Is the Ruger GP100 the Greatest Double Action Revolver Ever Made?

Well, we could always look at who uses what in the revolver divisions of IDPA & USPSA. Not many Rugers there. Must be a reason.
 
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Smith 27... Colt Python... hard for me to put other DA revolvers in that iconic category. That said, Ruger to me as always met "like a rock" -- a really great quality name.
 
Personal call !!!

So... can anyone argue that the GP100 isn't the greatest Double Action revolver ever made?
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Not worth any argument but NO, by my measure it is not the "greatest". It's an excellent revolver and one of my favorites and see no reason to turn this into a contest. .... ;)

Be Safe !!!
 
Hmm... I don't know if it is "the Best", but I would definitely say it is "One of the Best currently made".

Me? I like Ruger's and Although I do not have GP100, it is on my list for the next gun to buy (when ever I get around to it.. bought two guns in as many months, so.. wife says I'm on a spending freeze, lol). I like the way Ruger's lock up and I like the "push button" cylinder release over other brands push or pull release. And, I think it is one of the beefiest, meanest looking revolvers out there... The way the under-lug blends seamlessly into the barrel and the slight slant from the front looks mean as all get out.
 
Good, yes. Well made and good balance (4 inch) good looking, good trigger.
Great, yes. Reliable well made and great company support.
Best? If you actually think that the Ruger is THE best revolver ever made you need to widen your experience with revolvers some.
 
While the GP 100 is a very good gun, it's not in the same league with a Smith 27 , Registered Magnum or Triple Lock, nor is it in the same League with the Colt Python, or any of the Pre War Colt Target models.

It's been written many times that the "Security Six" was just too expensive to build. I've never heard of anyone wearing one of those out.

I'd rank the GP 100 in the same league as the S&W 686. Good strong guns, but not nearly the greatest example of the breed. The fit and finish on both just aren't in the top tier IMO.

Even next to a S&W 27 the 686 just looks downright crude.'
 
As a COMBAT revolver, yes I do think the GP-100 series, especially the 3 inch fixed sighted model, is the best.

As a fine tuned target or hunting gun, no.

And I say that owning a multitude of wheelguns by all the top manufacturers.

Deaf
 
So... can anyone argue that the GP100 isn't the greatest Double Action revolver ever made?
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I'd say it's the best .357 Magnum revolver.
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This reminds me of the story where John Lennon was asked "is Ringo the best drummer in the world". His reply was "Ringo's not even the best drummer in The Beatles!"
 
It's not only not the best ever, in my opinion it's not even as good as the Security/Speed-Six series it replaced.

It may be cheaper, and easier to manufacture, but it has always been well know that the GP100 replaced the Six series because Ruger felt it suffered abuse from constant 357 firing.
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Well known to who? This is the very first time I ever heard it, and I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday.

It's obviously a good gun, but "best ever"....NIMHO.
 
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It may be cheaper, and easier to manufacture, but it has always been well know that the GP100 replaced the Six series because Ruger felt it suffered abuse from constant 357 firing.
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I think you're referring to the old K frame vs L frame thing. The K's flat bottomed forcing cones got beat up by hot 125gr Magnum loads, so S&W came out with the L frame to deal with it.

Never heard of that issue with a Ruger.
 
The GP100 is the most robust production DA 357magnum revolver ,this is very true , cast investment or carbon steel.

There`s some better , some fit better , some shinier some heavier , BUT ya gotta go to a custom shop with custom prices!!

I`ve shot revolvers from the big three , but the DA Rugers only have three screws , the grip screw the elevation screw & the windage screw. well 4 if ya wanna count the screw in the cyl that`s loctited.

Shot many matches with nuttin but a ole tooth brush to clear out unique under the ejector between rounds !!

To each his own .

GP
 
The GP100 is a great price/performance leader and beats the 686 cold in terms of what you get for the money. And with some tuning (which isn't hard to do yourself) and improved sights the GP100 can become something really special:

http://gunner777.wordpress.com/2008/08/24/ruger-gp100sp101book-of-knowledge/

Biggest limiting factor on accuracy is the sights: the normal Ruger adjustable rear sight isn't really stable enough. Bowen has that solved if you want something convensional, or go custom/radical as you want :). Or Ruger's "Match Champion" has gone to a fixed sight, another good solution.

Best DA trigger I have ever handled on any handgun was a GP100 range rental that had just had the snot shot out of it - per the range it had to have been well over 50,000 rounds. It was rock solid, dead nuts accurate and the trigger was smooth like buttah.

The place where the GP100 really dominates any competitor is in the ease of take-down. You can strip it completely apart with minimal tools and without violating any factory warrantee - Ruger even publishes a video on how to pull it apart and put it back together again on their own website and has good similar instructions in the paper manual that comes with it or the free PDF download. That gives you three things:

1) You can do your own repairs.

2) You can do your own upgrades.

3) You can completely strip it in the field if it gets something horrible in it like mud or saltwater. This feature alone makes it a fabulous backpacker's gun or other hard-use field gun.

Now, that said, Ruger has a competitor for it now: the new 4.2" barrel adjustable sight variant of the SP101. Holds one less shot, conceals easier, otherwise just as tough and modifiable as a GP100 and might be the best backpacker's gun ever made.
 
This is like saying blondes are better than redheads when everybody clearly knows that brunettes are the best.
 
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