Why no love for the Ruger GP100 or Single Ten?

[waylonrocks]

I am curious as to why these fine revolvers aren't mentioned more often. Judging by prices on Gunbroker, I'm guessing there were not a lot of the GPs made? They are both of fine quality and the 10 round capacity is nice, too. They are rarely mentioned as anyone's favorite revolver on this forum and I haven't met many people where I live that have either one. I would have thought that the popularity of the GP100 and Blackhawk in .357 Magnum would have caused folks to buy a companion piece in .22 LR, but apparently not. Youtube videos seem to be highly positive for both models and generally speaking, that encourages people to get the fever to make a purchase. Like most things, they haven't been available for a few years anyway so the bulk of sales have gone to the Wrangler model which makes sense.

[NSB]

An interesting thread. I guess I haven’t noticed what you’ve noticed. I see plenty of people using and buying these revolvers. Having owned a great many handguns over the last six decades, I’ve found that most people seem to be more brand loyal than just plain objective when it comes to declaring their preferences for different handguns. I’ve owned several Ruger handguns, and have several right now. However, I personally prefer Smith & Wesson overall. For me, I don’t buy “companion pieces” in rimfire. When it comes right down to what rimfire I shoot it usually is one that has exceptional accuracy. At that point brand goes out the window and the most accurate handgun wins. I wouldn’t make Gunbroker the determining criteria for deciding anyones preferences. I’d look at sales figures overall. I’m not positive, but I think Ruger may be higher than any other handgun manufacturer? They sell a lot of guns.

[dverna]

I had a GP100, sold it and about 15 years later got a pair of S&W's for my fiancé and me. I prefer the S&W's but nothing wrong with the GP.....Ford/Chevy???

[GhostHawk]

Ruger Single Ten .22LR 5.5"bbl SS Revolver w/Box
Starting Bid
$649.00
7d 1h | 0 Bid

650$ is a pile of cash for a .22lr revolver. There are a lot of choices in this field that run significantly cheaper.

Me I went with the Heritage with adjustable sights, cost me right around 200$.

In my opinion, in bigger calibers the GP's are popular. Just overpriced for the .22lr market.


Ruger Wrangler 22 LR Burnt Bronze 22LR Revolver Ruger Wrangler 22 Bronze 22

Ruger Wrangler 22 Revolver Burnt Bronze 22 LR 22LR
Price
$183.57
Qty: 10+

[dannyd]

Got my first GP100 in 1989 added four more over the years shoot them about 3 times a week. I don't shot 22's because can't reload them.

But if I did shoot 22's; I would buy a Ruger Mark IV before a GP.

[Bigslug]

I think it might have something to do with the fact that most members on this forum are old enough to have bought S&W double actions or Single Sixes before those guns were offered, then got into casting and decided their stash of rimfire handguns was sufficient.

The GP-100 in .22 would be a real moose of a handgun and a bit of a specialty thing. Pretty big and heavy for a "Wife and Kids" gun. The SP-101 makes a lot more sense for many of the common .22 chores.

[tazman]

I have had an unbroken string of bad luck with anything bearing the Ruger brand. Doesn't matter if it is a handgun or rifle.
I have owned and fired many over the years. Several GP100 revolvers, a couple of Security Six revolvers, a couple of Mark I and Mark II pistols, a No 1 and a No 3 rifle, 4 different model 77 rifles, three different 10/22 rifles, a Ruger Precision Rimfire, a 77/22, and three different Single Six revolvers.
I keep hearing great things about them so I always give them another chance. It always fails to pan out for me.
The problems are always reliability or inaccuracy. They never measure up to something I already have. Usually by a large margin.
One of the Security Six revolvers came close but not quite there.
Seems I always get the lemon.

[Finster101]

At my range I barely see any revolvers being shot regardless of caliber.

