The Ruger launched four Blazer rounds into three-quarters of an inch before we (rather annoyingly) got spooked by the success and sent the last two an inch left. We put nine B-2 targets on each backing board and went to work, shooting reloads, factory ammo, and then unwinding each time with casual fire through a reference pistol – in this case the FNS-9 we’ve been using for long term testing. Even the trigger group itself is removed as a unit from the bottom of the frame. S&W really watched their tolerances; Ruger not so much. The GP100 trigger is approximately the same weight, but the travel is a little longer and feels heavier, with noticeable stacking about 2/3 of the way through the travel, with a little snag near the end in double-action, and a slightly gritty single-action break. It’s well executed, with no rough edges or gross tool marks. For my money, I could flip a coin and be entirely satisfied with either. Since I’ve had my S&W 686, 3 of my buddies traded their Rugers for S&W 686. I would gravitate to the GP100, as I already have several big-bore .44 caliber Ruger revolvers and would prefer to keep my guns as similar as possible. If you ever get into the content business, whether it’s online, in print, or in TV, you’ll realize something very quickly: one of the easiest ways to generate material is to look at new products. If we had had identical grips on each gun, could we have felt the difference in the dark? For carry I use my 642. For whatever it’s worth; all four of us are at least 70 years old and are all Vietnam Combat Veteran’s. When I first handled a GP-100, the first thing I thought was, this is a boat anchor! August 26, 2017. Since then, there have been several design revisions tweaking and changing things about various components in the gun. Whichever one you choose, you have my assurances that both are excellent examples of their class, and this is a rare, rare case where you could make a purchase based on aesthetics alone and still arrive home with a great gun. Can you give me some pro's and cons with the GP100 … The Ruger's trigger can be worked to be better than a stock S&W trigger but,,, The GP100 I shot took forever for the hammer to fall, It is a longer trigger pull in DA and after shooting S&Ws for a … Post subject: Ruger Redhawk 8 Shot 357 vs Ruger GP100 7 Shot 357. In this instance, the L frame of the 686 denotes a medium-large frame, and is typical of modern, fullsize .357 Magnum offerings from Smith & Wesson. S&W has history on their side…Ruger has technology and innovation for a more rugged and reliable firearm. Bass Pro Shops $749.99 See Deal Ruger GP100. Ruger SP101 22 S&W 617; Conclusion S&W 617 is generally the better choice. Buy the GP100. Match Champion has the best trigger pull…. getting better…… Love both of these Revolvers!!! Both manufacturers offer 6 and 7 shot versions. Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. is one of the nation's leading manufacturers of rugged, reliable firearms for the commercial sporting market. and that tool is a screwdriver blade with a hole EDM in it to remove the ejection rod. The only logical solution is to get one of each. Despite the 10mm’s reputation for power, the Ruger GP100 Match Champion is all about speed. As for barrel length, the 6" is the better choice for hunting, longer sight plane, more weight … The 686 is what you might call more of a traditionalist’s revolver: as mentioned above, its design is an echo of classic S&W heritage. Both have high-visibility and ruggedized options available from the factory. The throats in Ruger’s cylinders were not on the level with S&W’s. Bearcat: Joined: Sun Nov 26, 2017 10:56 pm Posts: 43 From a novice doing his … But when the scores are that close, tracing any difference to the gun rather than the shooter is almost certainly a mistake. In the meantime I will refrain from shooting .40 S&W in the 10mm GP100 and be content with using standard 10mm ammo, most of which is loaded near .40 S&W levels anyhow. 3 Reasons Why a Ruger GP100 IS Stronger than a Smith & Wesson 686? That’s why Rugers weigh more than do corresponding S&W handguns and that’s why Rugers are more rugged than are S&W’s. They’re rugged, durable and they don’t need to be strengthened to last forever. just the fact that you can field strip a GP100 and truly clean the trigger group win’s it for me. Your email address will not be published. We began by warming up with handloads as we can make them by the case lot; using cast lead semi-wadcutter 148 grain bullets and titegroup powder they’re practically free. In general if it feels GREAT and is reliable, consistent, and accurate, and works for you, I have to say if it is not broke it does