The .44 Special is very manageable, even for novice shooters. 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). : http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2016/02/10/50-bmg-single-shot-handgun/. This Ruger may be what I get instead. I swore I wouldnt do it. I dont hear stories of people blowing up guns with .38 +Ps all the time. 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? that made me hungry for cheese curds. Youre losing one of the major advantages of wheel guns (the ability to shooting ridiculous cartridges) and keeping most of the downsides. While the rubber grips work superbly at taming the recoil of hotter .44 Special loads, I couldnt resist purchasing a set of Ruger/Hogue hardwood grips from their website with a 20% off coupon I had received. Im also getting 491 ft lbs from 200 gr .45ACP at 1050, the stated velocity and weight of the black Hills stuff above. \. Not only did the gun cycle and fire without a hitch, it popped out the empty cases without any sticking or hanging. Not legend, pure myth. [5], In 2016, a limited edition National Rifle Association variant of the GP100 was available from the Friends of NRA through a fundraising raffle. Am I correct in remembering that the reason the 357 and 44 magnums are longer is to prevent chambering them in weak 38 and 44 special pistols, not to gain powder capacity? !!! Double action still kept all shots in the ten ring. But Buffalo Bore, Corbon, and DoubleTap offer some very potent .44 Special loads I would not hesitate to carry for defensive use. Given that 10 round mags for .45s isnt uncommon anymore, I think one can safely say that not only does the .45ACP outperform the .44 special, but a gun full of it more than doubles the potential power delivery of this 44 Special. Im hardly timely with this comment, coming as it does three-odd weeks after reading this story. What Id really like to see in the .44 Special is something in-between the S&W 396, which is almost too light, and the S&W 696, which is about as heavy (or heavier) than this Ruger revolver. As far as which is the more versatile caliber, according to my reloading manuals, the .44 Magnum/Special takes the cake. 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 they do add a level of panache with their handsome color and grain. But why are some experts convinced 2023 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme. Mine seems to love the 250gr LSWC sized .431. But you can also find many loads slower, lighter, and more mild than those, which is what many, if not most, people actually need. SOLD !!! Skeeter was proven right and his followers of the .44 Special were alive and well and willing to open their wallets. More importantly, the thinnest part of the cylinder on the interior walls was identical in width. Gun Review: Taurus GX4XL T.O.R.O. 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. Although Skeeter passed away in 1988, his fondness for the .44 Special stokes its flames even today, thanks to his legacy of books and articles that can still be found via an internet search engine. What we need is an industry sanctioned higher pressure loading that is appropriate for modern guns but still far below the extreme pressure levels of the 44 magnum. Feb 5, 2017. Default; Most Recent . Through the years, Ruger has chambered its single-action Blackhawk revolvers in .44 Special, and any revolver chambered for .44 Magnum can also shoot the lighter .44 Sp ecial. More isnt always better. Some places like Academy will ship free with a $25 order, some others like Target Sports ship free in case lots. Im curious as to why the preference for Ruger over SW? If there was an official higher pressure rating for modern guns we could have factory ammunition that meets the performance of the Skeeter Load. GI#: 102217106 !!! A factory .44 Special +P would be a great designation. Wont hold up. If you want a .44 Magnum, buy one. It would easy to produce a 38 Special-length case that performed as well as a 357 (handloaders do it all the time). Im looking forward to more information on .44 special, and would really like to hear your opinion on appropriate defensive loads for this weapon. Its quite pleasant to shoot, but Ill never be able to compete with it due to the trigger. Its double-action trigger and its ergonomically contoured grip make the GP100 a great choice as a defensive handgun while its 4.2 inch barrel gives the fired rounds plenty of muzzle velocity. that would be great, if ANYONE sold .44 special ammo within a 50 mile radius of me, hence why Im getting a .44 magnum. I agree. Ian, welcome aboard! and a mailing address? This is a gun made for woods carry. This is my first Ruger double action revolver. I wouldve gone faster, but leading would have become an issue. Charter Arms and Federal came up with 9mm federal which duplicated 9mm pressure and ballistics. Honestly, Ive never seen the point in non-magnum caliber revolvers. The rifle is pretty much useless in that scenario. I only ran three as a test after reading that Lil Gun could have very detrimental effects on the forcing cone. That is most definitely the Redhawk. Thanks. Especially Little Gun & H 110. One thing Ruger does right with the revolver line is they build a brick shithouse it aint going to blow up the thing is rock solid strong just like theyre Blackhawk line and Super Redhawk line Bulletproof. The Ruger GP100 features modern grip designs into a centuries-old action. Excellent - 95%+ condition with or without box. Ordered one the first day I found them available (Momma said I could). 