[Nightcrawler]

I've been thinking. It's frustrating trying to find sufficiently powerful (but not too powerful) .45 Colt ammo for my 25-5, and .41 Mag ammo is insanely expensive.

Also, both of my revolvers have 6" barrels, and are beautiful old Smiths, neither of which is any longer in production. Not exactly an ideal beater, shoot-the-crap-out-of-it gun.

I'm wondering if I just shouldn't break down and buy that .357 one of these days. I know which one I'd want.

http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firearms/images/Products/53L.gif
Stainless 4" GP100 with adjustable sights.

It's not big bore, and typically I prefer big bore (you have to worry less about expansion), but .357 does pack a whallop if loaded right. And, Cor-Bon's (for example) self-defense .45 Colt load is a 200 grain JHP at 1100fps. Well, Cor-Bon also makes a 200 grain .357 that goes at about 1200 fps. Same bullet weight, a little more speed. (Granted, .45 Colt can do it with less pressure, but it's a much bigger cartridge.) And there's all sorts of .357 Magnum stuff out there to try out. Not thinking I'm going to be big on the 110-140 grain loads; 158 grains and up would suit me better. I like heavier bullets. For example, I think a 300 grain .45 Colt bullet moving at 950 feet per second would make a very nice round.

So, who has a GP100, how's it shoot, and how do you like shooting the hotloads in it?

Pictures are always welcome, naturally.

[Atticus]

I had one, and sold it unfortunately. Great gun, accurate, and as strong as can be. I too will have another someday. I know what you mean about babying the old S&W's. You definately wouldn't worry about that with the GP100.

[jdmb03]

I have a 3" model on order. I'll let you know how I like it when it arrives. You might want to consider the 5" as a compromise between the 4" and 6".

[Nightcrawler]

Maybe, but I think I'll go with the 4". Bit handier, good "general purpose" revolver. 5" is fine for belt/field carry, but makes it a bit harder to conceal. GP100 is a big gun for CCW, but workable.

[HSMITH]

I have one but it is out on semi-permanent loan......

Really accurate is an understatement. Really strong is a bigger understatement.

Downsides are DA trigger sucks, single action sucks too out of the box, and it is darn heavy when packing it.

They are outstanding guns for the money. I want a blued 6" to beat the snot out of with super loud boomermegaloads.

[Nightcrawler]

If it's lighter than my Model 57 then I'll be happy. :D

[ARperson]

I love my 6" model. And it comes with the added benefit of being able to shoot the .38s when I don't feel like pounding the paws quite so much.

[Nightcrawler]

http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firearms/images/Products/183L.gif
Weird, but I'm kinda diggin' this "target grey" finish. Looks very...I dunno, utilitarian. Pure Ruger.

[Vic303]

Love my blued 4" GP100! Also am considering a 3" SP101 in .357 too. A little better suited for carry, and I think would handle better than my Taurus 605, which is a bit brutal on the hands if loaded hot.

[Prodigalshooter]

I have a 3" GP100, handles nicely, has made me a convert from longer barrels. It handles hot stuff pretty good. You may want to change out the grips though, I got bigger ones.

[Nightcrawler]

It's just, they don't make the revolver I really want. What, you say? A Ruger hybrid, between a GP100 and a Redhawk; Redhawk frame, GP100 grip frame. 4.5" GP100 profile (full underlug) barrel, adjustable sights, GP100 grips. Non-fluted cylinder, 6-shots, .45 Colt chambering. Ruger Target Gray finish.

My idea of the ultimate utility/beater gun. Not pretty, but not afraid to get it dirty, either.

[WESHOOT2]

I have two (KGP-141); I develop ammo with them; they are good. Real good.

And don't discount using a 140g XTP-HP because they can be REEEAL accurate.

[Rob96]

I have the stainless 4" adj. sights, full lug and love it. I will never part with it. My normal carry is a Colt 1911A1, so the weight of the KGP-141 isn't a factor. They are great.

[Thirties]

Nightcrawler, I have a 4" stainless GP100 that is almost new. I'm selling because I have found I never shoot .357 and I want to buy a .32H&Rmag revolver to go with the Russian Nagant I bought recently.

The gun is very beefy and easy to shoot accurately, although the grip is large for those with smaller hands. I find I prefer shooting my SWm15 in .38spl wadcutter target loads. This Ruger is still so new, I'm ready to pass it on to a better home.

Here's my thread from the classified section here on THR:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=43418

[Wedge]

Nightcrawler, the bullets that you mentioned are NOT the same. The 200 grain bullet for .45 Colt is a JHP for self defense while the 200 grain bullet for .357 Magnum is of the Hard Cast flavor. The .45 Colt bullet will probably expand to like .7" + while the .357 Magnum bullet will be .357" in and out.

That said, the 4" GP-100 is very high on my list. I just need some more money! I doubt you will be able to go wrong with it!

[Z_Infidel]

My 4" GP-100 is a blued gun with Lett hybrid grips, a Big Dot Tritium front sight and Bowen Heavy Duty adjustable rear sight (the newer one with shallow V-notch).

Accuracy has been very good, I really like the sight picture I have with my setup as it makes for very fast acquisition, and the DA trigger has smoothed out considerably with no modifications although it's still heavier than my Smiths. I shoot a lot of .38 Special as well as magnums, mostly S&B FMJ for practice which are pretty warm for factory loads. All in all a very good revolver that is durable, reliable, and plenty accurate.

One more thing, the Bowen sight might suit your purpose of having the Ruger as a "beat-the-crap-out-of-it" gun since it is much less fragile than the stock sight.

[Nightcrawler]

I know the bullets are different. Won't matter to me, though. I just like shooting heavier loads.

