Handgun Recommendation for Rookie

A 357 is a great choice.
Beginners can learn to shoot well with soft recoiling 38s or you can go all the way up to some heavy 357 loads.
Not to mention revolvers aren't sensative to feeding like many autos can be.

IMO a GP-100 would be heavy and a little bulky for a carry gun. I have one and it's great at home or at the range, but I wouldn't want to tote that much weight.
Since you're a big guy you can probably carry one just fine...but a lightweight gun would still be more comfy.

An SP-101 would be a little less bulky than a GP, but still a little heavy (for me at least). Taurus makes a model 85 in steel that would be comparable to the SP-101 but cost quite a bit less.

I have a S&W 637, which is an airweight J frame. I use it as my primary concealed carry gun and it's very easy to conceal and is light enough to not be bothersome.
You might want to look into getting an Airweight or one of Taurus' Ultralites.

Don't let the S&W model numbers confuse you too much. In the small J frames you have 3 basic configurations; one with an exposed hammer (Chief's special), one with a shrouded hammer (bodyguard), and one that has a small hammer completely enclosed (centennial). Then they come in either steel, aluminum (airweight), or scandium. Figure out what you want then just browse their catalog to find the model that has those features.

There are many choices. I suggest you shoot a few different guns. Most gun shops won't mind if you stick it in your pants either. Even without a holster, sticking it in your pants would give you a pretty good idea how it will carry.

For most of us, the perfect house gun isn't the perfect carry gun. My 6" GP-100 is perfect as my house gun because it's a lot easier to shoot it more accurately than a J frame and the extra weight makes shooting full power 357 pretty easy. My 637 is my perfect carry gun because of the weight and it's not bulky. I don't shoot it as well as the GP though (I shoot it well enough to carry) and I would prefer spitting out a heavier bullet at faster velocity.

...maybe you should buy two revolvers
You could buy an all steel gun like a GP-100, learn to shoot it well, then buy a lightweight for a carry gun.

I forgot to add...If you get a lightweight revolver then you may want to go ahead and skip the 357 idea and just get a 38 +P because they will cost less.
Full 357 loads in a lightweight will be a handfull. You can also buy 38 +P loads that equal low recoil 357 loads.
If you're thinking about a light 357 then shoot one first unless you have money to burn.

Frame sizes for your reference
S&W Large = N frame
Note any model in the 6nn range is Stainless Steel
CUrrent production
627 8 shot Stainless Steel
Older Out of production BLued carbon Steel
27 6 shot Blued finish high polish, and the interior got
a lot of polish for the action as well as cosmetic.
28 6 shot plain model called the HIghway Patrolman
S&W Medium K-Frame
Out of Production
19 it has a finish like the 27
S&W Medium L Frame - a beefed up K-frame because of
some issues with 19s that were fed a lot of full power loads
Model 686 4" or 6" or shorter Bbl. Len. available

S&W small - J-frame
in the mid 90s the J frame was befed up and chambered in
.357 Mag.
I have a model 60 3" Bbl. with the adj. rear sight.
nice balance
Model 640 has a shrouded hmmer and is double action only
with a 2 1/8" Bbl. fixed sights

Ruger GP 100 - just a tad bigger than an L frame Smith but
it's cast steel versus the S&W Forged steel.
SP101 again slightly largerer than a J-frame S&W
Cast versus forged again, both are 5 shot in .357 Mag.

Not to say anything but Rugers are built strong and all of the
above if not abused should last a very long time.

In my model 60 for HD/SD I use .38 SPecial +P 125 gr. JHPs
for more manageable recoil for follow up shots fwiw. and it doesn't
break the sound barrier for a sonic BOOM indoors.

but the 60 is a backup for my 1911 .45 ACP.

I also have an N frame S&W a 625 fires the .45 ACP great HD/SD
for the home IMHO. Recoil management with the .45 ACP rounds
are much easie.

Randall
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And if you're looking for a holster,......

check out the Texas Heritage IWB from Tucker Gunleather.

ALong the lines of First handgun

I had a S&W Model 18 6 shot .22 LR as my first handgun in my
teens. .22 LR is cheap and I shot it a lot which is the
way to learn shooting - cottontails, snakes etc. accuracy
comes with time and technique.

These days i Have a 617 10 shot .22 6" Bbl. and take it to
the range - I use it for warmup in single action and double action
shooting before stepping up to my 625 5" Bbl. in .45 ACP. They are
both the same weight, near the same in sight radius and balance

The 617 will be a great one to introduce my grandkids to handgun
shooting as well.

Randall

Boy do some folks make it harder for a new guy.

The OP's choice of a Ruger GP-100 is excellent. I personally prefer the S&W 686 in that particular class, or a model 19/66 S&W for carry purposes mainly for subjective reasons (over 50 years of habit). But no one could or should criticize or question your Ruger choice in any rational way.

But understand I was carrying S&W's (not the 686 though) before Ruger made their first double action Revolver, the Security Six which I bought too.

