Actually, post reasons please. I'm hoping to buy soon and would love to her the pros and cons of both.
Gef has some questions abotu guns, questions in artcile.
So I'll ping some that I know that may be able to answer.
Yes, that would be you guys.
*chuckle*
For the price, can't beat the Ruger, it'll last forever and will hit what it's aimed at...but I'm fond of Rugers
I'd go with the smith & wesson revolver......as ya state it's local and available . IMHO a much better rig that any ruger auto short of their Mk II rimfire series which are awesome as are rugers wheel guns. I don't care for their other autos.
I'll ask why the 41 mag ? Have you considered a 44 or 357 Mag so that lower powered "specials" can be used for carry or plinking ? Versitility with the .44 mag would seem to be a better choice. Carry 44 specials for self defense & hunt and or compete on steel chickens with 44 magnums......
just my opinion......
I have a P97DC in .45 ACP. I absolutely love it. Best balance I've ever seen on a .45 ACP. Buy it.
If you must have a Ruger;
Consider a 345
http://www.ruger.com/Firearms/FAProdView?model=6648&return=Y
I bought a S&W model 457 for concealed carry. It is a very reliable pistol. I've never had any jamming problems and have shot hundreds of rounds. The accuracy is not too good but, for personal protection, it's more than adequate.
I also have a single six Ruger that is quite accurate and fun to shoot. They're both fine - just used for different missions.
Now, this is just a subjective impression so take it with a grain of salt, but to me the .41 seems to have a more percussive feel to it than a .44 magnum. Sharper recoil, different sound. The .44 seems to be actually a bit more pleasant, although some of that is due to load and some of it to a longer barrel on my .44. Your mileage may vary.
The .41 magnum was originally envisioned as a law enforcement round to replace the .38 special, but since most LEO's don't practice as much as they should there was a major issue with recoil control. (That's the issue that sidelined the 10mm semi, BTW, which the FBI was considering as a follow-on to the 9mm for the same purpose - great cartridge, but a bit of a handful for someone not used to it).
As for the issue others have mentioned, revolver versus semiauto, I have a simple, universal answer - you need one of each. Several of each. LOTS of each. Harrumph.
I don't own either the Smith 457 nor a Ruger P97, but I've shot both and have some experience of both. If I was after a concealed carry handgun, I'd go with the alloy-framed single-stach magazine S&W. I'm not a great fan of the double-row magazines, partly for reasons of reliability and partly because my hands are smallish [G.I. size 4 gloves] A girlfriend smarter than I am tried a 457 as a possible replacement for her daily carry 9mm S&W 3913 Ladysmith but found it a bit too large for her hands. I tried it, found it to be at least 96% reliable [my minimum for serious carry] but not what I was after; I'm used to the M1911A1 trigger/safety setup, or that of the PM Makarov for a DA. If you can get one for under $500, and can live with or prefer an alloy frame, go for it. Since the Ruger is also a trigger-cocking DA, I assume you're familiar with the arrangement and want to go that route; so be it.
I've always looked on the Ruger P97 as more of a holstered belt gun than a concealable carry piece, but that may be die to the fact that in 2000 when the armed courier service I was working for okayed .45 handguns in addition to the 9mm and .40 shooters previously approved for use, the P97 was the one most of those who stepped up went with.
Accordingly, I've seen their polymer frames handle five years worth of service okay, and the Ruger P-pistols are very close to M1911A1/Kalishnikov reliable. My own choices at that time were a Glock 30 and a Taurus PT145B...but I'm not really happy with hammerless designs. I might well have ended up with one of the polymer-framed Rugers, but I'd had two strikes and wasn't inclined to try for a third and none of the folks who owned and used one seemed to be inclined to get rid of theirs. THere's a tacit endorsement there....
I think a couple of other factors for your choice are going to be the availability of suitable holsters, and, if you're so inclined, a set of night sights, which can be had for either handgun. But generally, for a concealed piece, I think I'd go with the Smith, and for a duty or belt gun, the Ruger. Either fits my hand well, so pricing and the cost of desired accessories might further influence the final pick, though.
