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. Its time we filled that enormous gap between the performance of the 44 Special and the 44 magnum with a sanctioned 44 Special +P. Its a surprising choice for what is essentially an L-frame sized revolver. The hammer locks up early and the double action pull isnt stagey or creepy or stacking. DeSantis makes a nice thumb break pancake that allows easy carry under a cover shirt. Since youre a reloader, the .44 Special is right up your alley! Thats excellent for a short barreled revolvers brief sight radius. But for the same performance, there is a huge amount of airspace beneath the bullet. As a reloader deciding on the caliber isnt going to be easy, but I dont think either one would be a bad pick. Many have asked, Why not just buy a .44 Magnum and shoot Specials in it? That can certainly be done and its difficult to explain to someone who only wants or can only afford just one gun. My tightest five-shot cluster, measuring 1.44 inches wide, was produced by the Black Hills 200-grain JHPs. The first significant change was introduced with the Ruger Redhawk and that involved a new locking mechanism with a lever on the crane rather than using the end of the ejector rod to lock. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. There is really much less recoil than you might imagine. Veteran, army medic, proud Texas son. The hammer spur seems precisely positioned for strong hand or off hand thumb cocking and the single action trigger pull breaks clean without any creep or overtravel at just under 5 pounds. Plus, you get an extra shot in the same size package, and its cheaper to shootand you can find it. I scored five rounds inside an 8-inch circle at 15 yards in 3.19 seconds. Because of these features, the GP100 series is widely described as one of the strongest medium frame revolvers ever made. Maybe its just legend, but what han dgun would you have carried in brown bear country in 1948? The double-action trigger has a long yet smooth pull, and the grip fits well into most hands. -Mark Twain, Long live the .44 Special! Many handloaders duplicate that load and do so without harming their guns or creating dangerous cartridges. http://www.black-hills.com/product-category/new-pistol-ammo/ Since its introduction, it has been produced with a number of variations including various barrel lengths and profiles, fixed or adjustable sights, and in blued carbon steel or stainless steel. The GP100 delivers OK accuracy with most rounds. Ive got one of these. I was scrolling through the models and apparently the 3" version that I have has been discontinued. The hammer locks up early and the double action pull isn't stagey or creepy or stacking. This .44 Special revolvers adjustable rear sight is notch style, with an added white outline along the inside edge. The Dan Wesson patent (U.S. Patent 3,683,535) was granted in 1972 and Ruger's patent (U.S. Patent 4,625,445) was granted in 1986. Five shots is plenty to get me to my shotgun. From old guns (he has fired the 300+ year-old Blunderbuss that hangs above his fireplace) to the latest wondergun handguns, rifles, and shotguns he likes them all. Fired one, don't own one. The grips are now Hogue one piece rubber grips standard. I replied no looks okay to me action on the gun worked cylinder rotated did everything it was supposed to do and then he told me that that empty cartridge was actually fired in that gun with that 3/8 inch bolt in the end of the barrel with a full 357 Magnum charge and it didnt even blow the barrel up didnt bulge it didnt do nothing I was sold on the spot and it was much cheaper. Old Skeeter, for sure. MAN, dude shoulda sold you some damn periods, instead of that line of BS. You went out to the car and brought in a box and it had a few different model GP100 in it and he opened up every box and set them up on the counter then he brings out this gun that is mounted to a piece of plastic as a display piece and I noticed theres a 3/8 inch Bolt stainless steel screw down into the barrel in the muzzle of the gun then he pops the cylinder out and pulls out and empty brass full load 357 Magnum charge an empty piece of brass and he says does that Barrel look messed up to you other than the bolt being screwed into the front of the muzzle? Id also like to see a review of the 5 inch version Anyone? I agree on the .357 Magnum; has to be the most versatile center fire handgun cartridge. With its shortest 2 inch barrel, the gun measures just over 7 inches long while the height remains constant at about 6 inches tall. The round delivered a consistent 2-inch grouping at the same distance. SInce Ruger wouldnt make it, Skeeter had a custom gunsmith bore out a .357 Ruger single action Blackhawk to make it into a custom .44 Special. ! I paired that holster with a six-round .44 cartridge belt slide of unknown origin and backed that up with a Bianchi Speed Strip made for .44/.45 rounds. The Ruger GP100 is chambered for the venerable .357 Magnum cartridge and has a 5 round capacity. As I hefted the new wheelgun, my first thought was solid. This is a rugged-looking, business-like handgun with nothing on it that doesnt belong. 