Quality of Ruger GP-100.
- Thread starter Allist816
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t george
Member
unless somthing has changed in the last year or so they are good, durable, strong like tractor guns... I wouldnt part with mine for any price
wow6599
Member
Fit and finish.......not like a S&W
Reliabilty and durability.......like a Ruger (good)
Reliabilty and durability.......like a Ruger (good)
I actually think GP-100's have always gotten a raw deal from people. You always hear that they are built like tanks but are not refined like S&W's. I've always found them to have every bit as much build quality as Smith's. They are scary accurate and, in my experience owning a number of GP's and S&W 686's, the Gp's give higher velocity with equal barrel lengths. I've also found the triggers are better than they used to be. I love 686's and find GP-100's to be every bit their equal. (I currently own a 4" 686-5 and a 3" GP).
I don't get that either that people think the fit and finish aren't up to S&W standards. The last time I saw a GP-100 it looked real nice to me. How are the GP-100s not as good in fit and finish as the S&W revolvers? I would really like to know from anyone about this.
Gryffydd
Member
I love mine. It is very well built and the trigger would be tough to differentiate from my brother's S&W 686. Mine's a 5" model and it's as accurate as it is tough.
Snobal
Member
Recently, Ruger quit using pins to "lock" their cylinder ejector star (or whatever you call it) to the cylinder.
The newer GP100's that I have examined seem to have some cylinder "play" as the hand (pawl?) comes up to rotate the cylinder in double action shooting and new ejector star rotates a bit to lock into the cylinder.
The older pinned-star gun's cylinders rotate and lock smoothly in double-action and can have excellent actions.
I doubt this will make any difference to 99% of the shooters buying recent-production GP100's --- but I'm really disappointed. If I choose to buy another GP100, I'll look for an older model.
JMHO
The newer GP100's that I have examined seem to have some cylinder "play" as the hand (pawl?) comes up to rotate the cylinder in double action shooting and new ejector star rotates a bit to lock into the cylinder.
The older pinned-star gun's cylinders rotate and lock smoothly in double-action and can have excellent actions.
I doubt this will make any difference to 99% of the shooters buying recent-production GP100's --- but I'm really disappointed. If I choose to buy another GP100, I'll look for an older model.
JMHO
md7
Member
love mine. its tough as nails, accurate, has a good trigger, and is reliable. i would not want to part with it.
scott5
Member
I wish I could find a smith that could put a Dan Wesson on it.
I think an 8 or 10" barrel on a GP-100 would look and shoot really cool.
I think an 8 or 10" barrel on a GP-100 would look and shoot really cool.
roaddog28
Member
Hi,
I think the GP100 is the best value today in a production medium frame revolver. In my area they go new for $579 stainless steel. A S&W 686 is now $725. For me I can't see the difference in quality for the extra money Smith is trying to get. The GP100 is accurate, reliable , strong and the trigger now a days is close to the Smith. Remember Smith went to the internal lock with the firing pin in the frame design. Now the trigger is no were as good out of the box as the older pre-lock version with the firing pin on the hammer. A person might want to smooth out a GP100 trigger. I did with mine. I now would put my GP100 up against any L frame Smith. Now, it a person is going to pay $700 to $800 for a revolver then I would get a Smith model 27-2 5 inch revolver. They are worth that kind of money.
regards,
roaddog28
I think the GP100 is the best value today in a production medium frame revolver. In my area they go new for $579 stainless steel. A S&W 686 is now $725. For me I can't see the difference in quality for the extra money Smith is trying to get. The GP100 is accurate, reliable , strong and the trigger now a days is close to the Smith. Remember Smith went to the internal lock with the firing pin in the frame design. Now the trigger is no were as good out of the box as the older pre-lock version with the firing pin on the hammer. A person might want to smooth out a GP100 trigger. I did with mine. I now would put my GP100 up against any L frame Smith. Now, it a person is going to pay $700 to $800 for a revolver then I would get a Smith model 27-2 5 inch revolver. They are worth that kind of money.
regards,
roaddog28
Fishman777
Member
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- Sep 20, 2007
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- 520
Ruger DA revolvers are great values. If you get a good speciment, they are the most durable and reliable DA revolvers on the market. Fit and finish are another story. Rugers are very hit and miss when it comes to these areas. Mostly miss when it comes to finish.
I was a really big revolver guy for years and swore by them until I bought my M&P 9. I'm beginning to favor autoloaders now.