[Wedge]

I read your initial post too fast. I thought you said same bullet, not same bullet weight. Oops. Sorry :-(

Regardless, I think everyone needs a 4" .357 mag. Myself included!

[MonkeyMan]

One of the guys I shoot IDPA with traded me his GP-100, 4" full lug, SS, adjustable sights, Hogue Monogrip, for an unissued M-39 "B" barrel. Much as I love my Mosins I couldn't be happier with the Ruger. It has a longer trigger reset than my S&W M-19 but other than that the trigger is great. I've read that Cor-Bon uses a GP-100 for load development so I don't worry too much about what I stuff in it. Loads that are uncomfortable for me in my M-19 I can deal with in the Ruger. All in all, a great revolver, you shouldn't be disappointed.

[Bob41081]

My 4" GP-100 out shoots my 4" Python using the same ammo.

Bob

[makarov]

I've said it before, but in case Ruger is listening: I want a GP22! GP-100 frame. 6, 8 or 10 shots to compete with the 617 and Taurus .22 Tracker. I would buy one if it was priced like the Tracker and shot like the 617....

[Quickloader]

KGP141,
great gun! I liked shooting it from the first time but wasn't able to constantly hit as well as with other wheelguns, though the feeling was good? I suspected the factory rubber grip as the culprit which turned out to be the case; watching a video movie slow motion shooting this revolver you could clearly see the whole gun wobble in a funny way inside the rubber grip during recoil-rise. After spending the cash for a beautiful Hogue "Pau Ferro" grip, the gun hits 1st class with whatever you feed it.

Did some enhancement tuning:
hone&polish trigger job & Wolff reduced power springs, 12Lb H, 10Lb T, trigger stop screw; polish inside of frame; refinishing in fine scotchbrite after mirror polishing.

The gun shoots all bullet weights extremely well; I prefer the heavier side, mostly 170grs, 180grs, as hot as it's save (in this gun..., and that's really hot!); very agreeable to shoot with the Hogue grip, too; there would be the option of a Hogue rubber grip for taming recoil which I would prefer over the Ruger grip, much more stable.

Would buy this revolver again any day of the week, but it seems to last forever, one of the most accurate guns I own.:p

Quickloader

[heathen]

Quickloader, you don't happen to have a picture of your GP with the Pau Ferro grips on do you? I'd love to see it! Thanks

[Quickloader]

Hey heathen

it'll take some time to get a digital cam handy, but I'll post some pics when I can manage it.

In the meantime you could get the idea (sort of) at Hogue's

http://www.hogueinc.com/getgrip/merchant.ihtml?pid=3388&lastcatid=391&step=4

just for "an optical impulse".

Thanks for your interest :)

Quickloader

[JohnK]

So, who has a GP100, how's it shoot, and how do you like shooting the hotloads in it?

I have 2 of them, a 3" blue and 4" stainless. Both great guns, I love the 4" and will either be burried with it or pass it along to my son (if he's a very good boy - hehe).

Mine handle hot loads great, compared to a 4" 44 Magnum or heavy 45 Colts in a Blackhawk anything you can put through a 357 doesn't recoil very much. I have wood Hogues on it that fit my hand like a glove. Heaviest load I've put through mine so far has been a 170gr Keith at nearly 1,400 fps. Plenty stout for a 357 accurate and fun to shoot too.

Mine's seen about 6,000 rounds so far and still going strong I don't see me ever wearing it out, maybe my son will...

[444]

I have already told you what I think of the GP100 in another thread.
I just wanted to add that my trigger is very good. Single action isn't up to the S&W custom shop guns I own, but definitely up to some of the box stock Smiths I also own. On double action it is as good or better than anything I own. I LOVE the double action pull on my GP100. I can shoot very nearly as well double action as I can single action with my GP.

I don't think my GP 100 has ever had a .38 Special load through it, or a factory load. Wait, I am lying, I chonoed some loads last week and a couple were .38s. It has had many, many loads that were at the book max.

[longtom4570]

I have one it is the 4" stainless steel,i put the rubber Houge grip on it and seems to fit my hand better,haven't shot it yet :cuss: but will soon

[Sarge]

are excellent six-shooters.

I've got the 3" .357 CAI version like another fella in this thread, and mine has shot so well I'd not swap it for a 4" adjustable version.

Both loads are JHP's over whatever Hodgdon's said was the max of HS-6; 125 grain highlighted in yellow, 158's in blue. Range was 25 yards from an improvised rest (range bag).

http://www.imagemagician.org/images/invssgt/357target.jpg

[Sisco]

Strong, accurate, and you can customize them if you like.

[Cosmoline]

The cor-bon bullets are NOT the same
Nightcrawler, the bullets that you mentioned are NOT the same. The 200 grain bullet for .45 Colt is a JHP for self defense while the 200 grain bullet for .357 Magnum is of the Hard Cast flavor. The .45 Colt bullet will probably expand to like .7" + while the .357 Magnum bullet will be .357" in and out.

--------

Yup. Those 200 gr. Cor-bons are for maximum penetration. And they have a much higher sectional density than a 200 grain .452" bullet. Indeed, they have among the highest SD's of any handgun bullet this side of the heavy .454 bullets. I use them for backup bear defense. They will cut through several spruce trees in a row. They'd sure as hell not do any favors for a two-legged foe, but you'd prob. be better off with some flat-nosed SP's in a lower weight.

[Quickloader]

Sisco

nice worK! I especially like the front sight; removed the serrations on mine and put on a 400 grit finish before blackening, resulted in a little shallower silhouette too, much better then factory original.

How did you remove the toolmarks in the cylinder flutes before polishing?

Do you like the factory grip for precision shooting?

Quickloader