Ruger's New 44SPL GP100--Got One!

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No photos but I put 50 rounds of Magtech 240gr lead and the rest of the boxes of 245gr and 200gr Underwood stuff.

The 200gr just won't group at all and will keyhole most of the time.

The 245gr FMJ sort of shoots but will throw one round way outside the rest of the group and will occasionally keyhole.

I saw no evidence of keyholing with the 240gr Magtech but this load still doesn't shoot like I think the gun should. Best five shot group with this ammo was probably about six inches.

The gun definitely needs a trip back to the factory...
 
deadduck357 said:
Not good. Will be holding off.
Click to expand...

I'm completely confident that Ruger can and will either fix this gun or replace it with a different one. I have dealt with Ruger before for warranty work and they have always taken care of me after the sale.

Unfortunately the same can't be said for some other companies.
 
I'm interested in hearing the outcome on this one. I agree that that particular gun is shooting way worse than it should be. As is usual with brand new models there's typically a few bugs to work out in the system as workers get trained on how to build the newest products. Ruger is typically very good at supporting their customers.
 
Auto426 said:
I'm interested in hearing the outcome on this one. I agree that that particular gun is shooting way worse than it should be. As is usual with brand new models there's typically a few bugs to work out in the system as workers get trained on how to build the newest products. Ruger is typically very good at supporting their customers.
Click to expand...

Yep.

I'm somewhat frustrated but not upset per se. The gun is cool. I like it. I just wish it shot better.

One way or another Ruger will take care of it.
 
For what it's worth the last ruger I bought was garbage other than something nice to look at. Barrel looked like it was rifled with a drill bit, cylinder gap was too tight causing the gun to bind after a few cylinders, etc

It was very accurate but would lead horribly. Despite it being a used gun, ruger took it in and fixed the gap issue for free. They sent a test target showing me it was accurate... Which I knew but didn't help the horrible chatter marks in the bore.

I sold it but what can you expect for $550 these days? Hope your ruger turns out better than mine. Was a 4" sp101 which otherwise would have been the perfect woods gun.

HB
 
If anyone is interested in buying one of these I don't think I'd let my particular experience dissuade you. A quick search on gunbroker shows at least 10 of them currently for sale. A few of them are listed at close to MSRP but a few are also listed in the $630- $650 range.

So would I buy another? Absolutely. I was initially very interested in the GP as a knock around gun. A gun that could be thrown in a saddlebag on a motorcycle or stuffed into an IWB holster. A gun that can be loaded up with mild handloads or light cowboy loads for plinking or loaded with hotter ammo for self defense against man or beast. I think a gun like this, in this particular caliber, is pretty close to the Universal Handgun.

Once I get my sample fixed and shooting like I think it should I think this might become one of my favorite handguns. Time will tell, I guess.
 
Too bad you didn't chronograph your shots.

Typically every firearm I buy gets tested over a chronograph on it's 1st range trip. Any issues are a lot easier to pinpoint that by simply looking at a target alone. But that's just me.

All's you have to go by now is.
high pressure & speed
Hard bullet/low pressure & speed.
You can rule out wrong twist or low velocity, the 1 in 20 twist should stabilize the shorter/lighter/faster 200gr bullet easier than the longer/slower 240gr bullet.

That leaves the wrong diameter bullet. This is the picture you posted the other day showing the thickness of the forcing cone.


Everyone see's something different. You see a forcing cone.

I see a firearm that came from the factory with bullet shaving on the top of the forcing cone.
I see an extremely small forcing cone but that's to be expected with ruger's 5* forcing cone that is designed for jacketed bullets.
I see shinny dark marks where the forcing cone angle cut ends and the bbl's rifling begins. The dark spots look to be 3/8" long.
I see major tooling/drag marks in the cylinders.

You could send it back to ruger, but they will probable tell you your gp100 is within specs. You would probably be better off sending it to a gunsmith and dropping a couple hundred bucks and have it fixed right the 1st time.

