Handles 44 mag but excels with 44 Specials. I saw one of the model 69s recently. The price was just under $900. It was the first one I have seen and I must say it looks it looked great. It looks like the perfect size to carry in the woods when hunting for a JIC gun - Just In Case.
Dantankerous Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 3 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said: I have been hearing, online and in stores, that the new Taurus revolvers and pistols are better than they used to be. Apparently there has been a change in the CEO here in USA and his focus is QA and customer service. Bret Vorhees took over Taurus USA in 2020. Taurus owns Rossi and if the Rossi rifles I have seen lately are any indication of that CEOs focus then I think he may be making good on his plans. Bret Vorhees? Any chance he's related to Jason Vorhees? If so, I'd take that guy seriously! The Taurus line of Raging Bull big bore hunting revolvers all seem to earn decently high marks with QC.
Pat Riot Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 2 minutes ago, Dantankerous said: Bret Vorhees? Any chance he's related to Jason Vorhees? If so, I'd take that guy seriously! The Taurus line of Raging Bull big bore hunting revolvers all seem to earn decently high marks with QC. Not sure. Who’s Jason Vorhees?
Dantankerous Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 3 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said: Not sure. Who’s Jason Vorhees? This guy...
Pat Riot Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 2 minutes ago, Dantankerous said: This guy... Hilarious!
Dantankerous Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 Oops... I said Taurus Raging Bull. It's the Raging Hunter.
Dantankerous Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 Here is the Rossi 720 44 Special I mentioned.
Pat Riot Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 My LGS has this one in stock, but I am sure the price was $100 less than MSRP. https://www.taurususa.com/revolvers/raging-hunter/raging-hunter-tm-44-mag-black-6-75-in
Dantankerous Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 Ruger GP100 44 Specials. 3" stainless, 4" Jeff Quinn, 5" model. All great choices.
Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 Just to add to the conversation, some years back I had a Taurus .44Spl like this. K size frame, 5 shot. It did everything I needed it to do, no problems. I eventually used it as trade stock. Taurus made these back in the late '90s, which I think was they made their best revolvers. I've mentioned here before that I have several Taurus revolvers , and every one of them is an older model, and I would trust my life with their reliability. I only had a problem with one of them, which I got used, and Taurus fixed it at no charge to me, and it had worked ever since.
Mud Marine,SASS#54686 Life Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 My S&W Model 29 has been with me for 65 years and multi thousands of both .44 Special and Magnum rounds without a single glitch. I carried it in the Corps, in PPC, in grizzly country, for deer, elk and moose hunting, for wolf hunting, predators, as owner of a burglar alarm and security guard company, etc. I still use it as an El Rey aged man. It's an awesome machine. Since I'm an old f--- my carry gun is a .44 Spl Charter Arms Bulldog instead of a pissant 9mm pistol. I don't trust semi autos. That's my opinion, and I'm sticking to it
Mud Marine,SASS#54686 Life Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 I forgot to mention that I shoot gun fighter with wart hog loads of Holy Black in my .44 Spl Rugers as well as in my Ruger .45 Colts..They have ever caused me a problem.
Pat Riot Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 1 hour ago, Mud Marine,SASS#54686 Life said: I still use it as an El Rey aged man. This is the second time I have seen you use this term. What is “El Rey”?
Three Foot Johnson Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 1 hour ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said: This is the second time I have seen you use this term. What is “El Rey”? 85+ yo
TN Mongo, SASS #61450 Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 I love my GP100 in .357 Mag! I would jump at the chance to own one in .44 special (depending on the price).
Pat Riot Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 1 hour ago, Three Foot Johnson said: 85+ yo Okay. Now it makes sense. Thank you.
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted March 11, 2023 Posted March 11, 2023 8 hours ago, Mud Marine,SASS#54686 Life said: .44 Spl Charter Arms Bulldog instead of a pissant 9mm pistol. I don't trust semi autos. That's my opinion, and I'm sticking to it I do really like that revolver myself. It really is the only one of its kind.
Dirty Dan Dawkins Posted March 11, 2023 Author Posted March 11, 2023 Well, I missed a S&W 696 by 250 on Gunbroker. My offer of $750 would have been quite a deal. There is a bead blasted one up for bid, but to me it looks like hell.
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