[NSB]

At my range I barely see any revolvers being shot regardless of caliber.
I’ve shot competition for many, many years. I also taught the NRA handgun safety course for about twenty years. Things have changed significantly over the years. Today’s new shooters are a lot more interested in making noise than learning how to shoot. They all want black rifles and semi-auto handguns. A lot of them think they know how to shoot but really don’t have a clue. They actually don’t even understand why anyone would want a revolver when they can get a semi-auto in 9mm. I guess they don’t realize that if you like precision long range shooting and hunt (I mean actually hunt) with a handgun, there’s really not much room for a semi-automatic. Now don’t get all excited, there are a few semi-autos that you can hunt with. I owned two different custom built Coonan semi’s and took deer with them. Most shooters at the ranges where you don’t see revolvers being shot are either bullseye shooters or noise makers. Mostly noise makers.
Note: the attached photo is a target with a 3.8” bullseye shot with a Ruger SP101 357mag fired with full power loads at twenty-five yards double action. After a lot of work I got this one to shoot.

[poppy42]

I owned a gp100 about 38 years ago. I also had a old army and a s&w model 17. Loved the Ruger’s hated the s&w. Had to sell all of them when I got hurt and couldn’t work. Feeding the family was more important than my toys. I would get another Gp100 in a New York minute, if I could afford one! As far as self defense ya can get a couple decent semiautomatics for the price of one good revolver. Besides my gp100 with the 6+” bull barrel wasn’t exactly a concealed carry firearm. I have always preferred Ruger’s. Don’t get me wrong nothing wrong with S&W, I did pick up A police turn in S&W model 10 very very reasonable and I am quite fond of it. If I could find Hey GP 100 or a security six for the same price I would jump on them in a heartbeat.

[rintinglen]

The GP 100 in 22 is just too heavy at 42 oz- the SP 101 would be far better, were it not for the generally stinky triggers in the 22 versions. Cost is also an issue: $999 is a lot, even if they are Obama dollars. Granted that is a list price, but it is more than S&W 617's list for.

The Super Single Six is too expensive at an MSRP of 759.00. There are a great many functional 22 autos out there that are more accurate and cheaper, as well as a slew of single actions that cost less. Additionally, the Super Single six does not have the greatest reputation for accuracy. I've had three over the years and none of them gave me glow when looking at the target. That's why I don't own one now.

My 22 Revolver needs are met with other makes that either shoot better, cost less, or both.

[gunther]

A buddy who can shoot flintlocks with the best of them, had two new gp100 22 revolvers. Neither of them would stay on an 8x10 target at 25 yards from a bench.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I didn't even know they made a the GP 100 in 22LR ???
I can't load 22LR, so I guess if I'm gonna have a GP-100, then it'll be the 357Mag, which I do have...and like it, even though it's a bit rough regarding finish and trigger pull.

[Mk42gunner]

In my opinion, the GP-100 is fine as a .357 Magnum or maybe the 10mm version, but it is entirely too big to be a .22. As was stated above, most people here got a Single Six and have been more or less satisfied with that.

I have a Single Six convertible, and it just may be my least fired modern handgun, I'm not real satisfied with its accuracy. I was spoiled by having a Colt New Frontier in .22 Long Rifle. If I can find another one, the Single six will be gone.

Robert

[Walks]

I picked a GP100 in .22, Geez it was HEAVY. Too Heavy for any Practical use.
And A 6 shot revolver is too weird for Me, I grew up on 5 or 6 shot. And it's either a 10 shot .22LR OR a 9 shot .22Mag.

[waylonrocks]

I consider the GP and Single Ten as being 2 guns with the main attraction to them being pride of ownership in having something that not many other people around you will own. They both turn heads when you take them out of a gun case. The fine Heritage revolver with it's price point provides a great deal of pleasurable shooting fun, but everyone seems to have one or knows someone that does. In my area, anyway, and especially with new shooters, they have never seen the GP or Single Ten, or are even aware that they were ever manufactured, so it makes for a great conversation starter. So, I deem their cool factor to be worth the price of admission. Two of my sons each own one of these models, so I get to enjoy them, without spending a dime!

[Outer Rondacker]

At my range I barely see any revolvers being shot regardless of caliber.

Most of my shooting buddies don't even own revolvers....lack of shooting buddies is why i joined a club. The club had loads of members but even less shooters.

GP100 is fine in a 357 but overkill in a 22. My two cents. SP101 still overkill for a 22.

[1006]

I find Ruger Double Actions are reliable, but “KLUNKY” when compared to S&W. I prefer the S&W ergonomics.