not need fixing! Close. Each gun was tested with 20+ different loads for accuracy on a 25 yard target, and each gun with its best load grouped around ½ of an inch, with the difference between being measured in a couple tenths of inch. Sturm Ruger’s answer to the Smith & Wesson 686, the Ruger GP100 was introduced in the early 1990s. The trigger is noticeably nicer on the 686 out of the box, but the GP100’s trigger is easily improved if you have the skills, patience, or money to see it done, bringing them much closer to parity. Certainly, if the shooter does their part and with proper load selection, either gun will deliver all the accuracy required for any endeavor. Any edge here goes to the S&W, as it can accept an extended “gas-pedal” type release that is easily actuated by the shooting hand thumb without breaking the firing grip. The American Eagle was a solid performer and for general purpose applications we’d recommend it on account of the combination of bullet, accuracy, and reloadable brass. The new GP100 Match Champion is Ruger’s first direct attempt at challenging that dominance. The new Ruger GP100 Match King chambered in 10 mm is one of those best-of revolvers that the company's customers have been waiting for, including me! I have a question about Colt and the Pythons………..I have heard that at least for a short while Colt was producing some Pythons with internal parts that were subject to breakage. If you like the Smith and Wesson’s fantastic trigger feel and looks, and don’t mind that you’re paying extra for a gun that is almost the exact functional equivalent of the Ruger GP100, well, it’s hard to argue against that either. Built on the mid-sized L frame, the Smith & Wesson 686 was designed around the .357 magnum, although the Performance Center did make a few .38 specials for competition use. The GP100 is a 6 shot, medium frame .357 comparable to the S&W L frame 686. The stock Ruger is less expensive than the Smith and Wesson across most variants, usually by about a $100 or so, but if you are considering the cost of upgrading the trigger or purchasing a performance model to bring it to parity with the 686 per the above paragraph then the savings are nil. When comparing the sizes of the GP100 and SP101, you might compare them to their S&W counterparts. The Ruger Trigger is a very good trigger and can be improved with some simple DIY work. Whatever role you are looking to fill with a fullsize revolver, be it hunting, concealed carry, or general defense, both the 686 and GP100 have models to suit the task. In both cases we found the Blazer ammo to be very controllable and the Winchester to be the least predictable. Not a tremendous advantage, but worth mentioning. Anyone have any info on this? That’s why Ruger revolvers weigh more than S&W revolvers and it’s also why Rugers are stronger guns….. In this instance, the L frame of the 686 denotes a medium-large frame, and is typical of modern, fullsize .357 Magnum offerings from Smith & Wesson. It can hold more rounds at once, it is more easily customizable, and the accuracy is better. There’s no sense of “stacking” which occasionally manifests in the coil spring of the Ruger. It would also be very accurate, and have an action that would be hard-wearing, and would maintain its smooth, manageable trigger over a long time. The Smith 686 liked the American Eagle more, putting six rounds into one and five-eighths inches. My favorite Ruger had always been a Ruger Security-Six or a Speed-/Service-Six. Ruger GP100 vs S&W 686. Personally, I believe the Ruger brand is top notch and at the end of the day, they are both glorious weapons. Or two of each. The GP100 has a release located in the exact same location, but is a button that hinges inward to release. There have been many legendarily excellent wheelguns come and go over the years, but few have codified the modern revolver as well as the Ruger GP100 and Smith & Wesson Model 686. And, we suppose, they’re more fun to photograph when they look different, plus the fact that a blued Ruger GP100 was easier to find than a stainless one, so one’s silver and one’s black. A classic Smith and Wesson leaf spring gives the trigger a superb feel, although in theory at least, leaf mainsprings are a little more fragile than coils (in practise, we’ve never actually seen one break.) Your e-mail is 100% safe. First let’s lay down some hard data for the sake of comparison. If the sights were dialled in for that specific load and distance, it’d be a draw, with the score in the mid-forties as well. Both guns were bought used, with our own cash, the sellers having no ties to the manufacturers. The factory ammo was from American Eagle, Blazer, and