[DawgFvr]

I initiated my new, Gemini Customs Ruger GP100 w/3 inch Barrel today at my local range. As you know, Marc Morganti, Pistolsmith extraordinaire, crafted one beautiful weapon for me and a there was requests for a report out…especially concerning the Weigand Combat Hybra Port porting operation on this revolver.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e61/DawgFvr/GP100/GP1003.jpg
[/IMG]http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e61/DawgFvr/GP100/GP1004.jpg

I chambered 125 gr. Corbon DPX. Why, because this is my carry load: http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Corbon%20357%20Magnum%20125%20gr%20DPX%20Ammo.htm It is also nice to know that Corbon uses flash retardant powder for those that worry about beau coup flash at night and in the wee hours. http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e61/DawgFvr/GP100/GP1007.jpg

I decided to set my target at 10 yards…30 feet. Why, because this is my self-defense weapon and this seemed to be an appropriate distance for a bobbed hammer, DAO revolver.

Results: First: I must say that I was overly concerned about how loud this was going to be…mostly because I read on this Forum and other forums and even my local gunsmith gave decibel warning. So, I wore ear muffs instead of my foam ear plugs. Well, the muffs must have worked great 'cuz this weapon sounded just like a normal .357 mag to me. Major surprise. Now…my M1 Garand and the countless M16 reports I’ve grown used to are loud…this was fairly normal if you ask me…but then, I rarely wear ear muffs…think I’ll start doing this more often…they are great!

Secondly: The muzzle flip came to nothing. Marc told me it was going to be decreased by 70%. Hell…the barrel did not even rise two inches! For a moment I thought I had dud ammo. There was no twist to the left…no pushing back…all these things I heard about from people on the gun forums. Recoil was minimal. My S&W 642 kicks like a jack ass in comparison. Hell, I even hate to shoot that little Kel Tek P3AT cuz it snaps my wrist so bad. This was a cream puff. Amazing…simply amazing. This was fun…fun…fun to shoot. After my Corbons were shot up, I pulled out a cheap 50 round box of 158 grain Magtechs to plink with. I did have one round that failed to fire out of these…primer was hit squarely but it did not ignite the powder. Hmmm, dud round methinks.

I wore a white T-shirt…was expecting all this un-burnt gunpowder and particles to come flying out of the ports and smudge me up. Never happened. http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e61/DawgFvr/GP100/GP1008.jpg

Ok…I decided that the only real concern was my shooting ability. I did not knock out the center ring when I fired. Guess I need some practice with .357 mag. I do, however, shoot it better than my .38 special 642…but I’m far better with my .45 ACP. But then…I did pass Old Fuff’s 5-5-5 test. I can shoot five rounds in five seconds at five yards (make that 10 yards!) and keep my POI within 5 inches of my Center of Mass or POA. I did attempt to hit a target at 25 yards only to find I hit the black only three times. Well the bobbed 3 inch barrel GP100 isn’t a target revolver…at least not in my hands anyway. Practice, practice, practice…that’s what I need.

Well, folks…looks like I have a new carry revolver…and yes…it is ported and I love it! Now I'm waiting on my FIST #9 Basic Pancake OWB and even ordered an El Paso IWB...might give it a try even though I'm partial to OWB. Jack Weigand is a genius!

[Schwebel]

That is a gorgeous weapon. I often drooled over gemini's web site. How long did it take you to get the gun back from him?

[DawgFvr]

Less than two months...in fact...I'm still waiting on the holsters I order a month prior to ordering the revovler. I must tell you though...I did not send a GP100 through the mail to him...I just asked him to purchase one and customize it for me. I also told him my hands were very small and he cut down the Badger grips and polished them up to fit my hand. They are the smallest grips that can possibly fit on the GP100. He is quite the craftsman!

[Rexster]

Very, very nice! I still regret not sending a fixed-sight GP100 to Jack Weigand back in the early-to-mid 90's for this treatment. Knowing what I know now, I would have done so, and "grandfathered" the GP100 as a uniformed duty weapon back in 1997, when my employer, a police agency, decreed that all primary duty weapons from that point had to be certain .40 autopistols, except for weapons we already had at that point. The only GP100 I had in '97 was a fully lugged adjustable-sight model, and folks, those are heavy! (My present duty pistol is a SIG P229.) In 2004, I finally purchased a fixed-sight GP100, and it's a fine carry gun for my own time, when not on the clock. I love the slab-sided barrel on DawgFvr's GP, which means less weight. Weight does dampen recoil, of course, but with the ports mitigating muzzle flip, that weight is not needed. I do have two SP101 snubbies customized by Jack Weigand, and they have truly wonderful trigger pulls. Marc Morganti continues Jack Weigand's work today; a colleague has a Gemini SP101 fully as wonderful as mine.

