Id also like to see a review of the 5 inch version Anyone? At about 755 fps with 310 foot-pounds of energy (fpe) at the muzzle, it didnt set the world on fire, but it was a starting place for shooters who liked to roll their own for better performance. Throw in a Ruger 77/357 Bolt Action Rifle and you have a combo that is hard to beat. The .44 Special GP100 fits nicely in an El Paso Saddlery Threepersons crossdraw made for a 4-inch S&W N-frame. [5], In 2016, a limited edition National Rifle Association variant of the GP100 was available from the Friends of NRA through a fundraising raffle. Walgreens Pharmacy - 1371 METROPOLITAN AVE, Bronx, NY 10462. But Model 24s are hard to find. Thats a lot of power, no matter how you measure it. Its made of top-grain leather with double stitching at stress areas. Former gun slinger, current gun writer. cartridge, just about as much as there is on my Model 29. Easily fixed with Loc-tite. I really like that GP100. The barrels full underlug protects the non-rotating ejector rod. The other big speed-assisting factor: the GP100s sights. Welcome aboard Steve, and thanks for a great review of this classic cartridge, and the new launch platform for it. However, after shooting my 629 for awhile and becoming a .45 Colt devotee, I finally learned why so many folks love a big, heavy bullet traveling at relatively slow speeds. Id bet that maybe 2 more elk have been killed with the .357 magnum handgun than were killed by unicorn horns. That looks like a nice gun. \. Ive somehow managed to destroy a .22 Charter Arms revolver, a .38, and a .44 special, on the same diet and mantainence as those SWs. For those who love handloads its absolutely ideal. Plenty of S&Ws and Colts have passed through my hands or reside in my safe. The .44 cylinder holes and bore were lighter than the .357 version. GP100 . version of the Ruger GP100 came out, most American police officers. This meant that to have a round butt concealed carry version and a square butt holster or target version of the same gun usually meant having two different frame shapes. Its unique feature was a grip peg that allowed a wrap around grip (when made of rubber type material it gave even more cushioning effect) that could be conformed into a square butt style for police service/target shooting or a round butt style for concealment in a short barrel version. Steves firearms interests lean toward blued steel and walnut, while nickel-plating, ivory handles, and tasteful engraving make him even happier. But why are some experts convinced 2023 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme. Am I missing something? And it really tames heavy .44 spc loads. It warms my heart to see Skeeter and Elmers names here in the pages of RevolverGuy. [6], In 2021, Ruger produced 500 GP100s in memory of Jeff Quinn, a YouTuber and founder of the online firearms magazine Gunblast, who died the previous year. Cross country moose/elk hunting/backpacking goodness. Plus, you get an extra shot in the same size package, and its cheaper to shootand you can find it. You have entered an incorrect email address! It was hard enough to settle on a GP100 over a Dan Wesson (among other revolvers). But a 200gr. Rather not ruin a gun just to shoot a hot load. My tightest five-shot cluster, measuring 1.44 inches wide, was produced by the Black Hills 200-grain JHPs. The .44 Special GP100 has a good, smooth trigger double action. Then he wrote about it and the .44 Special was resurrected from the ash heaps of Skeeters campfire full of bits of javelina. 99 percent of the rounds through my .357 are .38, but I still like having the option. 20 grains and about 100fps more then a standard .45 auto load isnt that impressive. Its too bad that happened, because the GP100 was reinforced in all the necessary areas to handle a steady diet of .357 Magnum loads, and the medium magnum was a proven fight-stopper. That 77/357 is totally indifferent to the ammo it is fed, unlike lever guns that I have had. na Ill just buy my ammo from the store till I have a couple hundred peices of good brass, then reload it till its dead. I reloaded as needed. Very Good - 90% - 95% condition (all parts/finish should be original). Black Hills of South Dakota. Then again, Im the guy who will eventually buy a T/C Encore just so that I could shoot .30-06 out of a handgun.. The GP100 was an evolution of an earlier Ruger double-action revolver, the Security Six. Ruger continues down the .44 Special trail with a stubby 3 barreled version of their GP100 chambered to hold five rounds in an unfluted cylinder. Slim Fit Leather Jackets brings this iconic jacket from animation to reality, especially for all the fans of this video