GP-100

[Jeff H]

........So, when you buy a Ruger, you get a gun that works as intended by the manufacturer, and as was pointed out is going to err on the side of safety and function rather than fine finish and match-quality smoothness. You buy a project that is solid from the start and can improve upon it as you wish...........

THAT fits how I feel very precisely, IF I had been able to articulate it so well.

A LOT of folks are happy with them as-is, "out of the box," but I personally have experienced one REALLY nicely tuned Bicentennial model Security Six a long time ago, and ever since have not been satisfied until I've achieved that level of tuning on any others I've owned. It's fussy work, but it's worth it and I know what to do, how to do it, and just how much to do with the 'Six series/SP101s and am certain I could figure out a GP100. So, I am partial to them.

I'm guessing the GPs are very similar in that they provide the buyer a certain level of opportunity to "improve upon" easily and to a level which suits them. I don't see that as a negative personally, I see that as letting me make it work as well as I want it to work - like buying a good axe and tuning the grind to suit my uses and habits. If a fella's happy with the way that axe works right off the shelf, it's a win-win.

 

[RicinYakima]

A S&W revolver that will shoot two inch groups at 25 and doesn't spit lead, is not worn out or out of time. They are just broken in correctly. I have a 1915 .455 Hand Ejector that has never been rebuilt, or "tuned up". It has the unit stamps of three Canadian military units from WW1 and WW2. It will make the 2-inch goal shooting with both hands even with some end shake and rotary looseness. This is not a major fault, IMHO.

 

[L Ross]

Boy am I ever glad I never got a crappy Smith or Ruger, or Colt, or Uberti. Had a Star that sucked badly, and a Pietta Dragoon that had two different threads in the cylinder for each of 3 nipples. Oh, and an AMT Hardballer that I still feel bad that I foisted off on some unsuspecting sucker at a gun show. I should have kept it just to show people what "galling" means on stainless steel.

 

[Ian]

I sold a stainless GMM in 98% out of my FIL'S collection for $200 over blue book and had a happy customer. The slide had a full 1/8" side play at the muzzle and would jam on hardball when dropping the slide (extractor has a huge burr). I ordered an Uberti 1872 Open Top and it has no rifling in the right side of the barrel. I've taken you all on my journey through the pathetic excuse of a 5.56x45 bolt action by Mossberg. Wish I had photos of the Remington 700 that required two men, a vise, and a cheater pipe to bow the barrel enough to the right to get the action back into the factory synthetic stock. My Model 70 had the bottom metal inlet about 1/8" offset to the action and it damned near took a chainsaw to hog out enough wood to completely relocate and remount the action with bedded steel pillars. Got a JM 336 nearly new that was flaking the boron nitride coating off of the bolt so badly it would seize. Still have the Savage 10 barrel where the bore nearly comes out the side about 2/3 toward the muzzle but I cut the worst off and crowned/ threaded it at 16.5". I've also shared the POS Taurus Thunderbolt saga and eventual conversion to .45 ACP just to make it functional, though I should have known better than to buy a Taurus. I could go on for pages. Pretty sure I haven't had to do any repairs on any of my shotguns and haven't broken anything on my ARs yet, but pistols, revolvers, and rifles of all kinds have given me absolute fits.

So I bought a lathe, a vertical milling machine, and a shaper so I can make my own guns from scratch and finally escape this black hole for lemons.

I also seem to own the only seven good Pro-1000 progressive presses that Lee Precision ever produced, and most all my other extensive collection of Lee gear and moulds have been very reliable and well made. More than I can say for MP, NOE, RCBS, Lyman, or Saeco. I must live in an alternate universe.

 

[CZ93X62]

Ian--your heresies rank closely to my own. Keep up the good work.

I haven't had the poor luck that Ian has had with S&Ws, though I am getting a little sketchy about this 642 I bought a couple years ago. When the heat recedes, it will get a thorough wring-out. For now, the Glock 23 and SIG P-220 get the call as felon repellent.

The trigger on my blue-steel Redhawk certainly smoothed out over time. 90% of my shooting in that revolver gets done with my "Skeeter's Load In Magnum Cases"--Lyman #429421 atop 8.5 grains of Unique or 9.5 grains of Herco for about 975 FPS. Docile, in that hefty boat anchor. All-day shooting, if you are so-minded.

The remaining 10% of my loading is NOT SAAMI-level. Lyman #429244 atop enough 2400 to prompt 1400 FPS from the RH's 5.5" barrel. These loads have no business in any S&W, and originated in a Colt Anaconda I had about 30 years ago. The RH doesn't bat an eye, it just says "More, please!" Awesome, bull-strong revolver.

 

[Ian]

Oh yes, the Smiff Maggot. Model 29-3 silhouette revolver. Very pretty. Very smooth. Incredibly accurate at 100 yards. Has quite the bulge in the barrel ahead of the frame from midrange book jax loads my FIL put through it, and it skips time backwards under recoil with anything resembling hot loads. We had fun with it, though, and so I bought it from his estate. Definitely a delicate princess that should have been nothing more than a .44 Special.

