Ruger GP100 Match Champion initial impressions

[BehindBlueI's]

I've been hunting for a GP100 MC since I saw it on Ruger's website as a new release. I had a few chances to pick them up online, but was hoping a local business could find one. USDS came through after pestering their distributors relentlessly, and was finally able to get one. I traded useless paper with numbers on it for a fine piece of steel, and now its mine all mine.

I'll get some photos up when I have time to take a decent one, its been kind of a busy day. I wanted to share my initial thoughts, though.

1) The trigger is great out of the box. Ruger says they do a trigger job on these before they leave the factory and I believe it. Its silky smooth.

2) The sights are dovetailed so you can swap them out if you want, but the factory set up is probably going to work fine for me. Front fiber optic, not too bulky and not too thin. Goldilocks must have designed these sights, because they are juuuust right. If you wanted a bull's eye pistol, they are probably too bulky, but for carry or IDPA type competition they seem like they'll be perfect.

3) The trigger. Its so good I had to mention it again.

4) The Hogue wooden grips aren't as bulky as I thought they would be from the photos. I'd already planned to swap the out...now I'm not too sure. They feel good in the hand, so we'll see.

5) Its better looking in person than it is in the photos. The lettering is a bit more subdued in regular light than it appears in the photos.

6) It feels lighter than I thought it would be. I expected a stainless steel 4" barrel revolver with wooden grips to be on the hefty side. I don't know if its truly that much lighter thanks to the slab sided barrel and half underlug, or if it just balances so well if feels lighter.

7) At the $700-$750 these seem to be selling for, this is a lot of gun for the money. At $800-$900 you start wondering if its that big of a step over the standard GP100 with some custom work. At $700, its well worth it.

 

[rgrimm01]

Congrats... I have wanted a GP100 for some time. The match champion may push me into action. I like the looks of the half underlug, ala Redhawk, and the slab sided barrel combine for one sweet looking revolver. Add the tricked out trigger and I am sold.

Look forward to the range report.

 

[Miles42]

I am in the market for a 357 as sold of the two that I had. I have about 400 rnds 357 and decided I need a new one. Will have to give this a long hard look. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

 

[357 Terms]

I'm jealous!

These are hard to come by.

 

[Birds Away]

Congrats BBI.

 

[drillsgt]

Good score, this was on my list for the last 1500 but I didn't see one. I've handled one and agree they feel great.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

So, interesting tidbit. Ruger says the GP100 MC weighs 38 oz. They also say the blued GP100 WC weighs 36 oz. Understanding there will likely be some variation, especially with wooden grips as I'm sure no two pieces of dried wood have the exact same density, I decided to weigh mine. They both came in at 36.5 oz (unloaded).

So, one, it explains why it feels so light. It is light for a 4" barrel, weighing in at the same as its non-slab sided full length underlug 3" barrel counterpart. This also probably explains how well balanced it feels and how quick to point it feels, because the center of gravity and overall weight mimic the 3".

For funsies, I pulled out my 4" stainless security six and weighed it as well. Its 2.5 oz heavier. I think most of that weight difference is probably in the top strap. It is noticeably wider and thicker on the Security Six than on the GP100 MC.

Pics shortly.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Very nice. SGN has a nice write up on them in the latest issue.

How does it compare to the Security Six?

It seems to me if people are willing to come across with the extra jack for the MC then Mr. Fifer's concern about the price elasticity of a special run of Security Sixes is unwarranted.

I believe I shall talk to Mr. Fifer about this issue next weekend.

 

[hopper68]

Anybody know how to clean drool out of a keyboard?

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Very nice. SGN has a nice write up on them in the latest issue.

How does it compare to the Security Six?

It seems to me if people are willing to come across with the extra jack for the MC then Mr. Fifer's concern about the price elasticity of a special run of Security Sixes is unwarranted.

I believe I shall talk to Mr. Fifer about this issue next weekend.