game. and pay hazmat + shipping, and wait forever? Ace. But Skeeter knew that a lighter weight, smaller frame .44 Special was easier to carry out in the field for days at a time. The GP100 .44 Spl.s accuracy ranged from average to very good. I polished the trigger group to a mirror finish in a half hour with help from a Youtube video SOLD !! Sorry about the typo. In 2023 a new or used Ruger GP100 value varies depending on supply and demand. I think after all these years I may have to purchase a new Ruger GP100 and 44 special. plus if I have the wild hair I can run the .44 special rounds thru the same revolver. Im planning on buying a GP100, now the hard part is deciding between this one or the 4.2 .357. Also found the Buffalo Bore LSWCHP defensive load, which shoots to same POA as the Blazer (~15 yards) and should be equally efficient for defensive purposes. and a mailing address? Very manageable. An up-scaled version of this grip is provided on the Ruger GP100 in .44 Special, and it is the best big-bore revolver grip I have experienced. With the exception of the two pelvis shots in the 7- and 8-rings, the rest of the shots stayed within the 9-, 10- and X-rings of the white inset within the target. About Steven Tracy: Steven Tracy is a full-time police officer and has been a firearms enthusaist since birth and a certified firearms instructor for the last 28 years. Appears very well made. For a straight walled case, the case is merely a gasket. The first thing you realize when grasping the .44 Special GP100 is that its a chunky, meaty handgun. of a .357, but if youre shooting a 150gr cup and core bul let youll be lucky to get 15 of penetration in gel less in bear muscle. I see theres also a Hornady Critical Defense load with a 165 grain FTX at 900 fps muzzle velocity, which puts it square into .40 S&W-type performance. I put 20 of those through the gun with no ill effects. Breaking out my old Brown and Sharpe calipers, I discovered that the S&W cylinder on the Magnum was 1.69 inches wide, while the Ruger GP100s was 1.59. Yes,. that made me hungry for cheese curds. For a handload, I made up a small batch of Skeeter loadsa favorite of the late gun writer Skeeter Skelton. The L-Frame Smith did not exist until the mid-1980s. Walking through the thick woods, driving a tractor around, or just sitting down to sight in a rifle was found to be much easier with a weak side crossdraw instead of a strong side holster. I wonder how much it would improve with a Wolff spring kit? Gorgeous! But for the same performance, there is a huge amount of airspace beneath the bullet. Has a few others have said, love the 44 SPL round too so glad to see guns still being made for it. Shooting the GP100 is a pleasurable experience, as are all .44 Special revolvers. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The Don Hume holster kept the gun secure and out of the way until I needed it, and reholstering was easy. The revolver's robust, unfluted cylinder holds five rounds of fight-stopping .44 Spl. Granted, a .44 mag or larger would be preferable but with the full pressure stuff, a 6 GP 100 or 686 packs about the same punch as .44 mag out of a 2-1/2 Redhawk Alaskan for the same weight (less with am mo). The only thing that popped into my mind was Man, that 29 has got to *hurt* to shoot it., Yeah its nowhere near as badass as a break-action .30-06. There is really much less recoil than you might imagine. Location. The .44 Special offers that advantage, and the Ruger GP100 is an excellent vehicle for it. They sold out very quickly. Pistols will no longer ship with braces. Also, Id bet at least a hundred elk have been killed in this country by 9mm pis tols, although I doubt legally. The Ruger GP100 is available with barrel lengths from 2 to 6 inches. The grips could then be any shape desired, as long as they were large enough to enclose the peg. This .44 Special revolvers adjustable rear sight is notch style, with an added white outline along the inside edge. I agree. I used a modified isosceles stance with a two-handed hold and just put the glowing green fiber-optic front sight on each plate as I stroked the double-action trigger. We take all the hassle out of selling your gun. Im hardly timely with this comment, coming as it does three-odd weeks after reading this story. I didnt develop a pet load for this gun. .30-30 is about all youll get. Youre so right P&P, weve had .38 Special +P loads that reasonable people understand should never be fired in late 19th Century or early 20th Century .38 Special revolvers. Although the stainless-steel revolver features the Ruger family brushed satin finish, its a working gun look, without much fine polish. Theres a good