Rugers latest invention

[anachronism]

Fixed sights, no provision for optics, $900.00 suggested list price. Is Ruger nuts? You could buy a real gun got that kind of money.

[Sarge]

Suggested retail is always much higher than a gun sells for. Take a look at how much and M&P pistol goes for retail compared to where you can actually buy them online.

[Toolguy]

The only thing I can see that's different is the grips (nice) and a flat on the side of the barrel (imitation of Smith PC gun?).

Quality fixed sights are nice, but I don't think it will fly at that price point. A gun like that should have good quality adjustable sights.

[anachronism]

The price was thrown in as an aside. I suppose the gun could do well for the IDPA crowd with that rear sight, but IDPA isn't the only game out there. Ruger doesn't seem to understand that this isn't cowboy action, and every gun isn't a Vaquero.

[GARD72977]

Im not a Ruger fan at all. I have to say that I really like the looks of the gun. I have owned one Gp100 and did not keep it very long. I like the sights for a carry gun but I don't like a revolver for a carry gun!!!!!

[z40acp]

That would be a gun worth having, If it had their adjustable sight, a 5 1/2" barrel and a 10 shot .22 LR titanium cylinder.

[mwx40x40]

That would be a gun worth having, If it had their adjustable sight, a 5 1/2" barrel and a 10 shot .22 LR titanium cylinder.

Now you are talking. OR what if they totally went wild and did a 8 shot Redhawk in 38/357 , or maybe even 9mm!!!

[Toolguy]

Somehow I have a hard time envisioning Ruger going totally wild. Look how hard it was to get Smith to do a 9mm revo.

[jhgtyre]

Ruger does seem to get a bit wild sometimes. They made these things:

http://www.ruger.com/products/newModelBlackhawkConvertible/models.html

http://www.realguns.com/articles/271.htm

Now if they would just combine the ideas and do it in a Redhawk we would have something!

[Middle Man]

GP-100 Match Champion

My guess: based off Ruger's (and the TALO group of wholesalers) success with the two Wiley Clapp GP-100's this design concept moved forward with a third model.

Ruger is not the conservative maufacturer they were a decade ago. Interesting aside, there are many old S&W hands that now working at Ruger. Check the stock prices, S&W struggles and Ruger continues to grow (and pay quarterly dividends).

[COF]

Ruger does seem to get a bit wild sometimes. They made these things:

http://www.ruger.com/products/newModelBlackhawkConvertible/models.html

http://www.realguns.com/articles/271.htm

Now if they would just combine the ideas and do it in a Redhawk we would have something!

Bought my first Ruger in 1975 - the Blackhawk 357/9mm - and I still have my .45/.45ACP Blackhawk.

I'd like to see them come out with an 8-shot 38/357 on the Super Redhawk frame - it offers a lot more grip options than the Redhawk.

[GOF]

I have one of these guns. They did reduce weight with the removal of the full underlug and slab-siding the barrel. They also fully-radiussed the trigger (as compared to the sharp edges on the standard GP-100 trigger). They also polished the chambers at the factory, but did not chamfer them. They did a good job on trimming down the GP-100.

The gun handles quickly and shoots my 158 grain LRN reloads into sub 2.5-inch 25 yard groups.

Unfortunately, the sights they chose to equip the gun with are a major drawback. I had to do quite a bit of Swiss file work, and changed the grips, to get the gun to POI at 25 yards.

For IDPA competition this gun will not replace my tuned, standard 4-inch GP-100. For ICORE it will not replace my tuned 6-inch GP-100. The lack of adjustable sights is a negative. I spoke with Wayne Novak (whose sights are used on the gun) to see if he had an adjustable sight option for this gun, and the answer is no.

This gun has the potential to handle as well as a 4-inch K frame, with better reliability and lead bullet accuracy, but the sights are a problem.

[polymerfeelsweirdman]

am I the only person that wants this?

since s&w refuses to cease making internal lock guns I have become more and more of a modern day ruger fan. I would hope that ruger continues in this direction and makes a .45 acp redhawk and maybe even a 10mm gp100

[Shadowrider]

Ruger does seem to get a bit wild sometimes. They made these things:

http://www.ruger.com/products/newModelBlackhawkConvertible/models.html

http://www.realguns.com/articles/271.htm

Now if they would just combine the ideas and do it in a Redhawk we would have something!

Bought my first Ruger in 1975 - the Blackhawk 357/9mm - and I still have my .45/.45ACP Blackhawk.

I'd like to see them come out with an 8-shot 38/357 on the Super Redhawk frame - it offers a lot more grip options than the Redhawk.

Me too. Except I'd like to see a GP100 grip on it. Coming home from a match just about an hour ago I was discussing this exact thing with a shooting buddy. I'd be inclined to just to just build a custom Super Redhawk rebarreled in 8 shot .38sp if I could find someone to build the cylinder and make it work. They only real obstacle to doing it is money and those pesky 8 shot S&Ws that are already out there.

[pskys2]

http://www.gallagherfirearms.com/default.asp?page=3 does 6 shot to 5 shot, wonder if they could go the other way?

These 2 were listed in another forum as suggested options for a new manufactured cylinder:

http://www.reedercustomguns.com/

http://www.bowenclassicarms.com/

At one time there was a company, in Florida I think, that offered Revolver Cylinders manufactured to a customers request.

Would be an interesting project, if you got the cash.

[seanc]

Somehow I have a hard time envisioning Ruger going totally wild. Look how hard it was to get Smith to do a 9mm revo.

Pretty much, ruger does vanilla, and that formula is incredibly successful for them.

