andybothel

I imagine you are correct.

I have one box and it's the only +p+ rated stuff I've seen on the shelf.

Ammunition To Go : 50rds - 38 Special Winchester Ranger 110gr. +P+ HP Ammo [RA38110HPP] - $27.95

Little more than 38+p but a good bit less than 357 in recoil (as I perceived it)

Sal1950

KOOL,
At least we know it exists in the real world. LOL
Sal

Maximumbob54

Google says:

rpe08

To the OP, they have a few of what looks to be the same gun at Davidsons for around $400

Sal1950

Guess my google skills need some work.
Sal

netspec

Well, I picked up my GP100 on Tuesday, "rolled" 50 rounds 148gr DEWC over 3.7gr. of Win 231 and headed to the range yesterday. These results were at 7 yards and shot SA/DA randomly:

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dannylikewingy

Hope you didn't pay the $513....or whatever it was. Just found this:

Firearms, Guns, Rifles. Grain Valley, Missouri.

ExArmy11b

Don't pay over $500 for that gun, Ruger just put together a large batch of these "cleanup" guns and I have seem them for below $400. There's a guy on GB who has them for $380, and he's listed them for months.



About 2 years ago a larger gun shop in NM had a bunch of these used, made in 2003 or so. They are all security trade-ins, I think I paid $350 or so for this one and it was used. Hardly used, but still used. It's a great gun, sweet shooter and will last me forever. You can't put enough .38's through a GP100 to ever come close to wearing it out. I also have one in the half-lug configuration.

Ask yourself how much .357 do you actually plan to shoot? A lot of people buy .357 revolvers and only run a handful of magnums through them, since .38 is a lot cheaper and it's all you need for range shooting. I carry .38 revolvers like my .38 SP101 loaded with Golden Saber +P's and I feel more then well armed.

I am pretty much certain that Ruger doesn't bother to do less heat treating to the .38 Special GP100's, it would take more cost and effort to do so rather than just doing batches of the same cylinders and using them for both .38 and .357 revolvers.

The same applies to the DA Six series, the .38 Special versions of the Service, Speed and Security Six are simply .357 models bored for .38.

The confusion comes from S&W, who made .38's like the Model 10 but also a .357 version, the 13, which was better heat treated. The same does not apply to Rugers.

I thought about getting one of the new ones, but with this one I can't justify the purchase when there's so much else that I want

If you want a fixed sight .357 GP100, and are willing to spend $500 you might as well get a brand new 3" fixed sight stainless GP. I have a 3" and it does everything my other GP's can do. In fact many people find the 3" guns to be a little more accurate.

I have an old box of "Ranger" .38 +P+ that I got at my local gun shop, marked "for LE sales only". Also, if you can find the older Super Vel .38 Special, they are loaded like light .357's.

Most of the .38 Special GP100's were for security contracts, and like was said, for PD's that didn't allow .357 for "PC" reasons. Some states only allow private security companies to use .38 Special revolvers but these laws are changing. This is why Taurus sold a boatload of 82's back in the 80's and 90's, they were the cheapest 4" fixed sight .38 duty gun available and still met the .38 requirement.

My experience with my 2 .38 Special GP's that were ex-security guns, is that they are not as well fit and finished. My half-lug .38 GP was put together pretty sloppily and the trigger guard hastily fitted with rough file work. The gun had signifigant endshake, and since the gun seemed hardly fired, I assume it came this way from the factory. I had to add an endshake bearing to fix it. It's a great shooter but will never be "collectible". It seems Ruger tried to make them as cheap as possible to fill the contract, since I'm sure whoever ordered them went with the lowest possible price and Ruger cut corners to fill the order.The bluing on the half-lug is spotty and has "blotches" where it seems it wasn't properly treated, and the polishing is rough and inconsistent. This is why there are way fewer stainless .38 Special GP's, since those would have cost more than the blue model.



A great shooter, but an example of what you get when you demand "cheap AND immediate" when you order a batch of guns. I may add a DAO hammer to it and try to find a PPC match to shoot it in. Ironically, as rough as it is it has one of the best DA pulls of all my Rugers, with stock springs too.