reason why reloaders running Ruger revolvers and Thompson Center single-shot pistols are rewarded with a separate section in most reloading manuals. The Hogue Monogrip felt good in mymedium-sized hands, and the balance on the GP100 was spot-on. But, then, Ive been dithering. Its interesting that Ruger came to market with this stainless steel .44 Special GP100 with a short barrel. Thanks. Ordered one the first day I found them available (Momma said I could). http://www.black-hills.com/product-category/new-pistol-ammo/ : http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2016/02/10/50-bmg-single-shot-handgun/. GP100 models are available with fixed or adjustable sights. Now if they were to find a way to stuff 5 rou nds of .41 magnum in a GP 100 Id start counting the nickels in my change jar. A frequent repeat cops want a powerful round and then find it kicks and is harder to control than a medium bore handgun. Hang it in your jeep. you do have the interwebs, no? This was not a new innovation, having been used by Dan Wesson and some High Standard revolvers that predated the GP100. The hammer locks up early and the double action pull isnt stagey or creepy or stacking. Steve, thank you! Skeltons load produced more energy than the hottest load in the Black Hills catalog. This was a stout, sharply recoiling load. That load will usually exceed the SAAMI pressure limits slightly but is perfectly safe in any modern Revolver chambered in 44 Special. The Ruger American Pistol can now be had as a compact version in .45 ACP. It just pulls through its travel smoothly. Was tickled to discover the Blazer with the Gold Dot bullets, which the gun seems to like a lot. Revolvers are still the right gun by the bed. Stay tuned for the upcoming review of the 5 GP 100 .44 Special Lipseys exclusive with the half lug barrel (and walnut handles and brass bead front sight!). Brown bear? Firearm has severe wear and tear, does not function, or is damaged. I could always see it before it completely came out, so just a press with my finger put it back in. He was a family friend so no worries there. I think they must have heard Ace talking! Thats not what this gun is made for, but its nice to know that it can handle it. No hazmat fees. The factory continues to enthusiastically embrace our special editions and we constantly have new models in the works. Find the right load and youll be rewarded with better. $570.00 Ruger Peep Sight Ltd Edition Rifles 8339 & 111999. HAVE A 44 SPECIAL GP 100 AND WONT SHOOT GOLD DOT 200 GRAIN ANY ONE KNOW SOMETHING I DONT KNOW THANKS, 2016 to 2023 RevolverGuy.com, All Rights Reserved, RG101: Revolver Grasp, or How to Hold a Revolver. Honestly, Ive never seen the point in non-magnum caliber revolvers. Smith and Wesson built the 1st 44 magnum and Ruger followed fast with the Flat Top Blackhawk. Item Number: 1761; Ruger GP100 44SW Special Double-Action Revolver with Walnut Hogue Grips $899.00 $669.99; Notify Me When Available; Brand: Ruger; Item Number: 1767 What certainly catches your eye: that big, unfluted cylinder. It is though a reloaders round as its not easy to find and when you do find it, its expensive. The GP100 was controllable, and I warmed up to the fiber-optic front sight a little more during this phase of my test. That .30-06 might have 4 times the m.e. Like Ace, I think the .44 Special is more than adequate for self defense with stoked with the Gold Dots (which I use) or the Buffalo Bores. He switched to the 44 after he blew-up a 45 SAA with a hot load. Manufacturer Action Barrel Length Caliber Capacity Weight Subcategories Applied Filters Keyword : ruger gp100 Clear all filters Used RUGER GP100 $796.99 New Add to Cart RUGER GP100. I know Im late to the party on this post, I just recently found revolverguy and its really nice to see a dedicated revolver site. I find everything about an SW revolver to be more refined, especially the trigger. The .44 Special is very manageable, even for novice shooters. DeSantis makes a nice thumb break pancake that allows easy carry under a cover shirt. Sights: Fiber-optic front, adjustable rear, For more information, visit ruger.com. The Ruger is the purer choice, of course. Quantum physics and RevolverGuy at the same time? To add to what Specialist says, the .38 was originally a black powder cartridge, and if reloading with black, they get full enough to compress the powder. But the .44 caliber bore and five big drilled out cylinder chambers lighten its overall feel and the revolver balances nicely in the hand. Ace, I like the idea of the compact GP grip on this gun, and agree a 5 would be a neat addition. I find wheelguns with G10 or checkered hardwood grips give me more control and less