Ruger GP-100 10 shot 22 LR

[BigAl52]

I was in a couple of LGS’s yesterday and I had the chance to compare the GP100 and the M/617 side by side. The GP won on sights, price and weight and the 617 won on trigger. I was just reading a review on the GP trigger and how stiff it is. Yep! Yours should be wonderful after your smith does his magic.

I’m thinking that if I’m able to get a 22lr revolver (DA) I will probably get the Ruger. I don’t think these old eyes can deal with the S&W black on black sights. Of course I can change or alter them (paint) but the firer optic on that Ruger sure is nice.

I like you wasnt fond of the black on black sights on the Smith so I had my gunsmith put a fiber optic front sight on mine. It came out good. But Im glad I had him do it rather than myself. In case you buy the Smith here is the links to the bits and sight I used.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002APOHLG?re ... asin_title
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000SKVCUO?re ... title&th=1

[Hatchdog]

I was in a couple of LGS’s yesterday and I had the chance to compare the GP100 and the M/617 side by side. The GP won on sights, price and weight and the 617 won on trigger. I was just reading a review on the GP trigger and how stiff it is. Yep! Yours should be wonderful after your smith does his magic.

I’m thinking that if I’m able to get a 22lr revolver (DA) I will probably get the Ruger. I don’t think these old eyes can deal with the S&W black on black sights. Of course I can change or alter them (paint) but the firer optic on that Ruger sure is nice.

I like you wasnt fond of the black on black sights on the Smith so I had my gunsmith put a fiber optic front sight on mine. It came out good. But Im glad I had him do it rather than myself. In case you buy the Smith here is the links to the bits and sight I used.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002APOHLG?re ... asin_title
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000SKVCUO?re ... title&th=1

Thanks Al, if I get the 617 I’ll for sure go this route. Now that’s a front sight I can get next to!

[BigAl52]

Well I finally got to shoot my new Ruger GP-100. I picked it up about 4 days ago from the gunsmith. He had it about a month. Let me just say it was a lot of work for him to get it to the point its at now. My Smith 617 also had quite a bit of work to get it to where its at now. With the Smith I put on new grips a fiber optic front sight which I love and the tuning of the action. My gunsmith completely removes the lock assembly in these new Smiths. All that's left is what you see from the outside. But boy what a difference it makes when you shoot it. The GP was as everyone knows was sent back to Ruger twice. In the slot that the hand comes through on the frame there was a piece old casting in there that should not of been there. It went to Ruger twice with my complaint of hanging up when shooting in single action. Im wondering if that flashing at times was holding up the hand. My gunsmith removed it along with relieving the area along each side of the hammer. The hammer was rubbing the frame on the right side. He also shimmed the hammer so now its centered in the hammer slot and does not have the slop it had before. The hammer spring was changed as the stock hammer spring is 14lbs. My thumb was starting to get tired when shooting it single action what little I did get to shoot it. He also went thru the rest of the gun and smoothed it up along with giving it a better trigger. Its a shame one spends what I did for both of these guns and then spend another 200.00 a piece to make them fun to shoot. I really like the feel of the Ruger and it feels good in the hand. The Smith feels nose heavy but not in a bad way to me anyway. Knowing what I know now I don't think I would buy the Ruger again. I like both guns and they are fun to shoot. I might put a dot on the Ruger just to take the old man with old eyes out of the equation. Accuracy wise I think there close to the same. Im not a very good paper shooter like NCG and some others are. I tried 3 different kinds of ammo today and Ill post a target from each gun. Both of them shot the CCI ammo pretty good the Ruger also like the Aguila ammo which was there 40gr super extra. I was sitting at a portable bench with a sand bag so there is a margin of old eyes and a consistent hold. I was at 15 yards from the target. Ill also say I did some off hand plinking with both guns. I was shooting clays on the bank behind the target at about 18 yards. Shooting both of these guns off hand is fun. I do enjoy plinking with these revolvers. If I was going to buy another 617 though I would look for an older used one. I think they are better guns. The first picture was the GP-100 with some CCI 36grhp. I was holding at 6 o'clock on the center bull. After shooting this group I made some sight adjustments as I really hadn't got to play with them to much. The second photo was the Smith holding at the same point with the same ammo. I will say I like the stock sights on the Ruger better but I wish Ruger would not put such tall front sights on there guns. Now that I did put a fiber optic on the Smith I like it better

IMG_0314.jpeg

IMG_0310.jpeg

[North Country Gal]

Congrats, Al. You did very well with both the Ruger and the Smith, but that target with the Smith is downright impressive. I would expect that, though, because Smith runs a tighter bore on their 22 LRs. That's one of the reasons that the 617 is still considered the best target 22 revolver in production. That, and the K frame 22s have a long history in target competition.

