Love For the Ruger GP-100

Texas Star · Jun 17, 2013

Ruger GP100 .357 Magnum Review - YouTube

Pretty good video from TN Outdoors, one of the better gun video makers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA5nWdZcACI

The Wiley Clapp special edition GP-100. Different reviewer, but not a hick redneck. Very classy videos from both.

The GP-100 is among my very favorite handguns. Overall, I prefer the four-inch barrel and adj. sights with Pachmayr Grippers, but I want a three-inch version with the older Ruger round butt compact grips for this model. And I hope to find one of the discontinued versions with six-inch bbl. and the half lug for the extractor rod. Sparse funds slow the search, but as the character Quarrel obseved in Ian Fleming's novel, "Dr. No", "What people want sufficient, dem usually gits." Wish me luck in "gittin" one. I think I want it "sufficient."

I frankly prefer the GP to the S&W M-686, especially those of recent manufacture with features that I gather we aren't supposed to criticize here. I finally sold my M-686 as being a bit too nose-heavy. I do love my M-66-3, but for frequent use with .357 ammo, the GP is simply a more durable gun, larger and better engineered to handle the pressures.

I think this is among the best DA revolvers yet made, and it was designed from the outset to handle hot .357 ammo.

Anyone else here on the S-W board like these GP-100's?

Hillbilly77 · Jun 17, 2013

I traded an M&P40 FS for a GP100 + cash last year. It was a solid gun with decent action.
I did wind up selling it later on, but not because I didn't like it - I needed to free up some money for my 586 project gun.

I still have a couple Rugers - no complaints with either of them.

dswancutt · Jun 17, 2013

A new 4" Stainless GP100 was the first handgun I ever purchased in 1988. Still have it.

Badkarma 1 · Jun 17, 2013

I bought one for the same reasons you mentioned Texas Star, only thing I did too it was put a pair of original GP-100 grips on it and lose the gargantuan Hogues.
It's not as svelt as a 66-2 nor as easy to carry. But is a TANK, and feeds on HOT ammunition with aplomb. Plus like my 5946, it makes a great club!

Dale

G-Mac · Jun 17, 2013

Texas Star said:
Anyone else here on the S-W board like these GP-100's?

I bought one of the very first ones made. 4" blued. Stainless wasn't an option yet. I still have it. All original except for a set of Patrick Grashorn's elk stag grip panels in the original rubber grips and a custom front sight. After owning it for 27+ years, I suppose it would be one of the last guns I'd ever sell. Many S&Ws, and other brands, have come and gone during those years. I probably own more S&Ws than Rugers now, but I'm a long-time GP-100 fan.

DeathGrip · Jun 17, 2013

I got to shoot one at the range many moon ago. The guy next to me had it and liked my Security Six.

Both of us had a good time. I loved the balance on his GP and he loved the trigger on my Sec.Six.

I've wanted a nice GP ever since.

All this from a Hick who's long hair can't cover up his Redneck.

finesse_r · Jun 17, 2013

I have the regular GP-100, SS, three inch with fixed sights which is a great little gun, but not my favorite revolver by a long shot.

However, I will have a Wiley Clapp TALO in SS, with three inch barrel, Novak rear sights, and the green fiber optics front sight in 7 to 10 days as I just mailed the payment and FFL in today . I sure hope the trigger on it is as nice as advertised. if it is it may replace my speed six as my alternate concealed carry gun. I don’t see it replacing my 696 as my primary carry however.

LedFowl · Jun 17, 2013

Here's mine. It's the home defense gun, meaty Hogues and all.

Josh66 · Jun 17, 2013

I used to have one - I miss it.

I think I might be in the market for another one in the next month or two.

shouldazagged · Jun 17, 2013

Some years ago I had a stainless four-inch which I sold due to fiscal anemia. Very nice gun, built to survive the Big One, but I think I preferred the Security Six I owned before the GP.

Not a thing wrong with either one except that they weren't Smiths.

Dragonfly · Jun 18, 2013

I love mine...the original Ruger grips are my favourite revolver grips of all time.

