Newbie's First Gun / GP100

S

southernpride

Inactive
Hello everybody. I will soon be a first time gun owner and was looking for a home defense gun. I was set on getting a shotgun, but now (after much research) have decided that a revolver would actually be a better choice (though I still will eventually get a shotgun).
The Ruger GP100 looks like the perfect choice. Revolvers are supposed to be simple and extremely reliable, exactly what I'm looking for. Just wanted to ask if a 4" barrel is a good all around choice. Also, is .38 special ammo a good home defense round (enough stopping power)? I know a the 357 mag round will probably stop anything and everything, but I was wondering if the .38 would be easier to handle, less recoil (especially for the Mrs./wifey).
I would like to get a S & W j-frame (airweight) for concealed carry, but my priority right now is home defense.
I've chosen the 141 model (Blued, alloy steel). Thanks everyone.
 
Be prepared for more answers than you can digest.
1. Don't own a GP-100, have a Security Six though. Top notch.
2. 38 Special for home defense ? There are no magic bullets or calibers, what really matters is how much you will practice to achieve proficiency. A hit with a 38 Special hurts a lot more than a miss with a .357.
3. 4" vs 6"-we will argue this till The Crack of Doom. For home use, a 6" is fine. Some argue the longer barrel gives an enemy more to grab onto. I say squeezing the trigger will take care of that.
 
Best bet is to find a gun shop and range that has rentals, and try one yourself.

My personal preference is a 3" barrel with round butt, whether Ruger or S&W. I don't personally care for the balance and pointing characteristics of most 6" revolvers; I like 4" revolvers well enough; but you (and your wife) may find your preferences are very different from mine.
 
With a gun as beefy as the GP100, it will make .357 loads pretty tolerable to shoot. .38 special will have minimal recoil.

.38 special would probably be a good place to start as far as practice goes. .38 special +P ammunition would be a good choice for home defense. Should the gun ever be needed for defense, a .357 will go through the person and probably into and out of the wall behind them. Something to consider if there are other people in the home.

A 4" or a 6" would be a good choice,the 4" is the GP100 I would get.

Another thing you might consider for your concealed carry as your thinking about an airweight j-frame is the Ruger LCR. I was kind of skeptical about the whole polymer framed revolver at first, but it is a few ounces lighter than an Airweight, has the same capacity and the trigger on them is considered by many to be one of the best stock revolver triggers.
 
Lot of good info, thanks everybody. Yeah, I forgot to ask about the possibility of a 357 round penetrating walls and possibly hurting/killing an innocent person.
At least choosing a revolver seems to be a lot easier than a pump action shotgun, LOL!
 
In light of what amo makers want you to believe ,there`s not a round made with real HD/SD energy that`s gonna be stopped by a sheet rock wall.

With that said there are variables , the wall studs & at what angle they get hit by the projectile.

I handload & while it`s been hashed over by many ,I carry carefully inspected& assembled handloads in my 357s that run in the 1,000 fps arena .

These loads are loaded to stay under the super sonic barrier & with low flash powder ,that also burns clean (a bit of a balancing act)

If given the chance ,shoot a SD course thru a shoot house with you`re regular hearing protection & that`ll give ya an idea of the disoreinting blast of shooting a 357 mag in an inclosed area !!

My vote for HD is standard 38 spc. loads

I actually have 3 HD/SD loads , 1 for inhouse (357 runnin `bout 850fps) 2a good rnfp bullet or swc runnin 1K+ for bummin `round the woods/farm (good for shootin what needs shootin) then 3 my CWP load , same as above but with a twist ,first 3 are HPs & last 2 are swc.

Congratulations on you`re purchase of the most robust production 357 magnum DA revolver !!

GP
 
Thank you. I definitely plan on taking some sort of shooting/defense course. My local police department is said to run a very good basic shooting class. I know this may not be the best place to ask, but what's a good set of ear muffs for hearing protection. My right ear is damaged and I don't want to damage it any further during practice.
 
Good tough revolver. Learn to shoot double action .38's and you could do a lot worse. Anything that will penetrate about 8" of bad guy will suffice.
Lots of good ear protection out there. The higher the decible rating the better.
 
For ear protection, start with a combination of foam inside the ear plugs and ear muffs. Wallmart sells both for relatively cheap.

As far as the gun, rent before you buy. You might also want to take an introductory handgun class before you buy. Many classes will let you try a variety of guns.

A prefer longer barrel guns. They're easier to aim and the extra weight helps keep recoil down.
 
A 4" barrel is a good choice for an all-around gun. You've got enough sight radius and weight that accurate shooting shouldn't be too difficult, yet its still compact enough to carry if you're willing to dress around the gun a bit.

As far as ammunition is concerned, start with standard pressure .38 Special and work up through .38 +P, low-end .357 Magnum, and full-power .357 Magnum stopping wherever you're comfortable. In a gun the size of a GP100, you might be surprised how well the recoil can be handled.

With regards to overpenetration, so long as you carefully select a good hollowpoint load the .357 Magnum can be made to penetrate the same or less than a .38 Special. This is because the higher velocity of the Magnum allows for more aggressive expansion which, in turn, retards penetration. Regardless, you need to be careful about your background because just about any centerfire handgun bullet can penetrate multiple layers of sheetrock quite easily.

