Model 13 verses Ruger GP100 3"

[bassoneer]

Final Photos Added - See Page 4

I have the option to purchase a 4" Model 13-2 in excellent condition with grip adapters or a 3" Ruger GP100 with fixed sights and the old style Ruger grip with the wood inserts. I have never had a Ruger revolver and never even fired one...currently I own a couple of snubbie S&W's and a 686-4P. I feel comfortable with S&W, but I've never had a blued gun either, so the 13 would be the first. I really wanted a 3" barrel, but the Ruger sure does look fat and heavy...I am big enough to carry it, but am not sure which to get since I have had very good results with S&W. I am partial to them because my grandfather used to talk about S&W when I was a child. I can only afford one of the two, and they are both priced fairly. I would like input from some folks here who have maybe shot both guns. I'm weighing carryability, durability, etc...I know the K frame likes 158 grain magnums but the Ruger could probably shoot hotter loads...so many variables. If you could only afford to purchase one of the guns, which would it be? Thanks, B

 

[Cavaliere]

Hands down I would choose the Model 13. The best shooting .38/.357 I ever owned was a Model 13 with a 4-inch barrel. The second best .38/.357 I ever owned was a Model 13 with a 3-inch barrel. In my opinion the 13 leaves the Ruger in the dust.

 

[Biginge]

Ditto on the 13. I am 6'6" and have quite a few guns. The 13 with a 3" bbl. is my absolute favorite carry weapon. I have snubs,342 for pocket carry. The 3" is "just right" for me with the heavy bbl. and will handle most anything I feed it. Nothing against the Ruger except the weight and bulk they posess. You'll never wear one out but you might wear out if you carry it a while.

Just my HO.

Regards
Bill

 

[Reddog]

Definitely the Smith!
Dick

 

[ogilvyspecial]

While I don't have any experience with the GP100 I have to add that, today, I sold a sweet Model 13-3 with 4" barrel that took me many attempts before I was able to do so, sell it that is.

Every time I got it out to sell I always had to put it back because it's such a nice pointing revolver with great balance. At least in it's new life it will be working overseas, after it gets cut down to a rd butt and maybe 3" bbl, in a security role.....

 

[Chuck Jones]

I would choose the 13, but then I have another one if it breaks, cracks a forcing cone, or gets out of time.

To me the GP 100 looks awful, but to be fair Rugers are overbuilt work horses. You can do things to a Ruger that you'd never do with an S&W.

Functionally — strength wise, Rugers are amazing. Aesthetics are another matter, although I think they were much better looking as the security six, service six, and speed six. While never pretty they were much better looking than the ungainly slab sided GP100 barrel profile.

I know a Ruger police distributer who has used the same security six sample gun for 35 years. The highlight of his demonstration is to drop it on the Academy floor. Oops!

Pick it up, load and shoot it, and then do it again on purpose, and dare the S&W rep to do the same.

Rugers simply never break. And all the stainless ones always had black sights! Oh how I wish S&W put black front sights on their fixed sight stainless guns.

/c

 

[jack the toad]

No doubt Rugers are fine but there's also no doubt that I'd choose the Smith.

 

[Maximumbob54]

You will never see the Model 13 made again. The GP is still in current production. They even have a special version of the three inch coming out or is out. But 13's are finite. I would snatch up the 13 and if you really want a three inch GP then save up and just get one.

 

[s2harry]

you know those Budwieser horses..thats the ruger. The smith is a quarter horse....as for hotter loads in the ruger. A 357 can only do so much if you want more power get a 41 or 44 mag.

 

[remat457]

You will never see the Model 13 made again. The GP is still in current production. They even have a special version of the three inch coming out or is out. But 13's are finite. I would snatch up the 13 and if you really want a three inch GP then save up and just get one.

This is exactly what I was going to say!

Except for the special GP edition, that I hadn't heard. In fact, got any more info?

 

[Ross3913]

I've owned a 4" GP-100 and it was indestructable. If you are going to really shoot .357 mag ammo, I'd go with the Ruger. If you aren't going to shoot a whole bunch of .357 mag, I'd go with the S&W.

The Ruger is indeed fat and heavy. I sold mine because of that very reason. I wasn't shooting .357 mag, and was shooting alot of .38 Special, so I just didn't need the heavy weight, larger size, full-lug barrel, etc. I ended up with a .357 K-frame (PD-trade 66) and it fit my uses perfectly.

If you want a great all around gun, that you aren't going to torture test with .357 mag, the M13 will be great.

If you're going to OWB carry and want a gun that will last forever no matter how hard you treat it, it will be hard to beat the 3" GP-100.

If CCW is your primary purpose, I'd seriously consider looking for a 3" K-frame rather than either the 3" Ruger or 4" 13.

Don't worry about the blue vs stainless gun. As long as you take any normal care of it, it will last longer than you. Stainless is lower-maintenance, but it's not maintenance free. You have to take care of both.

