How to make the GP100 better...or 686

[wild cat mccane]

Bought a Rossi 972 and sold it because I didn't care for the attached hammer firing pin. Sold Rossi for GP100 6" stainless. GP100 sold because the trigger was pretty hard in both DA and SA. Pretty is actually fairly nice. It was hard.

Will a spring set drastically change the GP100? At 60 dollars difference, would a S&W 686+ have a better trigger? How about resale on the S&W? Everyone said the S&W holds better, but I sold the GP100 for 20 bucks less than I purchased only days later.

I just can't decided and don't know how the GP100 will clean up with the spring set.

*Final Question: Are there "traditional", wood, none finger, flat bottom grips available for the GP100? Everything I come across has huge finger shapes and/or a rounded bottom on the grip

 

[Panzerschwein]

Here are some nice traditional flat butts with no finger grooves for the GP100:

https://www.eaglegrips.com/60-ruger-gp100-super-redhawk-grips

I say stick with the GP. Get you some gun oil, squirt it in the action of the GP. Then, get some snap caps and dry fire the HELL out of it each night.

In a few nights, you'll find it'll slick up BEAUTIFULLY. You can also get a Wolff spring pack, but keep in mind that they put heavy springs in for a reason, to make sure you don't get light primer strikes which could get you killed in a defensive situation. So if you do use lighter springs, make sure to to thoroughly test that the revolver still fires with your chosen defensive load.

I'd skip the 686. Especially if it has an internal lock. Sorry, but that's a deal killer for me. The Ruger is going to have just as good a trigger if you take time to break it in some. It is also more durable and far easier to take apart and clean. The front sight is easily changed, and in general, it's just a better revolver that the current S&W guns.

Now if you mentioned an older pre-lock 686, that would be a harder question. But the GP100 is just a great revolver, and a modern classic.

In the end, "you do you boo-boo".

Just my $0.02.

 

[wild cat mccane]

Think it will change that much?

I'll add, I also bought a Taurus 669 (6", stainless) that also had a way better trigger.

 

[splattergun]

Rugers like a break-in

Rugers tend to have not-so-great triggers out of the box, but they smooth out after a good cleaning and some use. What Cooldill recommends is spot on, but I would field strip it per the manual, then clean and lube it first. Dry fire and/or shoot it a bunch, then clean and lube again. You should be happy with the result.

I've gone trough this process with my P89, SR1911, and currently in this process with my SP101, which is smoothing out nicely.

 

[Dan-O]

The only reason I'd get the 686+ over a GP is that extra round. Smith quality control has hit rock bottom recently. Guess the same can be said for Rugers too....but Rugers are easier to slick up imho.

Grips:



And full size:

 

[DPris]

The Ruger's trigger can be improved, with some use and/or an action job.

A spring change can help, but is not an action job.

Look around for grips on the Internet.

Re-sale value depends on model, condition, and buyer preference.

If you already sold the Ruger, why are you asking?
Denis

 

[MikeJackmin]

Years ago I picked up a stainless GP100 police trade that was filthy. I removed the grips, dropped the trigger assembly out and hosed down everything with brake cleaner.

When it was clean and bone dry, I reassembled it and dry fired it 1000 times. It's not as bad as it sounds, but switch hands as you go. The whole point is to burnish the wear points of the moving parts, and that happens more quickly if they are not lubricated.

When done, it came apart again, got hosed down a second time, dried, then flushed with RemOil and reassembled once more. The trigger is much smoother and nicer.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Just handled the Ruger Match Champion today. It is what the GP100 should be.

Hope they one day make a 3 inch version.

Deaf

 

[Panzerschwein]

Just handled the Ruger Match Champion today. It is what the GP100 should be.

Hope they one day make a 3 inch version.

Deaf

I like the grips on the Match Champ, but a standard GP100 is a good, serviceable revolver.

 

[Old Fuff]

Any revolver will give you a lighter double-action trigger pull if you reduce the tension caused by the springs the factory used, either by clipping coil springs, thinning or bending leaf ones, or replacing them altogether with lighter ones.

Of course they're is a minor issue that many overlook. If you go too far the revolver may go "click" rather then "BANG!"

Dry firing, as has been pointed out will burnish the parts where they are pressed together under pressure and make them smoother - without having a possible negative affect on the manufacturer's warrantee. Something that many who have just performed some "polishing" and gone too far in the wrong places discover to late.

The lockwork design in S&W revolvers made after about 1905 offer some mechanical advantage when the trigger levers the hammer backwards, that Ruger's (with the exception of the LCR line) don't have.

But the Ruger's use of a transfer bar system makes it unnecessary to have a trigger spring strong enough to rebound the hammer. Sort of six one way and a half-dozen the other.