Originally posted by SIGSHR
Some argue the longer barrel gives an enemy more to grab onto. I say squeezing the trigger will take care of that.
Click to expand...

That kind of depends on which way the barrel is pointed and whether or not the BG grabs the cylinder too don't you think?
 
Wasn't looking for a wheel gun until a pal talked me into trying GP100

We rented one at a range. It had a 4" barrel, and my 10 year old boy *loved* shooting the .357 ammo. It might have been a light target/range round, but a soft .357 is going to kick all kinds of ass over a lot of other rounds!

All 4 of us in the group shot it well (except my boy, who doesn't shoot anything well yet :D ) We all loved the trigger in DA and in SA. I'm not a strong guy and I could shoot it one-handed Bullseye style.

Just a pleasingly beefy gun. Smooth smooth smooth. Like buttah gliding on ball bearings or something.

I do think you should rent it for a trial run at a range session.

It's now on the list. Maybe a S&W 686 instead if I find one first, but the GP100 is all the gun I need. I don't know if I'd ever carry it, but if you aren't thinking in those terms, it's a great firearm.
 
GP100 (or 141, your choice) is excellent as a house gun. But I prefere the 6" barrel. When the .357 was developed, 6" was the standard barrel length. 4" was a compromise to make holster carry more convenient (especially when seated in a squad car). Ballisticaly, the 6" is better and for target work gives a better sight radius, too, for tighter groups. 2" more weight out front also makes the gun balance a little better in my opinion, too.

Some people prefer the 4" because of the possibility that a 6" could be wrested away from you in a hand-to-hand struggle. My opinion is that 2" is not that much. Reduced muzzle blast, flash and better ballistics carries more weight in my decision-making process than that. It is up to you. The 4" is more balanced in my hand than the 6" when carrying and pointing. But the 6" is more balanced in my hand in the instant when a bullet is launched. You may feel differently.

The GPs do have enough weight to make even .357 loads comfortable to shoot and 38 specials downright easy.

You comment about finding a house shotgun being more difficult to shop for than a house handgun confuses me. Remington 18" 870 is the hands-down favorite. Mossberg 500 for the budget minded. Simple.

I recommend you learn to reload. Practice is one of the most vital elements of becoming proficient (accuracy and handling competence) with a handgun. If you don't have a companion/matching 22 rimfire, the next best thing is cheap ammo (which means, you rolling your own). But that is unsolicited advice.

Penetration. Yes, it is a concern. Choosing bullets that are less likely to penetrate your walls is one thing. Choosing tactics to reduce that likelihood is another. If you in-home tactics involves a stationary defense with a narrow field of fire (like down a stairway or a hallway) you can reinforce the wall/backstop at the end of that lane with a full bookshelf or a solid wood panel or such.

Thanks for asking our advice.

Lost Sheep
 
Over-penetration has been brought up, and you may be interested in learning more. I introduce you to: The Box o' Truth.

As the test demonstrates, sheet rock barely slows a bullet down.

Aside from that, enjoy the new gun! I don't own a GP-100 myself, but I've read and heard nothing but great things.

Be safe, shoot straight.
 
At close quarters it is easier to wrest control of a longer gun, and/or to get inside the weapon. (I work out a lot with cops and MPs, and weapon retentions and disarms are kind of a hobby/specialty.)

It is easier to draw the shorter barreled weapon if the threat is close.

As has already been noted, a 6" is harder to carry, particularly if seated.

For range use, or hunting (typically carrying crossdraw or on the chest) a 6" is probably a better choice for pure ballistic energy, longer sight radius, etc.

For defense, I would go 3" or 4", in that order.
 
I have a GP-100 in 6" I use it for everything as the opportunity arises. I keep it loaded at home and when I carry it with Hornady Critical Defense. I practice with about anything I can get plus some hand loads that I am getting into. the GP-100 is heavy so I suggest strengthening your arm for holding it up. I use a 10 pound dumbbell and hold my arm out straight until it burns too much to keep up, it makes holding the revolver out for extended periods a lot easier.
 
Home defense would favor the shorter barrel

If you want to utilize the .38 Spl for HD then you need to really search out PREMIUM ammo. Good .357 ammo for HD is all over the place and there will be many acceptable loadings. .38 has a lot more margin of error.
 
Ruger GP series....

The Ruger GP .357magnum is a top-rated DA(double action) revolver.
I owned a new in box Ruger GPNY(a factory run of stainless DA only 4" barrels for the New York City PD).

You can clean it with a CLP, Brownells, LPX, Gunzilla, Ballistol.
A .38spl +P or +P+ can be a great home defense round or you can buy a .357magnum.
Id look at the MagSafe or Glaser Safety Slug for home protection. Some gunners do not like frangibles or pre-fragmented defense rounds but I think they have merit.

Always you factory made ammunition for defense. No reloads or hand-loads.
There is a Crimson Trace laser-grip for the Ruger GP revolver too.

Clyde F
www.gunzilla.us www.crimsontrace.com www.brownells.com www.natchezss.com www.nra.org
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top