 

[kbm6893]

As has been said, the Ruger is much stronger. For a concealed carry gun, neither is a good choice. The Ruger because it's heavy, and the 13 because it's a 4". I have a model 65-3 with a 3" that I really like. if I needed a gun to sit in the nightstand drawer and maybe go with me on woods walks, the Ruger would get the nod. Everyone says "as long as you're not gonna shoot alot of hot magnums, the K frame Smiths are fine", and they're right, but suppose down the road you get into shooting hot .357? The Ruger will do it all with no worries. The Smith needs to be babied a bit more. I just sent my 65 in for service (cylinder was binding), and I was talking to the tech on the phone. He complimented me on how nice the gun is, but emphatically told me to PLEASE limit your .357 use since they don't have any more barrels for the K frames. When a S&W gunsmith tells you to limit your .357's in the gun, you take it to heart. And while they don't make the 13 anymore, there are tons out there. You could always pick one up later if you had the itch.

 

[Mack]

Not a lot of Ruger love here. To me K frames are now .38 + P guns the Ruger is a true .357. The GP100 is a L frame size gun, if the choice was between a 4" M13 or a 3" 686 what advice do you think you would get? To me the SS and 3" barrel would sell me on the GP100, if it was a 3" M13 on the other hand I would jump on that.

 

[Maximumbob54]

This is exactly what I was going to say!

Except for the special GP edition, that I hadn't heard. In fact, got any more info?

Ruger GP100 "Wiley Clapp" 357 Magnum Revolver

Gunblast.com - Ruger GP100 "Wiley Clapp" 357 Magnum Revolver - YouTube

I'm thinking of getting one but I wish it had the short Lett grip instead of the full size one. But it's still a pretty decent looking setup.

 

[LH2]

I owned a 3" GP100 for years and it's the best balanced of the GP100 line, and absolutely loves full-house loads. I even got lucky and had a very nice trigger out of the box on my sample. Only the 3" model gets the small grip frame which I like compared to the larger grip frame found on other barrel lengths.

But since the M13 isn't available anymore, and that should be a sweet shooter, I'd probably grab it.

 

[bassoneer]

Wow, that new Ruger looks nice. However, I am 90% certain I will go with the 13. It reportedly is in very nice condition with a Tyler T Grip adapter...I've never seen one of those in person, so I'm anxious to see how it feels. I seldom shoot 357 magnum loads, even out of my 686. I prefer to shoot .38 Special at the range, and then +P for home protection/carry. I just don't like shooting .357 magnums, so it shouldn't be an issue with either of these guns. I personally know the owner and he is selling several guns...this was the one that jumped out at me. I asked if he had a 3" 13, and he said yes...however it was carried and shot a lot and was not nearly as nice...said he would let me have it for less, but it has some end shake. I asked a couple of gun friends here in town and they said get the nice, clean, tight 4" model and forget about the one that is more used. How do you fix end shake? Just add shims? I plan to look at the 4" and 3" 13's, along with the Ruger, but having not seen them yet (meeting tomorrow, Saturday) then I'm leaning toward the 4" 13 in good condition. Thanks for all the comments and advice. I've never had an old S&W gun tht I didn't like...B

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Wow, that new Ruger looks nice. However, I am 90% certain I will go with the 13. It reportedly is in very nice condition with a Tyler T Grip adapter...I've never seen one of those in person, so I'm anxious to see how it feels. I seldom shoot 357 magnum loads, even out of my 686. I prefer to shoot .38 Special at the range, and then +P for home protection/carry. I just don't like shooting .357 magnums, so it shouldn't be an issue with either of these guns. I personally know the owner and he is selling several guns...this was the one that jumped out at me. I asked if he had a 3" 13, and he said yes...however it was carried and shot a lot and was not nearly as nice...said he would let me have it for less, but it has some end shake. I asked a couple of gun friends here in town and they said get the nice, clean, tight 4" model and forget about the one that is more used. How do you fix end shake? Just add shims? I plan to look at the 4" and 3" 13's, along with the Ruger, but having not seen them yet (meeting tomorrow, Saturday) then I'm leaning toward the 4" 13 in good condition. Thanks for all the comments and advice. I've never had an old S&W gun tht I didn't like...B

How much were they asking for the GP? I am interested if the price is right.

 

[bassoneer]

How much were they asking for the GP? I am interested if the price is right.

I think he has folks lined up for all the guns at work...he was just holding these for me to look at tomorrow...sorry...B

 

[Titegroups]

Buy the GP and don't worry about end shake. It will handle the cartridges it was chambered for.

 

[roaddog28]

I have both a model 13-2 4 inch and a Ruger GP100 4 inch. My model 13 is better balanced, points better and has the better double action trigger. My GP100 along with my 686 are the two I shoot 357 magnums. Both will hold up longer.
I have read all the posts and several of them describe how the GP100 won't were out shooting full power 357 magnums. I suppose they mean the 125 gr full power high velocity rounds.
i will tell you this. The GP100 and S&W 686 will wear out sooner in the forcing cone area if you shoot alot of these rounds. I know of GP100s that wore the forcing cone out and one that split a forcing cone out by shoot a high round count of full power rounds.
Bottom line; My model 13 along with my model 19 and 66 are my best all around revolvers. I shoot mostly 38 specials but do shoot some 158 gr magnums on occasion. Again my GP100 and S&W 686 see 357 magnum rounds all the time. But I don't shoot alot of 125 gr high velocity rounds. If I were you I would buy the model 13. You can always buy a GP100 later.
Best of luck,
Howard