For all you revolver fans, Ruger recently came out with a 4.2" barreled "match champion" version of its venerable GP100.
With its slab sided barrel and custom grips, there is something very appealing about this handgun.
It also helps that you know Ruger will back this revolver up with service for the foreseeable future.
The GP100 Match Champion.
I think this is a very good looking revolver.
The Ruger GP100 revolver has been one of the company’s staples since it was introduced in 1985. But a year ago, the handgun received a rather sporty makeover.
The GP100 Match Champion was released at the 2014 SHOT Show, the New Hampshire/Arizona manufacturer’s offering to the competitive shooting market. While the handgun had a number of features that made it an option for IDPA matches and the like, it lacked an asset many competitive shooters look for in a firearm.
The first iteration of the match pistol came without adjustable sights. It was a design choice the company admits it heard its share of opinions over. And it’s a choice of which Ruger has been quick to react.
One of the first new guns the company has introduced for 2015 is the GP100 Match Champion with adjustable sights. The rear sights are variable for both windage and elevation, making the gun more accurate, no matter the ammunition rotating through the revolver’s six chambers.
The new model of the .357 Magnum comes outfitted with a fiber optics front sights, an addition that should allow shooters to acquire a sight picture more quickly. And those who prefer the Novak Lo-Mount Carry sights on the original, needn’t worry. Ruger presently is continuing to produce this model.
Outside of the sights, the new variation of the GP100 Match Champion has all the features that aimed to make the revolver a shooter in the first place.
The competitive model of the GP100 weighs in at 38 ounces and is 9.5-inches long. It frame, barrel and cylinder are all made of stainless steel, each with a satin finish.
The revolver boasts a 4.2-inch, half-lug, slab-sided barrel that gives it a sleek look. But it is designed for performance, with a target crown aiding in its accuracy.
Very businesslike lines!
The above quotes are from HERERuger has match tuned the action, polishing the internals of the revolver, and including a centering boss on the trigger and centering shims on the hammer. This is meant to produce a smooth, consistent double-action trigger pull.
The revolver’s cylinder has been designed for consistent alignment, in turn dependable operation. It achieves this through a triple-locking system that locks the cylinder in place from the front rear and bottom.
The cylinder also features a light chamfer on the chamber mouths. This slight enlargement aims to shave seconds off reload time.
The GP100 Match Champion also has Ruger’s patented transfer bar mechanism. This is a standard feature for the company’s revolvers, helping guard against accidental discharge
For quite a bit less money it is also available blued with a fully lugged standard round barrel
and in stainless with the fully lugged standard round barrel.
There are also 6" and 3" versions available. These can be viewed on Ruger's website.
They're both fun to shoot.