If someone ever shot a GP100 with .38's until it loosened up or went out of time, I would want to shake their hand! =)

JonRugerInWA

Ruger has made and catalogued these .38 Special only GP100s in the past in both full- and half-lug versions (and similarly previously with .357 Magnum varients as well). Basically, I suspect that they're security firm contract guns primarily, with those reaching the retail marketplace being contract (or production run) surplusses.

I think that ANY GP100 is a good gun, but I think that the best overall value is to be derived from the adjustable sight varients. Ruger adjustable sights have a well-earned reputation for having a good sight picture/adjustment range, and are quite protected and durable.

In my experience, the fixed-sight varients come calibrated for 158 grain cartridges (and that goes for both the .357 Magnum and .38 Special versions-something to ponder; it can be worked around (by gunsmithing the front sight height), but I think most defensive cartridges are in 125 grain (and conversely, many/most hunting cartridges are 158 grain).

While the fixed-sight gun's rear sight notch is certainly viable, the adjustable sight provides a larger and better, more quickly obtained and indexed sight picture, in my opinion.

While these fixed-sight guns are "neat," I think most of us are probably better served with an adjustable sight GP100-and if durability is a concern, switch out the rear sight with one of Hamilton Bowen's Rough Country rear sights...

I almost exclusively shoot 125 gr .38 Special +P cartridges in both my GP100 and Security Six, but I do like having the OPTION of being able to run .357 Magnums in the gun (and always have {but almost never use} some quality .357 Magnum cartridges on hand-my revolvers are used for IDPA, carry, and home defense, and I prefer the reduced recoil/minimized split times of quality .38 Special +P cartridges, usually using Remington Golden Saber 125 gr +P as my carry load, and their analog, but less expensive SJHP 125 gr Remington/UMC 125gr +P .38 Specials for practice and competition.

Best, Jon

ExArmy11b

For self defense, the difference in the height of POA vs. POI with 125 gr. vs. 158 is inconsequential. I shoot 130 gr. .38 FMJ all the time in my fixed sight GP100's all the time and it may hit 1" or so low at 25 yards, in a gunfight at 0-10 yards, that ain't going to matter.

Davidsons also has a the 4" stainless half lug .357 GP's, but for more cost than the blue .38's.

Fixed sight revolvers are made to be service revolvers, and to hit a man sized threat at 25 yards. They are very accurate and I don't have a single fixed sight GP100 or Six series that isn't pretty much dead nuts for POI vs. POA with the ammo is was sighted for, usually 158's but some hit with 130's. That's more than I can say for Colt, my Police Positive .38 from the 30's, the "Golden Era" of Colt......... hits so low and left I have to aim off the paper

rpe08

There's not enough pics in this thread.

Here's mine. It's one of the 38sp fixed sight models davidsons had on sale a couple of months ago.

gascheck

The price of $513 for a GP-100 .38 special is nothing special, even in retail avenues, but the .38 special can be made to do extremely interesting things that only magnum .357's can exceed, if you appreciate all the additional noise, smoke, recoil and maintenance. I have among my several GP-100's a stainless four inch .38 special originally ordered by a security service in Kansas City, MO. I bought it from the guard and even was given some of his duty ammo.
This GP-100 is totally stock and is actually easier to fire in double action than in single action as all security qualifications were done in DAO. With a Skeeter Skelton load of IMR 4227 and a cast 158 lead bullet the results are exactly what should be.
Use a weapon you are comfortable with and can afford to use often. Practice does not build familiarity, it builds valuable life saving skills.
That GP-100 will outlast any Smith & Wesson I have ever owned.

Electromotive

A local gun shop here has one new in box for $389 plus 7% sales tax

ExArmy11b

Given the fact that a brand new blued .357 GP100 4" can be found for $500-500 OTD depending on where you are........I would not pay the same for a brand new .38 Special GP, especially when you can turn up older used ones if you look around, or get one of the trade-in .38 Service Sixes for $250-300.

opos

I have a 4" GP in 357...I have a 3" GP in 38 Special....when I want to shoot 38 special (+P, regular, etc) I shoot the 3" GP...when I want to shoot 357 I take the 357....I don't like the clean up mess shooting lots of 38 specials in the 357...carbon build up, etc....My advice..buy this one and then go get the other one when you have the cash....then you got 2.