I did have an early 90s 617, pre-lock and, yeah, I really wish I had kept that one. I do think those old ones were made with much better QC than the current stuff. If you do find one, you'll have to pay big bucks to get it, though. In the meantime, now that I have my current 617 running the way it should, accuracy is certainly up to par.

[daytime dave]

Al, I'm very glad to hear you finally have the Ruger able to shoot. Nice shooting too.
If you do find an older 617, you will be very pleased hopefully. I certainly agree that it's a shame you had to spend $200.oo on each gun to get them to where they should be. At least you have a competent gunsmith available to you.
Enjoy both of those revolvers and keep the targets coming.

If you get a chance, can you post a photograph of the two revolvers together? I've never run across the Ruger model you have.

[Hatchdog]

Thanks for the update and sharing your results. Interesting the guy who owns our local guntrader site has his 6” 617 for sale and it already has had the front sight change to a fiber optic. He wants $650 for it but states no trade. I’ve tried to sell a rifle to fund a 22 revolver purchase but have had no takers. Maybe I’ll reach out to him with a trade offer but it’s not likely. He’s selling off several guns and I think he’s looking to downsize.

As stated above what a shame you had to spend the extra to make the guns run like they should.

[BigAl52]

Thanks for the update and sharing your results. Interesting the guy who owns our local guntrader site has his 6” 617 for sale and it already has had the front sight change to a fiber optic. He wants $650 for it but states no trade. I’ve tried to sell a rifle to fund a 22 revolver purchase but have had no takers. Maybe I’ll reach out to him with a trade offer but it’s not likely. He’s selling off several guns and I think he’s looking to downsize.

As stated above what a shame you had to spend the extra to make the guns run like they should.

Hatch
If that is an older 617 thats a steal at 650.00. Id jump all over that if it was me.

[BigAl52]

Al, I'm very glad to hear you finally have the Ruger able to shoot. Nice shooting too.
If you do find an older 617, you will be very pleased hopefully. I certainly agree that it's a shame you had to spend $200.oo on each gun to get them to where they should be. At least you have a competent gunsmith available to you.
Enjoy both of those revolvers and keep the targets coming.

If you get a chance, can you post a photograph of the two revolvers together? I've never run across the Ruger model you have.

Dave
I remember when the GP came out and I thought about getting one then. But I think the reputation that Smith has with their 617 just over shadows anyone else trying the 22 revolver field and the gun shops hold off getting them for fear of not moving them. Just an off the cuff thought. Ive not ever seen one in a gun shop and I had to order this one in. So here at your request is a quick pick of both. I will say the stock grips on the GP are spot on. The Altamont grips on the Smith made all the difference in the world. Those black things Smith puts on their guns now are a joke. I should say junk.

IMG_0325.jpeg

[Hatchdog]

Thanks for the update and sharing your results. Interesting the guy who owns our local guntrader site has his 6” 617 for sale and it already has had the front sight change to a fiber optic. He wants $650 for it but states no trade. I’ve tried to sell a rifle to fund a 22 revolver purchase but have had no takers. Maybe I’ll reach out to him with a trade offer but it’s not likely. He’s selling off several guns and I think he’s looking to downsize.

As stated above what a shame you had to spend the extra to make the guns run like they should.

Hatch
If that is an older 617 thats a steal at 650.00. Id jump all over that if it was me.

No, sadly it has the Hillary Hole on it.

[North Country Gal]

One other Smith you might want to consider is the Model 17 Classic. These are basically current production remakes of the old Model 17 series. These come with wood grips and, of course, being a 17, they are blued guns. I had one that was accurate and trouble free. They do have the lock, so not a gun for the purists, but still very nice. One I should have kept, but you know me.