GP-100....Blue?

3

38Mike

New member
Hi Folks,

Anyone own a BLUE GP-100? Same as stainless, as far as strength, etc.? Is there any big difference in workmanship between the blued and SS versions?

thanks,

Mike
 
Blue guns tend to be a small amount stronger. That said, Ruger's stainless grade is quite good (esp. in comparison to early/(current?) S&W stainless), but still a hair off in overall strength.

The other practical different (besides rust resistence of course :)) is that with a stainless fixed-sight gun, if you want to "hog out" the rear sight channel some, or do other modifications such as a barrel swap, you don't need to re-blue anything.

This is what's going to drive me to a stainless Vaquero of some sort. I'm going to swap the front sight to some type of large dot, and hog the rear out to match. With a blue gun, I'd have to send it off for re-blueing afterwards.
 
I seem to be in the minority, but I actually like the looks of the blued GP-100 better than SS. Call me strange............
 
I like it better too, especially with different grips.

I'd own one right now if it came with a vented barrel rib.

Hey, is that something that you can have installed?
 
Seems to me I once saw a GP-100 with a Colt Python barrel. That would be closing in on the best of both worlds.
 
thanks for the replies.....as it turns out I won't need GP-100...........several years ago I'd foolishly sold a beautiful 6 inch S&W 19 to a coworker, today he agreed to trade it back to me...ohhhh happy daaaaaaayyyy:D
 
That is the first time I ever heard that Blued guns are stronger than stainless. Everyone has their preference.:D Based on their design I would pick a Ruger wheelgun over a Smith & Wesson every time.
 
I know the GP is a stouter gun than the model 19, I was set to buy one until the guy at work said ok to the trade. I KNOW that 19, it was the most accurate handgun I've ever owned...he hasn't shot it since I sold it to him........so come home to papa old friend.......:D
 
The GP100 family was designed to compete with the L-frame S&W 686, it's much stronger than the K-frame Mod 19. Esthetically, I still prefer the S&W designs although I own and shoot a GP-161 and an SP-101. For some reason I like those two, but the Ruger Redhawk and SRH just seem clunky. Even the 629-6 I was perusing today felt better. Too bad about that integral lock though.

Ruger stainless is better than S&W stainless? First time I’ve heard that.
 
IMHO, I'd MUCH prefer the M19 to the M66 (the stainless steel version). In a medium framed 357 I think the difference in steel is significant.

However, I prefer the stainless steel GP100 to the blued one because:
1) Ruger's bluing isn't very good, and
2) the difference in strength (in this design) is not significant.

For those who have not heard it here, there have been a NUMBER of compaints about the quality of steel in current stainless steel S&W revolvers. And since S&W no longer makes blued revolvers...
 
Current S&W revolvers use MIM internal parts and I believe that's where the SS strength issue lies, not in the frame, clyinder etc. FWIW, I only own older blued S&W. Both my Ruger DAs are SS.
 
ruger's stainless wheelguns are the strongest in the industry, they chose their stainless to closely match the strenght of their blued guns...which have always had only so-so bluing (at least on my gp-100)

ed 200 has it right, the weakness of the smith stainless guns was in the frame...this was well before they started changing action parts...mostly with controling heat transmission/expansion. when the m-66 was new, they were having problems with the cylinder locking up (not turning) when firing .357 mag rounds...there were several "fixes" that were tried and the problem seemed to go away. their stainless was "softer" to reduce the cost of machining (wear and tear on machinery) to keep down the premium over carbon steel.

not a problem for me as i've always liked my smiths and colts in blue (the exception is my 642...and its' frame is alloy)
 
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