Design issue with Ruger GP-100 7 shot?

[defjon]

I was looking into the gp100 7 shot model and found this :

https://www.rugerforum.net/threads/ruger-gp-100-7-shot-two-threads-merged.339378/page-13

Cylinder not up to saami spec. Cases touching.

Are the 7 shot gp100s not good to go? Anyone have any experience with this? Thanks.

 

[Electricmo]

Brass not up to standards.

 

[fxvr5]

Brass not up to standards.

Please explain.

 

[defjon]

I think they mean out of spec brass causing the issue.

From what I'm reading so far Ruger added a 7th round but didn't change the cylinder size at all, leaving less meat between each round.

The Ruger forum has various brands owners have posted issues with, including Winchester, blazer, magtech and a few others.

These rounds would fire fine in a traditional 6 shot gp100, or properly designed 7 shot (686 +).

Is this a deal breaker? I'm looking at one made in 2019.

 

[Cump]

Here is my cylinder, with multiple brands. All fit that I've tried, but I wouldn't mind some more room.

 

[defjon]

Woo, thank you ..
No rimlock on that perfecta?

In your opinion, is it safe with so narrow a space on some of those loads.. Like like it would be hard to get a feeler gauge through

 

[Cump]

I haven't had any extraction issues, and I am not worried about factory ammo. But maybe I won't load any barn burners.

 

[derek45]

Mine works great. according to Ruger it was built in 2019

I've tried to find 357 brass that binded, and cannot.

I reload on a DILLON XL650 and have tons of 357brass, I've never had any trouble.

 

[Riomouse911]

Here is my cylinder, with multiple brands. All fit that I've tried, but I wouldn't mind some more room.

Man, you’re not kidding about the tight spaces between the rims. I never really paid attention to the rim clearance my 686+ until you posted those pictures.

There isn’t much room in the S&W cylinder either, here are Winchester and Federal cases.




You can hardly slip a business card between them. If I had out of SAAMI spec rims in this gun I could see them possibly hanging up, too.

Stay safe.

 

[mcb]

I thought I had read on another forum that Ruger made a change to the 7-shot GP100 at some point to address the issue with max material rim diameters causing issues.

I believe with the 686+ (and maybe the new GP100 if it shares the same bolt circle diameter as I suspect) there is less than .001 - inch space between rims of max SAAMI spec diameter.

 

[Dan-O]

I’d still like the 3” 7 shot version

 

[CraigC]

Worthy of note that that forum is run by a tyrant who banned the late Denis Prisbrey (DPris) because of that thread. Not because he misbehaved but because he wouldn't fall in line with the mob. Anyone who was familiar with DPris on any of the forums he frequented, including this one, knows he was a stand up guy who never got out of line with anyone. Unlike the forum admin, who is a retired gunsmith and nowhere near as smart as he thinks, Denis had spoken at length with the engineer at Ruger and the problem, due no doubt to out of spec ammo, had been rectified. That wasn't good enough for the lynch mob.

 

[Rock185]

FWIW, I have owned S&W 686 7-shot revolvers. The cases appear about as close together as with the GP100 pictured. There was ~.008" between the Federal case heads I measured.

 

[mcb]

FWIW, I have owned S&W 686 7-shot revolvers. The cases appear about as close together as with the GP100 pictured. There was ~.008" between the Federal case heads I measured.


View attachment 984650

Did you measure the rim diameter of those Federal cartridges?

 

[Rock185]

mcb, The seven rounds I used were .434"-.435" rim diameter.

 

[Cump]

Thought I would post a comparison between a GP and 686 with the same rounds (the GP has the diagonal shadow). True to form I cannot find my calipers, but these are the most problematic rounds I've found because of extractor scars from a lever gun. They still rotate freely in the GP (even the dinged rim's) so there is some room, but it looks like a hair's beeadth. A little more space in the 686.

Considering mine chambers and extracts a variety of ammo, though i don't baby the ejector rod, it is a non-issue in my opinion.

Even if I found a brand it didn't like, it would be no different than my Springfield 1911 with its tighter chamber, my S&W 69 which can't take the heaviest 44 mag bullets, or my Micro Desert Eagle which doesn't love Sig Sauer .380 ammo.

 

[Rock185]

Cump, My experience is similar to what you indicated in your last paragraph. I've sometimes found a particular gun to be incompatible with a particular ammo. This, even though gun and ammo are both in spec, quality products....

 

[Cump]

The good news is that when one gun doesn't meet the ideal, we have a excuse to find another to fulfill the wish. Maybe a 357 blackhawk for upper-level loads, in this case.

*Still not worried about the 7-shots with SAAMI loads.

 

[SDGlock23]

For what it's worth, the only GP100 I've ever had issues with was a 4.2" 7 shot 357. It would shoot 38 fine but the Remington 357 Mag would stick cases so bad I'd have to knock them out with a mallet. That's why I stick to the 6 shot Gp100's.

 

[sabbfan]

I have the 7 shot GP100 4.2”, the only ammo I have had an issue with was Federal HST micro 38 special. I had several boxes left over after I sold my LCR so I ran them through the GP. They bound up so I took my calipers to the rim and they were bigger than all my other brass. Don’t remember the exact measurement but definitely bigger. I’ve reloaded the cases several times and have had no issue as long as I don’t load those Federal cases all together in the cylinder. Not really a problem now as they’ve all been mixed in my tumbler with other brass. It’s a nice shooter and I really like it, and have had no issue besides that particular ammo. Other Federal has been fine as well.

 

[defjon]

Just a follow up, ran a mad variety of. Both 357 and 38 through a 7 shot, no issues. Even mixed cylinders of 357 and 38, aluminum 357a, all my junkiest junk rounds. 100%, no rimlock or extraction issues.

If you're interested in one check the serial number and I think 2019 on youre probably good to go.