Awhile back I put a post in a thread about ruger revolvers. Everyone said I hate rugers and were just bad mouthing them. In actuality I did nothing more than tell the truth and this thread is an excellent example. All's 1 has to do is download and save the picture you posted on Wednesday and zoom in on the different area's of the gp100. Namely the forcing cone/bbl area and the cylinders.

The picture shows bullet shavings in the 1 o-clock position.
The shinny spots on the riflings are caused from thread lock from the bbl being tightened too much. The bullet makes the thread lock area a different color from more pressure being exerted in the thread load area. It's that push soft with a piece of sand paper vs push hard.
The heavily tool marked cylinders are common for ruger along with the being odd sized/under sized/multi sized. The bullets are tumbling from being squeezed down in the undersized cylinders.

A fast moving lead bullet wouldn't even stand a chance in that revolver.

Well, looks like you have decisions to make. If it were me I'd spend another $300+ and get that gp100 done right. I'd
Have the thread lock removes and a 11* forcing cone cut
True and polish the cylinders to .4305"/.431"
Have the alignment trued
Have the trigger work done
Replace the grips OOPS, you already did that.
All's that's left is to change the sights and your ruger will be as good as new.

Good luck
 
Thanks for the report. I placed a standing order with my LGS; hoping it doesn't take too long before he gets one in.

I appreciate forrest r's comments, too. Even if a new GP went straight to a good smith, it would still be less expensive than a custom gun in .44 spl.
 
forrest r said:
Too bad you didn't chronograph your shots.

Typically every firearm I buy gets tested over a chronograph on it's 1st range trip. Any issues are a lot easier to pinpoint that by simply looking at a target alone. But that's just me.

All's you have to go by now is.
high pressure & speed
Hard bullet/low pressure & speed.
You can rule out wrong twist or low velocity, the 1 in 20 twist should stabilize the shorter/lighter/faster 200gr bullet easier than the longer/slower 240gr bullet.

That leaves the wrong diameter bullet. This is the picture you posted the other day showing the thickness of the forcing cone.


Everyone see's something different. You see a forcing cone.

I see a firearm that came from the factory with bullet shaving on the top of the forcing cone.
I see an extremely small forcing cone but that's to be expected with ruger's 5* forcing cone that is designed for jacketed bullets.
I see shinny dark marks where the forcing cone angle cut ends and the bbl's rifling begins. The dark spots look to be 3/8" long.
I see major tooling/drag marks in the cylinders.

You could send it back to ruger, but they will probable tell you your gp100 is within specs. You would probably be better off sending it to a gunsmith and dropping a couple hundred bucks and have it fixed right the 1st time.

Awhile back I put a post in a thread about ruger revolvers. Everyone said I hate rugers and were just bad mouthing them. In actuality I did nothing more than tell the truth and this thread is an excellent example. All's 1 has to do is download and save the picture you posted on Wednesday and zoom in on the different area's of the gp100. Namely the forcing cone/bbl area and the cylinders.

The picture shows bullet shavings in the 1 o-clock position.
The shinny spots on the riflings are caused from thread lock from the bbl being tightened too much. The bullet makes the thread lock area a different color from more pressure being exerted in the thread load area. It's that push soft with a piece of sand paper vs push hard.
The heavily tool marked cylinders are common for ruger along with the being odd sized/under sized/multi sized. The bullets are tumbling from being squeezed down in the undersized cylinders.

A fast moving lead bullet wouldn't even stand a chance in that revolver.

Well, looks like you have decisions to make. If it were me I'd spend another $300+ and get that gp100 done right. I'd
Have the thread lock removes and a 11* forcing cone cut
True and polish the cylinders to .4305"/.431"
Have the alignment trued
Have the trigger work done
Replace the grips OOPS, you already did that.
All's that's left is to change the sights and your ruger will be as good as new.

Good luck
Click to expand...

Gosh I didn't realize my photography skills were so good. I'm glad you're able to interpret all this from a handful of cell phone pics.

