Tell me about the 44 special GP100
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Legionnaire
Contributing Member
I bought one of the first .44 Specials. It had the "issues" that have been discussed elsewhere: significant and "unsightly" gap under the front sight, as if the dovetail had not been milled deep enough; inconsistent and over-sized chamber throats. After one range trip it went back to Ruger. When I got it back from Ruger, the work order said they installed a new barrel and cylinder; the front sight was where it should be and throats were a consistent .430. I installed a compact grip with Chig's Grip inserts. At this point it has a couple hundred rounds of my reloads through it ... and I like.
BlueHeelerFl
Member
I don't think I have ever seen a 44 Spl GP100 anywhere, even before the panic started.
As of last Wed my local Bass Pro had 2 S&W 69s on display
As of last Wed my local Bass Pro had 2 S&W 69s on display
John#2
Member
The GP100 is decidedly not designed for hot 44 Special loads. It’s a bored-out 357 frame. The forcing cone is thin. Just compare it to the cone on a S&W 44 Special. Big difference.
That’s where they crack.
That’s where they crack.
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shoebox1.1
Member
Now that’s pretty!I bought one of the first .44 Specials. It had the "issues" that have been discussed elsewhere: significant and "unsightly" gap under the front sight, as if the dovetail had not been milled deep enough; inconsistent and over-sized chamber throats. After one range trip it went back to Ruger. When I got it back from Ruger, the work order said they installed a new barrel and cylinder; the front sight was where it should be and throats were a consistent .430. I installed a compact grip with Chig's Grip inserts. At this point it has a couple hundred rounds of my reloads through it ... and I like.
Confederate
Member
Why anyone would want a .44Spc 5-shot instead of a 6-shot .357 is beyond me, but hey, those little intricacies are what makes the world go round. I love the .357 round and it's one of my favorite calibers (.22LR is my favorite), and 9mm and .357 fall next in line. The 9mm seems better to me than the .38Spc, if for no other reason than its higher velocity and higher capacity.
The only .44Spc I ever owned was a Charter Arms. It was too frail to handle the .357; however, standard velocity .44 seemed to work okay. It was stainless steel and tended to bind when the gun became too hot. And though it was a cool looking piece, I liked to travel, so I needed something I could use on the road, so I ditched the gun the First chance I got and bought two Ruger stainless .38Spc and had them reamed out to fire .357s. They had 3-inch barrels and I was told it would cost me $65 for one gun or two guns for $120. The gunsmith did such a great job that the chambers would catch 125-grain JHP bullets dropped into each.
They are exceptionally accurate revolvers, too.
The Security-Six was never offered in .44Spc, but if offered in that caliber in the GP-100, it should offer plenty of bulk for hot loads. It makes me wonder what would happen if Ruger offered the GP-100 in a 5-shot .357. Would that make the GP-100 a gun that would shoot hotter .357s? The .357Max suffered not in frames that weren't strong enough, but forcing cones that weren't robust enough.
But since we're not talking about .357s, YES, the GP-100 should offer frames that are tough enough. I do hope if you go that direction that you'll type up a review. I'd like to find something a GP-100 would do better than a Security-Six, and this may very well be it. Are the .44s more expensive, less expensive, or the same price as the .357s?
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The only .44Spc I ever owned was a Charter Arms. It was too frail to handle the .357; however, standard velocity .44 seemed to work okay. It was stainless steel and tended to bind when the gun became too hot. And though it was a cool looking piece, I liked to travel, so I needed something I could use on the road, so I ditched the gun the First chance I got and bought two Ruger stainless .38Spc and had them reamed out to fire .357s. They had 3-inch barrels and I was told it would cost me $65 for one gun or two guns for $120. The gunsmith did such a great job that the chambers would catch 125-grain JHP bullets dropped into each.
They are exceptionally accurate revolvers, too.
The Security-Six was never offered in .44Spc, but if offered in that caliber in the GP-100, it should offer plenty of bulk for hot loads. It makes me wonder what would happen if Ruger offered the GP-100 in a 5-shot .357. Would that make the GP-100 a gun that would shoot hotter .357s? The .357Max suffered not in frames that weren't strong enough, but forcing cones that weren't robust enough.
But since we're not talking about .357s, YES, the GP-100 should offer frames that are tough enough. I do hope if you go that direction that you'll type up a review. I'd like to find something a GP-100 would do better than a Security-Six, and this may very well be it. Are the .44s more expensive, less expensive, or the same price as the .357s?
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Oh, there is something special about shooting 44 Special ammunition in a gun chambered for 44 Special.
I'm a fan of heavy, slow moving bullets such as the 44 Special and 45 Colt.
I used to belong to a range that had IHMSA handgun silhouette competitions and had spring mounted sighter targets at the various ranges. My 45 Colt would hit the 100 meter pig with a resounding ring making the target sway back and forth. The fast mover, rifle style ammunition from bolt action pistol would hit the target with a splat and the sighter target would barely move.
As an aside, I competed in the IHMSA Silhouette competition in the revolver class with a 357 Magnum revolver and in Production class with a 357 Magnum 10" Contender.
Generally more expensive out here. Ive seen .357s in the 20 bucks a box range, where as .44 anythings are 40-65 bucks a box.
I actually bought my Taurus 692, specifically so I could shoot cheap and plentiful 9mms thru a revolver....perhaps bad timing on my part lol.
For me the .44 special makes more sense than the .357s did at the time, because I can shoot the same bullets from both my .44SPC and Mag.
Now I have a 9mm/357 revolver (that is way more accurate and entertaining than any 2.5" gun should be), a 5" 44 special, and a 7.5" .44 Magnum. If I NEED something dead ill grab a rifle, otherwise all of those will work about the same for what I do, but I honestly prefer the .44s.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Because bigger is better and the .357 is overrated, as is capacity.
The weakest link in the .44 GP is not the cylinder, it's the barrel. Specifically the thin forcing cone. This is why S&W completely re-engineered the front half of the model 69's frame, to accommodate a larger barrel shank.
The Maximums suffered from flame cutting of the top strap when people tried to turn them into rifles with light bullets.
UncleEd
Member
.44 Special fans were different even as children.
At the play lot, they were always in their own sand box
off in the corner.
At the play lot, they were always in their own sand box
off in the corner.
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