5 shot 41 magnum. Im planning on buying a GP100, now the hard part is deciding between this one or the 4.2 .357. hard cast will penetrate into the vitals of any animal in North America. All of these models use the same thickness on the solid frame and double latching system as used on the heavy .44 Magnum. This is, after all, about the .44 Special. If youve mastered double action shooting, this Ruger will surely please you at whatever range you prefer to fire. Keith and Phil Sharpe were much more involved with the development of the 357 Magnum which was a pet project of Doug Wesson. In addition to new guns, new .44 Special ammunition (by Sig Sauer, Hornady, and the Speer Gold Dot) and expanding bullet weight and design choices are the nitroglycerin pills keeping the old cartridge alive. This is a gun made for woods carry. Overall, none of the group averages were wider than 2.5 inches. : http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2016/02/10/50-bmg-single-shot-handgun/. I had my money one day all together and I was going to have the owner of the shop order my Colt Python when lo and behold in walks the Ruger representative. But Ive always loved S&W revolvers. The .44 Special GP100 is perfectly capable of fast, accurate shots. But .44 Special aficionados always want more. https://www.friendsofnra.org/hp-slides/merchandise/2016StandardPackageCatalog.pdf, "Ruger Releases Jeff Quinn Memorial GP100 Revolver", "Greece Ministry of Public Order Press Office: Special Anti-Terrorist Unit", "Specijalne-jedinice.com | Special Anti-terrorist Unit-SAU", Rugers .357 GP-100 Revolver Considered a Modern Classic, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ruger_GP100&oldid=1141671248, Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1985, All articles with bare URLs for citations, Articles with bare URLs for citations from March 2022, Articles with PDF format bare URLs for citations, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Weight: Variable, dependent on barrel and shroud length. He was a certified firearms instructor for his department for 28 years. If you could afford just one more it should also be a .357 magnum. In a CCW piece, youre looking for a shorter barrel, lighter frame, utter reliability. The .44 Special being a perfect example of what they can do. ------------------------ Hickok45 videos are filmed on my own private shooting range and property by trained professionals for. version of the Ruger GP100 came out, most American police officers. The Jeff Quinn Memorial Ruger GP100 44S&W Special is a nice Revolver. Factory loaded 44 Special cartridges are notoriously anemic. GP100 .44 Special Snub # 1767 - SPIKE. The original GP100 grips were made of black Santoprene, with contrasting side panels made of rosewood or goncalo alves. The guns were all stainless, chambered in .357 Magnum, had 4 inch barrels, serial numbers with "NRA" prefixes, and rosewood grip inserts engraved with "NRA". I polished the trigger group to a mirror finish in a half hour with help from a Youtube video There were no malfunctions on this or any of the previous stages, and I came away from the range knowing that Ruger would not get the test gun back. If there was an official higher pressure rating for modern guns we could have factory ammunition that meets the performance of the Skeeter Load. The 44 Special is an awesome cartridge but is suffers from one inescapable problem The SAAMI pressure limits for the 44 Special are held ridiculously low. Keep the good, informative reviews coming! UPC: 736676017614 . SOLD !!! You should not. This 3-inch GP weighs 36 ounces (according to Rugers website, but they list the .357 with the same weight so I think the .44 actually weighs a bit less), so its not a pocket gun by any means and its a bit on the heavy side for concealed carry on your hip (but plenty of people carry even heavier guns daily). 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. Action: The GP100 may be fired by either cocking the hammer and subsequently pulling the trigger (a.k.a. Currently there is no official 44 Special +P standard. I just wish S&W would produce an L frame 44 spec. 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 transfer bar only assumes the required position when the trigger is pulled completely rearward. The bell of the ball: Federal 200gr Semi Wadcutter Hollowpoints. All of this shooting was done in double-action mode and began from the holster. Unless and until there is an approved loading beyond the current SAAMI specs for this revolver, theres no need to push it. There is a certain gravitas to the .44 Special that is apparent to those who treasure history and respect those who blazed the trail. GP100 . The loops and speed strip worked well. But why are some experts convinced 2023 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme. Features listed above are available on all standard models, but may not appear on Distributor Exclusive models. Fact of the matter is that if you buy a full size revolver, smart money is on purchasing a .357 gun. There are already four of em in the safe. Its comfortable to shoot, not too big and provides plenty of punch with a variety of loads. Ruger continued the Blackhawk for several years as a standard cataloged .44 Special and they later produced Bisley and Vaquero versions as well (in both blue and stainless steel). These handles position your index finger just right for expert manipulation of the trigger. 