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. Props for the serrated top slide and unfluted cylinder. Between the six-inch Model 29, the four-inch Mountain Gun, and the brace of Ruger Redhawks what possible big bore shooting scenario have I left uncovered? Delsin Rowe is the main protagonist and playable character, a young Native-American man who later realizes hes a Conduit with special powers. Available barrel lengths are 2.5 inches (64 mm), 3 inches (76 mm), 4 inches (100 mm), 4.2 inches (110 mm), 5 inches (130 mm), and 6 inches (150 mm) with partial or full length underlugs. As I scrolled through the models I make it to the bottom of the page and there is a video there about this very model. Five shots is plenty to get me to my shotgun. Fact of the matter is that if you buy a full size revolver, smart money is on purchasing a .357 gun. The Hogue grips aid further by positioning your trigger finger in excellent alignment to give outstanding control. But, then, Ive been dithering. The Ruger is the purer choice, of course. Of course the S&W 29s cylinder was widerit holds 6 vs. 5 in the Ruger! The brushed stainless finish was well done. If so, whats wrong with a 38 or 44 special length cylinder, in a shorter, stronger frame, with a slightly longer barrel, firing full house magnum loads, as opposed to a magnum length frame and cylinder with a correspondingly shorter barrel of the same overall firearm length? $0.00 Ruger 10/22 Lite Contractor Yellow. The SAAMI pressure limit for the 44 Special is 15,500 psi. The GP100 .44 Spl.s accuracy ranged from average to very good. Address and Phone Number for Bronx Police Department - 44th Precinct, a Police Department, at East 169Th Street, Bronx NY. 99 percent of the rounds through my .357 are .38, but I still like having the option. I think they must have heard Ace talking! Many handloaders duplicate that load and do so without harming their guns or creating dangerous cartridges. Im still on the prowl for some nice grips to replace the neoprene however. The problem would be someone loading a cylinder of these into an aluminum airweight or 100-year-old revolver. But enough to require a larger frame or less metal in critical areas. The gun loaded, fired and ejected everything I fed it. This holster is half pancake and half tunnel loop, and it does a great job of concealing and distributing the weight of a big revolver. Some shooters opt for a .44 Magnum knowing full well that theyre more likely to fire .44 Specials most of the time. When I think one shot power from a handgun, .44spl isnt on the list, and then I think tool for personal defense, I dont look for something with less power and half the capacity of a 1911, unless its far lighter and smaller, and designed to be easy to carry. Revolvers are still the right gun by the bed. The 2nd Model did away with both the third lock and the ejector rod shroud. Then the tacticool guys. Next, I used some Cowboy Action loads to hit some steel targets. Ruger GP100 .44 Special $625.00 Guns.com While the .357 Magnum enjoys an excellent reputation against motivated adversaries, some prefer the surety of a big-bore cartridge. Therein lies part of its attraction. He provided literary escape for those of us who could only imagine his free existence shooting rattlesnakes, riding horseback in the mountains, his revolver taking a javelina and then cooking it on a desert campfire. Like many Ruger revolvers, this GP100 in .44 Spl. The .44 Special being a perfect example of what they can do. Its not quite a snubnose and obviously not a 6 target gun. 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. Shooting and discussing the new Ruger GP100 in .44 Special. Captain Frank Hamer of the Texas Rangers was known to carry a .44 Special Triplelock in a shoulder holster. Pay hazmat, shipping and wait forever??? Also, Id bet at least a hundred elk have been killed in this country by 9mm pis tols, although I doubt legally. And thats one of things that keeps the .44 Special around. of energy. The numbers in the reloading manual are there to keep you safe. I now have about 7 10000 rounds through the gun a lot of 38 special when shooting matches and competitions but it least a third of that 357 Magnum full load 180 grain jacketed hollow-points. Welcome aboard Steve, and thanks for a great review of this classic cartridge, and the new launch platform for it. He also wrote prolifically about firearms, combining guns with his southwest lifestyle in a manner that was superbly entertaining. 