Questions about Ruger GP100?

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Duckster

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I saw a beautiful Ruger GP100 in .357 at the gun store today for $500. It has a wonderful trigger, adjustable sights and a great feel.
Is this a good handgun?
Is it worth buying Ruger?
Is the price right?

Any help would be appreciated!!
 
Was it brand new ? And was there something special about it to set it apart from the standard model ? What length barrel ? $500 seems maybe somewhat expensive even for a new one.
As far as the gun goes.. its not my thing personally, but I'm a bit biased toward smiths. I like ruger autos, but the revolvers just never felt right to me. I will say that they are probably tougher overall than an equivalent smith, just not as sleek and balanced. They are good workhorse guns though, and like I would say for any gun.. if it feels right for you, then it's right.
 
The Ruger GP100 is a great revolver. I would not pay $500 for one, not because they might not be worth it but because you can commonly get one for less.

For example, I picked up a very nice stainless GP100 from SOG for $220, it was used of course but it came with an excellent holster and a speed loader. It was also loose. I sent it back to Ruger and asked them to tell me how much to bring it back to new spec, they returned it to me, fixed to like new lock up for free, well I did pay postage one way to Ruger but that was all.

They are very well built and you won't find any weakness in them. Like all revolvers they can have the trigger improved a bit but that is no different from any other revolver.

You can feel very safe getting a used one for a lot less than $500 and you will have no less of an excellent revolver. I highly recommend the four inch version for balance and feel. They will handle full house .357 loads and at three pounds they are a pleasure to shoot. If you want to plink you can shoot 38 special ammo which has very little recoil.

Go take a look over on gunbroker or gunsamerica and see what they are going for on the web. Then hit the pawn shops with cash in hand and see if you can't come up with an example for about $300 or so. $350 at the very most.
 
For some people, the politics of Ruger- the company- play a part in their decision to either buy or not buy a Ruger Product. Search the forum for Ruger and politics.

As for the GP100, it's a great gun. At that price a little bit much. I agree with the assessment of seeing what $300 to $350 will get you at a dealer or pawn outlet.

The GP100 in .357 is a fabulous gun. Meaty, well made, and reliable. The triggers can be a bit gritty, but that can be easy enough to resolve with a smith or patience.

I'd have one if I didn't already have a .357 on my nightstand.
 
I personally think the GP100 is too heavy but they are built to last. It is a reliable revolver from a reliable company. I like both the 3" and 4" model. The Ruger WEB site has a List Price of $635 for the GP100 and most hadnguns can be for for 20% off of list so $500 NEW is probably right around the correct price.

If you want only a new revolver then you can buy that one for $500 as long as it's new. If you can accept buying a used revolver then you can do a lot better than $500.
 
500 is a bit high but you can rest assured it's one of the finest guns you can buy from a company that stands behind their products.
 
Too much of a price, even if the GP-100 is quite possibly the strongest and most durable and reliable double action .357 Magnum revolver ever built.
 
I'd buy it.... why waste time looking around to save $50 (unless you're really hurting for cash?). Sure you can probably find it cheaper, but in my opinion its worth every penny. The GP100 is a fine revolver - it will outlast you.
 
love my gp 100, best 357 i've owned and i've had a few. 500 is alot although i have not priced them in quite some time. seems to me 400 would be tops but you should check around, you will love the gun.:)
 
In my area- NE Illinois and SE Wisconsin- a SS GP100 goes for over $500. I have a 4" model, and it's the best overall revolver I've ever owned. After a bit of internal polishing, and spring swaps, the trigger is terrific, and the gun is way more accurate than I had reason to expect.

Chuck
 
I agree with the suggestion to check www.gunbroker.com if you're looking for a better price. There is an outfit that posts as ksTactical (real name Wilson & Associates) that periodically seems to offer brand new GP100s at a reasonable price plus only $10 shipping. Last November I bought a blue GP100 6" from them at $402.60 (plus $10 shipping). No sales tax in this case (unless you live in Oklahoma), and you have to consider the cost of your FFLs fee for doing the transfer, but you'd likely come out ahead.
 
too high for me.

jim pruett has a stainless 4" LNIB for 400+tax

last gunshow I went, had one NIB stainless 4" $429+tax
 
Too high for me, too. I bought mine (a few years ago) second hand but next to new, with a spare set of grips and another set of grip inserts for $325. You should be able to do better than $500, even for a new one.
 
The "problem" with GP100 prices is that it's more or less impossible to wear one out. And you can't rust out the stainless models.

One day 3 million years hence, a mutated radioactive upright version of the cockroach will dig one up and use it to put a cap in another who dared "dis" his broodmate or something.

Seriously, nobody's ever seen a worn-out specimen so used ones are in high demand. Run 10,000 rounds through and all you've done is improve the trigger. Cor-Bon uses them as a testbed for 357 hot loads.
 
I bought my wife a GP100, and I've owned several Ruger revolvers, SA and DA.
I've pumped many many thousands of rounds through these, and I wonder if the only way to wear one out is with oxy-acetylene.
I guess there are folks who may be more talented in the gun-abuse area, but I'm well pleased.
The $400 I spent won't ever have to be spent again to replace this one, barring some freakishly obscene incident.
 
Duckster,

If it has a wonderful trigger, you should buy it.

We spend too much time trying to save money here and there. You can get better prices on the internet, but don't have the opportunity to test it out. Plus, you'll spend $50, some hassle, and have to wait a week just to get it into your hands. Your time has to be worth something.

Plus, some GPs do not have a great trigger. Sending my first one back to Ruger cost me $50 and an 11-week wait.
 
I called all over town today and couldn't find a new one for less than $499.

However, I found a used stainless for $365, and the trigger has been smoothed out on it perfectly! It's darn near as smooth as a Smith trigger.

It compliments by 686+ nicely.
 
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Great guns.

I just bought a second one -- a stainless 4" to complement my blued 4".

I put the compact grips on it, which make it point better for me.
 
The GP 100 is my favorite medium frame revolver.

However...

Inspect before you buy.

Quality control on recent Rugers IMO is very poor. I have had minor to moderate issues with 5 of the last 8 Ruger revolvers I've bought.

Therefore, do NOT special order IMO. Check the gun you are interested for correct function before buying.

If you find a Ruger GP 100 that functions correctly out of the box, BUY IT. When they work out of the box, they are superbly reliable, durable, and IMO have excellent factory grips and top-notch design (its the easiest revolver that I have ever owned to disasemble into subparts).
 
I agree. Well...I will say that the latest specimens appear to be better in the QC department across the whole Ruger product line, and I've heard reports this is on the DA guns too. But I still wouldn't buy one sight unseen, unless it was rare and/or pre-customized.

That said: when I went to pick my New Vaquero from among three at a dealer, final choice was basically random as they were all good (mid-2005). Actually, I think I went with the one with the least cheesy fake color case - couldn't find stainless :).
 
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