Rangerpat · Jun 18, 2013

I bought my stainless 4" GP-100 in 1988 and still own it. I put a orange front sight and Hogue grips on it. I taught to two ex-wives and a son how to shoot it, using .38 Special SWC target loads. I carried it for years on hunting trips with heavy .357Mag loads. My favorite reason for owning the GP-100 is the simplicity of field stripping it and cleaning it.
I would sell my S&W 340PD .357 before I would sell the GP-100.

johngalt · Jun 18, 2013

I have mixed feelings about them. Got a fixed sight 4" blue model probably close to 10 years ago. The fixed sight was a mistake, it shot way low using lead bullets. Jacketed was a little better.

I like that it is very rugged, no side plate which should theoretically be stronger. Can be disassembled without worrying about buggering screws.

The bad - mine was very poorly finished. Blueing was ok, but lots of sharp rough edges. Skin would get pinched behind the trigger and cut. Tried to disassemble and had to give up - it was so rough inside that I couldn't get the trigger assembly out. A real pain to change mainsprings. Must be completely disassembled to get the cylinder out for cleaning, which I was never able to do.

The trigger on mine is terrible - rough, jerky, lots of hitches throughout the trigger pull. I have shot others GP 100s which were a lot better, so I can accept that mine is probably a bad example. I had a trigger job done on it, which brought it up from terrible to adequate.

My primary interest is target shooting. For a combat/defensive gun, it is probably perfectly adequate. For target shooting (even if it had adjustable sights), because of the poor trigger it isn't.

The 686 is plenty strong (its cylinder is bigger than the GP 100) and has a far better trigger, so it gets used. The GP100 sits in the safe.

Snake Plissken · Jun 18, 2013

Here are my two WC's I got in the last two weeks, they are awesome

Erich · Jun 18, 2013

Mine is doing house gun duty right now while my 625 is on loan to a friend.

GKC · Jun 18, 2013

Snake Plissken said:

That one I like! I had one of the WC GP-100s with the matte stainless finish, and I didn't care for the finish at all. I didn't keep it long. I have yet to see one of the blue models anywhere, but hopefully I can get one someday.

357-RevolverGuy · Jun 19, 2013

I've got a 6" GP100 that's always a lot of fun to take to the range. It's got the rubber/wood grips which I prefer.

I'll mention if you ever get around to picking up a Security/Service/Speed Six they are also great revolvers. I recently acquired a 2.75" Speed Six that has quickly become one of my favorite shooters. I can't believe after all these years I had never paid attention to these earlier Ruger's. They are crafted just as beautifully as any short barreled K frame, and the trigger on mine is a dream. Also, field stripping one is a whole lot easier than any Smith out there. Bill Ruger designed them so that no sideplates were screwed on to the frame.

Texas Star · Jun 19, 2013

357-RevolverGuy said:
I've got a 6" GP100 that's always a lot of fun to take to the range. It's got the rubber/wood grips which I prefer.

I'll mention if you ever get around to picking up a Security/Service/Speed Six they are also great revolvers. I recently acquired a 2.75" Speed Six that has quickly become one of my favorite shooters. I can't believe after all these years I had never paid attention to these earlier Ruger's. They are crafted just as beautifully as any short barreled K frame, and the trigger on mine is a dream. Also, field stripping one is a whole lot easier than any Smith out there. Bill Ruger designed them so that no sideplates were screwed on to the frame.

Yes, I know that line. Used to own a six-inch Security-Six with Pachmayr Presentation grips. I had to sell it, and still miss it. I replaced it with the even stronger GP-100. I do like the crane lock. But the Sec-Six is a very practical route to full six-inch .357 power with modest weight and bulk.

mike from st pete · Jun 19, 2013

GPs are fine revolvers. I like the shorter grips and fixed sight GP100s Best of all.

hittman77 · Jun 19, 2013

Texas Star said:
I want a three-inch version with the older Ruger round butt compact grips for this model

I frankly prefer the GP to the S&W M-686, ........the GP is simply a more durable gun, larger and better engineered to handle the pressures.

I think this is among the best DA revolvers yet made, and it was designed from the outset to handle hot .357 ammo.

Anyone else here on the S-W board like these GP-100's?

Like this?

Yes, I too really like the GPs and think you're correct in your above statements.

Love For the Ruger GP-100

US Veteran

Member

Member

US Veteran

Member

US Veteran

Member

Member

Member

Absent Comrade

Member

US Veteran

Member

Member

Member

US Veteran

Member

US Veteran

Member

Member

Similar threads