gp100 barrel length??

[jimbombo]

Hello all.
Having some problems deciding on barrel length for my new gp100.
Either going to go 3" or 4".... primary uses will be range and home defense, may eventually take it with me camping or hiking.
What do you guys think. I like both and have held both, just can't make up my mind.

Thanks..

 

[Remllez]

Jimbombo,

I'm partial to the three inch given a choice, with practice they can be shot quite accurately and they seem to carry better for me. Having said that you can't go wrong with either one.

 

[proven]

i had a hard time deciding when i bought mine too. i ended up with the 3 inch and have been very happy. sometimes i think i might pick up a 4 inch, but will likely get a 5.5 redhawk instead for something larger.

my 3 inch is VERY comfortable to carry all day in my simply rugged sourdough pancake. it makes an excellent hiking/camping companion. it carries very well and is still comfortable with buffalo bore 180 hard cast rounds.

i'd say it all comes down to personal preference.

 

[musicman10_1]

I have the 4" and I think that is the perfect gun. For range use and home defense there is no reason not to go with 4" over 3". As far as carrying it while hiking/camping I doubt that there would be that much difference with a good holster. I also see a lot more 4" GP100s where I am than 3".

 

[wyatte]

I bought the 3" gp 100, with the thought that this size would be a great truck or home gun, plus if need be, would work in a pinch to conceal for a while when out in the hills etc. I suppose if I were limited to only one, it would probably be the 4". I have several different options however, so I went with the 3". It's not the best at any one scenario, but from my standpoint, would work adequately for most of them. Maybe it could be referred to as the perfect "compromise", if there is such a thing. wyatte

 

[powwowell]

To take full advantage of the .357 round, I prefer the 4" version.

If anyone thinks the 4" is big and bulky, they haven't ever owned a 6" GP100.

 

[Sam1911]

3" or 4" is probably just about a wash. I'd like to pick up a 3" sometime, but 4"-ers always seem to be much more common and less expensive.

 

[PabloJ]

Four incher for this beast you will find nice holsters easier to find. If it's too large and or heavy for coat pocket use I see little reason to go with shorter barrel. This reminds me of older guy who wanted holster that would keep his short barreled S&W 629 closer to his body. Sir, you are about sixty wearing cargo pants and jacket when it's 85degs out why not just get Safariland duty holster and carry that thing outside (his state allows open carry)?

 

[ClemY]

Between the 3” and 4”, it is an easy choice: 4” because of the much better sights. It would be a more difficult choice if the 3” had good sights.

 

[EmG]

I have a 6" gp100 that i use primarily for hunting, if you want a 357 for cary and camping and hikeing i would consider the smaller framed sp101 it is now avalable with 4.2 inch barrel as well as shorter barrels. if size and weight isnt a concern i would go with the 4 inch gp100. if size is a concern I would go with the sp101 over the gp100 every time.

 

[SwampWolf]

Between the 3” and 4”, it is an easy choice: 4” because of the much better sights. It would be a more difficult choice if the 3” had good sights.

I agree. Unless I plan on having to snatch a sidearm from a pocket or some other "deep cover" location when snagging a sight could impede a draw, I much prefer adjustable sights on all of my handguns. So yeah, for me too, the 4" variant is an "easy choice".

 

[jmr40]

A 357 with a barrel shorter than 4" doesn't make sense to me. A 3" barreled 357 is in reality a very loud, very heavy, 5 or 6 shot 9mm. a 4" gun only beats 9mm performance by a small margin, especially with the lighter 125 gr bullets commonly used for SD. I like the 357 round, but to get magnum performance you need a 6" or longer barrel and heavier 158-180 gr bullets.

 

[lowercase]

I've owned a 4" and just bought a 3" because I like the looks a lot better. I also plan on CCing my 3" GP100 from time to time.

I'm partial to the 3", but for hiking and range use, the 4" is a great gun.

You won't go wrong with either one.

 

[357 Terms]

For all-around use a 4in 357 can't be beat.

A 3" barreled 357 is in reality a very loud, very heavy, 5 or 6 shot 9mm. a 4" gun only beats 9mm performance by a small margin, especially with the lighter 125 gr bullets

Ridiculous!