recoil than a rubber-handled equivalent. The Price for a Ruger GP100 has increased in cost by $10.51 in 2023 compared to 2022. Now I just need to fit a silencer on it like I saw George Kennedy do in Thunderbolt and Lightfoot the other night. Double action measures a little over 11 pounds. It has always featured a fully adjustable rear sight and a ramped front sight, plus a full-underlug barrel in 3-, 4.2- and 6-inch lengths. Starting in 1999 TALO has designed hundreds of Ruger limited editions. I put 500 rounds through the gun, shooting both steel and brass cases, without cleaning. As Hannibal said the trigger fix is easy. Whats this superiority to .45ACP? This exclusive version of the Ruger GP100 comes with rubber grips and wood inserts ..but at least your neighbor would know that you are shooting a gp100. (l.) A large, push-button cylinder-release latch is . There is a certain gravitas to the .44 Special that is apparent to those who treasure history and respect those who blazed the trail. It arrives on my doorstep in a week or less. However, the police revolver was singing its swan song, as the move by the military that year to a high-capacity 9mm prompted American law enforcement agencies to re-examine their sidearm needs and start converting to wondernines.. The bulldog prefers mild to medium loads. The double-action trigger pull measures 11.5 pounds. The trigger is now smooth as silk. Some shooters opt for a .44 Magnum knowing full well that theyre more likely to fire .44 Specials most of the time. But, for the same reason that revolvers are still made in .38 Special, even though that round will fire in a .357 Magnum, the .44 Special round carries on, even though it can be fired from a .44 Magnum as well. The bell of the ball: Federal 200gr Semi Wadcutter Hollowpoints. They just hold a special panache. So you wanted a revolver that was 44 special, without the extra frame size required for 44 Magnum. I appreciate Ruger for being nostalgic and allbut thats the only reason to ever buy it. And thanks for not calling the 69 a Combat Magnum. Whoever came up with that idea at S&W needs to get smacked. In beefy revolvers such as the N-Frame S&W Hand Ejectors or Colt New Service, the .44 Specials potential could be realized and loads worked up to handle man or beast. Available in a wide array of models, the Ruger 44 Special for sale are affordable revolvers with exceptional quality and performance. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. But the Charter Arms are also made in the USA, appear to be smaller than the GP100 44 spcl, and are cheaper. And more importantly, it is the first article by Steve Tracy, a guy who reached out to me out of the blue and offered me this article to run. Ruger GP100 Standard Double-Action Revolver Model 1770 GP100 Print Spec Sheet Find a Retailer Buy Now Lipsey's Distributor Exclusive Availability: Limited Availability Model Number: 1770 Caliber: 44 Special GripsSmooth Walnut Front SightGold Bead Barrel Length5" MaterialAlloy Steel Capacity5 Rear SightAdjustable Twist1:20" RH FinishBlued .357 has a great reputation for ending gunfights. If you limited yourself to sub-900 fps 200-grain loads, this gun would likely shoot forever, with minimal recoil and very little, if any, maintenance needed. First introduced in 1985, the Ruger GP-100 is an incredibly sturdy 6 shot double action revolver chambered in .357mag/.38spl and the .327 magnum. Triple-locking cylinder is locked into the frame at the front, rear and bottom for more positive alignment and dependable operation shot after shot. . I think. Ian, welcome aboard! The fact that that very gun (misidentified as a Contender) is the signature weapon of one of my favorite fictional characters is just an added bonus. Would love to see one in 5; that and a HCSWC would make for some really unhappy pigs (Im sure the 3 would do well, also, but theres just something weird about hunting with a short barrel). This is my first Ruger double action revolver. I like it. More isnt always better. 357 is a keeper. And hard-cast 250gr Keiths. He loaded the .44 Special pretty stout, too, pushing a 240-grain Lead Semi Wad Cutter bullet at 950 fps. Thats just me. The .44 Special, if used as the basis for making a competent revolver, buys you the ability to shave weight due to the shorter cylinder you can achieve, along with lower pressures. Theyre smooth in front and back with stippling on the sides. Its dependable design emerged from the older Security-Six, and was introduced as the answer to ending 3 different guns that were being manufactured by Sturm Ruger Incorporated at that time. Many fans followed his lead and had their .357s converted to .44 Special as well.