Ruger GP-161

I have two 4" versions.
I have two because they're that good.
I also have a 7.5" 357 Redhawk.
I could have bought ANY 357 revolver.

I've got one. Have nothing bad to say about it.
I put in a set of Wolff springs, dry fired a lot and have put close to a couple thousand rounds through it. Trigger is smoother than any S&W I've personally fired. I'll wear out long before it does!

We generally refer to all the various GP100s by that name, and specify fixed or adjustable sights, barrel length and "short shroud" variants, plus blue and stainless of course. Takes longer to say, but it beats trying to remember all the various variation numbers and letters Ruger uses .

Which means if you use the search button and use "GP100" as the search term for the "revolver forum", you'll get TONS of reports, commentary and information on 'em .

The vast majority of which will be favorable. These guns are tough, and thrive on a steady diet of "hot stuff" with no signs of quitting. Cor-Bon uses GP100s as development testbeds for their 357 ammo, and haven't broken one yet . They have an interesting mechanical advantage over most S&Ws in that they "lock up" at the crane as well as the back of the cylinder; Dan Wessons do that, as does the Taurus "Raging" series large-frames. They can also be completely stripped by the user, the frame lacks the "side plate" weak spot on most S&Ws, there's a lot of good news...toughness is unbeaten in the size/caliber class, and seldom matched.

Accuracy usually equals that of the same barrel length S&W K or L frames. Only the Python and some larger-frame Dan Wessons consistently top it by a bit, at least among DAs. The GP100 generally kicks your average auto worth up to double the money's butt in terms of group size .

Downsides: not available as a 7-shot, where the equivelent S&W and Tauruses are. Triggers are sometimes a bit rougher than some S&Ws but respond well to user-installable spring kits or just a lot of dry-fire, which won't hurt 'em a bit.

Aftermarket grip and holster support is fair to good, sight support is good with Ashley doing a lot of good sights. There's a good ghost-ring rear sight available dirt cheap, the "OneRaggedHole" sight...it's a replacement blade for the factory rear sight, less than $20. GP100s eat out of the same speedloaders as an L-Frame S&W, so those are widely available.

If you want a longer-barreled general use piece that can serve as a "woods defense gun" against anything short of a Griz, the 6" GP100s are superb, utterly unmatched in their price range.

I have a GP141 and a Smith 686 (both 4"). I favor the Ruger, use it much more often than the Smith. I highly recommend the Ruger GP line regardless of barrel length (user preference).

Gp 100 are great revolvers, very well made and durable. You wont regret buying one.

I've had one in nearly every configuration. Liked them all. Bought a 4" 686 to compare. The 686 is for sale now.
I've had a total of one problem with 1 GP-100. The gun started to bind when it got warm which it often did when I was shooting it. A little light stoning of the cylinder star fixed the problem.
It's a well made, accurate revolver that will out last your children's children.

I have fired several hundred rounds of .38 special, .38 special +P, and .357 magnum through my stainless 4-inch Ruger GP100. The gun shoots well and still looks new. I highly recommend it.

RE: Ruger GP-100

I have several ruger revolvers and like them all, as for the Double Action goes my GP-100 has been an exellent revolver. Extremly accurate, built to last a lifetime and I like the way it looks. You cant go wrong buying a new or good used one.

Tony

One tip on these:

The fixed-sight models come in 3" and 4" barrels, and have a smaller grip of a "round butt" layout; adjustable sight variants are 4" or 6", short shroud or long, and have the larger "square butt profile" factory grip type as seen on Tony's gun. You can swap one for the other on either gun; Lett grips is Ruger's OEM source and sells everything you need to convert for less than $40. I like the small grip, myself, and most gun shops will have at least one specimen of each on hand for you to try. Other than the sight type and the original grip, the frame size and layout on all GP100s are identical.

Or you can go completely aftermarket. I'd personally put the small grip on any GP100.

I actually like the short-underlug versions, for that "fast pointing, light muzzle" feel. But that's all personal preference, nobody has noticed an accuracy trend either way.

I bought a six inch, stainless, full underlug GP-100 many years ago and love it. If I had to sell off all my 357's, this one would be the very last one to go. It handles hot magnum loads very well and is very accurate. After a few thousand rounds, it is still as tight as it was when it was new.

Sorry to rain, but I have read that some of the more recent GP-100's have had some QC issues -- barrels off axis and stuff like that. My GP-161 was excellent, but I bought it quite a while ago. I recommend that when you pick yours up to go over it very critically, looking for things that don't seem right. Ruger may have fixed their QC problem or it may linger, but it's better to be safe.

Riverdog has a point. I bought a SP101 that had to go back. Three times.

I picked up a 6", stainless steel, full underlug model a couple months ago. My first and only handgun. I've been extremely pleased. Haven't had a single problem and even I can break it down and put it back together. Shoots great and absorbs 357 recoil really well. The trigger pull is a bit heavy, but very smooth on mine. I think you'd be real happy with one. It'll be a real nice gun straight out of the box, but there's all kinds of options to play with "upgrades" if you want. Mine's factory and will most likely stay that way. Take it easy.

Of course, Riverdog is correct. Ruger ships lemons sometimes, as does S&W, Taurus, etc.

That's why we have the checkout procedure:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1430

I have a GP141 that I bought used for $200 in 1996. Since then I have put over 8,000 rounds through it (mostly 357). It is used as my truck gun, my camp gun. I used it very sucessfully in IDPA last year. If one gun could be described as built like a tank it would be the GP100. It is much more accurate than I am. Took a Fox with it at 60 yards with the stock iron sights. Do I like it? Yea.

Love my GP-160, It is one gun I will never trade. I have had it for a few years and have never had a problem.

45R
Read Jim Marchs last post again carefully and follow the green link -or- look at the first (and only) sticky in the revolver forum (for the same link)
Then say... "Thank You very much Jim"

Adios

Have a kgp161 ( stainless full lug , adj sights ) This is the most ruged firearm I bought plus it was my first , shoots accurate and like a timex it has taken a beating and kept on shooting , I use it to train newbies and this thing has been dropped , kicked ( I am serious ) and scratched to all ends ( the scratches came out with a little polishing ) the grip is comfortable ( I later changed out mine to hogues ) IN my opinion it is a good buy .

45R:

Start here:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1430

I started it, but it's still a "group effort" and we get more tips trickle in once in a while. A version of it will be published in SWAT some time soon but it really won't be as good as following the thread from TFL through to THR (one thread, two forums, you'll see ) because you also want the individual cases discussed, teh commentary, etc.

Most people ask for the full lug because you get more metal for the same money. Last year, Ruger produced a run of the short lug I like. It is just like the one I stupidly traded off a decade back. I also have a full lug 4" and will be keeping both.