The Modern Combat Revolver

[Rex G]

Many of the comments here are centered around the high-volume use of a revolver on the range and how problematic that can be. But will these issues get you kilt in da streetz?

We're spoiled by how good autoloaders have become, and I include myself with my Berettas, Walthers and M&Ps. But assuming carry (vs. practice) ammo in a revolver with clean chambers and nothing under the extractor star, it's pretty unlikely you'll have issues in the one reload you might need in a defensive situation. I'm guilty of running a couple of hundred rounds through an autoloader at the range and then loading up with my carry ammo at the end of the session and thinking nothing of it, but there's no way I'd do that with a round gun.

True. If we use cleaning-burning, premium duty/defensive ammo, we should have no problem in a First-World civilian gunfight situation.

Having said that, two of my revolvers, a fixed-sight 4” GP100, which I still have, and a Redhawk, which I sold long ago, can/could, potentially, get enough crud under the ejector, to noticeably interfere with cylinder rotation, after just one or two reloads, using non-premium ammo, which was vexing enough, during a fifty-/sixty-round qual, and, is closer to the margin than I would prefer.

Thankfully, being retired from LEO-ing, I no longer need to shoot a qual with each handgun I will carry.

[03RN]

It says combat right there

[Hambo]

It says combat right there

But it's not a Distinguished Combat Magnum.

[Guerrero]

But it's not a Distinguished Combat Magnum.

Correct, it's only for dirty combat

[SwampDweller]

It says combat right there

See, I love the idea of the new Model 19 and 66 because it sounds like they don’t have the durability problems of old production ones. The only thing I can’t get past is the lock.

[Hambo]

Correct, it's only for dirty combat

I don't go into combat often, but when I do it's always distinguished.

[WobblyPossum]

If one were to buy a Ruger GP100 Match Champion as a defensive revolver, should one get the model with fixed sights or the one with adjustable sights?

[RevolverRob]

I keep pretty meticulous round count/cleaning logs of the guns I shoot. The highest round count GP100 I have in my possession right now is my 10mm Match Champion, which has had 2110 rounds through it, mostly 40 S&W. It's been cleaned three times, which may not seem like a lot at first. I have a Beretta APX which has had a similar number of rounds...and has been cleaned all of zero times.

The highest round count I ever pushed an individual S&W revolver to was a 625 in 45 ACP that ate 6,213 rounds. I'd clean it every 500 rounds or so. We're not talking a deep scrub or anything, because wheelguns don't usually need that much cleaning. With jacketed ammo, a boresnake and brushing the cylinder face is pretty sufficient. This video details how I clean my wheelguns:

Inspector Caleb should add one more bit to cleaning under the extractor star...brush the underside of the actual extractor star not just the recess for the star on the cylinder face.

I only say that...because I've had powder get underneath there and cause the same issues powder under the star causes. I missed it in cleaning one of my J-Frames once. That was a fun moment on the range, smacking the cylinder open with the palm of my hand, and then smacking the ejector rod like it owed me money.

[03RN]

See, I love the idea of the new Model 19 and 66 because it sounds like they don’t have the durability problems of old production ones. The only thing I can’t get past is the lock.

Meh, im 100% comfortable with a plug

[HeavyDuty]

If one were to buy a Ruger GP100 Match Champion as a defensive revolver, should one get the model with fixed sights or the one with adjustable sights?

I was pondering just that, and I decided the adjustable sight version with the rear replaced with a Bowen Rough Country would be just about ideal plus being easily zeroable. Plain black serrated rear and a new gold bead front = happy boy.