 

[JonB]

Back to the topic,
I go back and forth about my 4" GP-100, regarding the trigger.
The trigger is heavy ...Ruger Heavy, but some days I prefer a heavy trigger

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

I was SUPER tempted with the custom 5" 44 spl commemorative for Jeff Quinn.

DURN IT..

 

[Ian]

"Tribute". Yeah. I didn't dig up the video but if they're not donating proceeds to Bogie or to Jeff's estate then all I can say is it appears to me that the vultures are coming down from the tree.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

I thought a portion of all sales went to there favorite charity if I Remember Boges video when it was announced.
CW

 

[Ian]

I hope so. Lipsey's has marketed some really neat guns. Maybe I'm just jaded by all the "let's cash in on the famous or unfortunate" that's going on so much in the world.

 

[wgg]

I have both a 4" 586 and a 6" GP 100. They are both excellent just different. I have worked over the GP and installed a spring kit and the day pull is a smoother and lighter. The S&W has a great trigger double action and single action. I would not want to be without either one. You can't go wrong with either one in my opinion. I have been very fortunate no lemons yet.
Glen

 

[hporter]

I have a 44 special, several 357 and 38 specials and a couple 327 mag Ruger GP-100's. Believe it or not, the 327 magnums are my favorites. I only shoot 32 H&R in them. Though I have the .327 mag brass, I like my ear drums the way they are. The 32 H&R does everything I need it to.

It almost sounds comical, but the 5" blued 327 with the wood oversized grips is a joy to shoot. I thought it a silly idea to have such massive revolver in a 32 caliber. It is always a favorite with my shooting buddy's. I wish I could buy those oversized wood grips for all my GP-100's.

And I have swapped the trigger springs and did the shim kits in a couple of them. It does help a lot. But I don't think they will ever be as smooth as my 38 special stainless Speed Six with the 2-3/4" barrel. It just feels plain wonderful to shoot double action.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

I have a 44 special, several 357 and 38 specials and a couple 327 mag Ruger GP-100's. Believe it or not, the 327 magnums are my favorites. I only shoot 32 H&R in them. Though I have the .327 mag brass, I like my ear drums the way they are. The 32 H&R does everything I need it to.

I always felt the 32 H&R Mag corrected any deficiency in the 32 S&W Long. While the 327 Federal Mag certainly has proven its strength, but when run at its full potential the noise is a high price to pay.

A 100 grain WC launched from a 32 H&R Mag case can easily hit 950 fps. Making it a handy small game round. I wish I had held onto my 32-revolver gear, they have a lot to offer.

But I don't think they will ever be as smooth as my 38 special stainless Speed Six with the 2-3/4" barrel. It just feels plain wonderful to shoot double action.

Ahh, the DAO Stainless Speed-Six! One of my favorites. It is really nothing more than a Service-Six with a round butt grip & 2.75” barrel; but what a solid gun. How could you possibly go wrong?

 

[Petrol & Powder]

Back to the topic,
I go back and forth about my 4" GP-100, regarding the trigger.
The trigger is heavy ...Ruger Heavy, but some days I prefer a heavy trigger

Whenever the topic centers on the GP-100, the trigger crops up as a central theme to the discussion.

The GP-100 trigger could often stand a bit of improvement. I think the issue gets a bit overblown at times, but the issue is not without merit. Fortunately it’s easy to clean up a GP-100 action.

Just a few more points to add to the good point JonB has provided:

There’s a difference between a Bad trigger and a Heavy trigger. I can tolerate a somewhat heavy trigger pull that is smooth. A rough trigger is a different story.

Heavy pull weight only has an adverse effect on accurate shooting if the pull weight is heavy enough to disturb one’s aim. There’s a flip side to this equation and that is lock time and primer ignition. I’ll happily trade a little heavier trigger for 100% reliability and the faster lock time is just icing on the cake.

I don’t know how many times I’ve witnessed someone pick up a revolver, dry fire it and proclaim that it is an accurate gun based solely on the trigger pull? The gun could have 6 grossly mismatched chambers, a bent barrel and missing front sight blade but that idiot is certain the gun is a tack driver based on nothing more than a light pull weight. We’ve all seen these people in gun stores and at gun shows.

And then there’s the durability / consistency issue. The ability to shoot a gun over many years without needing to repair or change anything has a value that is difficult to quantify.

World class shotgun shooters often use Perazzi shotguns. Those guns are fitted to individual shooters, but their real advantage is the durability of the gun. Once a shooter becomes “wedded” to a gun, they are loath to change anything (And for good reason). Perazzi shotguns don’t throw shot any better than a cheap shotgun, but they will go bang consistently for many, many years.

There is a real benefit to durability. A GP-100 certainly doesn’t cost as much as a Perazzi MX8, but the durability and reliability of those guns are likely similar.


