Ruger GP 100 trigger

[CBennett]

Ok been thinking of a Revolver 4-5" model I had been open to all makes but talking on gun forums ive come away with the conclusion that the Biggest difference in the S&W's and the Ruger is the trigger...everyone says the S&W has a better trigger and they make it seem like the Ruger trigger is hard to modify/work on to get a good feel/pull weight while maintaining reliability???

True? False? figured you guys would know...I like the LOOKS of the Ruger more but I may use this gun for some competition(closest to the bullseye type) also and want it to be accurate..id been looking S&W,Ruger,Taurus(im NOT a Taurus basher and have no problem with their revolvers), and Colt im looking in the $400 or less range(used) not high price stuff like Pythons or any of that ...GP100's,&W used police type guns, older colts that kind of stuff..

 

[GP100man]

The only real difference in ruger triggers that i`ve found being all have been tuned is the ruger triggers have a longer stroke .

If shot enuff & muscle memory does`nt kik in you`ll never notice it !!

I now have only rugers , my cuz was down hunting season & he tried to trade me a model 28 Hi Way Patrolman for a GP100

He still owns the HI Way Patrolman !!!!!

 

[Jimbo357mag]

The GP-100 is a great value in a 357 gun. Sturdy as the day is long. The trigger in double or single-action is good usually with just normal break-in and a spring swap. A little extra work on the internals can make it excellent.

...Jimbo

 

[Yosemite Sam]

CBennett, IMO (and we know what that's good for), the folks saying that are comparing S&W triggers from years past to Ruger. Current S&W triggers are nothing to write home about. The guns feel cheesy in the hand (to me) compared to their older ones. They are simply not made up to the standards that made S&W S&W.

The Ruger is (again, IMO) a far better value.

FWIW, if anything I think the Ruger is easier to work on.

If you really want a nice Smith, go get an older one, preferably from the 70s when they were still doing "pinned and recessed" construction, didn't have transfer bars, and MIM and two piece barrels weren't even conceived of yet.

-- Sam

Here's a couple of .357s to get your juices going:

 

[Thel]

"Everyone" probably say this based upon hearsay and times long ago. In the old days the S&W's had forged internals and hand fitting vs. today's MIM parts. Rugers seem to be better put together these days so most of the differences disappear. As GP100man notes the only major difference is the S&W has a quicker lock time and shorter action i.e. less hammer arc.

The trigger pull on a Ruger, to me, is somewhat reminiscent of a Colt Python (as I duck the flames )which has an even larger hammer arc. I have both a GP and a 686 Mtn. Gun (MIM, pre-lock) that have been tuned by some top gunsmiths (TJ and Alan Tanaka). In the case of the 686 it was also blueprinted to ideal dimensions. The 686 came back with a 7.25 lb DA pull and about 2.5 lb SA. The GP has about a 7.4 lb DA and 2.5 lb SA. To me the GP is smoother but the Smith has a bit shorter hammer arc and locks up the cylinder just before hammer fall whereas the GP locks up well before hammer fall. If I had to part with one the GP would be the last to go. One can go even lower on trigger pulls by maximizing firing pin protrusion and using a very light hammer. Randy Lee can make game guns (Smiths with DA pulls in the 4's) and has made a Smith Carry K frame with a 6 lb DA. He also works on Rugers and claimed they could be brought way down, too.

As Yosemite Sam notes the Rugers are easier to work on and they are far stronger and durable. I believe one of the ammo mfrs uses a GP to test there full blast loads and they have run 10's of thousand threw it and it still is ticking. Rugers also hold their timing better. It is interesting that Grant Cunningham, a noted Oregon gunsmith, who has a number of guns (Colts, Smiths, Rugers) usually carries either a GP or SP. Here are some links to Cunningham on the subject that refutes a lot of the "conventional wisdom" heard in the gunshop:

http://www.grantcunningham.com/blog_fil ... 2-724.html

http://www.grantcunningham.com/blog_fil ... 7-721.html

http://www.grantcunningham.com/blog_fil ... f-719.html

 

[CBennett]

Well it would be a "older" model like a 19 or 23 or what ever as I honestly just cant afford the newer model Smiths..Im looking at a sub $400 deal not $500+...I know a guy selling a older(no box gun only) GP100 for $400 and the Smiths ive looked at in the $300 range are older police tradeins with some of the typical holster wear for that sort or gun..I like both but the looks of the GP are a plus to me, I just wanted to be sure that the trigger was workable if I wanted to get someone to work on it and you guys seem to have answered that in the positive..thanks!

 

[Hammerdown77]

My brother bought a GP100 yesterday, and quite honestly I'd never even given them a second glance before now. I'd tried Redhawks, and SP101s, and thought the triggers were...not so good. But the GP100 is a totally different critter. His has a really nice DA pull right out of the box. Compared to my S&W 629-4, the weights and smoothness feel about the same, with the GP100 having a slightly longer stroke, as others have mentioned. I was impressed.

Kinda got me wanting to go back and get one myself!