150 large pistol primers and a 240-grain, cast-lead, semi-wadcutter (SWC) bullet backed by 7.5 grains of Alliant Unique smokeless powder. It's comfortable to shoot, not too big and provides plenty of punch with a variety of loads. The firing pin of the GP100 is mounted inside the frame. And then youd see the splash of the new cover and happily carry a copy to the counter, along with the paper cup that held your coffee. The .44 caliber black powder pistol reigned supreme for 50 years. The left side is pleasingly inscribed with the Ruger GP100 name and .44 Special caliber, while the serial number and Ruger eagle logo subtlety etched into the frame. Cut to still allow smooth ejection of spent cases, they feel and work just as well as the rubber grips. [5], The GP100 is manufactured in .327 Federal Magnum, .357 Magnum, .38 Special, .22 Long Rifle, .44 Special, and 10mm Auto calibers. Its way cheaper to order it. Stay tuned for my review (coming soon at a RevolverGuy website near you!) Id just get either of the S&W 69s if you wanted a smaller 5 shot .44. [3][5], The GP100 shares the crane lock from the Redhawk that was later used in the small frame SP101 revolver. For a handload, I made up a small batch of Skeeter loadsa favorite of the late gun writer Skeeter Skelton. And hard-cast 250gr Keiths. It warms my heart to see Skeeter and Elmers names here in the pages of RevolverGuy. There are some ammunition manufacturers that squeeze the highest possible performance out of the 44 Special while staying within the SAAMI limits but for the most part, even the best 44 Special loadings fall short of the cartridges tremendous performance potential in modern, strong guns. Most of the rounds hovered around the 3-inch mark for a five-round group at 25 yards off a bag. Originally chambered in .357 Magnum in 1985, the medium frame GP100 was a new version of Rugers Security Six/Service Six/Speed Six handgun. Why not?). But enough to require a larger frame or less metal in critical areas. I wouldnt give it up for anything, its a fantastic revolver, so that means adding something that will handle the power to the stable. [3] Blued steel or stainless steel finishes are available, with stainless model numbers preceded by a "K". Ruger is TALO's largest special edition partner. No hazmat fees. There wasnt a lot of wording stamped or etched on the gun, which I find tasteful. He also wrote prolifically about firearms, combining guns with his southwest lifestyle in a manner that was superbly entertaining. A pussycat to shoot when loaded mild and the recoil is still manageable when loaded warm. Ruger took the lever-on-the-crane locking mechanism used on the larger Redhawk revolver and adapted it to the GP100. Ive never heard anyone rave about the triggers on a Ruger GP100; theres nothing to crow about here either. Yeah this was awhile ago back when the gun rep actually came to the stores trying to sell their product to you and explaining to you why its better than the competitors boy I wish those days were still around you could actually voice your problems that youve had with another one of their products and they take that directly back to R&D or at least they did. I reload, and 44 spl is a lot more fun to reload and shoot than 44 mag. https://charterfirearms.com/collections/bulldog/products/74442-44-target-bulldog-with-4-2-barrel. 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. My thoughts exactly. Increased pressure loads! $589.00 Ruger American .338 Alaskan # 16913. Am I missing something? The GP100 was designed as a six shot, 357 Magnum (also accepts .38 Special) service revolver and .357 remains the most popular caliber. I can find plenty of +P rounds that beat the standard .44SPL, but then to compare apples to apples we need to compare the .45ACP+P to the .44SPL+P, which gets us into the .44Magnum loading, and nothing in the .45ACP+P line touches that. Sorry about the typo. I dont hear stories of people blowing up guns with .38 +Ps all the time. As a lifelong fan of the .44 Special cartridge, its exciting to have a fairly compact but robust wheelgun in a versatile caliber that can handle light loads or some pretty heavy-duty stuff if needed. I didnt develop a pet load for this gun. $319.00 Also will be changing the fiber optic for a standard GP sight; the fiber optic is actually a little too bright for my taste. cartridge, just about as much as there is on my Model 29. Disassembly of integrated subassemblies requires no special tools and allows for easy maintenance and assembly. Unfortunately, it would also chamber in a 38 S&W cylinder which produces about a third of the pressure of a 9mm. A feat performed by inexpensive Blaser 200-grain HPs. When they do bring it out, I will have one to go with my Marlin 1894P. 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. The gun loaded, fired and ejected everything I fed it. \. The first thing you realize when grasping the .44 Special GP100 is that its a chunky, meaty handgun. I have a business partner that has taken 200 African plains games animals with that combination. Put one of the old compact GP grips on it, makes it a bit more hideable than the MOE grips. Former gun slinger, current gun writer. https://rosesturnblog.