“Beware of the man with one gun – He probably knows how to use it”.

 

[JonB]

Yeah, the thing with my GP-100 is, Sometimes I take it out to the range and I don't even notice that the trigger is heavier than my S&W guns...and I am hitting what I am shooting at. Then there are days I go to the range, and the GP-100 is grouping poorly and the trigger feels heavier than it should...those are usually colder days, you know, Minnesota Cold, LOL. Anyway, I just need to remember to bring along the 586 on those cold days, LOL

 

[hporter]

Since we are drifting this thread and engaging in Gun Porn, here is my Speed Six.


She is not a DAO, just has a wonderful double action trigger. I had one exactly like this in 9mm, but it wasn't nearly as smooth. She is my favorite among my Service and Security Sixes.

 

[hporter]

One of my good shooting buddies has become interested in Ruger revolvers because of my love of them. He is a life long S&W guy, but has really come to appreciate how solid and well made my Rugers are. I mention this, only because he has never talked about the trigger pulls being awkward or unworkable. We are pretty upfront with one another on the merits of each gun that we bring out to shoot and share. I was a little surprised, but pleased.

My wife asked what I wanted for Christmas last year and I responded with a list of Wolff Gun Spring kits for some of my revolvers. They are quick and easy to install, and generally speaking make them much better shooters. I have installed them in some of my GP-100's, SP-101's and my Six series revolvers and have been pleased with every one of them. Especially my little Wiley Clapp SP-101 snubby, as it now has the best trigger (in my opinion) of all my revolvers. And they are a pretty cheap upgrade.

I have mixed feelings with the shim kits. I have tried them, but felt they were a little fiddly to install. They do smooth things up, but I stopped with the one gun I installed them in and didn't bother to try another one.

I like the mention above about the difference between a heavy trigger and a bad trigger. That is a good perspective to keep in mind.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

The shim kits are helpful in some circumstances, but they are not always needed. I have a SP101 that has a trigger that is perfectly fitted and needs nothing. Every gun is different. I tend to avoid shimming the hammer on Ruger DA revolvers because it can be a real PITA to re-install the shims when the hammer is removed. I will disassemble the trigger group, polish the necessary areas and, if needed, shim the trigger. There is seldom (if ever) a need to break down the trigger group after that work, so it’s essentially a one-time job. Same holds true for the hammer dog (DA sear), also a one-time job.

The hammer springs on DA Rugers are universally too heavy from the factory. After cleaning up the action you can drop the main spring weight by a couple of pounds and still have 100% reliability. The factory hammer spring on a GP-100 is 14#. I think the best compromise between absolute reliability, good lock time and a decent pull weight is achieved with an 11# or 12# hammer spring. Some folks will go down to 10# but I’m not comfortable with that. DA Reliability will suffer at the 9# level.

I have mixed feelings about the trigger return spring. I like a fast and positive trigger reset and find that after cleaning up the action (polishing and maybe shims) there’s no need to reduce the spring weight of the trigger return spring. YMMV. If you do go with a reduced power trigger spring on a GP-100 the 10# reduced power trigger return spring is low enough. The 8# often gives a very sluggish return and, IMO, is too weak. The “tunnel” that the trigger return spring rides in and the plunger that rides in that tunnel should be cleaned up.

The hammer spring strut is a source of problems. That piece is stamped out of flat stock and is frequently very poorly finished. Same holds true for the stamped seat that it passes through. A little work with some stones and a needle file can yield big improvements. The ball end of that strut can be polished as well.

The trigger group is full of tiny springs, tiny plungers, and tiny pins. While not difficult to understand, is does require some care when assembly/disassembly work is performed. Some folks suggest doing that work with the trigger group inside a large clear plastic bag to contain wayward small parts. I’ve just learned how not to launch those tiny parts but that skill had a learning curve that included crawling on the floor with a strong flashlight !

A note on polishing – The goal is to clean up the areas where parts pivot or slide against each other. You are NOT trying to remove metal.

 

[robertbank]

Difficult to add much to the conversation that has not already been said. I own a No-Dash 686 originally owned by the US Customs Service and a 10 year old GP-100 in .357Mag. I don't see much air between either one. I play the games with the GP-100 and carry it or it's twin in 10mm when I have a Wilderness Permit. The 686 gets played with at the range and sometimes shares house duties with a Sig mke 25 Navy.

I had the cylinders reamed out to .358 and replaced the trigger return and hammer springs.. I then shimmed both the trigger and hammer.. The gun wears a FO front sight when I play IDPA and a factory front sight painted green when it might be required for more serious work It has a sweet, smooth trigger pull in DA. Mine are both 4.2" guns and both will be with me as long as I can hold a firearm's.

The GP-100;s are not my only Ruger handguns. IMHO Ruger handguns are and should be regarded as kit guns They work and they are reliable. Inside of 30 yards the bullets see to fly where the barrel is pointed when called upon and it does it without complaint. If it didn't it would have been replaced years ago.

Take Care

Bob