MikeJackmin
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.44 GP100 3" not listed on Ruger's site any more
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OrangePwrx9
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They now have (or had) a 2-7/8" L-Frame .44 mag. It's called the Model 69 Combat Magnum. 5-shot cylinder.
Bought one, but haven't shot it yet.
Bob
Edit: Sorry, it's a Smith and the barrel is 2.75" long. You were looking for Rugers.
Bought one, but haven't shot it yet.
Bob
Edit: Sorry, it's a Smith and the barrel is 2.75" long. You were looking for Rugers.
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Zaydok Allen
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Makes sense. Charge a bit more for the Talo and then people can buy the rubber grip that came in the standard separately.
The 44 Special GP fans are a strong following, but a lot of newer shooters won’t have any appreciation for a 44 special over a 44 mag. I’d like to buy one, but I didn’t expect this model to be on the market forever.
So I think it’s good they’re still making one 3 inches at least.
The 44 Special GP fans are a strong following, but a lot of newer shooters won’t have any appreciation for a 44 special over a 44 mag. I’d like to buy one, but I didn’t expect this model to be on the market forever.
So I think it’s good they’re still making one 3 inches at least.
Dan-O
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They’re making way for the 6 round version.....
earlthegoat2
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It’s hard to find enough volume of sales for 44 spl. For some reason I am getting a lot of offers for trading a 44 special Ruger GP for a few things I am selling locally that happen to be 44 mag. Seems there is some buyers remorse going on. I sure wasn’t going to make that trade. Don’t want a gun that can’t shoot a 44 mag as that is what I am most invested in right now. This is just personal preference but I’d rather have 45 Colt than any 44 spl.
sequins
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Therein lies the rub with a 44 special only gun. Still far too large to CCW, which is the application keeping the 38spl in the game relative to 357.
TTv2
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You have to be kidding...
No I'm not.
I have measured the cylinder throats of two GP-100 44 spl at .433 to .434" a little big for my liking.
I must be getting old. I have a 3" 686 that I carry and find the recoil very stout and after shooting a box of ammo I than put a glove to shoot another 100, so I can't even begin to imagine what recoil would be out of a 44 mag with a 3" barrel. I shoot and hunt hogs with a 44 mag but the gun has a 12 inch barrel and my Anaconda is a 6", but a 3" I would definitely not want to shoot.
TTv2
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So the GP100 wasn't the only Ruger you had issues with in .44? What about their .44 Mag revolvers?
And here I thought them running .327 revolvers to .314" throats was big. .434 may as well be the Grand Canyon for a .44
I have a Ruger Red Hawk in 44 mag with .433-.434" cylinder throats.
I checked out two GP-100 3" 44 spl's at the my LGS, he has pin gauges that showed both of these GP-100's had throat diameters in excess of .433".
As much as I would have liked to own a 44 spl GP-100 my experience with my Red Hawk won't let that happen.
TTv2
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Don't blame you.
earlthegoat2
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Ive had similar findings with a Redhawk.
RealGun
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Lipsey's 3" GP100 is "on sale", as if all the decks are being cleared for a new model landing. My little theory is that Ruger has big plans for the Super GP100, which uses a Redhawk frame. In 44, that would mean 6 rounds. With today's fashions and reluctance to dress for concealment, 44 was never going to be popular enough as a carry gun.
ThomasT
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My bud and I both bought SP-101s with 4" barrels in 32 mag when they first came out many years ogo and they came with .309 throats. I bought a .3125 reamer and reamed them out. What a difference that made with lead bullets.
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fastbolt
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At least Ruger lists the GP100® : Standard Model 01767 44 Special - Double-Action Revolver on their website's Distributor Exclusive page. 
As much as aficionados of the nostalgia surrounding the venerable .44SPL cartridge might wish otherwise, they aren't exactly a large segment of the handgun market, nor is there a great demand for small revolvers chambered in that caliber to be found among the 'average' revolver buyers.
More's the pity. While I once owned a brace of the original CA 3" Bulldogs (stainless & blued), which left a sour taste in my mouth, I've always had a sentimental spot for the thought of a 3" .44SPL in both DA & SA (especially with a Bird's head grip frame ). Modern defensive ammunition has been a bit sparse, and I no longer have an avid interest in handloading as I did as a younger man.
