2016 will mark the 30th Anniversary of the
Ruger GP100 revolver. Introduced in 1986, the GP would replace
the excellent Security-Six series of
medium-frame revolvers, which included the Speed-Six and
Service-Six as well. The GP100 has
been offered in several variations of sight, barrel, and
grip combinations, in both blued
carbon steel and stainless steel, mostly chambered for the
excellent 357 Magnum cartridge,
but also a few chambered for 38 Special only and a
handful chambered for the 327 Federal Magnum cartridge. Now,
the GP100 is chambered for what is likely the most-useful,
most-versatile, and definitely the most-popular revolver
cartridge ever made; the 22 Long Rifle.
The new GP100 rimfire will also fire the 22
Short and 22 Long cartridges, but with 22 Long Rifle ammo
available in many configurations, and with the two weaker
cartridges no longer offering any savings in cost, the 22 Long
Rifle cartridge is all one needs to feed this GP100.
The GP100 rimfire revolver has a capacity of
ten 22 Long Rifle cartridges in its cylinder, giving it a
capacity to justify its size and heft. The GP100 is a solid
revolver, and feels great in my hand. The grip is of the
original GP style, built of synthetic rubber with wood inserts.
The grip area of the frame is sized like other GP100 revolvers,
so this revolver will accept any factory or aftermarket GP100
grip, if so desired. The GP100 is a medium-sized revolver,
designed to accommodate the 357 Magnum cartridge, and it weighs
slightly over two and one-half pounds, but balances perfectly
for me. The short-lug barrel was a good choice, and
its five and one-half inch length gives it a good balance
of handling and velocity. The barrel has no taper, and is
finished with a recessed target crown. The barrel/cylinder gap
on this revolver is just about right, measuring four
one-thousandths (.004) inch, consistently, resulting in good
firing manners, without binding when dirty. Even while standing
beside the revolver during accuracy testing, no
"spitting" occurred out of the barrel/cylinder gap.
The GP100 rimfire is built primarily out of
stainless steel, and the contrasting grip and sights give it a
classy, quality appearance. The rear sight is a white-outline
blade adjustable for windage and elevation correction, and the
front is a square-profile blade with green fiber optic rod
insert. This combo offers a very good sight picture in low
light, while providing a good square profile sight picture for
accurate target work in normal light. Perfect.
The
detailed specifications of the GP100 are listed in the chart
below. All linear measurements are listed in inches, and the
weight is listed in ounces. The trigger pulls are listed in
pounds of resistance. SA is the single-action trigger pull. DA
is the double-action trigger pull. Height includes the sights,
set to the intermediate elevation position.
Weight |
42.6 ounces |
Barrel Length |
5.451 inches |
Barrel Diameter |
0.674 inch |
Trigger Pull SA |
3.75 pounds |
Trigger Pull DA |
9.8 pounds |
Cylinder Length |
1.658 inches |
Cylinder Diameter |
1.545 inches |
Chambers |
10 |
Overall Length |
11 inches |
Overall Height |
5.58 inches |
Barrel/Cylinder Gap |
0.004 inch |
Ammunition |
22 Short, Long, and Long
Rifle |
MSRP as of December 2015 |
$829.00 US |
I
tested the rimfire GP100 with several brands of 22 Long Rifle
ammunition for velocity and function. The velocity results with
each brand and type of ammunition are listed in the chart below.
HP is a lead hollowpoint bullet. Solid is a lead roundnose
bullet. Velocity readings were taken at an elevation of 541 feet
above sea level, with an air temperature of fifty-six degrees
Fahrenheit, with humidity in the seventy-three percent range.
Velocities are listed in feet-per-second (FPS), and were
recorded ten feet from the muzzle of the Ruger revolver. Bullet
weights are listed in grains.
Ammunition |
Bullet Weight |
Velocity |
Federal Bulk HP |
36 |
978 |
Winchester DynaPoint HP |
40 |
926 |
PMC Match Solid |
40 |
926 |
Wolf Match Solid |
40 |
887 |
CCI Mini-Mag HP |
36 |
1053 |
CCI Mini-Mag Solid |
40 |
1021 |
CCI Velocitor HP |
40 |
1002 |
Remington Yellow Jacket HP |
33 |
1112 |
Remington Hi-Speed Solid |
40 |
1028 |
American Eagle HP |
36 |
966 |
PMC Zapper HP |
38 |
1029 |
Winchester XPert HP |
36 |
1012 |
Hansen Solid |
40 |
922 |
Remington Bulk Solid |
37 |
991 |
CCI Blazer Solid |
40 |
993 |
CCI Stinger HP |
32 |
1157 |
Armscor Solid |
40 |
974 |
CCI Quiet |
40 |
536 |
Remington Subsonic |
38 |
859 |
Winchester Wildcat |
40 |
981 |
Accuracy was match-grade from this GP-100
revolver. All accuracy testing was done at a distance of
twenty-five yards, with the revolver secured into my Ransom
Master Series machine rest. I fired full-cylinder ten-shot
groups, with the group sizes measured center-to-center of the
two farthest-apart bullet holes in each group. The largest group
fired all day measured just 1.75 inches, for ten shots at
twenty-five yards. The smallest measured 1.125 inches. Every
brand and type of ammo fired for accuracy displayed great
accuracy. When a gunmaker can get that kind of consistency from
ten chambers, they are doing something right. This revolver
takes full advantage of the accuracy potential of modern rimfire
ammunition, and is one of the most accurate 22 revolvers that I
have ever fired.
I was concerned that ejection might be a
problem, ejecting ten fired cases at each stroke, but ejection
was flawless with every type of ammo tested, with only the Wolf
target ammo showing any sign of sticky extraction. The other
brands of ammo ejected the fired cases effortlessly.
Every cartridge fired. There were no failures to fire
with any ammo tested, even some old ammunition from the 1970s
that I found stashed in the ammo pile.
The GP100 handles really well. The short-lug
barrel makes the revolver balance perfectly, and the
double-action trigger pull is very easy to control. The
single-action pull is crisp, with no hint of grittiness at all.
The synthetic/wood grip feels perfect in my hand. This is a
rugged, reliable, and wonderfully-accurate revolver that will
last many thousands of rounds and still give excellent service.
I have never seen a worn out GP100 357 Magnum, and am sure that
continued use of 22 Long Rifle ammo will do it no harm.
I get to fire a lot of guns. If the bullet
leaves the bore and goes where I want it to go, I pretty much
like it, but some, I like a lot more than others. This one I
love. This 22 LR GP100 is a dandy revolver.
Check out the extensive line of Ruger
firearms and accessories online at www.ruger.com.
For the location of a Ruger dealer near you,
click on the DEALER FINDER at www.lipseys.com.
To order the GP100 online, click on the GUN
GENIE at www.galleryofguns.com.
To
order quality 22 Long Rifle ammunition, go to www.luckygunner.com
and www.midsouthshooterssupply.com.
Jeff Quinn
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