What Makes a Ruger a Wiley Clapp Edition

[Eddietruett]

I see some Rutgers out there marked Wiley Clapp Edition. What makes these special? Is it an action job?

[bigggbbruce]

Grips and a label on the box.. oops that's a Lew Horton..

Here a little reading..Wiley Clapp Ruger .357 Mag Revolver Review

[HardlyAble2]

Grips, sights and Ruger's version of performance center tune. At least that's what my 101 has.

[jsfricks]

It’s built to Wiley Clapps specs.

[Eddietruett]

Originally Posted by HardlyAble2

Grips, sights and Ruger's version of performance center tune. At least that's what my 101 has.

Any extra value to a sp101? Guy wants to trade me one.

[Absalom]

Originally Posted by Eddietruett

Any extra value to a sp101? Guy wants to trade me one.

Wiley Clapp is a writer who is moderately well known to consumers of various gun magazines.

So some clever marketers have sought his “collaboration”, meaning a licensing deal with some money changing hands in exchange for attaching his name to some variant of a plain-Jane model. He may or may not have advocated those “special features” in his writing at one time or another.

If this kind of “famous” tickles your fancy, pay extra for the “Wiley Clapp” edition. Otherwise, get the gun if you like it and the deal seems fair.

[HardlyAble2]

It's a step up from the standard (like smith pc's) and you can judge for yourself if the sights and grips are worth it. The action was (for me) sprung too heavy (I have a fair amount of rugers and the ones I have as shooters all have been re-sprung) . They are hell for strong and you're not likely to hurt it. I like mine, once re-sprung and cleaned up it's slicker than weasel snot on a frozen lake (as compared to a 642 PC that I have). So i guess it just depends on the $$ and if it feels good....then do it!!

[dr. mordo]

My GP100 has the unusual-for-Ruger combination of a 3" barrel and nice sights, a unique grip, and a beveled cylinder (to ease reholstering?). The trigger was not improved or different from my 6" GP100.

I replaced the springs and put on a compact grip and it's an utterly brilliant gun; I prefer it to any of my four S&W .357s. I'd definitely buy a WC SP101 if it crossed my path at the right price.

[cowboy4evr]

I've had numerous rugers and they always end up going down the road . I much prefer my Smiths .

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Originally Posted by Eddietruett

I see some Rutgers out there marked Wiley Clapp Edition. What makes these special? Is it an action job?

He personally rubes each one on the inside of his thighs before final boxing and shipping.

[jlrhiner]

Originally Posted by CAJUNLAWYER

He personally rubes each one on the inside of his thighs before final boxing and shipping.

WOW!!! (Is that to smooth out the finish or help with lube?)

[03hemi]

I don't have the Clapp Ruger, but I do have the Colt Clapp LW Commander and can I tell you there is a huge difference in the gun compared to other Colt Commanders of the same. FWIW, they are highly coveted and respected by any Colt collector and the availability of them reflects it.

[Absalom]

Originally Posted by 03hemi

I don't have the Clapp Ruger, but I do have the Colt Clapp LW Commander and can I tell you there is a huge difference in the gun compared to other Colt Commanders of the same. FWIW, they are highly coveted and respected by any Colt collector and the availability of them reflects it.

But .... is that quality attributable to Clapp or to Colt? That is the question

My suspicion would be the latter. Colt wanted to create a premium edition of the Commander and needed a marketing hook, which is where Clapp came in.

I come across Wiley Clapp’s columns online occasionally, and while he seems reasonably well-informed, I see no evidence of any particular expertise.

So while I don’t doubt your assessment of the Colt, I would not automatically assume the same for a different brand just because they also use Clapp’s name.

[03hemi]

The quality is the same, but in the case with the gun itself it has a 70 series firing system which is only available with certain guns or older ones and is more sought after, all the others now have the 80 series and not well respected, the Clapp is considerably tighter and comes with different controls. It has a tuned trigger as well as a matched barrel, custom grips and custom sights. When guys find one, they snatch em up. My advice would find out the differences in the same gun by Ruger and see what Clapp does differently, it's something different and not just grips. Absalom is correct, Ruger may be just using his name though for marketing.

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Originally Posted by jlrhiner

WOW!!! (Is that to smooth out the finish or help with lube?)

Actually Both. It's how they knock off the rough edges and give it that nice smooth carry bevel.

[Steve912]

Originally Posted by Eddietruett

I see some Rutgers out there marked Wiley Clapp Edition. What makes these special? Is it an action job?

Fatter grips, heavier frame, feeds everything eagerly?

[kaaskop49]

I was impressed with my WC GP-100. So much so, that I purchased the Match Champion thinking it would be an improvement over the WC. Everyone was singing the praises of the MC. Was I wrong. I sold the MC within a week. The DA was nowhere near as good as the WC. As for the SP-101 WC, pass on it.

BTW, prices in the Ruger catalog for the new GP-100 models are getting awfully high, and for my $, they're not the gun my 627 Pro is. Unless you're buying a 'tank.' YMMV

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103