I have had an unbroken string of bad luck with anything bearing the Ruger brand. Doesn't matter if it is a handgun or rifle.
I have owned and fired many over the years. Several GP100 revolvers, a couple of Security Six revolvers, a couple of Mark I and Mark II pistols, a No 1 and a No 3 rifle, 4 different model 77 rifles, three different 10/22 rifles, a Ruger Precision Rimfire, a 77/22, and three different Single Six revolvers.
I keep hearing great things about them so I always give them another chance. It always fails to pan out for me.
The problems are always reliability or inaccuracy. They never measure up to something I already have. Usually by a large margin.
One of the Security Six revolvers came close but not quite there.
Seems I always get the lemon.


I have had the same, almost exact, experience with Ruger.

Tried the Ruger American Ranch in 300 BLK— the rotary mags were failures, sold it, bought an ARMag version—has some issues unique to the 300BLK caliber: suffers with head space issues, fails to ignite primers, compensated for this by only neck sizing, and loading the bullet to touch the rifling.

Mark II 22 Slab Side Competition model, sent back to Ruger, later sold, never would feed reliably.

Ruger Black Hawk, more than 15 pounds of trigger pull required….local gunsmith repaired, diagnosis was tolerance stacking, later sold.

SP101 in 22 is just hard to shoot accurately—inherited from Dad, so, I keep it.

My 10/22 jammed for years until I beveled the rear of the bolt, learned this at RimfireCentral.

Positive note: I have had very good luck with Ruger Mark II rifles, and I think the new American models are good if you can keep the rotary mags working-they break if you drop them on the locking tab, and the Ruger American Ranch rotary mags are worth avoiding altogether.

To be fair, I have had one issue with an S&W, early production 1911, started a recall, later the gun just became unreliable.

The unfortunate truth for me is that I have never had a Glock, Sig, or CZ give me any dissatisfaction.

[JohnH]

The unfortunate truth for me is that I have never had a Glock, Sig, or CZ give me any dissatisfaction.

I've got a CZ 452 in 7.62x39 that shoots great, I love it for cast boolits. But the feeding sucks. I've monkeyed with the mag and got where it feeds most of the time but the bolt will travel over the last round nearly every time. When I got it, every round took trip to the top of the chamber and jammed there, this included factory 123 grain loads of every make. And the set trigger gave fits too. For probably a thousand rounds the lockwork would just mysteriously not catch the sear. I went through it by book three times setting the trigger up it's been a long while now since I had this problem but I know now why I found it on the shelf used in NIB condition. Do a web search on CZ 452 magazine, you'll find lots of complaints and lots of dissatisfaction with CZ CS failing to fix guns sent in for repair. At the same time a friends new Shadow is one of the best feeling and best shooting pistols I've fired in a long time. The only things that keeps me from getting one is I refuse to chase brass anymore when revolter's give me plenty of shooting satisfaction and I don't have a free $900 floating around and with major life changes coming up this year, I would have to justify it to SWMBO. It's easier to like my friends and avoid that conversation.

[tazman]

JohnH--- are you sure you are referring to the CZ 527?
The 452 was a rimfire only, to the best of my knowledge.

[Noah Zark]

I found the stainless 2-3/4" and 3" Speed Six revolvers in 357 and 9mm to be about the ideal carry revolver, and the triggers were all but every bit as nice as those in S&Ws. The big advantage of the Rugers for me was no more cracked forcing cones, as happened with two K frame S&W I owned.

After the GP100 replaced the Security/Speed/Service Six series, I picked up used stainless 3" half lug models in 357 and 9mm before they became hot with Ruger collectors. Then when Ruger introduced the five shot 3" GP100 in 44 Special, I added one that had a nice trigger out of the box, such that when I dry fired it in the store the sight alignment didn't move a bit. It's accuracy with a 240 gr cast over 6.7 gr of Unique is nothing short of phenomenal.

That said, I came across a used 10 shot 22LR GP100 and found it to be heavy and unbalanced, so it went back in the display case. I'll stick to my 2-3/4" and 3" "Six" series and GP 100 revolvers, and the few S&Ws that I still have, some 624s, two 696s, a few 25-2s and 1917s, a 15, and a 17.

Noah