[ArchAngelCD]

Very nice revolver.

My question is: How much velocity do you lose because of the porting? Is the loss enough to justify shooting .38 Special +P rounds in a non-ported revolver instead of .357 Magnum rounds in a ported revolver?

[DawgFvr]

ArchAngelCD: 2% to 4% velocity loss...minimal loss for .357 mag rounds. You loose only 100 feet per second. I chose the 125 Grain Corbon DPX becasue Corbon uses flash retardant powder in them. They will expand nicely. Also...the Hybra Porting works better (muzzle flip-wise) as the round gets hotter. No need to go down to .38 Special. If anything, one would go to the hotter .357 mag rounds.

Or...as Jack Weigand stated, "We have been Hybra-Porting revolvers since the late 80's. I have found the following to be true:

Loud! A good portion of the blast is generated above the gun making it seem sharper.

Velocity. I have done extensive testing and I see from 2% to 4% loss as normal. Excessive cylinder gaps can loose more velocity than porting.

Flash. I believe after testing, the non-ported snubbies have more flash. The ball of flames comes out directly in the line of sight on a non ported gun where the ported gun directs the flash aprox a foot above the barrel in a ploom.

Firing the gun close to your body. The vented gases will do damage if held too close.

Muzzle flip. Hybra-Port reduces muzzle flip up to 70%"

[bigmike45]

DawgFvr,

Wow....that is a very nice gun. Mark is amazing in what he can do with a weapon. I too have a 3" GP-100 Geminized, but not to the extent that you did on yours. Mine is a real tack driver and I just never seem to have enough ammo when shooting it. Im looking for that "special" holster to carry it IWB.

bigmike

[DawgFvr]

BigMike45: I just ordered an El Paso IWB: http://www.epsaddlery.com/pc-78-21-c-force-covert-force-holster.aspx

I also sent off for a Basic #9 FIST OWB holster.

To be honest, you are the one that motivated me in purchasing this weapon. When I saw the photo of your GP100...I just knew I had to have one. Thanx by the way.

Mine is probably a tack driver too...I just have to tighten the nut behind the wheel. I need revovler practice...got too jaded with my .45 ACP. Many moons ago...sometime in the 70's, my first weapon was a Ruger Speed Six...I think it was called a Police Six then. Now I'm going back to revolvers...and man, does the GP100 ever feel good in the hand...this is some piece of steel!

[JP from Phoenix]

that sure is nice

[bruss01]

So how many FPS did you lose via the venting of propellant?

I mean, if you're burning enough powder for a .357 but only getting the velocity of a .38, it would make you wonder if it was worth the effort, right? So I'm very interested to see the FPS numbers on this little baby.

BTW, nice looker there. Hope you have lots of fun with 'er.

[DawgFvr]

bruss01: read four frames up for your answer.

[samtechlan]

How nice is the double action pull? Is it comparable to a Python? How many pounds on the trigger pull? Great looking weapon.

[DawgFvr]

samtechlan: To be honest, I'm not sure how it compares with a Python...I've never shot a Colt. I had Marc do a trigger job...changed out springs but did not go too light as this is a carry revolver. I'm sure the Colts/S&W have superior trigger pulls...but this is smooth as glass...I love it. I suspect it will only get better the more I fire as well.

[Rexster]

If my early-1990-vintage Python is representative of the breed, I would not want my GP100's trigger to be like a Python! Sold the Python, kept the GP100, and bought two more GP100s.

[samtechlan]

DawgFvr: Your revolver reminds me a bit of the F-comp model 66 with a 3 inch barrel that the S&W Performance Center put out a couple of years ago. It is one of the great K frame carry guns. I had a chance to shoot one once but unfortunately did not have the money at the time to add it to the collection.

http://www.lewhorton.com/PCP0001.jpg

http://www.thegunman.com/catalog/swm66fc357m3bblflp.htm

The weight saving modifications done to your Ruger seem, to my eye, to make it more akin to a K frame than the heavier L frame/GP100 frames BUT with the added strength of the rugged GP100 frame. You might just have the ultimate carry revolver right there.

[smilin-buddha]

Love the look of that Ruger:what:

[RJM]

Great looking revo there Dawgfvr. Is that a custom barrel or did you have the original reworked with the slabsides?

[ArchAngelCD]

How are these 16 month old threads even found to be brought back from the Abyss?