In my view no one should consider selling or trading a new revolver until it's been dry fired (with snap-caps in the chambers) or fired at least 1000 time. Then decide which way to go.

The Old Fuff also tends to buy used guns that have been put through the dry fire exercise by someone else, and save money in the process.

 

[M-Cameron]

my buddy has a 686.......my GP100 with a basic trigger job is hands down a significantly better shooter than the 686.

a trigger job in a ruger is super simple.

http://www.sp101trigger.com/

 

[spazzymcgee]

After breaking in or having an action job done, a 686 and GP100 will have more or less the same trigger pulls. Both will improve significantly with a spring kit and polishing. That said, the Smith will be easier to find parts and accessories for. It comes down to preference, really. In my opinion, getting something older but in good shape would net you a smoother gun, and the value would increase instead of decrease over time. A vintage 686 would be less money than a new one, and of higher quality in my opinion. That's not everyone's opinion, but I personally like the older ones more. If the older revolver you find isn't already smooth as silk from use, then dry fire it a lot as others have said, or get a nice action job done.

 

[WestKentucky]

I had 2 bad barrels with Ruger. It was from the time when they were outsourcing, but 2 for 2 on bad gp100s. I won't let myself try #3 unless it's a gift. My 686 has been wonderful, and it's a 2015 production gun.

Strictly speaking to the trigger, I like smith triggers a lot better than Ruger triggers, but almost all triggers improve with spring kits. My 686 gets a kit ordered the day I get my first paycheck after finding a job.

 

[roaddog28]

My take on this thread. I have had two GP100 4 inch revolvers. The first one was new and had the worst trigger on any revolver I ever owned. The action was so rough it would hang and not cycle a round right. I dry fired this revolver for over six months at least 100 dry fires a day. After six months the trigger was not much better. So finally spent $100 dollars to have a action job done by a gunsmith. Afterwards, the trigger had a much lighter and smoother trigger but firing rounds sometimes resulted in the trigger hanging up again and not cycling a round right. I have never had a revolver do this. I finally traded this revolver for a lost. My second Ruger GP100 I bought was used. The owner claims that he only put one box of ammo through the revolver. I look the revolver over, dry fired the revolver with snap caps which resulted in a smooth trigger but heavy.
I kept this revolver for a few years and sold the revolver to fund another project. I now own a S&W 686-6 + 4 inch. The action again is smooth but heavier than my older pre-lock S&W revolvers.
I have learned a few things from both experiences. Don't buy a new revolver unless you inspect it completely which includes dry firing the revolver. If after buying the revolver there is a issue send it back to Ruger or S&W. Even gunsmiths sometimes don't fix the issues and its harder to get a gunsmith to fix a issue without charging for it.
These days if I buy a revolver I only by used older revolvers that have been fired little. Most the time if there is a issue the owner has fixed it.
Opinion only,
Howard

 

[lonestardiver]

You might look for a good used S&W model 66. Yeah it may be 30+ years old but it was made well and will still rock on. They also hold their value well. Mine was an old police trade in. Stainless with no real holster wear. Adjustable rear sights. It is about as sweet as my three screw model 29 is SA and DA.

 

[Deaf Smith]

I like the grips on the Match Champ, but a standard GP100 is a good, serviceable revolver.

Yes it is.

Deaf

 

[bannockburn]

Cooldill

Thanks for the link for the Eagle grips for the GP100. One of things I never cared for with my GP100 was the factory grips.

 

[RugRev]

The price is a bit high but Herrett's will make a set of Roper grips to fit one's hand for the GP100. One must, however, send the gun for fitting.

http://www.herrett-stocks.com/

Hogue's can be ordered without the finger grooves but will still retain the Hogue shape. Here are some on Ebay on which the finger grooves could probably be removed easily with some judicious sanding as they are not very deep.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ruger-GP100...051690?hash=item419e9e586a:g:ySgAAOSwo0JWJnwe

Ruger at one time offered as an after market option some rosewood panels that may turn up on some sites with searching.

The action on a GP can definitely be tuned a lot lighter than what one gets out of the box as mine has a 7.4 lb double action and 2.75 lb single. It fires everything reliably and could be made lighter but I prefer that pull weight

As to comparative trigger pulls with the same amount tuning done they will be about the same pull weights. Some years back had a 686 Mountain Gun and a 66 that I had tuned by a local (at the time) APG gunsmith and the GP was tuned in part by another local 'smith with some additional tinkering by me. The pull weight on the 66 was slightly higher (7.7 lbs DA) and slightly lighter (7.25 lbs DA) on the 686. The character of the pull will differ across brands due to hammer arc (lock time) and differences in internal mechanism. At the time the lightest double action pull I had was on a Walt Sherman roller action Python at 6.5 lbs (yes, it fired magnum primers).