My new GP100 shoots better than my Blackhawk

[shooting on a shoestring]

Two years ago I bought a new NMBH stainless, in .357 with 4&5/8 barrel. It was my first 4 inch barrled .357. Tried for about 18 months to get it to shoot well, and got only mediocre results. Only a couple of 2 inch groups rested at 25 yds.

This week I lucked into a year old GP100 in stainless with a 4 inch barrel. Took it to the range for the first time today and got multiple 2 inch goups with the first load I shot (358091 and 7.5 grains Herco).

With the NMBH, I struggle to keep the sights lined up during the trigger pull and they wander a bit. The trigger is creepless and light as I've ever set one. In dry firing, the NMBH dips the muzzle when the hammer hits the frame.

With the GP100, the sights stay put while I pull the trigger, and the muzzle doesn't dip in dry firing.

I haven't done the math but I can see from the 400 rounds I fired today, the GP 100's groups will easily average 1/2 the size of the NMBH's groups.

Oddly, the GP100 has a pretty rough barrel with chatter marks on the lands and in the groves. I expected some leading, but got only verly light leading on a couple of loads. It did set my speed record for 358091 hollow pointed - 1513 fps on a five shot average with SDEV 16 using enough 2400 to make Elmer grin. It does have 0.006" gap, .3580 to .3585 throats and best I can measure, a .3565" barrel. I'll keep it. The NMBH....not so sure.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

Sounds like you got a good GP100!

I think ours are better than us, so . . .we keep practicing . . . I'm at about 1.25" (I measure to the outside of the holes) at 30' with my SP101 which I shoot the most, My Blackhawk does a tad better . . .

Enjoy your new gun!

[Dale53]

Some revolvers are just easier to shoot well. It varies with the person. I have a number of fine double action and single actions revolvers. The easiest to shoot are the Smiths ("K", "L", and "N" frame).

A number of years ago, I saw a Ruger Security Six (the adjustable sighted one) with a four inch barrel. It looked FINE. I had a trigger job and action tune. Off the bench it would shoot well under 1" at 25 yards. Standing, I had a difficult time shooting it well. I finally realized that ME and THAT revolver were not a good fit. A friend wanted it badly, so I sold it to him and bought a new, just out S&W CS-1 ("L" frame 4" barreled .357 Magnum round butt). These revolvers were much like each other. However, the S&W melded with me immediately. Right out of the box my scores took a LEAP. I still have it and it is still shooting like blazes.

There was nothing wrong with my Ruger - it just didn't work for me.

Single actions are definitely a bit harder to get to shoot from the standing position. The grips are often not friendly (depends on the individual, of course) and the triggers are not very sophisticated (heavy, lots of creep, etc) and long lock time all add up to diminished results. However, a good trigger job and lots of trigger time and VOILA! the gun shoots!

I treasure my single actions and can shoot them well but it took a bit of time in learning to do that...

Dale53

[shooting on a shoestring]

Dale, I'm coming to agree with your view. I've had a single six for decades, 6 1/2", never had or shot better with any other revolver. Then my 7 1/2" Blackhawk in .45 Colt, shot good until I broke the grip frame. Lastmanout supplied me with a brass grip frame that is a little wider, and I shoot it noticibly better now. These long barreled single actions should shoot better of course, longer sight radius, better leverage against the hammer fall etc.

I was expecting simular results with the 4 5/8 Blackhawk. I like the looks, and feel. Did a great trigger job, installed the Belt Mountain base pin, dimensions are good. I just struggle to shoot it with barely mediocre results.

My new 4 inch Model 67 does way better, the 4 inch GP100 lots better, and no comparison to my old Model 19 6 inch. So, why fight it? I'll shoot one of these instead. I'll let the 4 5/8 NMBH turn into part of my next gun trade and we'll all live happily everafter.

[9.3X62AL]

Dale and I must be long-lost brothers--our shooting preferences are so darn close to each others'!

I cannot shoot a J-frame S&W worth a hoot without aftermarket grips of some kind. Early D-frame Colts aren't a lot better, either--but the post-1971 models work well for me. K/L/N-frame S&Ws go much better, but the addition of Hogue or Pachmayr is a performance and comfort upgrade. I have yet to find any grip that makes a plow-handle Blackhawk or Colt SAA shootable for me. Bisley grips on Ruger or Colt--REALLY work well. The Redhawk was a real bugbear until I found a set of Uncle Mike's neoprenes--MUCH better now.

