New Rugers From Lipseys!

[shoot-n-lead]

"Well, apparently you have better vision than most involved in the gun industry."

Would this be the gun industry that gave us the .25 WSSM, the first-generation Remington R51, and the wildly successful .376 Steyr cartridge/Scout rifle combo? Thank you!

Yes...and they don't want to build another loser...because the .41 Special would certain be one.

[High Desert Hunter]

Could someone post the outer cylinder wall thickness front and back for the GP100-44 please?

DougGuy,
You might try emailing Jeff Quinn at gunblast.com, he may still have the test gun to measure.

[35 Whelen]

What LAH and WR said.

Call me a Luddite, but the idea of a large-frame revolver of GP-100 or Redhawk proportions is hard for me to wrap my mind around as a concealed-carry arm. Barrel length has never posed much of a problem for me--it is weight and cylinder width that complicate the equation. The S&W Model 13/65 x 3" is my idea of "ideal" for a carry gun in 357 Magnum, but a 4" barrel is no more difficult to conceal--and in fact helps a bit with an inside-the-waistband mode of carry. 2" and 3" revolvers are conspicuous by their absence within my gun safe. The only one that makes sense to me by virtue of size/power/capacity is the out-of-print Colt Detective Special/late series, with +P rating--6-shot cylinder--and reasonable weight/size. Likely the best snubbie 38 ever produced in this country, but it is long gone. These corpulent overweight posers acting like snubbies won't occur at my house. Both might get bought if equipped with 4"-5" barrels, by which means they would become useful and multi-purpose tools. There are more than enough existing unfilled niches in the gun market in need of filling that we don't need to create new ones that are in reality non-existent.

BINGO.

This revolver is a study in contrasts.

The purposeless, non-fluted cylinder only adds to the already too heavy weight of 36 oz., which is too heavy for a 3" revolver. My Colt repros weigh the same with a 4 3/4" barrel and carry six rounds in the cylinder. My CA Bulldog is identically configured and is almost a full pound lighter.

I wonder why Ruger insists on building heavy, boat anchor revolvers? They could flute the cylinder, use a tapered, or at least more slender contoured barrel, and remove some metal from the frame and have a handy trim revolver better suited for carry. OR if nothing else, have an option for a 4" barrel so at least one could justify a revolver a little on the heavy side with a longer barrel which would be more useful for hunting.

Heck, for that matter, a guy can just buy a Smith Model 21-4 which weighs exactly the same as the Ruger, has an extra inch of barrel and is capable of carrying 6 rounds.

35W

[DougGuy]

DougGuy,
You might try emailing Jeff Quinn at gunblast.com, he may still have the test gun to measure.

I asked him already about this, asked him if he had a flattop that he could compare wall thickness with. He is busy and on the road this week so maybe next week?

[dubber123]

I asked him already about this, asked him if he had a flattop that he could compare wall thickness with. He is busy and on the road this week so maybe next week?

I fully expect the GP100 frame is plenty strong enough, and as long as the cylinder wall thickness exceeds that of a S&W J-frame in .357 mag, I would have to think it should be safe to standard .357 mag pressures, and that would surely wake the 44 Spl. up. The only potential weak spot might be the forcing cone, which was the issue with the L-frame S&W's in .44 Spl. I am betting Ruger addressed that issue though.

[High Desert Hunter]

I for one prefer the Ruger boat anchor to the lighter Smiths, I know that they will take all of the abuse I can throw at them. I want this one in particular for a pack gun, throw it in, and forget it's there unless I become separated from my rifle and need it.

[Certaindeaf]

Yea, a 3" 5-shot .44 is about perfect to carry. A GP is pretty much equivalent in size to an L frame and 3" is pretty close to 4" so this is a full size duty gun ("snub-nose" indeed.. lol) and I'd be surprised if the thing won't do sub 2's at 25 yards. I'd never consider a 5-shot with a much long barrel.

[W.R.Buchanan]

BINGO.

This revolver is a study in contrasts.

The purposeless, non-fluted cylinder only adds to the already too heavy weight of 36 oz., which is too heavy for a 3" revolver. My Colt repros weigh the same with a 4 3/4" barrel and carry six rounds in the cylinder. My CA Bulldog is identically configured and is almost a full pound lighter.

I wonder why Ruger insists on building heavy, boat anchor revolvers? They could flute the cylinder, use a tapered, or at least more slender contoured barrel, and remove some metal from the frame and have a handy trim revolver better suited for carry. OR if nothing else, have an option for a 4" barrel so at least one could justify a revolver a little on the heavy side with a longer barrel which would be more useful for hunting.

Heck, for that matter, a guy can just buy a Smith Model 21-4 which weighs exactly the same as the Ruger, has an extra inch of barrel and is capable of carrying 6 rounds.

35W

I hear some of your criticisms but,,, This is the first evolution of this gun. It was designed to fill the niche left open by the demise of the S&W696 (which also weighs 36 oz.) The M69 is not doing that.

The gun is what it is, and whereas some would want a longer barrel or a .41 Spec which could be easily done with only a barrel and cylinder change, unless the base model sells well (which I think it will), there would be no incentive for Ruger to make other models that will sell less.

The future availability of other models will be strictly governed by how well the first model sells. I will ask Mark about other possible models at the Show but I doubt I will get anything definitive out of him. Generally big outfits don't like to show their cards on upcoming models prior to their release as it generally limits sales on existing models because people are waiting for their model to come along.

I learned a valuable lesson a long time ago while trying to sell the Omniturn CNC Lathe, which I invented.

That is:

People always seem to want something just a little different than what you are offering.

It is the best excuse ever invented for NOT buying a product.

There currently is no other Revolver like this gun. If they make a 4 or 5" bbl. then they are competing directly with the S&W M69 (which is not selling well.) The .41 Special is a possibility and Brian Pearce just did a two part series in "Handloader" on that cartridge and loading of same. There is also several specialty outfits making factory ammo, and Starline is making cases so it can be loaded for, and his article had loads that were right up with .41 Magnum performance so the gun would be useful.

I was seriously considering one of the .44 Magnum Redhawks with the 4.2" bbl and the rubber grips. My intended use was as a Carry Gun when on Jeep trips in the back country. However at 47 oz it wouldn't be a picnic to carry and I already have a SBH Bisley and a BH Bisley and my 696 so why would I need another .44 Mag? (when has that ever been a real question?) But the point is I didn't get one, but this gun is a little different, and I like it more than the bigger guns, so there may be one in my future if I could get it into CA.

Well there's a good reason for the 4" bbl version right there.! CA legal version!

Merry Christmas !!!

Randy

[snowwolfe]

I hear some of your criticisms but,,, This is the first evolution of this gun. It was designed to fill the niche left open by the demise of the S&W696 (which also weighs 36 oz.) The M69 is not doing that.

Randy

Why would you claim that about the 69? The 69 is one of the favorite carry 44 mags on several different forums I frequent. Own one myself.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I knew it would ring someone's bell, it was just my opinion based on some sales figures I've heard of from someone who actually has access to such things. There isn't anything wrong with the guns IMHO, I was just restating what I had heard from a reliable source.

This thread has been up for only a few days and already has 3800+ views! I think they have a winner.

Randy

[High Desert Hunter]

http://www.lipseys.com/itemdetail.aspx?itemno=RU1761