As much as aficionados of the nostalgia surrounding the venerable .44SPL cartridge might wish otherwise, they aren't exactly a large segment of the handgun market, nor is there a great demand for small revolvers chambered in that caliber to be found among the 'average' revolver buyers.
More's the pity. While I once owned a brace of the original CA 3" Bulldogs (stainless & blued), which left a sour taste in my mouth, I've always had a sentimental spot for the thought of a 3" .44SPL in both DA & SA (especially with a Bird's head grip frame
). Modern defensive ammunition has been a bit sparse, and I no longer have an avid interest in handloading as I did as a younger man.
.308 Norma
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I don't mean to distract from this thread, but I have a couple of (might be stupid) questions:
1. What does "TALO DISTRIBUTOR EXCLUSIVE" mean?
2. Does it mean I'm not likely to find one at the gun show we're going to in Idaho Falls tomorrow?
I'm asking because I like the looks of the "Talo" version shown in that link you posted, and if I find one at the gunshow, I might be tempted to trade off a Smith 357 I never use.
Anyway, thanks for the info.
I like my GP100 44, I have the 3" stainless but I did once have the 5" blued full lug version, which I wish I hadn't gotten rid of. That said, if Ruger plans to expand the Super GP100 to include 44 mag, it would be a definite purchase for me.
TTv2
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.309 for a .32 is also excessive. I guess Ruger has always had issues with throats in their revolvers that aren't .45 Colt or .38/.357
earlthegoat2
Member
I don't mean to distract from this thread, but I have a couple of (might be stupid) questions:
1. What does "TALO DISTRIBUTOR EXCLUSIVE" mean?
2. Does it mean I'm not likely to find one at the gun show we're going to in Idaho Falls tomorrow?
I'm asking because I like the looks of the "Talo" version shown in that link you posted, and if I find one at the gunshow, I might be tempted to trade off a Smith 357 I never use.
Anyway, thanks for the info.
It means they are only sold through the distributor Talo. A retailer has to buy it wholesale from Talo.
As to finding them at gunshows: I see brand new distributor exclusives at gun shows often. Never know what your going to find. Those sellers have access to Talo too.
So with a .431" cast lead bullet going through a .434" cylinder throat the problem is the bullet will not seal to the chamber throat, and gasses will blow past the bullets base and melt the bullet. This is where the leading begins.
S&W figured this out, their early 44 spl and magnum revolvers had oversized throats and then they went with a .4295" cylinder throat.
I have a S&W 696 with .4295" throats and I can shoot cast lead bhn 12, 200 gr bullets to 950 fps with no leading. I can not find a load with a cast bullet that will not lead my Redhawk with .434" throats.
If anyone can show me a load with a standard cast bullet sized at .430-.431 at any BHN at any velocity for a Ruger Redhawk with a 7.5" barrel that won't lead the barrel I am all ears.
.455_Hunter
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They might be just a bit oversize now at .5125.
TTv2
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Yup, but .434" throat diameters aren't the worst I've seen, that dubious award goes to the Taurus Judge revolvers and their .458 throats, however I'm not sure if that has to do with those being .410 chambers, but whatever the case it means .45 Colt leads bad. The only good news is that there are bullets you can use to avoid this.
The options are use powder coated bullets or copper jacketed/plated bullets. Berry's does make a plated .429 bullet that will be just fine with .44 Special velocities, but it has no crimping groove or cannelure and I've found bullets that lack either don't shoot too well in my revolvers because I can't get a good crimp.
You could try the Missouri Bullets with their "Hi-Tek" coating. I believe it's a polymer coated bullet and the good thing about it is it has a crimp groove. I've never shot any of their bullets before, but I think for my revolvers with big throats I'm going to use their bullets. They have plenty of options for .38/.357, .44 Spl/Mag, and .45 Colt. Unfortunately, like everyone else, they have a severe lack of .32 bullets.
Missouri Bullets also uses bullets with a softer 12 BHN hardness for the lower velocity Specials, and a harder 18 BHN for the magnums. That's really nice of them to do because if all you want to shoot is .44 Special or .45 Colt in a Taurus Judge, you get an ideal bullet hardness. Unfortunately for .327 shooters like myself, they only have the soft bullets so I'm stuck using them in reduced velocity loadings or .32 Mag.
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