My 4in 357 can shoot a 158grn bullet at nearly 1300fps (handloads) and that is still within safe loading range. Also a 125 grn 357 will easily hit 1475, and not much less with some factory stuff!!!
A 3in 357 wont be much more than 75fps behind that.

You really don't have the right data source...let me guess..Ballistics by the inch?

 

[proven]

jmr40...these are for buffalo bores offerings in .357

1. 3 inch S&W J frame

a. Item 19A/20-180gr. Hard cast LFN = 1302 fps
b. Item 19B/20-170gr. JHC (jacketed hollow cavity) = 1299 fps
c. Item 19C/20-158gr. Jacketed Hollow Point = 1398 fps
d. Item 19D/20-125gr. Jacketed Hollow Point = 1476 fps

i'd say that's a bit better than a "loud, heavy, 9mm"

 

[357 Terms]

I don't know who you are jmr40...

I really have to question the credibility of your sources.

And not just on this subject.

 

[sedona]

For the range and home defense i think the 4 inch is just about perfect.

 

[IlikeSA]

I've had the 3 inch. If I could do it again, and I will, I will get the 4 or 6 inch, but I am leaning toward the 6 inch.

 

[rich636]

The grass will always be greener no matter what you choose, so be prepared for that. I've had 3, 4, and 6". I personally love shooting 125gr @ 1400fps out of the 3" because it looks like a battleship gun going off; big fireball and shock wave. I think for whatever reason (me included) everyone is hot for 3" revos right now but the 4" is great too. 4" is the boring barrel length that you'll never regret having purchased in my opinion.

 

[beag_nut]

If you won't be carrying the piece concealed, go for the longest barrel you can get. It will be intrinsically more accurate, have less apparent recoil, and have the highest available velocity.

 

[intercooler]

I really like my 4" GP100.

Here are some numbers for you:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ak5OC6bPsjO8dHRYQjg2VzRjWEpUVlhXbjN0ZVMybFE#gid=0

 

[RinkRat]

4"er ... especially if you have future plans to woodland carry as that extra 4" oomph may make a bit of a difference as little as it may be in detouring a woodland menus, and 1 more inch in length isn't going to hinder your concealment as much as you may precede but it will also aid in your sight line accuracy.

 

[SwampWolf]

It will be intrinsically more accurate,

Though a longer barrel might be easier to shoot well (due to the longer sight radius, balance, etc.), it is not "intrinsically" more accurate, everything else being equal.

 

[beag_nut]

Everything else being equal, a longer barrel is more accurate because it imparts potentially more spin to a bullet, stabilizes the straight flight (down the barrel) for a longer distance, and thus gives a straighter flight out of the barrel. If this were not true, we would see long-distance hunters and marksmen using scoped firearms with short, easy-to-carry firearms. If all the powder was burned in such a short barrel (think Bullseye), every hunter might be carrying a scoped, short-barrel bolt-action handgun to bag game.

 

[Sam1911]

a longer barrel is more accurate because it imparts potentially more spin to a bullet

Well, no. In most guns the rifling is cut at a constant rate. Therefore, once the bullet has been forced to turn, it is turning, and will continue to turn until other forces stop it from turning. It doesn't matter if it comes out of a 3" barrel or a 30" barrel, its spin will be exactly the same.

More spin or less spin is set by the twist rate of the rifling. More spin is not necessarily a good thing. Each bullet length and weight has an optimal rate of rotation it "wants" for best accuracy. These vary from 1 rotation in 7" (or so) for bullets which are very long for their caliber, up to less than 1 rotation in 60" for patched round balls in muzzle-loaders. Adding more spin beyond what is intended isn't a very good idea.

If this were not true, we would see long-distance hunters and marksmen using scoped firearms with short, easy-to-carry firearms.

Long barrel lengths have more to do with getting the most velocity out of the cartridge (bullet has longer to accelerate before leaving the barrel), and also for weight giving extra stability while aiming.

If all the powder was burned in such a short barrel (think Bullseye), every hunter might be carrying a scoped, short-barrel bolt-action handgun to bag game.

Powder generally is burned very quickly. It isn't that the powder has not all burned, but that the longer barrel gives more time for the overall pressure produced by the expanding gas to act on the bullet before the bullet escapes the barrel and stops accelerating.