Many folks here will justify what they like or carry. You go with what you like and know. Experience will handle the rest. My only suggestion is stick with known quality weapons, just like the Ruger.

Good luck and welcome aboard.

Fred

Stupid should hurt

Taurus' quality isn't bad at all. They won't have the fit and finish of a Ruger or S&W, but they work. IMO they've got better fit and finish than Rossi or Charter arms.

My boss has an 85 ultralite that's had thousands of rounds through it and I also have the same gun with a few hundred rounds. Never a problem with either and the lock up is just as good as my 637.

If money was tight then a taurus would do fine. Still...Ruger or S&W would be my preference.

If you want to carry a GP-100 then they do come in 3". The 3" should still be a lot easier to shoot than a 2" J frame, mainly because the grip is bigger. Of course you're 6'-2" too, so that extra inch might not matter.
The only way to know if you can carry one is to stuff it in your pants.

What model revolvers do your friends have?
That can help you make a decision a lot easier.

^^A 22 is always a good idea for a first gun, but if money is tight then a 38 would still be a good gun to learn on, especially in a medium frame.

white29 - yah lucky b*stid to have acreage

Anyway, the friend I go to the indoor range with has let me
shoot his Gp100 with a 6" Bbl. It is a fine accurate shooting
platform for the .357 Magnum. Whatever DA revolver you go
with if you've got big hands you might consider custom grips from
Herretts - Twin Falls Idaho. I'd recommend the Jordan Troopers.
Bill Jordan was a Border Patrol LEO who campaigned for S&W to
chamber the .357 Mag in the medium frame and in the Late 1950s
S&W didthis and the Model 19 was born. A medium frame .357 Mag
for LEOs who carried them 8+ hours a day. Prior to that S&W only
chambered the .357 Mag in their large N-frame from the ANyway,
Herretts requires an outline of your hand to build the grips to YOUR
size hand. I'd like Troopers for my 60. I have long if not beefy hands.

cartrdiges origin in 1935

The .357 Mag cartrdige develops it's power from slow burning to a
higher pressure powder type. It needs a longer barrel to get a full
burn of the powder. WIth a shorter barrel the unburned powder comes
out of the barrel and burns producing the muzle flash. This can happen
with many non magnum cartridges as well depending on the load/type of
gun powder. My 1911 5" Bbl full size in .45 ACP with some factory stuff
it has some muzle flash - CCI Blazer brass case is an
example that comes to mind. WIth my model 60 and the
3" Bbl. muzzzle flash isn't bad with the .38 SPecial SPeer Gold Dot +P JHPs.

Just sharing my experience, I don't know Taurs or the Ruger lines in
.22 DA revolvers but those would be cheaper than the Top drawer S&W 617
or the older 17/18 - they sure keep their resale value though.

Randall

The best approach you can take, IMO, is to go to a range that rents revolvers and test-drive a few. Bring some of your friends along who own revolvers so that you can run some ammo through those as well. Some will fit your hand and eye better than others, so concentrate on the ones that feel right and shoot best. After awhile, you'll be able to eliminate all but a couple; that's when you can really spend some time and have some fun.

Before you know it, you'll have found that perfect gun for you. The right choice/answer might even surprise you. The chances are pretty good, in fact, that it will be that's not on your starting list.

White,

Start with a .22 then after awhile get a .357. That is, if you plan to shoot.

For a rookie?

My EDC is a sp101.It's a GREAT carry gun IMO.I carry it IWB most of the time with NO trouble at all,and have also carryed it in the front pocket of my winter jacket with no trouble.Just enough weight to tame the 357 round's and makes 38 practice rounds feel like a 22lr.As far as accuracy,I think the snub's get a bad rap.Maybe others set their standards a bit higher than I do,but for self-defence distance's,the snub's do fine and just aren't as hard to shoot as some make them out to be.

I'm not a revolver guy so take my advice with a grain of salt. Your Ruger choices for a home defense/range/carry gun seems good and can be carried with a good belt and holster (makes more difference than I ever would of thought).
I would suggest also checking out the small 5 shot revolvers as a "always" gun for when your GP or SP is just to big. You can also check out a Taurus Tracker for cheap 22lr practice. This of course al depends on your money situation and desire to quickly acquire three handguns. Personally when I moved to P.A. and was able to purchase a handgun I bought five within six weeks.

any one will do you. Go for the best deal. I think you made a great choice.

A nice option to look into as a do it all gun would be a S&W Model 19 with a 4 inch barrel loaded up with .38Spl +P. It's got enough punch to get the job done but at the same time won't beat up your hand in longer practice session and the ammo is far cheaper than .357 Mag. The 4 inch barrel is also a nice compromise between carry requirements and longer shot playing on the acreage. It's also a touch lighter and slimer than the Ruger. Not by much mind you but it's there.

I agree with searcher. Rent a bunch before you buy and find what works for you. I like the S&W 642 because it's reliable, light weight and easily concealed in any season.

For a do-all gun, I'd go with the K-frame Smiths or the SP101 or GP100 from Ruger. The J-frames are great carry guns, but extended sessions on the range can become painful.