For general purpose use, a Ruger GP-100 is hard to beat.
It has a rock solid action and, while it is possible to destroy one, it can take abuse that would damage or disable most other designs. It's not lightweight, but it wasn't designed to be.
The Super Redhawk is an industrial grade .44 Magnum. Ruger has other chamberings for the Super Redhawk platform, but most Academy, Wal-Mart, and online ammunition sales brokers have .38 Special, .357 Magnum, .44 Special, and .44 Magnum ammunition. If you decide to get a revolver in an uncommon caliber, expect premium ammunition prices and difficulty obtaining ammunition at times.
S&W makes a variety of concealable, compact, space-age revolvers that employ exotic materials to reduce weight. My experience with these is that while they are definitely easier to carry, they're not much fun to shoot for any extended length of time. S&W also makes working guns with 7 or 8 shot capacity. All that I have shot were very nice, smooth operating, well-made guns.
As stated by others above, without more info as to the primary use for this gun, it's difficult to make a meaningful recommendation; however, in my opinion, the best general purpose, all around most useful handgun a person can own is a good quality .357 magnum with a 4" barrel. I am partial to Smith and Rugers.
If someone needs a bear killing handgun, this is the ticket, sure.
But if you are NOT a hiker or a camper, then this is the very worst handgun you could ever get for all other applications.
The very best handgun on the other hand (no pun intended) for most applications is the Glock 17 or the CZ 75, depending only on whether your are neo-modern or old school, respectively -- which is a 9x19mm.
Those are the two extremes of handgun usage for practical purposes, the one for defense against bears, the other involving people.
Revolvers don't make sense anymore, other than for bears, unless a person is not competent with the operation of a pistol, in which case if so then a Smith & Wesson 38 special would be the ticket.
If someone needs a bear killing handgun, this is the ticket, sure.
But if you are NOT a hiker or a camper, then this is the very worst handgun you could ever get for all other applications.
The very best handgun on the other hand (no pun intended) for most applications is the Glock 17 or the CZ 75, depending only on whether your are neo-modern or old school, respectively -- which is a 9x19mm.
Those are the two extremes of handgun usage for practical purposes, the one for defense against bears, the other involving people.
Revolvers don't make sense anymore, other than for bears, unless a person is not competent with the operation of a pistol, in which case if so then a Smith & Wesson 38 special would be the ticket.
If you really can't decide, or need it for multiple purposes, get a few .22;s, some .38's, a few .357's, some .44 specials, some .44 magnums, and some .45 colt's, and several barrel lengths for each caliber. Maybe a .500 S&W to do a buffalo and your mother-in-law (but I repeat myself)...
I recommend the Magnum Research .460 S&W Revolver, 7.5-inch Barrel
BFR. It'll shoot 3 different calibers for it's extremely versatile. My father in law had one and it's very fun to shoot.
For a first revolver, I would buy a police/security trade-in. It won't break the bank, you use the balance of your money to buy ammo, and you can learn as good on a used gun as a new gun.
I bought a perfect S&W model 65-2 for three hundred fifty dollars and I don't think it could be improved on for any amount of money.
new, i'd recommend the GP100 in 357 Mag., with a 4" or 6" barrel. 4" would be handier.
that or maybe a used Smith & Wesson like a Model 19, a 66, or a 586 or a 686 in 357 Mag. a new S&W would probably exceed your budget, butyou should be able to find a nice used one in your budget range.
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