So, ya gotta find what works and doesn't work for ya--and sometimes, NOTHING will bring success.

[44man]

Some things mean nothing at all, like the gun dipping from the hammer blow when dry firing. That is never a problem.
Look at my avitar, those guns along with all of my others have over power mainsprings and if you want to see guns dip, stop by and laugh! [smilie=w:
It is something else with the BH. Are the throats the right size? Is the bore right? Do you like the grip? Maybe it just does not like the boolit or loads. It might not like the boolit lube, There are hundreds of things to think about. Don't give up yet.

[Shiloh]

Proper grips are an important component. I like a grip that fills most of my hand.
After market grips on all my handguns.

Shiloh

[anachronism]

I shoot DAs better then SAs too. So much so, that I no longer even look at single-actions when I'm shopping. They balance all wrong for me & feel kind of slippery in my hands. I have a GP100 & a 686 that I simply won't wive up. I put Hogue grips on both of them & they feel perfect in my hands. I've also discovered I shoot shooter barrels better than longer ones. 3-4 inches is about perfect for me.

[Bucks Owin]

I tend to agree with 44man, that BH should be just as accurate as the GP, maybe more so due to better support of the cylinder, all else being equal. Some folks are allergic to the "plowhandle" gripframe IMO. Perhaps if that BH had a Bisley GF it'd be easier to benchrest? I can't say from experience, personally I don't like the looks of the Bisley and have never owned or seriously shot one. I have shot many S&W's and feel they seem to lend themselves to the bench a little better than a plowhandle for those who don't usually do their handgunning from a bench, at least in maintaining the same grip from shot to shot with hard kicking loads. But then again, I feel they kick harder than the traditional SA grip. I guess everybody has to fork their own broncs when it comes to gripframe design, but I bet with some perserverance, one can get used to any GF. I do think the short barrels are harder to get consistently tight groups with, regardless of the GF design. 5.5" is as short as I can stand, 7.5" is slightly awkward and 6.5" just right for me. The 10" long toms are great for long range varmits, benchresting and silhouette. You couldn't run fast enough to give me a bigbore hellblaster with a earsplitting, hard to sight, flamespouting, ballistically challenged 3-4" barrel like some folks pack but to each his own :kidding:....JMO, Dennis (Oh, did I mention I don't like short barrels? :bigsmyl2: )

[theperfessor]

I envy people who can shoot any plow handled gun well. For me I simply can not get a consistent grip and my shooting shows that. The grips are thick at the bottom and thin at the top, which is exactly backwards to the shape of my hand when clenched in a fist-grip. And to me, the idea of having a gun "roll in your hand" is exactly backwards to my thought processes - I want my gun to stay in the same position in my hand at all times.

I have large hands and long fingers and shoot N frames in various .41 and .44 chamberings/barrel lengths/barrel contours with no problems after switching to elastomer grips. I like the ones that cover the backstrap best - the extra length puts the trigger in the best position for my finger. Same with my GP100 - aftermarket grips made it a lot better shooter.

As has been mentioned, you got to find what works for you.

[kingstrider]

I've had a couple of GP100s and never really liked them. Its good to have choices though.

[44man]

I envy people who can shoot any plow handled gun well. For me I simply can not get a consistent grip and my shooting shows that. The grips are thick at the bottom and thin at the top, which is exactly backwards to the shape of my hand when clenched in a fist-grip. And to me, the idea of having a gun "roll in your hand" is exactly backwards to my thought processes - I want my gun to stay in the same position in my hand at all times.

I have large hands and long fingers and shoot N frames in various .41 and .44 chamberings/barrel lengths/barrel contours with no problems after switching to elastomer grips. I like the ones that cover the backstrap best - the extra length puts the trigger in the best position for my finger. Same with my GP100 - aftermarket grips made it a lot better shooter.

As has been mentioned, you got to find what works for you.
My hands are very large too but I love the Pachmeyer grips on a plow handle. I hate a Bisley.
You are so correct about not letting a gun "roll", it never should.