# ruger gp100 questions



## newguy07 (Feb 13, 2007)

I am about to purchase my first handgun and I think I have decided on one of the ruger gp100 .357 magnum revolvers. Howerever, my final decision is between the 4 inch barrel with adjustable sights and the 3 inch barrel with fixed sights. The gun will primarily be used around the house target shooting/plinking but will occassionaly be carried. I was going to just get the 4 inch but think it would be too big to carry. So my two main questions are would/does the 3 inch version have substantially more recoil then the 4 inch version? Is the 4 inch barrel going to be more accurate? Does fixed sight versus adjustable sight really matter? Thanks for the help!


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## Mattu (Jan 20, 2006)

Hopefully I can help you a little bit with your question newguy07. I have bought a lot of guns in my life but I only have one handgun still and thats a ruger gp100ss 6". You can put the ruger gp100 3" in a different group since it has a smaller grip and fixed sights which make a difference. I can conceal my 6" gp100 but only during winter time here in Indiana where I were a coat. If want a conceal version go for the 3" barrel one. The grip size is what makes the biggest difference. and the grip for the 4" and 6" is just to big for most people especially during the warm seasons. I can't commit on recoil but mine handles it fine.


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## omegax (Oct 25, 2006)

I doubt that recoil would be significantly different. Besides, with a .357, you could always shoot .38 out of it for practice... though I hear that this gets the outside of the cylinder a little dirtier than usual. I do it all the time with my .357 (I can't really tell if shooting .38 makes it any dirtier or not).


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## Bore.224 (Mar 23, 2005)

The 3 inch barrel will not have substantial more recoil, the 4 inch barrel will not be more accurate. Fixed sights are fine for a gun such as this however having adjustable sights gives you something to do one day so in short no it does not really matter.

FYI.... A longer barrel will make shooting accurate less difficult so the unoffical ansewer to you question is yes it will be more accurate with a longer barrel. Firing full power .357 Mags out of a short barrel will be an experiance. Watch out for that muzzel flash!!

Hope that helps


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## Gohon (Feb 14, 2005)

A 4 inch barrel will be a little more accurate for two reasons. One is the exiting bullet has less exploding gas upon exit which tends to upset the base of bullet as it exits the barrel less. Two is the sight radius is a little longer which helps the shooter in accuracy. Actual recoil may be pretty close to the same with the two barrel lengths but muzzle flip of the shorter barrel will greatly affect the shooters accuracy and ability to get back on target. If you are going to use the gun for target shooting and plinking as you indicated then adjustable sights are the only way to go. Muzzle flash from either barrel is of little concern unless shooting at night in which case the 357 will produce a lot of muzzle flash even with a 6-7 inch barrel. If concealment and personal protection were the main reasons for the gun and a 357 was the choice then the Ruger SP-101 would be a better choice. I've owned both and still have the 4 inch Security Six and they are both good guns.


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## Bore.224 (Mar 23, 2005)

And their you have it newguy07 two different ways to advise you to do the same thing!


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