I really enjoy shooting the .357 mag. and had mostly 4" S&W's. My first .357 Ruger double action was the SP101 and I liked it so much that naturally I had to try the GP100. I purchased the 6" version for long range shooting. Long range to me is 50-100 yards. It is very accurate at those ranges. I handload Hornady's 158 gr. JSP and JHPs with Winchester 296 or Hodgdon 110 and shoot about 1000 rounds a year. I later purchased a second 6" GP just for the heck of it. Recently switched from the factory wood insert grips to the Hogue grips with the finger groves and feel it was a good move. You can't go wrong with selecting a GP100.
Your thoughts on the GP100
- Thread starter Trebla
- Start date
I also parted with my first GP100...
... which was also my first centerfire handgun, many years ago.
A few years ago, I remedied the situation, by getting another one. Mine was modified by the friend I bought it from: night sights, Wolff springs, and trigger tune. DA is as slick as those on my K-Frame Smiths, and the GP100's mass soaks up recoil very nicely.
For a range or woods gun, it's great.
For CCW, it's a bit bulky; if in a .357 revolver mood, I prefer to carry a 3" Model 13. The GP100 is about the same size, and uses the same holsters, as a Smith L-Frame.
So, it depends on what you want to do.
... which was also my first centerfire handgun, many years ago.
A few years ago, I remedied the situation, by getting another one. Mine was modified by the friend I bought it from: night sights, Wolff springs, and trigger tune. DA is as slick as those on my K-Frame Smiths, and the GP100's mass soaks up recoil very nicely.
For a range or woods gun, it's great.
For CCW, it's a bit bulky; if in a .357 revolver mood, I prefer to carry a 3" Model 13. The GP100 is about the same size, and uses the same holsters, as a Smith L-Frame.
So, it depends on what you want to do.
Jimbo-Indy
New member
The GP100 will stand up to full house loads for several lifetimes.
Bill Ruger and the GP saved my a** from my own stupid mistake. I had mistakenly mis-set my scale to 15.0 gr instead of the intended 10.5 gr. of Blue Dot. Yes, that's about a 50% overcharge, talk about a proof load. Anyway, the pressure drove the primer out of the pocket and you could read the head stamp on the recoil shield. The loose primer jammed the action. Cleared the action and reloaded with normal load, everything worked perfectly. In fact, if the action hadn't jammed, I wouldn't have known anything was wrong except for a louder bang.
Now that's a well built gun.
Check out the Ruger Forum for step by step process on how to clean up the action. Nothing big, just deburring and a little polishing but it makes a big difference.
Bill Ruger and the GP saved my a** from my own stupid mistake. I had mistakenly mis-set my scale to 15.0 gr instead of the intended 10.5 gr. of Blue Dot. Yes, that's about a 50% overcharge, talk about a proof load. Anyway, the pressure drove the primer out of the pocket and you could read the head stamp on the recoil shield. The loose primer jammed the action. Cleared the action and reloaded with normal load, everything worked perfectly. In fact, if the action hadn't jammed, I wouldn't have known anything was wrong except for a louder bang.
Now that's a well built gun.
Check out the Ruger Forum for step by step process on how to clean up the action. Nothing big, just deburring and a little polishing but it makes a big difference.
One advantage on the GP100 (and most other Ruger DAs) is that it has a hard latch at the crane, in addition to the one behind the cylinder. When things go really bad as with that 15gr charge of Blue Dot, the cylinder will be held in line and the gun is more likely to survive if it's at all possible to do so! Had that cylinder come unlatched even the Ruger wouldn't have survived the bullet hitting the edge of the rear of the barrel instead of center.
The New Vaquero in 357 and other Ruger SA wheelguns are stronger yet
but the GP100 is a great balance of strength and packability in a DA platform.
The New Vaquero in 357 and other Ruger SA wheelguns are stronger yet
but the GP100 is a great balance of strength and packability in a DA platform.Delaware_Dan
New member
Great guns.
Single Six
New member
No side plate or cylinder release latch screws to shoot loose. Comparatively affordable. The highest recommendation I can give: It's what I carry when off-duty. If my LE agency would let me, I'd carry it on duty as well without a second thought.
hot_wire53
Inactive
I have a Ruger GP100 with 4 inch barrel I bought new last year. I am sure it will outlast both me and my Grand Children. It is built like a tank. I bought it for my wife for home defense. You just point and pull the trigger since it is dual action / single action. Might be a little difficult for concealed carry, but that is not what I use it for.
Might as well add my $.03
I've been through several gp100s. blue, stainless, 3,4,5 and 6 inch with and wo underlugs. My favorite combinations were 3 inch w/o and 5 inch with. All that said, the sole survivor in the safe today is a 6 inch w/o. It is a vintage model that is the tightest one I've ever owned. I've put some heavy, but not stupid, loads through it. I hunted deer with it using a 200grn Remington bulled made for the 35 Remington with good results inside 100 yards. I've also built some loads of h110 and W296 under 110grn pellets that would light up the night sky. I put on a set of compact grips with some exotic wood that I can't recall the name of. Beautiful.
Come on Hunny, we need to unload some .357 brass. I won a box of 500 Montana Gold Bullets, .357, 140grn at the Carolina Cup last year. They want to get into Federal brass on top of the H110 powder in the box. It's a conspiracy I tell ya. The guns are taking over the world!
I've been through several gp100s. blue, stainless, 3,4,5 and 6 inch with and wo underlugs. My favorite combinations were 3 inch w/o and 5 inch with. All that said, the sole survivor in the safe today is a 6 inch w/o. It is a vintage model that is the tightest one I've ever owned. I've put some heavy, but not stupid, loads through it. I hunted deer with it using a 200grn Remington bulled made for the 35 Remington with good results inside 100 yards. I've also built some loads of h110 and W296 under 110grn pellets that would light up the night sky. I put on a set of compact grips with some exotic wood that I can't recall the name of. Beautiful.
Come on Hunny, we need to unload some .357 brass. I won a box of 500 Montana Gold Bullets, .357, 140grn at the Carolina Cup last year. They want to get into Federal brass on top of the H110 powder in the box. It's a conspiracy I tell ya. The guns are taking over the world!
Deaf Smith
New member
One of the best features of the GP100 is if you run out of ammo the GP makes a dandy club. Better than any of the 'wonder nines'.
Deaf
Deaf
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Single Six
New member
Trebla: The GP will handle any factory load you care to put in it, and will beg for more. You'll probably tire out before it will! 
youngunz4life
New member
good weapon. I love my 6" ruger gp100
Yup...in fact the heavy hardcasts as produced by Grizzly, Buffalo Bore and Doubletap are all relatively low-stress on the gun compared to the hottest 125gr loads. Lead hits the forcing cone softer than copper, and heavy slugs get up to speed slower and hit the forcing cone with less punch than the featherweight bullets. Plus you've got less powder behind the heavy slugs so less gas burning.
10Ringmagic
New member
I bought a SS GP100 last Oct., it is truly an outstanding .357 Magnum.