[GunCat]

I have one of these guns. They did reduce weight with the removal of the full underlug and slab-siding the barrel. They also fully-radiussed the trigger (as compared to the sharp edges on the standard GP-100 trigger). They also polished the chambers at the factory, but did not chamfer them. They did a good job on trimming down the GP-100.

The gun handles quickly and shoots my 158 grain LRN reloads into sub 2.5-inch 25 yard groups.

Unfortunately, the sights they chose to equip the gun with are a major drawback. I had to do quite a bit of Swiss file work, and changed the grips, to get the gun to POI at 25 yards.

For IDPA competition this gun will not replace my tuned, standard 4-inch GP-100. For ICORE it will not replace my tuned 6-inch GP-100. The lack of adjustable sights is a negative. I spoke with Wayne Novak (whose sights are used on the gun) to see if he had an adjustable sight option for this gun, and the answer is no.

This gun has the potential to handle as well as a 4-inch K frame, with better reliability and lead bullet accuracy, but the sights are a problem.

Interesting…I wonder how the Ruger sight cut differs. There are adjustable sights that fit in the standard Novak cut, and IIRC the Novak “adjustable sight cut” is the same as the standard Novak cut with an additional flat in front of the dovetail.

[ParaLarry]

MA Approved & Certified: No CA Approved: No

Are these markets not big enough for revolver aficionados?

Edited December 30, 2013 by ParaOrdnanceLarry

[Flexmoney]

Unfortunately, the sights they chose to equip the gun with are a major drawback. I had to do quite a bit of Swiss file work, and changed the grips, to get the gun to POI at 25 yards.

Was that just an elevation issue?

How is the sight picture?

[GOF]

Steve, the way Wayne explained it to me is thus.... the rear sight is set extremely low. An adjustable model sits much higher. Installing an adjustable rear would require a front sight change... and that front sight would have to rival the Sears Tower in height.

It's possible that the top strap could be milled for a low mount adjustable sight of some make, but that that's expensive, and the front sight would still need to be replaced.

There is NOTHING wrong with the gun itself... they did VERY good things to the GP-100 (I own 5 GP-100s and shoot them regularly in IDPA & ICORE). The GP-100 is significantly more accurate with lead bullets than the current crop of S&W 686 (haven't shot any current K-frames).You can get a nice, butter-smooth, 8-8.5 pound DA pull on a Ruger, and mine will light off CCI primers... although I load Federals.

Bottom line is the gun itself is great... but the sights are a big negative.

[GOF]

Unfortunately, the sights they chose to equip the gun with are a major drawback. I had to do quite a bit of Swiss file work, and changed the grips, to get the gun to POI at 25 yards.

Was that just an elevation issue?

How is the sight picture?

Flex.... The rear sight is drift adjustable... but the dovetail is tight and I had to bang the heck out of a center punch to move it. But, I did get windage on... at least for now.

Elevation with the factory grips and a 760 fps 158 grain .38 Spl load was 5-inches low at 25 yards. A second front sight was included with the gun to 'adjust' elevation. That's also in a very tight dovetail and would require a heavy duty sight pusher to change out. Unfortunatley, the second front sight was the same height as the installed front sight, so I saw no reason to beat up the gun to get the other front sight in there.

I went through my Ruger GP-100 grip selection until I found one that got me closer... then I broke out a Swiss file to finish the 25 yard 158 grain zero.

The front sight is FO... it was an oversized 'blob'... but in a replaceable mount. I pulled that and installed a smaller 'blob'. That was better.

The rear sight is black and the sight picture is "Novak rear with FO front." Some shooters do good work with that. My eyes don't, so I painted in a white bar on the rear and the resulting sight picture is quite good.

Now, if I never change grips or load, I'm OK... unless my hand strength changes or.. whatever.

A competition gun need reliable adjustable sights, IMHO.

But, from a mechanical and handling perspective I like this new Ruger just as much as the many S&W K-frames I've shot over the last 44 years. It's just the sights I'm not happy with.

[Middle Man]

MA Approved & Certified: No CA Approved: No

Are these markets not big enough for revolver aficionados?

CA list is a revenuers racket...manufacturers pay yearly fees, plus the cost of at least four test samples. Each and every model variantion has to be tested and fees paid (even if the model only has a different cosmetics). Hence, fewer and few new models get listed in CA. Unless the model has a wide, large potential market the costs involved are not neccessarily justifiable from a manufacturer's perspective. Glock has not paid (and doubtly will pay) for Gen 4 guns to be listed.

[S391]

I just bought one of these.... anyone know if it will fit in a standard GP100 holster?

[GOF]

Steve, yes it will fit a standard GP-100 holster. No problem. I use a Blade Tech for my standard GP-100,and the new Ruger fits it prefectly... I've shot a couple of IDPA matches with that combo. There is no reason why it wouldn't fit any other GP-100 holster, whether leather, hybrid, or Kydex. It also uses the same L-frame speedloaders... etc. This Match Champion is the same as the GP-100, just with a lightened weight via cosmetic changes.

You're Good To Go with standard GP-100 gear.

[S391]

Steve, yes it will fit a standard GP-100 holster. No problem. I use a Blade Tech for my standard GP-100,and the new Ruger fits it prefectly... I've shot a couple of IDPA matches with that combo. There is no reason why it wouldn't fit any other GP-100 holster, whether leather, hybrid, or Kydex. It also uses the same L-frame speedloaders... etc. This Match Champion is the same as the GP-100, just with a lightened weight via cosmetic changes.

You're Good To Go with standard GP-100 gear.

Sweet! Thank you.