FOR THOSE WHO WERE S&W HARDCORE FANS BEFORE THE SELLOUT, MAY I OFFER TWO EXCELLENT ALTERNATIVES; I'M NOT A PROFFESIONAL GUNWRITER SO BEAR WITH ME, AS I "FEEL YOUR PAIN". I WILL MENTION ONLY TWO MFGRS. THAT OFFER QUALITY REVOLVERS AND SEMI'S AT REASONABLE PRICES. THAT WAY WE HAVE A CROSSCUT OF THOSE WHO PREFER ONE OVER THE OTHER AND THE FACT THAT NOT EVERYONE CAN AFFORD, ME INCLUDED, A CUSTOM PISTOL.
 
RUGER: THEY HAVE BEEN KNOWN FOR YEARS TO PRODUCE EXCELLENT REVOLVERS, YET WHEN THEY VENTURED INTO THE SEMI-AUTO MARKET WITH THE P-85 AND OTHER CLONES THEY LEFT MUCH TO BE DESIRED. IN THE MID-NINETIES ANOTHER "CLONE" WAS RELEASED, THE P-89. I TRIED OUT THE ONE THE OWNER CARRIED FOR SELF-CARRY, AND MADE THE PURCHASE THAT DAY. FITTED FOR 9mm AND A FIFTEEN ROUND MAG THE FIT WAS BEAUTIFUL, WITH HOGUE GRIPS-I NEVER SEEM TO LIKE FACTORY GRIPS...AFTER USE AND ABUSE IT STILL FUNCTIONS PERFECTLY AND THIS IS BY NO MEANS A SHELF PISTOL.
 
TAURUS: I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THEIR AUTO'S BUT THE REVOLVERS ARE TOP NOTCH. I WAS ABLE TO TAKE ONE, .357 MAG LARGE FRAME DOUBLE ACTION AND GIVEN PERMISSION TO DEFILE IT. I BEAT IT, DROPPED IT, TRIED TO BEND THE CRANE THEN FIRED IT SINGLE AND DOUBLE ACTION. I BOUGHT THE PISTOL AND STILL TRUST IT WITH MY LIFE. I FIGURE MOST WHOM RELY ON FIREARMS DAILY AS I DO DON'T ACCEPT THE WORDS OF OTHERS UNTIL THEY SEE IT FOR THEMSELVES, HELL I DON'T. ALL I'M RELAYING IS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE I KNOW TO BE TRUE.
 
THE POINT IS THIS- S&W AIN'T THE ONLY DATE AT THE DANCE.
 
      GOD BLESS