Pulled the trigger on a GP100....sort of

[DrGonzo615]

So I put a deposit down on a GP100 6" in stainless at Turners the other day, they don't have any in there warehouse but they are on order from Ruger..I was told it would be anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months but Im excited regardless.

Anyone have any advice for a wheel gun newbie? Anything I should be looking for besides speed loaders?

[ckline73]

been wanting one for some time, should have got one when they were inexpensive and plentyful....

[rsmorgan]

In this environment, start buying ammo for the gun when you see it!

If you aren't familiar with shooting powerful revolvers, do yourself a favor and don't start out shooting full-house .357 loads. Recoil from a revolver is different from the recoil of a pistol and it might seem much nastier to you than you expect. Buy some basic standard pressure .38Spl loads and start with those. Once you're comfortable with that recoil, step up to .38+P then ".357 lite" loads (KE under about 500fpe) then real .357 loads.

[DArBad]

In this environment, start buying ammo for the gun when you see it!

If you aren't familiar with shooting powerful revolvers, do yourself a favor and don't start out shooting full-house .357 loads. Recoil from a revolver is different from the recoil of a pistol and it might seem much nastier to you than you expect. Buy some basic standard pressure .38Spl loads and start with those. Once you're comfortable with that recoil, step up to .38+P then ".357 lite" loads (KE under about 500fpe) then real .357 loads.

+1 to this.

[trigger945]

I asked this question in Feb when I jailed my first revolver.

Best advice? Grant Cunningham's book for $15 on amazon. Thanks to jazman. Good buy.

You can search for my thread if you like. Plenty of good advice.

I have since picked up another revolver and enjoy them both. I plan to get a lever action .357mag to round out the collection.

Enjoy OP!

[DrGonzo615]

been wanting one for some time, should have got one when they were inexpensive and plentyful....

Yeah I kick myself for not getting one when they were $500, but oh well

[Kodachrome]

Looking for ammo is a start. Most ranges won't let you shoot hollow-points or jacketed ammo. FMJ's don't show up too much at most retailers.
I usually buy mine at the Miwall booth at most gun shows. Mail-order.
Firing Line in Huntington Beach should have reloads for their rentals.

By the way stainless steel is heavier than carbon steel, the 6" barrel, and the Hogue grips should all aid in taming the recoil.
I have no problems shooting mild magnum loads in my 4" SS GP.
The trigger can be a bit heavy in double action mode, but single is decent.

Good Choice!!

[Bukowski]

Great choice.

Honestly you can do no wrong. Pick up some .38 special and .357 and enjoy. GP100's are built like tanks. .38/.357 are some of the easiest rounds to reload if you want to go down that path. Pick up some ammo, start off with some .38 and go to town from there, the gun can handle it.

[Savion]

Be sure to keep the supporting hand away from the cylinder. The gas spray out between the cylinder and the barrel.
Watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFBAcz16GvU

[Norcal_tom]

love mine. i got it right before they went through the roof. this and my super red hawk in .44 are my two most favorite guns to shoot. get yourself some speed loaders and you'll be good to go.

[Scooooter7]

Only took about three weeks at Turners to get my 4", then the Dros. Only thing I am not liking about it is the plain front ramp site. Kinda hard to see in low light conditions.

[CA-Libertarian]

I would add that it is best to start with the lighter 38 special loads in single action. Get used to that then step up to the stronger loads and 357. Once you have single action down start agian with double action. The trigger is much different for wheel guns. Single action will help with the "break", feel, and focus before the longer break of double action. Once you get comfortable you can get single action results even with double action. Meaning you have muscle memory of were exactly you can "pre-squeeze" to avoid the longer squeeze break. Your groups will get much tighter when this happens and not be wasting your 357 which is pretty expensive.

[Hoologan]

If you aren't familiar with shooting powerful revolvers, do yourself a favor and don't start out shooting full-house .357 loads. Recoil from a revolver is different from the recoil of a pistol and it might seem much nastier to you than you expect. Buy some basic standard pressure .38Spl loads and start with those. Once you're comfortable with that recoil, step up to .38+P then ".357 lite" loads (KE under about 500fpe) then real .357 loads.

My 4'11" 120lb wife feeds .357mag to her GP100 all day with no problems. And she has the 4" model.

[highpower]

I really like revolvers, my guess is that you will too.



PS, I have picked up a few more since this picture was taken last year.

[brian5271]

The GP 100 is a great gun. I bought mine new for a whopping $320.00, of course that was over 20 years ago. I just used mine last Sunday to shoot a Steel Challenge match and had a great time.

As others have said, shooting 38’s through it is a good way to save some money while target shooting, BUT, keep in mind that the 38 special round is shorter than the 357 round. What happens is if you shoot a lot of 38’s through it you will build up a ridge in the cylinder and then if you shoot the longer 357’s without cleaning it, it can be very difficult to remove the spent brass. It is a good idea to clean the cylinder chambers before switching from one to the other.

I installed the Wolf spring kit in mine and have been very pleased with the results. It lightened my double action trigger pull quite a bit. These kits are available from Brownells and are very easy to install