While I'm not opposed to sending this gun off to a reputable gunsmith that's not an option at this point and I really don't know why you'd be opposed to me having Ruger take a look at it. If they get it back and fix or replace it under warranty I'm out nothing other than the time it takes to send it out and get it back. If they decide it is within the factory spec and do nothing I'll have another decision to make at that time.

Thanks again for your assessment.
 
Legionnaire said:
Even if a new GP went straight to a good smith, it would still be less expensive than a custom gun in .44 spl.
Click to expand...

That's true.

But if I'm going to spend additional money on a new gun it'll be to modify it outside of factory configuration not to make it shoot. I'd spend money on a set of different sights, an action job or a good carry dehorn not on trying to get a gun to be reasonably accurate with ammo I think it should be able to handle right out of the box.
 
You posted a great Picture!!!! They have all sorts of different software for pictures. All's you have to do is upload a picture someone like you posted and then the software will allow the user to zoom in on any part of the picture. When you start getting around 3x more than the original picture things really start to get clearer and the person viewing the enlarged photo gets a clear picture (no pun intended) or what things look like.

I absolutely would not be apposed to you sending the revolver back to ruger. It would actually be a good thing and aid in giving them excellent quality feedback. It would actually be a good thing for everyone following this thread to hear how ruger does with looking at your gp100.

I'm sure ruger will do nothing but good things for you and your new revolver.
 
Agree with you completely. And like you, my first recourse in this instance would be to send it back to Ruger.

I'm still buying one as soon as I can.
 
Legionnaire said:
Agree with you completely. And like you, my first recourse in this instance would be to send it back to Ruger.

I'm still buying one as soon as I can.
Click to expand...

As I said earlier I would buy all over again even with the current problem.
 
Ruger will take care of you....

My Ruger story:

A few years ago I bought a used GP-100 6" Blue. The revolver was like NIB. With that in mind, it had a VERY rough/wide cyl. turn line--almost looked like a "brush" with a hack saw blade??
It looked like it had a burr on the lock bolt in the frame..

Called Ruger, they sent me a mailing sticker (e-mail) and I sent it off with a short letter, and ask for a price on a Red Ramp insert, and White outline rear sight-It had Black on Black.

10 to 12 days turnaround, LIKE NEW GP-100 came back with NICE Red Ramp/White outline sights, along with the factory sights, and a letter thanking me for being a Ruger customer.

To ME...THAT'S Top Notch...Bill.
 
Slug/mike the chamber throats and have a gunsmith do a an 11 degree on the "apparently not there" forcing cone. All Rugers come with a 5 degree forcing cone that works with jacketed bullets but not cast lead. The forcing cone "makes" the cylinder line up with the bore. Not enough funnel will result in shaving and/or bullet distortion.
The groove size of the barrel should be .429. A cast lead slug should be able to be hand forced through the chambers of your cylinder. If not, the chamber throat is under sizing the fired round and will not grab the rifling properly.

PS: Read all the posts and saw where I am riding drag.
 
Last edited:
Red Cent said:
1. Were you shooting offhand?
2. How much difference in the recoil of the lead vs jacketed?
Click to expand...
Seated rested position.

The jacketed 200gr ammo was the "hottest" of the three with the sharpest recoil. This is the load that showed the most keyholing.

No chrono data obtained but the two heavy bullets (one jacketed one lead) felt about the same subjectivity.
 
Did you mix lead and jacketed while shooting? Sure doesn't look good. Leading?

View attachment 227510

Should look like this when clean.

357goodbbl_1.jpg
 
Last edited:
243winxb said:
Did you mix lead and jacketed while shooting? Sure doesn't look good. Leading?

View attachment 227510

Should look like this when clean.

357goodbbl_1.jpg
Click to expand...
That pic of the forcing cone was taken before I fired the gun. It hadn't been fired outside the factory.

The initial rounds fired were all jacketed. Lead wasn't used until later.
 
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