Just for you Kirk, I broke out the calipers:

	GP100MC	GP100WC	Security Six
Weight	2 lb 4.5 oz	2 lb 4.5 oz	2 lb 7 oz
Top strap thickness	0.256"	0.260"	0.334-0.241"
Top strap width	0.677"	.0678"	0.682"
Barrel width	0.683"	0.750"	0.704"

The trigger is better. The Security Six stacks more and you can feel a little catch before it trips. Both special run GP100s are smooth as silk. If you blindfolded me I couldn't tell you which was which between the factory slicked MC trigger and my gunsmith slicked Wiley Clapp. I don't have a trigger scale, but they feel the same. In single action, all 3 break very cleanly, its in double action where there's a noticeable edge for the GP100s.

I don't have factory grips on my Six, but in the hand its a wash. All three feel good while handling and dry firing. I don't know how the wooden hogues will feel recoil wise, yet, though.

Sights, there's no comparison. The black blade and black rear adjustable sights on the Six are accurate, enough that I could ring steel 4/6 times on a torso steel at 100y, but they aren't real fast to acquire. The fiber optic front on the MC is much faster, but is a bit wider. More target oriented (security six) vs more carry oriented (MC), really.

 

[ModernGunner]

Anybody know how to clean drool out of a keyboard?

Yes, but I'm not telling. "Ya makes your drool and ya sleeps in it." Uh, or something like that!

Great looking handgun, BTW!

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Thanks, BBI.

I don't think this is a market share gun (RGR is still stuck at 3.5) but rather a way to please existing customers. I am excited about the MC because it shows that RGR is willing to go back over plowed ground.

Just think, a RGR Performance Center!!!

 

[9mmfan]

Very nice write up. I love my GP-100. Prices seem to have went up since I got mine, though. Would certainly be open to acquiring a MC.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Thanks, BBI.

I don't think this is a market share gun (RGR is still stuck at 3.5) but rather a way to please existing customers. I am excited about the MC because it shows that RGR is willing to go back over plowed ground.

Just think, a RGR Performance Center!!!

Basically that's it, a performance center gun. It takes some hand working, so it will never be a high production run gun, but it's going to get people looking at Rugers in a different way. Sort of like the Dodge Viper. You don't sell many, but because it exists, it generates talk and interest. That causes you to sell a lot more of your other Dodge cars because Dodge is on people's minds. It also gives the collector or aficionado something to spend their cash on.

Now I want to see a 6" target model with a factory ported barrel, this trigger, and a a brass bead insert set of target sights.

 

[kawtech87]

A GP100 MC will be mine! It has been decided by my brain, My heart agrees with my brain.


But my wallet is protesting loudly.

Jealous.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

That causes you to sell a lot more of your other Dodge cars because Dodge is on people's minds.

Yes, Fifer did nicely with the first step: Ruger is running lean, even with the new capital investment in North Carolina.

Ruger must gain market share in order to continue to grow and they have been stuck at 3.5% for a while.

 

[drillsgt]

Just for you Kirk, I broke out the calipers:

	GP100MC	GP100WC	Security Six
Weight	2 lb 4.5 oz	2 lb 4.5 oz	2 lb 7 oz
Top strap thickness	0.256"	0.260"	0.334-0.241"
Top strap width	0.677"	.0678"	0.682"
Barrel width	0.683"	0.750"	0.704"

The trigger is better. The Security Six stacks more and you can feel a little catch before it trips. Both special run GP100s are smooth as silk. If you blindfolded me I couldn't tell you which was which between the factory slicked MC trigger and my gunsmith slicked Wiley Clapp. I don't have a trigger scale, but they feel the same. In single action, all 3 break very cleanly, its in double action where there's a noticeable edge for the GP100s.

I don't have factory grips on my Six, but in the hand its a wash. All three feel good while handling and dry firing. I don't know how the wooden hogues will feel recoil wise, yet, though.

Sights, there's no comparison. The black blade and black rear adjustable sights on the Six are accurate, enough that I could ring steel 4/6 times on a torso steel at 100y, but they aren't real fast to acquire. The fiber optic front on the MC is much faster, but is a bit wider. More target oriented (security six) vs more carry oriented (MC), really.

Nice! One of each. I had a Wiley but after handling a MC, i'd much rather have that one.

 

[loony1]

Glad you are happy man as that is one fine revolver.

 

[philbert001]

That's a good lookin harem you've got there!