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. Im planning on buying a GP100, now the hard part is deciding between this one or the 4.2 .357. The GP100 is no exception. This is, after all, about the .44 Special. A feat performed by inexpensive Blaser 200-grain HPs. It just pulls through its travel smoothly. A frequent repeat cops want a powerful round and then find it kicks and is harder to control than a medium bore handgun. No sense of history. What role will you use the revolver for? Thanks for fixing that! ------------------------ Hickok45 videos are filmed on my own private shooting range and property by trained professionals for. Black Hills of South Dakota. When the .44 Magnum was introduced in 1956 (when S&W and Remington teamed up after much experimentation by Idahos Elmer Keith hot loading the .44 Special), it was one of the nails in the .44 Specials coffin because you could shoot Specials in the Magnum (as well as .44 Russians, which were lengthened to create the Special, which was lengthened to create the Magnum). Their factories have the ability to take an idea to reality quickly. Then he wrote about it and the .44 Special was resurrected from the ash heaps of Skeeters campfire full of bits of javelina. The same is true with the 45 Colt. Yes, a cadre of handgunners revere the .44 Special. Of course, the wood will not absorb recoil as well as the rubber, but then the concept of a .44 Special is that it doesnt have the recoil of the .44 Magnum. The transfer bar of the GP100 is connected directly to the trigger. The GP100 series, instead, used a small rectangular "peg" grip large enough to enclose the hammer spring and strut. But .44 Special aficionados always want more. The unfluted cylinder makes it look heavy and the full under lug barrel adds to that look. At 21 feet, cocked for each shot, this Ruger easily kept ten shots in the x-ring of a B27 target. Ruger GP100 Match Champion 10mm Revolver, Stainless Out of Stock Notify When In Stock Ruger Super GP100 Competition .357 Mag / 38 Spl 5.5" Revolver, Hardwood - 5065 Out of Stock Notify When In Stock Ruger GP100 Match Champion .357 Magnum 4" Stainless Steel Revolver - 1755 Out of Stock Notify When In Stock This rugged build makes the GP100 so attractive as a medium-plus-sized revolver in a large-bore caliber. The double-action trigger pull measures 11.5 pounds. 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. 387. .357 has a great reputation for ending gunfights. If I could only have one gun, it would be a 357 revolver. I really like that GP100. The grips are now Hogue one piece rubber grips standard. Large, heavy bullets moving slowly also work extremely well but without the negatives that speed brings. I appreciate Ruger for being nostalgic and allbut thats the only reason to ever buy it. The L-Frame Smith is similar in size to a Colt Trooper or Official Police (at one time called the 41 Frame). Ive been a Ruger fan for a long time. Lately, the .40 S&W has been awash in a stormy sea of unflattering ink. Go with the Ackley Improved version. Ive found one example of a .357magnum handgun taking an elk, an immature cow elk at 50 feet. But the Charter Arms are also made in the USA, appear to be smaller than the GP100 44 spcl, and are cheaper. Their factories have the ability to take an idea to reality quickly. His father and grandfather were shooters and collectors before him, so its pretty much in his DNA. Unfortunately, Ruger did not move the warning on the left side of the barrel to the less conspicuous location under the barrel as they have on some of their other revolvers. Mild loads which describes most commercial .44 ammo provide plenty of stopping power for defensive uses. 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. 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. Old canisters of Unique and 296 from the back of the closet. MAN, dude shoulda sold you some damn periods, instead of that line of BS. $319.00 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. Firearm has severe wear and tear, does not function, or is damaged. Is this one on your maybe one day list? The original GP100 grips were made of black Santoprene, with contrasting side panels made of rosewood or goncalo alves. Yes,. Of course, the grip can always be changed out with another factory or custom grip if needed. Unfortunately, it would also chamber in a 38 S&W cylinder which produces about a third of the pressure of a 9mm. 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. It matches up well with the green fiber optic front sight that was found quite useful both indoors and outside. Probably a few with 22LR too. this has the makings of a great novel! I just wish S&W would produce an L frame 44 spec. When I first learned of this new revolver, I knew I had to have one. To be honest, the factory trigger, as you state is so nice, Im not sure how much real improvement I got. Recently, a seven shot version in .327 Federal Magnum has been offered. Handloading the .44 Special is easy due to its straight wall case and loads from mild to wild are inherently accurate. Compare that to the soul-stealing .45 ACP and youll soon see the .44 Specials superiority. The edges were sharp or rounded where they should be, and the metal-to-metal fit was exacting. The GP100 is manufactured in .327 Federal Magnum, .357 Magnum, .38 Special, .22 Long Rifle, .44 Special, and 10mm Auto calibers. Ruger GP100 Match Champion Ruger decided to take their best-selling revolver series and kick it up a notch with the Match Champion line. It was introduced in 1985 as a second generation of the Ruger double-action, exposed-hammer revolvers intended to replace Ruger's Security-/Service-/Speed-Six line. He loaded the .44 Special pretty stout, too, pushing a 240-grain Lead Semi Wad Cutter bullet at 950 fps. 