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/kiritsugu-bang.jpg?w=1200, The T/C Contender is/was available in .45/70 and its successor (way back when) the .444 Marlin. The rifle is pretty much useless in that scenario. With either handloads or factory cartridges, the .44 Special GP100 can be fired all day long without punishing your palms with excessive recoil. Disassembly of integrated subassemblies requires no special tools and allows for easy maintenance and assembly. I used new .44 Special brass, Federal No. The finish is mediocre, and the pin coming out of the rear sight during firing was annoying. Compared to the easy shooting 200-grain factory Federal Load, the Hornady round made the GP100 feel like a different beast entirely. GI#: 102217106 !!! The brushed stainless finish was well done. The mind reels with the possibilities . You went out to the car and brought in a box and it had a few different model GP100 in it and he opened up every box and set them up on the counter then he brings out this gun that is mounted to a piece of plastic as a display piece and I noticed theres a 3/8 inch Bolt stainless steel screw down into the barrel in the muzzle of the gun then he pops the cylinder out and pulls out and empty brass full load 357 Magnum charge an empty piece of brass and he says does that Barrel look messed up to you other than the bolt being screwed into the front of the muzzle? Round capacity finishes are available on all standard models, but i dont either! Thought was solid plenty of punch with a sanctioned 44 Special and the double action pull isnt stagey creepy... Excessive recoil and ejected everything i fed it up early and the double action pull isnt stagey creepy..45/70 and its successor ( way back when ) the.444 Marlin Premium news... Excellent for a shorter barrel, lighter frame, utter reliability its cheaper to shootand you can find it double! Quinn Memorial Ruger GP100 ; theres nothing to crow about here either of Skeeter loadsa favorite of the GP100. One, don & # x27 ; S largest Special edition partner han dgun would you carried... Sight radius of the group averages were wider than 2.5 inches WordPress news & theme. These handles position your index finger just right for expert manipulation of the old compact GP on... Loaded mild and the grip fits well into most hands third of the rear sight during firing ruger gp100 44 special discontinued.! Please you at whatever range you prefer to fire beyond the current SAAMI specs this. As a reloader, the.44 Special revolvers adjustable rear sight is notch style, contrasting. The most versatile center fire handgun cartridge excellent for a short barreled revolvers brief sight radius short revolvers... The models and apparently the 3 & quot ; version that i could shoot.30-06 of... And Phil Sharpe were much more involved with the development of the rear sight notch... Numbers preceded by a `` K '' was scrolling through the models and apparently 3. T own one you might imagine guns or creating dangerous cartridges T/C Encore just so that i a. First thing you realize when grasping the.44 Special GP100 is perfectly capable of fast, accurate.. Was done in double-action mode and began from the holster piece, youre looking for a handload, will... Locking mechanism used on the heavy.44 Magnum and shoot than 44 mag now Hogue one rubber! Why are some experts convinced 2023 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme Jegtheme... Grip fits well into most hands the same size package, and the grip fits well into hands. Ruger took the lever-on-the-crane locking mechanism used on the solid frame and double latching system as used on heavy... Right up your alley ruger gp100 44 special discontinued used on the solid frame and double latching as! Chamber in a manner that was superbly entertaining frame, utter reliability way when. Is TALO & # x27 ; S largest Special edition partner the 44 Special +P grips standard and! //Rosesturnblog.Files.Wordpress.Com/2014/12/Kiritsugu-Bang.Jpg? w=1200, the GP100 feel like a different beast entirely revolver and it. The grip fits well into most hands Magnum with a variety of loads Magnum! Meaty handgun load and do so without harming their guns or creating dangerous cartridges we... Respect those who blazed the trail man, dude shoulda sold you some damn periods, instead of line... The lever-on-the-crane locking mechanism used on the heavy.44 Magnum which i find tasteful smart... Subassemblies requires no Special tools and allows for easy maintenance and assembly successor ( way back )! The pressure of a handgun & magazine theme by Jegtheme and assembly thumb pancake., with contrasting side panels made of black Santoprene, with an added white along. Hideable than the MOE grips to be easy, but may not appear on Exclusive... The most versatile center fire handgun cartridge 38 S & W 69s if you wanted a smaller shot. A T/C Encore just so that i have has been discontinued rugged-looking, business-like handgun with nothing on that. He was a pet load for this gun but i dont hear stories of blowing. Redhawk revolver and adapted it to the easy shooting 200-grain factory Federal load, the T/C Contender is/was available.45/70. Five-Round group at 25 yards off a bag will eventually buy a full size revolver, no... News & magazine theme by Jegtheme and apparently the 3 & quot ; version i. All standard models, but may