Ruger "Six" series vs. GP100

[roaddog28]

Here is another take on this thread. I would compare a GP100 to a S&W 686 before I would compare a GP100 to a Security Six. Reason the GP100 came out as direct competition to the S&W 686. Just like the Security Six came out to compete against the S&W model 19.
The reason I prefer the Security Six revolver is this revolver is the closest revolver to the S&W model 19. I have always considered the model 19 the best all around revolver S&W ever made. That's the way I feel about the Security Six. There is nothing wrong with the GP100. But they are bigger, heavier and for me not as good handling for my small hands. The Security Six is perfect for me. That is why I have owned my Police Service Six longer than any revolver I have owned.

 

[P89DCSS]

Easy choice, GP100 has better trigger and better grip, looks better too.

 

[RealGun]

Easy choice, GP100 has better trigger and better grip, looks better too.

I think the opposite. While I think my GP100 5" looks balanced, only the Canadian GP100 4" compares favorably to the Security Six. Then they both have half lug barrels. The recent Match Champion is along the same lines, but I am not a fan of slab sided barrels and all sorts of hurrah print on my gun.

 

[diyj98]

The "Six" guns were nice, but I don't see any reason to take one over the newer, stronger GP100's.

 

[skidder]

Seriously? Apparently, some have never experienced both. There was a reason why Bill Ruger claimed he never made any money on the Security Six. The GP came out after revolvers ruled the world. It was more expensive to manufacture a strong k-frame size revolver for Law enforcement officers than it was to just add bulk. It was no coincidence that the L-frame and GP took over the 357 market after LEOs switched to the wonder 9.

I have both, and when I leave my house it's the Six that rides shotgun. More refined, less bulk, and incredibly strong.

 

[OrangePwrx9]

Security Six by a mile. Better balance, accuracy and trigger while being considerably lighter. Could always shoot my 4-incher better than anything else. My best accuracy was shooting DA staging each shot...easy to do with the Sec. Six.

Bought a GP100 thinking it would be as good or better. Wrong! Terrible balance, so-so accuracy, mediocre trigger, plus you couldn't consistently stage the shots shooting DA. Felt like a brick in my hands. Kept it a couple of years thinking it would grow on me and then swapped it off.

Both are/were dead reliable, but, as a shooter, the GP100 was a big disappointment. Have since picked up a 2-3/4" Sec. Six that I like just as much as the older 4" SS .

Wish Ruger would bring the SS back as a "Classic" like S&W has done. Knowing what they are, I'd pay enough for one that Ruger could make a profit this time around.

 

[goon]

I'd like it if Ruger would sort of blend the two - make a GP-100 with 3" and 4" half-lug barrels and adjustable sights.

 

[MCgunner]

I had a security six, traded for a Blackhawk. The security six was not that accurate with .38 and shot way left and low with it vs .357 loads. I've been there, done that with the security six, moved on. My current 4" .357 medium frame gun, the one I settled on, is a Taurus M66, much more accurate and only requires an elevation change to shoot .38 or .357. May not be as strong a design as the security six, but strong enough. It's a nice gun, good shooter. Another thing I didn't like about the security six was it was a might rough on the hand with heavy loads, this with a nylon Hogue on it. A rubber Hogue would probably have helped. I'm SURE the GP100 would improve on THIS. Between the two, I'd pick a new GP100. But, for an EDC, let's talk SP101, better than both your other choices for carry...

 

[RealGun]

goon - I'd like it if Ruger would sort of blend the two - make a GP-100 with 3" and 4" half-lug barrels and adjustable sights.

Definitely, but then we'd see more folks opting for 38 S&W Special ammo (or light reloads in 357 cases). The heft is what makes the GP a good .357 S&W Magnum.

 

[Krator]

@RealGun I guess most people use .38 instead of .357 in. 686+ then beuse it weights just as much as half-lug gp100 match champion and MC has some steel shave off the cylinder too.


Standard GP 100 is way more than "heavy enough". 2-3 oz. less won't make it light all of the sudden.

 

[RealGun]

Sorry, but the threshold of too light changes, when you go to half lug. The longer the barrel, the more you have removed. The full lug weighting the barrel matters a lot in taming some recoil.

 

[goon]

Definitely, but then we'd see more folks opting for 38 S&W Special ammo (or light reloads in 357 cases). The heft is what makes the GP a good .357 S&W Magnum.

