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

[savit260]

Maybe the best DA revolver ever built by Ruger.

Nah, that would go to the Redhawk.

[Ozzieman]

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.

[savit260]

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.'

[Super Sneaky Steve]

I'd say it's the best .357 Magnum revolver.

My 6" is the most accurate handgun I own.

[Deaf Smith]

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

[savit260]

So... can anyone argue that the GP100 isn't the greatest Double Action revolver ever made?

I'd say it's the best .357 Magnum revolver.

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!"

[CajunBass]

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.

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.

[savit260]

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.

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.

[GP100man]

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

[Jim March]

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/...-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.

[hAkron]

This is like saying blondes are better than redheads when everybody clearly knows that brunettes are the best.

[GaryED50]

I'd put it in the top 5 anyway

Gary

[Ccctennis]

Wiley clapp. Need I say more! Yes yes and yes.

[more_bullets]

I would make an argument for the smith and Wesson 28-2! I love that gun!

[Mike Irwin]

Not.

Even.

Close.

I'd take a rusty, shot out S&W Model 19 before I'd every consider going with a GP 100.

[327 FM]

Mike,

That just cracks me up. It must be a privelage to be so special that a lowly Ruger is not good enough for you. LOL.

[skoro]

No.

They're a good one, no doubt.

[mavracer]

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.

"Well, that was our first double-action revolver. It’s given great service, but my recollections of it are of the difficulty we had in learning how to make the inherently more intricate double-action revolvers. I don’t think we made a penny out of any Security-Six, but many shooters still like them." Bill Ruger

[SansSouci]

I've owned a 586. It was one of the first model S&W handguns that wasn't R&P. That handgun was a piece of crap.

I've recently bought a GP 100. I was surprised at what a well-made handgun it is.

The Python is a beautiful gun.

The Model 27 is a extremely beautiful gun. It needs to praise from me. It has earned its accolades.

A side note: I bought my GP 100 for trail use where black bears roam. I do not consider the .357 Mag and revolvers as preferred self-defense choices. Were I to use my GP 100 for self-defense I'd use 158 grain SWCHP +P rounds. Also, I consider 4" barreled .357 Mag revolvers to have best balance. Advertised .357 Mag velocities are pipe dreams. A couple decades ago I chrono'd factory .357 Mag factory ammo out of my 4" 586. They were to the one quite pedestrian.

[BigJimP]

Quote:
So... can anyone argue that the GP100 isn't the greatest Double Action revolver ever made?
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Yes, I can argue that the GP 100 ....won't even make a top 5 list....behind a variety of revolvers....like the S&W Model 27's, or 28's, or 19's or 686's...or Colt Pythons....

just based on the quality of the trigger alone in the GP 100's ...its not nearly as good as any of the 5 guns I've listed above, in my opinion.

[Mike Irwin]

"It must be a privelage to be so special that a lowly Ruger is not good enough for you."

Yes, yes it is.

It's also a privilege to spell privilege correctly...

[SansSouci]

BigJimP,

Models 19 & 66 are not true .357 Mag guns; ergo, the Model 586. The Models 19 & 66 are more .38 Special +P guns that will fire .357 Mag rounds.

I used to own a Model 586. It was one of the most crappy revolvers I've owned. I never trusted it to save my life. Its cylinder froze during a training course & wouldn't revolve . I've had to send it to S&W at least twice to repair defects. I gave it away. I even paid to have it shipped to an FFL for transfer.

Some will argue that the Model 27 was/is the best .357 Mag revolver. Others will argue that the Python is.

The GP 100 is a working gun. While I'm sure it's accurate, it was obviously designed to be a duty/working gun. I intend to use mine as a back country trout fishing gun.

Ruger would have a winner were it to chamber its GP 100 in .41 Rem Mag.

[BigJimP]

I listed the model 19 ....not the model 66 / but in my view, they are absolutely .357 mag models.../ especially since all I shoot thru them is the typical 158gr bullet ( Montana Gold 158 gr JSP bullets )...in .357 mag.../ and I have put many thousands of rounds thru my model 19's ( a dash 3and a dash 4 - both 4" Nickel ) and my 66's - a dash 1 in 2 1/2" - and a dash 1 and dash 2 both 4" ...as well as my 27's, 28's and 686's...with no issues.

but I could have listed the model 66 as the 6th best .357 mag...and again for all the same reasons...primarily the trigger.
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I would also agree / argue that the top two .357 mag revolvers is an argument between the Colt Python and the S&W model 27's...( with the model 27's getting a slight edge in my view ).

[Sevens]

Models 19 & 66 are not true .357 Mag guns

Total nonsense.

[weblance]

Anyone who says the 686 trigger is better than the GP100, has not compared recently manufactured examples. I have a 686, and its trigger is certainly NOT any better than my GP100. Both revolvers were manufactured in 2012.