I was a really big revolver guy for years and swore by them until I bought my M&P 9. I'm beginning to favor autoloaders now.
The GP100's fit and finish is more or less comparable to that of the S&W 686 (sometimes not as good, but often right up there), but I think that aesthetically the design doesn't look as "refined" maybe, whatever that means. It's kind of hard to explain since I don't have much of an art background, but the GP100 looks sort of "crude" (even though it isn't) and blocky in comparison. Perhaps it's the apparent thickness of the GP100's top strap, and/or the lines and contours of the area where the barrel meets the frame. It's just an aesthetic issue, really. Both are good guns--well-made for mass-produced revolvers of their class. It's up to the individual to decide whether paying more for the 686's looks--and in the case of the Plus version, a 7-round capacity--is worthwhile, and whether its internal lock is a deal-breaker.
3leggeddog
Member
Gp100
Snobal post:
Join Date: December 10, 2008
Location: Arizona Wilderness
Posts: 26 "Recently, Ruger quit using pins to "lock" their cylinder ejector star (or whatever you call it) to the cylinder.
The newer GP100's that I have examined seem to have some cylinder "play" as the hand (pawl?) comes up to rotate the cylinder in double action shooting and new ejector star rotates a bit to lock into the cylinder.
The older pinned-star gun's cylinders rotate and lock smoothly in double-action and can have excellent actions".
My Question:
Anyone have a picture of the older style “pinned-star cylinder”?
Is there a serial ##### for the last dated made before change?
A BIG Thanks for your replies!!!
Snobal post:
Join Date: December 10, 2008
Location: Arizona Wilderness
Posts: 26 "Recently, Ruger quit using pins to "lock" their cylinder ejector star (or whatever you call it) to the cylinder.
The newer GP100's that I have examined seem to have some cylinder "play" as the hand (pawl?) comes up to rotate the cylinder in double action shooting and new ejector star rotates a bit to lock into the cylinder.
The older pinned-star gun's cylinders rotate and lock smoothly in double-action and can have excellent actions".
My Question:
Anyone have a picture of the older style “pinned-star cylinder”?
Is there a serial ##### for the last dated made before change?
A BIG Thanks for your replies!!!
I would happily take a 686 or 586 over a GP-100. Triggers are better, actions are smoother, and the design is sleeker. The GP100 looks more angular and less refined to me. Cock the hammer back on both and feel the difference in quality.
chicharrones
needs more ammo
This is a photo I took a while back for a web project that never came to be, that's why the cylinder is loaded. Anyway, I added the two white pointers, pointing to the pins. They are attached to the cylinder. The extractor star has holes in it that slide over the pins. This particular GP100 is an early '90s version, serial # 172-3****
Love my GP-100. Have a 686 Mtn. Gun, too, but in many ways prefer the Ruger. In past had a number of other Smiths, some Colts and Dan Wesson or two. One of the later Smiths (629) had a barrel out of the factory that was clocked over too far so Ruger isn't the only one with problems. Both the GP-100 and 686 have been tuned by pistolsmiths and aside from the Smiths smaller hammer arc there isn't much to distinguish trigger quality between the two or in pull weights as far as that goes. Next gun I am looking for is a GP-100 3" short underlug barrel.
I used to snub my nose at ruger revolvers, until I shot my friend's gp 100 in .357. I have to say that I think that thing has a better trigger pull than the smiths. I also am now a big fan of their push button cylinder release (I used to discredit that too), now I realize it is an improvement.
Fishman777
Member
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2007
- Messages
- 520
Snobal,
You might want to look at the following post at the Ruger forum.
Look at the reply by Iowegan (post #22).
He is a retired revolversmith, the author of the GP100 IBOK (Iowegan's Book of Knowledge), a moderator and the resident revolver expert at rugerforum.net.
http://rugerforum.net/ruger-double-action/22878-aw-jeez-ruger-cheaped-out-latest-gp100s.html
This is a non-issue and will not impact on the reliability of the new GP100s.
You might want to look at the following post at the Ruger forum.
Look at the reply by Iowegan (post #22).
He is a retired revolversmith, the author of the GP100 IBOK (Iowegan's Book of Knowledge), a moderator and the resident revolver expert at rugerforum.net.
http://rugerforum.net/ruger-double-action/22878-aw-jeez-ruger-cheaped-out-latest-gp100s.html
This is a non-issue and will not impact on the reliability of the new GP100s.
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