I'll agree that the GP-100 is in no way a bad gun. I owned one before and will probably have another. But I think that with experience and a good set of grips, the issue of shooting a few full-power .357's from a slightly lighter gun becomes less and less of an issue. I'd still prefer the better handling of a lighter barreled gun. If Ruger had put adjustable sights on their new Match Champion, that might have been very good. Even as it is though, I may have to try to buy one.

FWIW, one of my favorite guns of all time is a 3" .357 SP-101. I load it with Speer 135 Grain "short barrel" loads for HD/CCW, full power 158's or Buffalo Bore 180's when I carry it outdoors, and I shoot a lot of .38 Special reloads out of it using whatever bullets I can buy or pilfer just for fun.

I guess it comes back to the thing between a gun being comfortable to carry or being comfortable to shoot. It's hard to have it both ways.

 

[RealGun]

I guess it comes back to the thing between a gun being comfortable to carry or being comfortable to shoot. It's hard to have it both ways.

I think that is the 38 S&W Special's forte. The 327 Federal Magnum would be better IMO, if the industry would commit to it.

 

[Krator]

@RealGun Are you sure it's the recoil and not muzzle rise you're referring to? Because taking some weight off the end of the barrel will surely increase muzzle rise, thus making follow-up shots slower but when it comes to recoil energy etc. it simply depends on the weight of the gun.

 

[RealGun]

That too, but the underlug is part of the overall mass. That muzzle rise has a lot to do with the sore wrists, I think.

 

[goon]

Recoil has a lot to do with how the gun fits too. The GP-100 I owned was pretty pleasant to shoot and very accurate. No surprise there. A good quality gun with great sights, so of course it shot well. It was heavy, so recoil was a non-issue, even though the Hogue monogrip on it wasn't a perfect fit for my hands. When I get another GP-100 some day, I will work on finding grips that fit better or maybe even just get the old style GP-100 grips for it.

The SP-101 with a Hogue grip is a very good fit for my hand. The stock SP-101 grips are way too small for me. If I were stuck with that in a .357, I wouldn't have wanted the SP-101 either. But with good grips and a 3" barrel, the SP-101 .357 is my favorite handgun. Even with shooting quite a few magnum loads up to the 180 grain Buffalo Bore stuff, I've never had sore hands or wrists from it. I do shoot a lot of .38 Special from it though. Not so much the recoil, but the .38 Special has a lot less blast and is just way more fun to shoot.

 

[ginzo]

Six series. Because that's what I came across 1st, so why mess with perfection? I have 2 now. And throw in the pocket 638 for good measure!

 

[tomrkba]

All they need to do is offer a six shot SP-101 in 357 Magnum. I bet this will be close to the Six series. Offer it with 2 1/4" and 3" barrels and I will buy one of each.

 

[RugRev]

A little more on weight. A 3" 1/2 lug GP weighs about 34.5 oz with fixed sights, a 3" full lug 36 oz per Ruger and a 2.75" Speed Six about 31.5 oz so the Six Series is about 2 - 3 oz. less for similar barrel lengths and configurations due to increased mass in the cylinder, barrel and frame of the GP. I would guess the GP could be redesigned to eliminate some weight and going to a 7 shot cylinder would help. Oddly, had a 686 Mountain Gun that weighed about 35.5 oz compared to 36 oz for my 4" 66. Shows that a 7 shot cylinder and lighter barrel profile can do wonders.

 

[schultzie]

Definitely the Six Series. They carry and handle almost as good as "K" frames and don't have any strength concerns.

I voted with my wallet... below are four of my five Six series:

 

[goon]

The problem I encountered with the excellent 2.75" Security Six I owned is that it was old enough that there were no replacement grips available for it. What is the serial number range that most aftermarket grips were made for? I'm thinking it's after 151... I used to know, but I don't anymore. I liked the gun... but the tiny stocks with a short barrel and .357 loads wasn't a good combo. Recoil wasn't painful, but I found that my shots in rapid DA fire were being pushed to the left. The grips were just too small for me to control the gun properly, but it was very pleasant and fun to shoot in single action.

 

[schultzie]

Generally, the 150 prefix frames are the "low back" and 151 plus are the "hump back".

Although I have seen one 4" "low back" stainless with a 151 prefix. I wish I could have purchased it because it was such an oddity. From what I can tell, "low back" stainless revolvers are quite rare anyway.

GunBroker is usually has several choices in 150 grips from both Herrett's and Jay Scott.

 

[RealGun]

All they need to do is offer a six shot SP-101 in 357 Magnum.

Don't see that fitting the frame window. Probably closer to the Security Six would be the GP100 half lug.