New GP100 Match Champion

[American1776]

Just picked up a brand new GP100 Match Champion at my LGS. Checked it out and it looks good (barrel is acceptably clocked, VERY slight cant), lock up is good, so is carry up. It fits snugly in a K-frame holster.

This is a beautiful revolver! I like the half-lug and slab-sided barrel. It weighs a 'brisk' 37 ounces.
Ruger is stepping up their game and still keeping prices down.

 

[Gunnerdogg005]

How is a slightly canted barrel acceptable? Seems to be a common problem with Rugers. I prefer my barrels and sights straight, so I buy S&W.

 

[American1776]

How is a slightly canted barrel acceptable? Seems to be a common problem with Rugers. I prefer my barrels and sights straight, so I buy S&W.

Last week I looked at 12 NEW S&W revolvers, two of which were Performance Center guns. They ALL had canted barrels. Some of them were so bad that the square edge of the barrel nearly touched the square edge of the frame. I had to return a new 640 because the forcing cone was badly scraped and not concentric. I just bough a new 649 and it had to go back to S&W due to loose cylinder lock up and spitting copper with factory 158 gr. 357 mags. The new 686 PC model I looked at had horrendous endshake in full lock-up--like it had been shot 10,000 rounds.

Once again, 12 new S&W's, EVERY ONE had barrels that were canted. This is not a brand specific problem.

I'm not bashing S&W; I still buy from them (my new 649). But I also like Rugers.

 

[Hapworth]

How is a slightly canted barrel acceptable? Seems to be a common problem with Rugers. I prefer my barrels and sights straight, so I buy S&W.

Clearly you haven't been keeping up with the myriad threads in the 1980-Present forum on S&W's ongoing problems with canted barrels; it's considered a given at this point that many new S&W will have them.

And as far as "acceptable" goes, S&W permits a certain degree of cant as in spec, and only past it will they perform a warranty repair.

Also, this is the "Other Brands" section, where we come to talk about, you know, other brands -- many of which are excellent, to include Ruger -- and the point isn't to have a "brand measuring" contest.

 

[American1776]

Clearly you haven't been keeping up with the myriad threads in the 1980-Present forum on S&W's ongoing problems with canted barrels; it's considered a given at this point that many new S&W will have them.

And as far as "acceptable" goes, S&W permits a certain degree of cant as in spec, and only past it will they perform a warranty repair.

Also, this is the "Other Brands" section, where we come to talk about, you know, other brands -- many of which are excellent, to include Ruger -- and the point isn't to have a "brand measuring" contest.

Excellent post. I like both S&W and Ruger. For me it's not a matter of one brand being better. I like each brand for what they uniquely offer. Ie: I like the humpback J-frame. Rugers don't offer that. I like the 'cowboy' profile of Ruger's Gp100. I also like the thicker yoke tubes on Ruger's gp and redhawk series for resisting endshake over a longer period of time. S&W's generally have less endshake new from the factory, and I like that.

I like both, and I reAlly like this Match Champion.

 

[Texas Star]

Is it an illusion in some photos, or does Ruger taper the outside of the cylinder on this model variant? The cylinder looks to be smaller and somewhat rounded off?

One owner posted that this was why his gun fit into a K-frame holster.

My GP-100 is the usual model, plus Pachmayr Gripper stocks. I use holsters meant for Colt .357 or L-frame S&W's. Fit is perfect. Neither my GP or SP have endshake issues, and the cylinder bolts fit the notches perfectly; no wobble, even uncocked. Nor do my extractor rods wobble, like some older ones did.

 

[zipty6]

I had the opportunity to shoot one of the GP100 Match Champions at the range about 6 months ago. The one cylinder I ran through it was quite nice.

My first revolver was a GP100. I thought that i had made a mistake and revolvers weren't for me. I tried a Smith & Wesson and it turned out that the triggers Ruger was producing at the time weren't for me.

The Ruger Match Champion feels like a completely different gun than the GP100 I had. I agree that they have come a long way.

 

[American1776]

Is it an illusion in some photos, or does Ruger taper the outside of the cylinder on this model variant? The cylinder looks to be smaller and somewhat rounded off?

One owner posted that this was why his gun fit into a K-frame holster.

My GP-100 is the usual model, plus Pachmayr Gripper stocks. I use holsters meant for Colt .357 or L-frame S&W's. Fit is perfect. Neither my GP or SP have endshake issues, and the cylinder bolts fit the notches perfectly; no wobble, even uncocked. Nor do my extractor rods wobble, like some older ones did.

Yes, the Match Champion's cylinder tapers toward the front. It's supposed to aid in re-holstering the gun. I also feel like the slabbed sided barrel really makes this gun narrower, as does the half lug. It feels closer to a K-frame than an L frame, to be honest. A 686 4 inch weighs almost 3 ounces heavier than this Match Champion--this one weighs 37.5 ounces.

 

[Hapworth]

Yes, the Match Champion's cylinder tapers toward the front. It's supposed to aid in re-holstering the gun...

Called a "black powder bevel".

 

[keithherrington]

Just picked up a Match Champion at my LGS

Just picked up this GP100 Match Champion at my LGS for $700. Not a steal but a very reasonable price. Previously owned but not shot, NIB condition. When I first handled it I was amazed that the gun fit me better than any S&W ever did. The grips are built up at the top of the backstrap giving my large hands a much better fit regarding trigger reach for DA shooting. The first joint of my trigger finger falls naturally to the trigger, the DA pull comes up early just like I like, the bolt snaps into each cylinder notch with a solid sound and the cylinder locks up solidly at each chamber. The SA trigger pull is noticeably heavier and not quite as smooth as a S&W but entirely serviceable nonetheless. Not a thing needs to be done to this gun to make it competitive in IDPA shooting. Build like a bank vault, yet balanced and with a reasonable weight, and the sights are perfect. I'm more than sold on it, surprising because the Wiley Clapp GP100 didn't grab me nearly as much. I think the Match Champion grips go a long way to making this gun such a success for me. I included a pic of the barrel and how regulated it is. Like many S&W revolvers the barrel is not perfectly aligned with the frame.

 

[oneflycowboy]

Very nice! Ruger has been able to maintain the quality of their revolvers over time.

 

[BigBill]

I wanted a m28/m27 4" barreled s&w revolvers but I may get another ruger 4" / 357mag.

 

[BigBill]

How is a slightly canted barrel acceptable? Seems to be a common problem with Rugers. I prefer my barrels and sights straight, so I buy S&W.

Sorry none of my Rugers have canted barrels. My new S&W revolvers is another story. Very slightly barely canted.