GP100 and revolvers in general, I think i'm hooked!

[Doogy]

I'll admit, I've been an auto fan for much of my life and never paid much mind to revolvers. A co-worker always sang the praises of his prized GP100 and said that if he could have just one handgun in his collection to choose from, it would be the trusty Ruger. I often listened as he waxed on how many types of rounds were available, how smooth a revolvers trigger is, and other things.

I was lucky to find a barely used GP100 for $299 from a dealer in New Mexico, and have been busy with it lately. Compared to the Ruger, my autos just don't do it for me anymore, what with their mushy triggers full of take-up, light recoil and plain jane action. The GP has a great trigger that breaks clean, has a bit of bite with full bore .357 loads and it more accurate than I am.

Frankly, I think i may be becoming a revolver convert. My only nit to pick so far has been the reduced round count versus a magzine, but then again I just "discovered" the S&W Performance Series .357 that has an 8 round cylinder. I think I may have to save up my pennies and indulge!

Happy shooting!
Doug

 

[Boats]

Now gussie it up.

 

[Doogy]

Nice! beautiful GP! the most i've done so far is a spring swap, Hogue finger rubber grips, and Williams Fire Sights. Although I do have an appt. with a local 'smith to have the whole gun bead-blasted to a soft matte finish next week.

 

[jad0110]

I was lucky to find a barely used GP100 for $299 from a dealer in New Mexico

Yeah you were lucky, that it is an excellent deal. The best deal I've seen on a used GP100 was $350 for a 4" blued version a few months ago.

And if you think that GP100 trigger is smooth, just try a pre-war S&W with the "long action" (identifiable by the "humpback" hammer) someday, or a Colt Python.

Welcome to the addiction! There is no cure, BTW.

Although I do have an appt. with a local 'smith to have the whole gun bead-blasted to a soft matte finish next week.

Good opportunity to blast away the billboard on the side of the barrel too.

 

[Rexster]

Good for you! If we factor out that I must used certain designated autoloadin' pistols at work, the GP100 is my answer for the myriad "only one handgun" threads on internet forums. A GP100 is compact enough for concealed carry if I dress around it, and I shoot a GP100 (or an S&W K- or L-frame) better than any other handgun, period. Stories abound of GP100s that have withstood enormous amounts of shooting with heavy magnums loads. On a very personal level, the GP100 factory grips, BEFORE the present Hogues, are perfect for my hands. Perfect. Not having to buy aftermarket grips has saved me much money over time. I have always had to buy something aftermarket or custom for my S&Ws.

My first GP100, purchased in the very early 1990's, is not for sale for any reasonable amount of money. Not for twenty grand. I am not kidding. Of course, that gun saved me from death or harm one night in 1993, placing the shot perfectly, so most of that value is sentimental. The times I didn't have to shoot mean something, too. Some guns just grow on ya.

 

[Steve_NEPhila]

Here is a pic of the Smith 327 M&P R8, the eight shot .357 you mentioned:



She is all black, sexy and mine. Here is another view:



As for how she shoots, this is four rounds at 10 meters, double action:



From bottom to top, Smith and Wesson excellence in order of capacity. A 5 shot 642, a six shot 686 SSR, a seven shot 386 Mountain Lite and the eight shot 327 R8:




It is not a real gun, unless it is a wheel gun.

 

[nerd-with-a-gun]

I am hooked too. I just bought my first revolver also this week, the Ruger GP100 6" barrel. I love it. Great trigger and deadly accurate. You won't be sorry.

 

[BCRider]

Welcome to the club. And yes, they are addictive.

Get yourself some Safari speed loaders and load 'em up. Doing quick reloads is part of the fun.

For your next one if you enjoy the fast reloading skills practicing then look at one of the .40 or .45 guns that use full moon clips. Hit up Youtube for "jerry miculek" to see just how fast a moon clipped wheelgun can send out 12 rounds and then try to tell me you're at a disadvantage compared to semis...

