Congratulations to the OP!
Ruger can certainly make smooth DA sixguns. It helps to visit multiple stocking dealers, and pick from among the large sample. I handled all of mine before purchase, except for the 5", which was the only one in that configuration I could find.
My oldest GP100 is 1990-1991-era, 4" fully-lugged with adjustable sights, purchased new, originally as a utility/sport sixgun, but it became my duty and personal-carry handgun for a while, when I relegated/sold my original-style P220. (The P220's heel-clip magazine release was snagging on things like patrol car seat cushions, allowing a partial magazine release.) The original Ruger square-butt OEM GP100 grip might have well been designed by a twin brother; it is perfect for my hands. I did move to lighter-weight K-Frames for most duty and urban concealed carry within two or three years, but have never stopped using GP100 revolvers for rural carry, and other occasions when I will want to load-up with full-pressure and specialty ammo.
My newest GP100 was made about 2002, a fixed-sight 4", without the full lug, bought new, which I occasionally carried concealed for a while. I also have a couple of GP100 revolvers that I bought pre-owned, one an early-Nineties, in the same configuration as my first, and a 6", with adjustable sights and non-fully-lugged barrel. This last one might well be the perfect outdoorsman's GP100, in my opinion, for times when the 6" barrel is not likely to get in the way.
I had two GP100 revolvers in the past, which were thinned from the herd. One had a 5" fully-lugged barrel and a very rough action, and the other a 3" lugged barrel with adjustable sights, a rather uncommon variant, with a smooth but heavy action. The 5" had seemed to be a good idea when I bought it, but already having 4" and 6" sixguns, it was certainly not a need, and realizing it would need action work and a custom holster, I decided to part with it, unfired. The 3" GP100 seemed too heavy for what it really was, and became redundant when I bought a .454/.45 SRH Alaskan; I think I sold the 3" GP100 to offset the cost of buying the Alaskan. The ultimate deciding factor: I would much rather fire .45 Colt through a 2.5" barrel than heavy .357 loads through a 3" barrel.
To be clear, I am not being critical of anyone who likes 3" and 5" .357 sixguns!
The particular 3" and 5" GP100 configurations, that I had, were simply not "for me." I may well add a fixed-sight 3" GP100, someday, and REALLY like my 3" SP101. A 5" non-fully-lugged GP100 would certainly capture my attention.