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. Keith used his own bullet design weighing 250 grains and he made it exit a 4-inch barreled revolver at 1200 feet per second. But the .44 caliber bore and five big drilled out cylinder chambers lighten its overall feel and the revolver balances nicely in the hand. The first thing you realize when grasping the .44 Special GP100 is that its a chunky, meaty handgun. And as I twist these thoughts in my head I keep coming back to a single thought although I own several .44s I do not have one in an L-Frame long my favorite Smith handgun size. The reason that I just couldnt help myself (other than a lack of respect for human physiology and simple Newtonian physics): a Smith & Wesson Model 29 chambered in .44 Magnum sat next to the GP100 on my bench. Ive favored crossdraw holsters since carrying on my parents property in Wisconsin. Plenty of S&Ws and Colts have passed through my hands or reside in my safe. The Don Hume holster kept the gun secure and out of the way until I needed it, and reholstering was easy. I can buy a case (1000 rds) of decent brass new 5.56 for 29 cents a round (I refuse to shoot nasty steel russian crap) with either free shipping or maybe up to $15. This exclusive version of the Ruger GP100 comes with rubber grips and wood inserts 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 wouldnt give it up for anything, its a fantastic revolver, so that means adding something that will handle the power to the stable. It is our first review of a Ruger round gun. 150 large pistol primers and a 240-grain, cast-lead, semi-wadcutter (SWC) bullet backed by 7.5 grains of Alliant Unique smokeless powder. This was not a new innovation, having been used by Dan Wesson and some High Standard revolvers that predated the GP100. Looking online, it also produces more than the hottest loads from Winchester, Speer, Remington, Hornady, and Buffalo Bore. 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. Retired to a log cabin in the Volunteer state of Tennessee (Patron state of shooting stuff, as the character Bob Lee Swagger stated, in the movie, Shooter), he keeps busy shooting cottonmouths, armadillos, and beavers that invade his property. Its built like a tank, and remains one of the easiest revolvers to disassemble and maintain (although most of users never need to). My mind stretches back to that old Model 24, all those years ago, and I shake my head. Many knowledgeable handgunners cant understand its attraction. Too space-gun looking. GP100 . At 7 yards, I fired double- and triple-taps, then shot from standing and kneeling positions behind the barricade. The .44 Special GP100 is almost as versatile as the .327 Magnum as it will not only accept .44 Special loads but .44 Russian and .44 Colt loads as well. This is one of those double-action pulls where, toward the end, you can feel a little catch that lets you finish the pull in such a way that it almost feels like a single action. It was made stronger with the intent to fire an unlimited number of full-power .357 Magnum rounds. Most of the rounds hovered around the 3-inch mark for a five-round group at 25 yards off a bag. My tightest five-shot cluster, measuring 1.44 inches wide, was produced by the Black Hills 200-grain JHPs. That included 200- and 240-grain LSWC, LSWCHP and jacketed hollowpoints from several manufacturers, as well as my own home-cast boolits. It has a smooth-faced trigger about 0.35 inches wide, and the hammer has a flat, checkered spur. But there are plenty of long barreled .44s available and Lipseys has already come forth with a blued steel 5-inch version. version of the Ruger GP100 came out, most American police officers. I really like the 44S&W Spl cartridge and this one caught my eye. mil-sup. Am I missing something? But the 29s just a S&W. Its going to be one of those guns that just hangs on a wall most of the time. A smaller, more versatile gun. Once the larger magnums came about they were of course much better options. Both of mine lost their cylinder-thumbpiece (even with locktite). The single-action trigger pull weighed 4.6 pounds on average, according to my Lyman digital trigger pull gauge. Quote of the Day: The Unintended Consequences of Universal Background Checks? This allows the user to easily clean the revolver after shooting. The other big speed-assisting factor: the GP100s sights. Compared to the easy shooting 200-grain factory Federal Load, the Hornady round made the GP100 feel like a different beast entirely. Keep Reading. you do have the interwebs, no? It just isnt sanctioned. Originally, it was a ballistic improvement on the 19th century .44 Russian cartridge, which Smith & Wesson chambered in its large No. To put that in perspective, the SAAMI limit for 44 magnum is 36,000 psi and the limit for 38 Special +P is 20,000 psi. 1761. Oh, dont get me wrong, if I get an encore, it will strictly be for dick measuring contests with the guys running .500 S&W Magnums and other such ridiculousness. It just pulls through its travel smoothly. The Price for a Ruger GP100 has increased in cost by $10.51 in 2023 compared to 2022. Also a fantastic carbine round. I agree. We take all the hassle out of selling your gun. ..but at least your neighbor would know that you are shooting a gp100. The GP100 delivers OK accuracy with most rounds. 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.