Winchester. We don’t claim to be particularly adept shooters with revolvers (in fact we spend so much time with service pistols we have to consciously decide to move our support hand back to avoid blasting the tip of our thumb with hot gases from the cylinder gap) but three inch groups at 15 yards were easy enough and two inch groups readily achievable. For some reason, in the early eighties, there was a pervasive belief that the 110 JHP was the ultimate manstopper; later testing did not bear this theory out but it’s still a cool round and deserves a place in any collector’s heart. The Ruger GP100 Match Champion is a unique six-gun that offers a great deal to the discerning shooter…with the added bonus of moon clip sweetness. 2. The frame, cylinder release, sideplate, and crane arrangement are unmistakably S&W. I’ll pick up a 686 plus and right next to it a GP100 Match Champion and im liking the Ruger trigger better. But we’re amazed just how similar they are. The GP100 … Aside from being two of the most common among fullsize revolvers, both are renowned for their accuracy and reliability. The components of the action, while far from crude, lack the precise fitment and polish of the Smith and Wesson, but are similarly overbuilt like the rest of the gun. I can place a dime on the front of the barrel behind the front site and dry fire DA and the dime does not move. I replaced the original hammer spring in the GP with a light spring available from Brownell's … One thing you mentioned in passing but didn’t emphasize enough is that most all of the S&W revolvers have sidewall plates attached by screws whereas the Rugers are solid steel and have no sidewall plates. The S&W 686 fired its best with the Blazer, putting all six in two and seven-eighths inches. Their balance superb, and I wouldn’t swap one for a GP-100, ever. After comparison, the GP100 is evaluated as the better pistol for personal protection and concealed carry. We all agreed to a draw. However, if you prefer a simple and lightweight revolver as a carry gun, you can opt for Ruger … The frame, cylinder release, sideplate, and crane arrangement are unmistakably S&W. Maybe it’s just me, but I’m not seeing it. S&W 586 is my preferred revolver. 686affordableComparisonfirst gunGP100New shooterrevolverRugerRuger GP100Smith & WessonSmith 686wheelgun. For the tinkerer without real gunsmithing skills, the GP100 may be a better choice, as detail disassembly and reassembly is somewhat simpler than the classic Smith and Wesson revolvers. I have a model 66-8 Smith and a GP100 match champion You know…., when I pick up Smiths and Rivers at my LGS I’m just not seeing the “Smith triggers are much bettt” thing. Posted by 5 years ago. Easy to take down with a simple pin that is included in the grip. Either are available in enhanced trim, with smoothed actions, accurized barrels and extended or smoothed controls, though Smith & Wesson has more custom variants available than Ruger from the factory, with their Performance Center lineup. Although the stainless-steel revolver features the Ruger family brushed satin finish, it’s … The GP100 … If you’re thinking of buying the new Ruger … The GP100 is descended from one of the most loved and successful U.S. service revolvers in history, Ruger’s own Security Six. These two beauties are examples of some of the most popular .357 magnum revolvers ever built: Ruger’s GP100, and Smith and Wesson’s 686. At SHOT Show, we talked to Kurt Hindle, the product manager for the Match Champion. Just one opinion from an old Purple Heart grunt. I myself would have the stock GP100 trigger improved, considering that a good DA pull is essential for fast and accurate shooting with a revolver as a defensive arm. However, the GP100 is … In retrospect, choosing two extremely similar revolvers and putting them head-to-head had a predictable outcome: they’re extremely similar. That nomination is of course entirely preference, subjective, and in no way a slight to the 686. The Ruger GP100 comes equipped with a 4.2 inch, slab-sided bull barrel. We put two iconic revolvers together to compare and contrast differences and similarities. For those readers unfamiliar with a Ransom rest, it is a heavy mechanical vise fitted with an insert to hold a specific gun with absolute steadiness, and is used predominately for accuracy testing by removing the human element from the equation. Longer barreled models with tuned actions can take full advantage of the .357 Magnum and give great performance as a hunting or home-defense gun. The GP100 reflects Ruger design ethos as much as the Smith 686 is a pure child of Smith and Wesson. Am I correct? 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