I'm looking for a revolver for around $500, but don't want super expensive ammo so .357 is out.
I have a Ruger SP101 4" and love it. Great gun to shoot but a bit large for me to conceal. So I got a Ruger LCR .357 for $499. Love that gun too. I can reload .38/.357 for a little under $8/ 50. It's cheaper for me to shoot .357 than it is 9mm bought from a store. Plus you never have to chase your brass!
For a snubbie, go for .38spl. In the short barrel revolvers there is very little difference in muzzle velocity between the 2 but a world of difference in recoil. Longer barrels, go .357.
Maybe I got a bad example, but a lot of other people find the quality of Taurus to be pretty bad as well. I did add some Wolff springs. The fit of the parts was awful. I know that I could have sent it back, but I have talked to people who were still not happy after the factory "fixed" the problem.Maybe that was just your particular gun. I will agree that a Taurus may not be as good as a Colt or a S&W, but for a utility gun they are fine. If you were having such difficulties, Taurus should have been able to help. Actions may not be as smooth as a well worn Colt, but you should never have to "smack" the cylinder to open it up. I have a model 85CH and other than the trigger pull being heavy, it works fine. I have a Wolff kit to help out with that. When I finish my bench, I will smooth up the action and install the spring kit. I fully expect it to be a sweet shooting pocket gun!
Do you shoot .38's or .357's out of your LCR? How is the recoil with .327's, I'm guessing not fun to shoot. It got to be one of the smallest carry guns along with the S&W 642 AirWeights.
I shoot both 38 and 357 in the LCR. I don't know about the "327" as I've never shot one.
I reload 38/357. I load the 357 down and use 125gr bullets so the recoil isn't too bad at all. I plink with the 38's and practice with the .357 since I carry it loaded with .357 125gr critical defense.
I had a box of Blazer .357 158gr JSP and they were absolutely brutal on my hand. However the 125gr CD isn't that bad and I can make decent follow up shots.
YES, this, 4" .357, is a REAL NICE gun.....Can't go wrong with a used S&W model 19. They can be had in the $400-$500 dollar range and are available in various barrel lengths. My second choice would be a Ruger SP101, again can't go wrong with one of them