Feedback on .357 revolvers

[JTHunter]

Having recently priced some .357 revolvers, I would like to get some feedback on the prices at these dealers. Some had rubber grips, some were wood, most had 6" barrels.

I have relatively small hands but I can hold a Ruger SP101 in .38 Special with ease.

This would be primarily for OC/HD on my property and maybe eliminating certain 4-legged varmits in the woods behind the house.

Here's what I've found at the LGSs:
S&W mod. 10, 4" blued for $650.
S&W mod. 686, 6" blued for $650.
A different vendor has the 686 in a 4" but wants $770!!
They also have the Taurus mod. 66 (7-shot), 6", $475/blue & $505/SS.
A third store has a Ruger 4" GP100 (blue) for ~$570 and the 686 in 6" (blue) for ~$725.

When I checked "Gallery of Guns" today, their prices were even higher.

There is another vendor, about 50 miles away that I happened to pass recently that had an EAA
"Windicator" for about $320 and a Rossi for ~$400. This is the vendor where we got the aforementioned SP101 about 7 years ago for an aging relative (which I will inherit someday).

The search continues but I hope to get some opinions on reliability, barrel length (4" vs. 6" +), ease of function (i.e. "hard" DA trigger pull), smoothness of the DA pull, etc.

In most cases, there would be more "powder flare" from the 4" vs. 6" - correct? Would this flare be worse from a ported barrel?

Thanks.

[vit]

I would go with a GP100 from what you have listed. 4" works very well, easy to carry and draw. Skip the porting, too much noise and flash.
S&W Model 10 is not .357.

[Viking350]

I picked up a S&W model 66-1 a few weeks ago from a gun shop I frequent. It had a few marks on the barrel, but the price was right at $300.00. The guy gave me a deal because I am a regular there. It is easily a $400+ gun. I am a big S&W revolver fan.

[Richard Simmons]

As noted by Vit the s&W M10 is .38 Special. The S&W 686 is a stainless steel revolver so it you looked at one that is blued it has to be a Model 586. Even brand new in the box $650 for the Model 10 is way high, for the 586 as well. You didn't mention condition but you should be able to get a good to very good S&W for under $500 especially of your looking for a 6" which isn't usually as desireable as the 4" or shorter.

[raxar]

are you in alaska or europe? a lot of those prices seem way high

[old Grump]

He's in Illinois hence the prices, Daleys legacy carried on by big city anti-gun liberals.

You would be happy with any of them as long as they fit well in your hand. 4" is plenty enough barrel and muzzle blast will only be really bad if you fire certain loads and/or if you port the gun. Not needed for a .357. Experiment with loads if you choose a gun with fixed sights or you may end up with a gun that likes 125 grain and you have a 1000 rounds of 158 grain that shoot 10" over a 25 yard target. 180 grain bear loads not needed for home defense nor is the uber hot loads that are hard to handle. I find good practice rounds from American Eagle, Fiocchi, CCI Blazer and Sellier Bellot. Whatever is on sale as long as it is the bullet weight your gun likes and your hand can handle. .