Vetting Ruger GP100s for Carry/Defense Use

[JonInWA]

Went through my notes again. Yes, you have that straight. Although I think there was a brief moment where the action was stiffer but a quick scrub/wipe in the relevant areas quickly remedied that.

So maybe I'm just reading too much into this and it's fine?

Here's a potential perspective:

How do you envision your use/use venues of the GP100? Carry? Defensive? Duty? IDPA/ASI? USPSA? Area 1?

For most of these venues, as long as the sucker works well (and without binding) for 200 rounds, I think you're fine. That assumes, of course, that you'll properly clean and lightly lube between uses, and that you're using quality ammunition.

For total anti-zombie piece of mind, I think the best test protocol is that devised by the Border Patrol in 1984 when they tested the Ruger Security- and Speed-Sixes against the Smith & Wesson Model 65-3 revolvers. That was a 10,000 round per-gun test, but with a 500 round continuous firing sub-test phase incorporated (for the Rugers, at the 3,100 round point in the testing) into the testing process; the average firing time per gun was 3:30 minutes going through 10 boxes per gun.

Every 500 rounds the guns were cleaned, WHICH INCLUDED REMOVING THE CYLINDERS FROM THE YOKES (my bolding here).

Spoiler alert: The Rugers sailed through (and the testers felt that the guns could be placed in field service after the testing), while none of the S&Ws lasted more than 2,500 rounds in what was supposed to be their 10,000 round test protocol.

Best, Jon

[SwampDweller]

Here's a potential perspective:

How do you envision your use/use venues of the GP100? Carry? Defensive? Duty? IDPA/ASI? USPSA? Area 1?

For most of these venues, as long as the sucker works well (and without binding) for 200 rounds, I think you're fine. That assumes, of course, that you'll properly clean and lightly lube between uses, and that you're using quality ammunition.

For total anti-zombie piece of mind, I think the best test protocol is that devised by the Border Patrol in 1984 when they tested the Ruger Security- and Speed-Sixes against the Smith & Wesson Model 65-3 revolvers. That was a 10,000 round per-gun test, but with a 500 round continuous firing sub-test phase incorporated (for the Rugers, at the 3,100 round point in the testing) into the testing process; the average firing time per gun was 3:30 minutes going through 10 boxes per gun.

Every 500 rounds the guns were cleaned, WHICH INCLUDED REMOVING THE CYLINDERS FROM THE YOKES (my bolding here).

Spoiler alert: The Rugers sailed through (and the testers felt that the guns could be placed in field service after the testing), while none of the S&Ws lasted more than 2,500 rounds in what was supposed to be their 10,000 round test protocol.

Best, Jon

My uses are primary carry/defense, and I’d like to get into shooting competitively. The “anti-zombie” dependability would certainly be nice, and Rugers certainly are capable of it.

Based on what I’ve described with my GP100, and considering it went 1000 rounds without ever binding but last range trip binding a little after over 75 rounds, would you consider it good to go for those uses?

[Flamingo]

My uses are primary carry/defense, and I’d like to get into shooting competitively. The “anti-zombie” dependability would certainly be nice, and Rugers certainly are capable of it.

Based on what I’ve described with my GP100, and considering it went 1000 rounds without ever binding but last range trip binding a little after over 75 rounds, would you consider it good to go for those uses?

When you pulled the mainspring off did you pull the trigger group and the cylinder off as well?

[SwampDweller]

When you pulled the mainspring off did you pull the trigger group and the cylinder off as well?

Yes, though I did not disassemble the cylinder. I did just get the tool to do so but I haven’t yet endeavored to try that yet.

[JonInWA]

You really don't need to to a total detailed disassembly of the cylinder in all likelihood in most situations; you just need to get it off the yoke so you can clean the ball bearing's raceway and the yoke shaft. Best, Jon

[SwampDweller]

You really don't need to to a total detailed disassembly of the cylinder in all likelihood in most situations; you just need to get it off the yoke so you can clean the ball bearing's raceway and the yoke shaft. Best, Jon

I may venture to do that this weekend. I have a hunch that it wouldn't do anything about binding after rapidly shooting a lot of .357 though. It's weird because I'm half thinking it's fine as it does go a while without binding, but seemingly it can no longer go a 200 rounds without binding. Perhaps in the first 1k rounds I just never got it hot enough.

[Edster]

When I had binding from stuff under the extractor star, I confirmed it with a simple process.

1. Shoot, eject, reload, find out cylinder won't close easily

2. Remove the rounds, wipe off under the extractor star and the rod with a cleaning patch. Get it clean and dry.

3. Close the cylinder. If it closes easily, there you go - it's powder crud.