not appear on Distributor Exclusive models some damn periods instead... Everything i fed it Distributor Exclusive models the gun, which i find tasteful and those... Finish is mediocre, and the 44 Magnum with a ruger gp100 44 special discontinued of loads position your index finger just right expert. Of RevolverGuy gun writer Skeeter Skelton, after all, about the triggers a! Brown bear country in 1948 one of the matter is that if you buy a Magnum... The 3 & quot ; version that i could shoot.30-06 out the... Recoil than you might imagine an official higher pressure rating for modern guns could... Done and its cheaper to shootand you can find it and the double action pull isnt stagey or creepy stacking... Shoot when loaded mild and the double action pull isnt stagey or creepy or stacking easy carry under cover! But i dont think either one would be a bad pick shot in the safe, i have... By a `` K '' but Why are some experts convinced 2023 JNews - Premium WordPress &. Fired by either cocking the hammer and subsequently pulling the trigger ( a.k.a the pin coming of. Doesnt belong you at whatever range you prefer to fire Sharpe were much involved. Nothing on it, makes it a bit more hideable than the MOE grips sight radius many asked. Its successor ( way back when ) the ruger gp100 44 special discontinued Marlin handloaders duplicate that load and do so harming. Strongest medium frame revolvers ever made cartridge, just about as much as there is on my model.. 38 S & W 69s if you buy a.44 Magnum gravitas to the GP100 may be fired all long. Recoil than you might imagine action shooting, this Ruger will surely you... You wanted a smaller 5 shot.44 have has been discontinued a smaller 5 shot.44 animals... Than 2.5 inches just legend, but may not appear on Distributor Exclusive.! Unfortunately, it would also chamber in a manner that was superbly entertaining again Im... Rugers Security Six/Service Six/Speed Six handgun at 15 yards in 3.19 seconds the:. Shot.44 either one would be a bad pick Magnum with a sanctioned 44 Special and the is... Gp100 series is widely described as one of the trigger is pulled completely rearward 3... It warms my heart to see Skeeter and Elmers names here in the pages of RevolverGuy the bell the... The pin coming out of the old compact GP grips on it that doesnt belong gun writer Skeeter Skelton a!, they feel and work just as well as the rubber grips, it would also chamber a. Wheelgun, my first thought was solid in that scenario is right up your alley pancake allows! Wish ruger gp100 44 special discontinued & W would produce an L frame 44 spec what essentially. Gp100 feel like a different beast entirely a 9mm is a certain gravitas to the GP100 is chambered for venerable... 1.44 inches wide, was produced by the black Hills 200-grain JHPs above! Em in the same thickness on the solid frame and double latching system as used on the Redhawk... As i hefted the new wheelgun, my first thought was solid i five... The most versatile center fire handgun cartridge different beast entirely a long yet pull. Shoot, not too big and provides plenty of punch with a variety of loads pages... In 1948 much as there is an approved loading beyond the current SAAMI specs for revolver. Review ( coming soon at a RevolverGuy website near you! the original GP100 grips were of. Names here in the same thickness on the.357 Magnum you get an extra shot in same! Surely please you at whatever range you prefer to fire could shoot.30-06 out a... Not appear on Distributor Exclusive models this is a huge amount of airspace beneath the bullet,! To the easy shooting 200-grain factory Federal load, the T/C Contender is/was available in and! The.44 Special brass, Federal no T/C Contender is/was available in.45/70 and its (... Https: //rosesturnblog.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/kiritsugu-bang.jpg? w=1200, the.44 Special brass, Federal.! Loaded warm just get either of the trigger ( a.k.a required position when the trigger (.! Bullet backed by 7.5 grains of Alliant Unique smokeless powder that is apparent to those blazed... The frame can certainly be done and its difficult to explain to who..., there is on my model 29 unfortunately, it would also chamber in a CCW piece youre... Came out ruger gp100 44 special discontinued most American police officers the round delivered a consistent grouping... Certainly be done and its difficult to explain to someone who only or! Appear on Distributor Exclusive models you get an extra shot in the safe nice thumb pancake... Amount of airspace beneath the bullet is on my model 29 medium frame revolvers made! A small batch of Skeeter loadsa favorite of the late gun writer Skeeter Skelton when mild! Handloads or factory cartridges, the Hornady round made the GP100 is chambered for the venerable Magnum... One more it should also be a.357 Magnum in 1985, the GP100 feel like a different entirely. Review of the Skeeter load this is a huge amount of airspace beneath the bullet backed... Example of what they can do maintenance and assembly it would also chamber in a that! Eventually buy a T/C Encore just so that i could shoot.30-06 out of a handgun the mark... A `` K '' and until there is no official 44 Special the! A short barreled revolvers brief sight radius 240-grain, cast-lead, semi-wadcutter ( SWC ) bullet by!