Hello everyone. I am thinking about purchasing a NIB GP100 and would like to hear your thoughts about this revolver. If purchased it will strictly be used to fire heavy .357MAG, preferrably 158gr ammunition. I want a revolver that can stand up to such a task. Please share all your thoughts and opinions on the GP100. Thanks in advance!!
Your thoughts on the GP100
- Thread starter Trebla
- Start date
Andy Taylor
New member
For your stated purpose there is not a better DA revolver on the market.
If perchance you could find a used Ruger Redhawk in .357, that might be the exception, but those are quite hard to find.
If you are not opposed to a SA revolver the Ruger Blackhawk is a good option. So is the Freedom Arms Model 83 (not the Model 97) but it will cost about 4 times what a Blackhawk or GP100 will.
If perchance you could find a used Ruger Redhawk in .357, that might be the exception, but those are quite hard to find.
If you are not opposed to a SA revolver the Ruger Blackhawk is a good option. So is the Freedom Arms Model 83 (not the Model 97) but it will cost about 4 times what a Blackhawk or GP100 will.
Kreyzhorse
New member
The Ruger GP in my opinion is one of the two finest revolvers on the market, the other being the S&W 686. The Ruger will stand up to any factory loadings you care to run through it and with a bit of care, will out live you.
The GP100
My thoughts are , it`s THE most ROBUST production 357 mag on the market today!
It`s built to shoot 357magnum all day every day !!!!
& it`s priced very competitively to boot , maybe not as refined as some , but can be massaged into a very smooth pullin revolver !!!
It`s built & supported rite here in the good ole USofA !!!!!
I`m not biased , I like all Rugers !!
My thoughts are , it`s THE most ROBUST production 357 mag on the market today!
It`s built to shoot 357magnum all day every day !!!!
& it`s priced very competitively to boot , maybe not as refined as some , but can be massaged into a very smooth pullin revolver !!!
It`s built & supported rite here in the good ole USofA !!!!!
I`m not biased , I like all Rugers !!
See also this thread:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=442635
The GP100 is in some ways the smallest 357 that can cope with unlimited diets of the harshest stuff possible.
The only way you can hose one is "Bogarting" the cylinder (snapping it closed with a twist of the wrist) or handloading past the old-school spec of 43.5k PSI pressure. (The new SAAMI spec of 35k) was dropped due to the proliferation of "micro-357s".)
Yet the GP can also do rapid-fire of light loads, which is also harmful to lesser guns.
Great gun.
Dry-fire it a bunch to smooth up the trigger, maybe do a spring job, do grips to your preference, maybe sights. If it has any flaw it's that the rear sight bodies can wiggle slightly in the frame in some specimens...a Bowen rear sight will fix that if it's an issue.
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=442635
The GP100 is in some ways the smallest 357 that can cope with unlimited diets of the harshest stuff possible.
The only way you can hose one is "Bogarting" the cylinder (snapping it closed with a twist of the wrist) or handloading past the old-school spec of 43.5k PSI pressure. (The new SAAMI spec of 35k) was dropped due to the proliferation of "micro-357s".)
Yet the GP can also do rapid-fire of light loads, which is also harmful to lesser guns.
Great gun.
Dry-fire it a bunch to smooth up the trigger, maybe do a spring job, do grips to your preference, maybe sights. If it has any flaw it's that the rear sight bodies can wiggle slightly in the frame in some specimens...a Bowen rear sight will fix that if it's an issue.
Great Gun
Great Gun, I do not have one at the moment, but I have fired more than a few.
Pretty much Jim March said everything that I could and more. I do agree to getting a spring kit for it down the road, and maybe grips, other than that you are good to go with the blaster rounds.
In all honesty, I do slightly prefer the old Security Six just a wee bit.
GP100Man, wow, who would have thought you liked GP's?
.
You may get a couple of Ruger haters on here, but pay them no mind, if YOU like the gun, that is the only thing that matters.
Great Gun, I do not have one at the moment, but I have fired more than a few.
Pretty much Jim March said everything that I could and more. I do agree to getting a spring kit for it down the road, and maybe grips, other than that you are good to go with the blaster rounds.
In all honesty, I do slightly prefer the old Security Six just a wee bit.
GP100Man, wow, who would have thought you liked GP's?
.You may get a couple of Ruger haters on here, but pay them no mind, if YOU like the gun, that is the only thing that matters.
They will absolutely stand up to full power loads as long as you stay away from the 110 and 125 gr. stuff. I have one with a burned out, carburized forcing cone from running 125 gr. Blue Dot loads in it. The weight of a GP makes shooting heavier loads very pleasant. They are built like a tank although not many smiths can get a trigger pull as nice as a S&W on one, the trigger geometry is completely different on a Ruger.
leathermarshmallow
New member
It will be the next revolver I buy. My cousin has one that I shot recently. He has put thousands of rounds through it and it has developed a fantastically smooth trigger.
gearhounds
New member
I've had mine for @ 19 years, and I will never part with it. Fantastic revolver.
Here is a thread I started a bit ago. GP100 seems to be recommended by many. The other day I handled a couple at my LGS. I might be picking it up along with some other goodies once my temporary refund adjustment check comes in.
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=440833
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=440833
Ruger GP revolvers...
I can't speak highly enough about Ruger's robust GP line.
To my understanding, CorBon uses 6" barrel Ruger GP100s to T&E new .357magnum loads.
I owned a new surplus Ruger GPNY, a DA only .38spl issued to the NYPD. I bought the stainless wheelgun in 2006. It was great. I added new Hogue rubber grips(a standard on newer GP revolvers).
I would like to buy a NIB 6" blue steel .357magnum GP100 or maybe a 4" barrel .327Federal to get tricked out(ports, plate work, grips, etc).
Smith and Wesson ran print ads saying they used stronger, higher quality steel than Ruger. I recall a funny ad with a thick hamburger that looked like a GP100.
S&W's point was lost on me because I'd consider a strong, thick frame able to hold up to full house magnum rounds.
That's the main point of buying a magnum DA revolver.
I can't speak highly enough about Ruger's robust GP line.
To my understanding, CorBon uses 6" barrel Ruger GP100s to T&E new .357magnum loads.
I owned a new surplus Ruger GPNY, a DA only .38spl issued to the NYPD. I bought the stainless wheelgun in 2006. It was great. I added new Hogue rubber grips(a standard on newer GP revolvers).
I would like to buy a NIB 6" blue steel .357magnum GP100 or maybe a 4" barrel .327Federal to get tricked out(ports, plate work, grips, etc).
Smith and Wesson ran print ads saying they used stronger, higher quality steel than Ruger. I recall a funny ad with a thick hamburger that looked like a GP100.
S&W's point was lost on me because I'd consider a strong, thick frame able to hold up to full house magnum rounds.That's the main point of buying a magnum DA revolver.
I got mine a few weeks ago and love it. Been to the range 3X since. The one I found happened to be a special edition from Talo. The gold hammer, trigger and cyl release make it different, along with the full hardwood finger grips. Someone had done a helluva trigger job on it 'cause dare I say it's as smooth as my Colts', so it can be done. The trigger is so light I was worried about misfires, but have had none. It's a fine pistol, and I'm used to Colts.
gearhounds
New member
I dry fired mine extensively and the parts self polished themselves. Smooth and buttery trigger pull, like it was smithed.