Revolver Decision Help

Status
Not open for further replies.

DblActionJEB

Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2019
Messages
14
So, I went into the gun store with some recent Christmas money & gift cards with the intention of treating myself to a new revolver. I was fairly sure I wanted a Smith & Wesson 686 plus in 3" they had in stock for $710 new but wanted to look around a bit before making the purchase. There was my mistake!
There were several guns marked down and one in particular that caught my eye was the Ruger GP100 3" 10mm Wiley Clapp edition marked down to only $599 new. I don't have any 10mm handguns but have always been intrigued by that caliber and this seems like a great deal.

So, that brings me to my questions!

#1 - Is the GP100 10mm a steal at that price that I need to jump on even if it means jumping into a new caliber?
#2 - How would the recoil in a 3" 10mm revolver compare to the 3" 686 357? I'm not super recoil sensitive, but appreciate the ability to shoot 357, 38, and 38 +p in the 686. 40S&W isn't recommended in the GP100 and I don't own any guns in that caliber anyway, so it would pretty much be 10mm only in the GP100.

Thanks!
 
No answer to #1, as I haven't been keeping up with the prices

357 and 10mm are ballistic twins for the most part, with 10mm being able to push a slightly heavier bullet, and 357 going faster in 180 grain bullets, negligible out of a 3 inch. Recoil should be indistinguishable.

The question you need to ask is if you want to go with moonclips or not. Ten millimeter, being an auto round, needs them.
 
I don't mind the moon clips. It comes with 3 and I will probably order 3 more if I get it.

If price was the same I would probably go with the 686 just because I already have a lot of 357 and 38 ammo.
If the price was the same between the 4.2" gp100 match champion 10mm and the 3" gp100 Wiley Clapp 10mm I would probaly go with the 4.2" for the improved ballistics.
So while the 3" 10mm isn't my top pick, the price makes it very appealing.
 
I don't mind the moon clips. It comes with 3 and I will probably order 3 more if I get it.

If price was the same I would probably go with the 686 just because I already have a lot of 357 and 38 ammo.
If the price was the same between the 4.2" gp100 match champion 10mm and the 3" gp100 Wiley Clapp 10mm I would probaly go with the 4.2" for the improved ballistics.
So while the 3" 10mm isn't my top pick, the price makes it very appealing.
If I were were going to get into the 10mm game, I would want a longer than 3" barrel to get the added velocity. Since you already have 38 and 357 ammo, I would look for a 357 revolver. But you are not me, so you might buy the 10mm. Good luck with whatever you decide.
 
I shoot a lot of 10mm and no 357. I would get the caliber I already had regardless. The two are close enough to not really matter.

If you get the 10 and you reload that would open the door for 40 since dies and everything except the primers are the same.

40 doesn't work in the GP because the case headspaces on the mouth (even though most semi autos dont even do this today....) and the moon clip doesn't actually support the base using 10mm it sets a ways from the cylinder. .40 falls farther into the cylinder and actually headspaces off the moon clip and sometimes the firing pin doesn't reach. Companies are making thicker moon clips at the moment to address this. Some may be on the market already. Not sure why Ruger designed the gun this way. Smith didn't do it with the 610.
 
The few dollars you would save on the Ruger, memory will fade in a while, The gun will probably be with you a long time. Get the one you like.
 
Where’s the shop selling the 3” 10mm? At that price I’d be interested

Cdnn has the match champion for 599 with a 4 inch. I've dealt with them in the past and have only positive things to say. Not sure where the OP seen them.
 
I decided to stick with the 686 since i am already heavily invested in 357.
Shop selling the 10mm GP100 3" is The Gun Zone in Mesquite TX. I believe it's an in store only price though so not one you could order online at that price.
 
$710 for a 3 inch GP100 is fairly high. Around here a new 3” GP runs just a bit over $600
 
Barry loyd

I had both the GP100 and 686+ at one time, both in 357. I still have the 686 and sold the GP.

I had a Ruger GP100, a S&W Model 686, and a Colt Trooper MK.V, all at the same time. Could only keep one; had to sell the other two to pay for school. The GP100 was the first to go as I really didn't care for it's ergonomics or it's trigger. It was a much tougher choice between the Colt and the S&W but the 686 ultimately won out because of it's fantastic DA/SA trigger.
 
The point of 10mm is "revolver power" in an auto-loader. IMO, putting 10mm in a revolver defeats the purpose of having it, in the first place.
Get something with rimmed ammo, meant for a revolver, pick .357 or .44 Mag.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top