 

[Doogy]

Steve,

Great S&W line-up, especially the stealthy 327! Man, you're one heck of a shot too, that is impressive! I'll keep my eye out for one, that seems like a 'grail' revolver to me. thanks for sharing!
Doug

 

[Doogy]

thanks for the tip, BCRider. I'm looking forward to pulling up some of Mr. Miculek's videos, should be fun!

thanks!
Doug

 

[huntme]

i like the trigger on the ruger,and the trigger on the smith is a little better,not one of them holds a candle to my danwesson,not even close.not to mention i can change the barrels on my danwesson to a 2 inch,4 inch,6 inch,8 inch.still that ruger is sweet.check out the houge grips,you will not be dissapointed.i do like that colt python,the left handed twist is different,the python comes in a close second to my danwesson.

 

[BCRider]

The PC guns are sweetness but it would be a pretty big lump to stick in an IWB holster or into a pocket holster....... "is that just your PC327 in your pocket or are you happy to see me?"

Doogy, I started out thinking the revolvers looked odd and shot nothing but semis for the first few months. Then one day when I'd shot my own gun and some of the rental semis I wanted something different. I looked at the shotguns they had (indoor rent-a-gun range) and the revolvers and for some reason chose a model 19 with 4inch barrel and a box of .38Spl. Half way through my second cylinder I knew I was hooked, gaffed and in the boat ready for filleting.

For center fire I currently have 4 semis and three DA wheelguns. But toss in the cowboy action black powder cap and ball pair and the cartridge pair and the wheelguns have the majority vote in my safe.

 

[Surefire]

Wow!

http://www.ruger.com/pdf/specs/327-GP100.pdf

Ruger is making a 7 shooter... in .327 magnum.

If this ever gets CA approved, I'm buying it!

 

[harmon rabb]

7 shot .327 magnum? fail. i was hoping someone would make an 8-10 shot .327. i don't see why it can't be done in a GP-100 sized gun.

 

[shockwave]

Ruger is making a 7 shooter... in .327 magnum.

Might as well just get the S&W 686 in .357 then.

 

[Surefire]

Might as well just get the S&W 686 in .357 then.

The 686-Plus? I have 2 of them. A 6" made in the time they had hammer based firing pins and no locks. And a 4" model made after they switched to MIM and added the lock.

The 6" is very nice. The 4" works, but has a rough, heavy trigger.

 

[jad0110]

Deleted

 

[scottishclaymore]

Congratulations on your first buy.

Like many, my first handgun shooting experience was on a black, bottom-feeding wonder-nine -- in this case my Dad's Springfield XD. But the day he bought the Springfield he also bought a S&W 642. After putting a couple of rounds through the XD I shot the 642. It kicked like a mule, but to-date it was the most awesome thing I had ever shot. I've had a wheelgun fixation ever since. Four years and several handgun purchases later, I can honestly say I've never bought a single bottom-feeder. I still shoot them occasionally, but I just can't seem to make myself like it.

My current favorite is a 4-inch heavy barreled Model 64.

With speedloaders (which I always carry) and a backup gun (the 642 - I bought it from my Dad!) I personally do not feel that the revolver has any practical disadvantages to a semi-auto for my purposes.

 

[Big Bill]

Here's one of mine...



S&W Model 28-2

 

[C-grunt]

Doogy, those Smith Performance Center guns are awesome. I would love to have one.

That being said I love my GP100 and my SP101. My S&W M15 is a really nice gun as well.

 

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

I'm hooked too!

 

[bigmike45]

I have been a Ruger revolver fan for several decades.I never picked up a GP-100 for some reason until about two years ago. I work part time, as a gunsmith, for a gun store/pawn shop and I walked in one Saturday morning and the owner showed me three stainless GP-100's that have 3" barrels and were factory DAO. I found one of the three that felt like it had just come out of the box new and bought it. These guns had been sold to the Canadians for one of the law enforcement agencies and reimported by CAI. I shot the gun for about a week and decided it would be a great base for a custom carry gun so I sent it off to Marc Morganti at Gemini Customs. Marc is known for his exceptional SP-101 reworks and unknown to some does the same to the GP-100's. I got back a gun that was amazingly smooth and accurate. I highly recommend Marc's talents.

 

[scottishclaymore]

Wow. That GP-100 is a great little piece, bigmike.