Woman's side arm: 3" GP-100 357 or 2.5" Akaskan 45 Colt?

[charlie echo]

What would be the better self-defense Ruger revolver, for a woman who already has a 5-shot "J" frame 38+P revolver, but wants more SD power:

The 3" bbl GP-100 with 357 Magnum
or
The 2.5" bbl Akaskan with 45 Colt or 45 Colt+P
?

http://www.ruger.com/products/gp100/specSheets/1715.html

http://www.ruger.com/products/superRedhawkAlaskan/specSheets/5301.html

 

[Clifford]

Without a doubt the GP-101. She's buying .38's allready, so if desired she can continue to run the same ammo.

 

[ATW525]

GP101? Do mean an SP101 or GP100? Either way, that would be my choice unless she intends to get into reloading.

 

[scaatylobo]

Sp 101

My vote is the SP 101 with a .357 load IF she can shoot it well.

Not that she needs to shoot a 50 round box all at once.

Can she shoot 10 rounds and then feel she can hit what she was aiming at ?.

That is the gun,due to its weight and solid feel [ could be a good impact weapon ].

Find the heaviest load she can shoot 10 rounds with and train with that one.

I have 2 and the one that feels best is the 3" barreled one,both D/A and S/A are available but stick with D/A .

 

[kludge]

The SP101 shooting .357s stings LESS than a J-frame Airweight with .38+P.

 

[charlie echo]

Gp-100

pardon, I meant the GP-100, the 6 shooter
and my wife shoots my 44Mag revolver just fine

We don't reload (yet), but we'd buy a 1000 r case and several boxes of SD ammo.

We were thinking that 45 Cots would be easier to shoot fast and accurately the 357s while 45+P be handy to have occasionally.

Not many places rent 45LC revolvers

 

[charlie echo]

well, the 158 gr HP 38+p hardly has any recoil at all in the little steel snuby

 

[Marshall]

The 3" bbl GP-100 with 357 Magnum, my vote for the little woman.

 

[Old Fuff]

Is your wife going to carry this cannon around, or keep it at home, or what?

In a short barreled revolver I prefer low velocity/big bullets, and among the latter I would choose either a .44 Special or .45 Colt - with .45 ACP using moon clips a more distance choice. In a .357 the SP-101 is a good choice, although I would prefer a longer barrel to take better advantage of the cartridge's power. In a .45 Colt I would pass on the Alaskan and look for a lighter platform. If you want more punch (I wouldn't) get the Alaskan in .45 Casull and shoot it as well as .45 Colt in the same revolver.

 

[eldon519]

You might want to consider a 5-shot .44 Special bulldog type gun.

There are the discontinued Tauruses, the Charter Arms Bulldog, and some S&Ws out there that fit the bill. The Alaskan is a large revolver. I'm sure you could carry it, but I don't know how convenient it would be.

 

[goon]

I'd also take the GP-100. Heavy frame loaded with light .357's like Speer's 135 grain GDHP short barrel load or +P .38 Specials should be a pretty effective SD gun.
Actually, I'd like one myself.

 

[grimjaw]

I'd recommend the GP100 .357 over the .45 Colt anything for a SD gun any day, for either gender. If the person is going to carry it concealed, then a SP101 or all steel J-frame (e.g. S&W model 60) would be my recommendation to help tame recoil a bit over the Airweight.

Nothing against .45 Colt except general size of the revolvers it's chambered for, and scarcity of factory-loaded ammunition compared to .357/.38. I don't have time, inclination, or even both hands right now, to reload cartridge ammo.

jm

 

[Rexster]

Ever priced 1000 rounds of .45 Colt? One box of defensive .45 Colt? The GP100's grocery bill will be lower.

Is this a concealment piece? The fixed sights of the 3" GP100 will be lower-profile than the adjustable sights on the SRH, and that is before we consider the extra mass and weight of the SRH.

Availability may well decide the issue. Ruger turns out very few of the .454/.45 Alaskans, and the dealers are very, very proud of them. I love the SRH Alaskan concept, and would like to own one, someday. I love my GP100 sixguns. I won't "vote" one way or the other here, except to say that the GP100 makes more sense for concealed carry. I agree with those who mentioned the SP101; take a look at those, too. A 3" SP101 is a much more size-efficient package than a 3" GP100, while offering the same ballisitics.

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

I realize this is the revolver forum, but what about an auto?

 

[kludge]

We were thinking that 45 Cots would be easier to shoot fast and accurately the 357s while 45+P be handy to have occasionally.

Having both, I can tell you that it's not.

There's a lot of steel and lead spinning in that cylinder, twice as much lead actually. Just the inertia alone will prevent that, but the .45 cylinder also has farther to go, so regardless of the weight of the springs, you're trying to move something that weighs twice as much a longer distance in the same amount of time -- it doesn't work out that way. The .45 Colt has similar amounts of recoil to the .357 Mag, so getting back on target isn't going to be any faster either.

(Just one person's experience though).

Having said that, I would probably sell my .357 before my .45 Colt. (Ruger 4" Redhawk)

The .44 SPL is similar in power to the .45 Colt, and snubs are much easier to find in .44 SPL.

Also check out the S&W Models 310 Night Guard (10mm, 40 S&W), 329 Night Guard (.45 ACP), 629 (.44 SPL, .44 Mag), 625 (.45 ACP), 329PD (.44 SPL .44 Mag alloy frame)

 

[goon]

Really though, what would a .44 Special, .45 ACP in a revolver, or .45 Colt bring to the table that the .357 isn't doing just as well, cheaper, with more ammo options, and in a smaller gun?

Just saying...

 

[Deaf Smith]

While I like the GP100, these guns are HEAVY.

Are they gonna pack them or just leave them in the car?

There are plenty off good SD pistols with power that are lighter than either the GP or Alaskan.

 

[Old Fuff]

goon:

The .357 Magnum is a fine cartridge, but much of it's magnum performance depends on having enough barrel length to burn the powder before it turns into worthless flash and blast at the muzzle.

Even at low velocities a .44 or .45 is going to make a big hole without having to expand any. That's why, when I stepped up from a .38 Special (in a snubby) I chose to go the the .44 Special in a 5-shot revolver only slightly larger then a S&W K-frame. Although it only has a 2" barrel I don't have to worry about if a smaller diameter bullet is, or isn't going to expand.

 

[Marshall]

I'm thinking of the size and weight difference in the two guns.

They're is a considerable difference. Not to pry or even suggest.....buy if she's petite challenged then the Alaskan may be doable. But if she is not, the 3" GP-100 would a bit easier for carrying and shooting. The extra 1/2 pound+ is noticeable while carrying and holding at arms length. Just a thought.......

 

[ArchAngelCD]

You do realize a Ruger Alaskan weighs almost 3 pounds, right?
I wouldn't want to carry that hunk of steel around all day unless I was in Alaska Bear country carrying it as a backup gun and it was loaded with 44. Magnum or .454 Casull ammo.

A 3" GP100 is a nice revolver and a lot lighter too. Loaded with 125gr JHP ammo it's a proven man stopper.

 

[joe_security]

I was told that the 3" GP100 fixed sight version is hard to come by. If you have one for the wife, you are in good shape.