Ruger Ten-Shot 22 Long Rifle GP100 Revolver

by Jeff Quinn

photography by Jeff Quinn & Boge Quinn

December 11th, 2015

 

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Transfer bar safety.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2016 will mark the 30th Anniversary of the Ruger GP100 revolver. Introduced in 1986, the GP would replace the excellent Security-Six series of  medium-frame revolvers, which included the Speed-Six and Service-Six as well. The GP100 has been offered in several variations of sight, barrel, and grip combinations, in both blued carbon steel and stainless steel, mostly chambered for the excellent 357 Magnum cartridge, but also a few chambered for 38 Special only and a handful chambered for the 327 Federal Magnum cartridge. Now, the GP100 is chambered for what is likely the most-useful, most-versatile, and definitely the most-popular revolver cartridge ever made; the 22 Long Rifle.

The new GP100 rimfire will also fire the 22 Short and 22 Long cartridges, but with 22 Long Rifle ammo available in many configurations, and with the two weaker cartridges no longer offering any savings in cost, the 22 Long Rifle cartridge is all one needs to feed this GP100.

The GP100 rimfire revolver has a capacity of ten 22 Long Rifle cartridges in its cylinder, giving it a capacity to justify its size and heft. The GP100 is a solid revolver, and feels great in my hand. The grip is of the original GP style, built of synthetic rubber with wood inserts. The grip area of the frame is sized like other GP100 revolvers, so this revolver will accept any factory or aftermarket GP100 grip, if so desired. The GP100 is a medium-sized revolver, designed to accommodate the 357 Magnum cartridge, and it weighs slightly over two and one-half pounds, but balances perfectly for me. The short-lug barrel was a good choice, and  its five and one-half inch length gives it a good balance of handling and velocity. The barrel has no taper, and is finished with a recessed target crown. The barrel/cylinder gap on this revolver is just about right, measuring four one-thousandths (.004) inch, consistently, resulting in good firing manners, without binding when dirty. Even while standing beside the revolver during accuracy testing, no "spitting" occurred out of the barrel/cylinder gap.

The GP100 rimfire is built primarily out of stainless steel, and the contrasting grip and sights give it a classy, quality appearance. The rear sight is a white-outline blade adjustable for windage and elevation correction, and the front is a square-profile blade with green fiber optic rod insert. This combo offers a very good sight picture in low light, while providing a good square profile sight picture for accurate target work in normal light. Perfect.

The detailed specifications of the GP100 are listed in the chart below. All linear measurements are listed in inches, and the weight is listed in ounces. The trigger pulls are listed in pounds of resistance. SA is the single-action trigger pull. DA is the double-action trigger pull. Height includes the sights, set to the intermediate elevation position.

Weight 42.6 ounces
Barrel Length 5.451 inches
Barrel Diameter 0.674 inch
Trigger Pull SA 3.75 pounds
Trigger Pull DA 9.8 pounds
Cylinder Length 1.658 inches
Cylinder Diameter 1.545 inches
Chambers 10
Overall Length 11 inches
Overall Height 5.58 inches
Barrel/Cylinder Gap 0.004 inch
Ammunition 22 Short, Long, and Long Rifle
MSRP as of December 2015 $829.00 US

I tested the rimfire GP100 with several brands of 22 Long Rifle ammunition for velocity and function. The velocity results with each brand and type of ammunition are listed in the chart below. HP is a lead hollowpoint bullet. Solid is a lead roundnose bullet. Velocity readings were taken at an elevation of 541 feet above sea level, with an air temperature of fifty-six degrees Fahrenheit, with humidity in the seventy-three percent range. Velocities are listed in feet-per-second (FPS), and were recorded ten feet from the muzzle of the Ruger revolver. Bullet weights are listed in grains.

Ammunition Bullet Weight Velocity
Federal Bulk HP 36 978
Winchester DynaPoint HP 40 926
PMC Match Solid 40 926
Wolf Match Solid 40 887
CCI Mini-Mag HP 36 1053
CCI Mini-Mag Solid 40 1021
CCI Velocitor HP 40 1002
Remington Yellow Jacket HP 33 1112
Remington Hi-Speed Solid 40 1028
American Eagle HP 36 966
PMC Zapper HP 38 1029
Winchester XPert HP 36 1012
Hansen Solid 40 922
Remington Bulk Solid 37 991
CCI Blazer Solid 40 993
CCI Stinger HP 32 1157
Armscor Solid 40 974
CCI Quiet 40 536
Remington Subsonic 38 859
Winchester Wildcat 40 981

Accuracy was match-grade from this GP-100 revolver. All accuracy testing was done at a distance of twenty-five yards, with the revolver secured into my Ransom Master Series machine rest. I fired full-cylinder ten-shot groups, with the group sizes measured center-to-center of the two farthest-apart bullet holes in each group. The largest group fired all day measured just 1.75 inches, for ten shots at twenty-five yards. The smallest measured 1.125 inches. Every brand and type of ammo fired for accuracy displayed great accuracy. When a gunmaker can get that kind of consistency from ten chambers, they are doing something right. This revolver takes full advantage of the accuracy potential of modern rimfire ammunition, and is one of the most accurate 22 revolvers that I have ever fired.

I was concerned that ejection might be a problem, ejecting ten fired cases at each stroke, but ejection was flawless with every type of ammo tested, with only the Wolf target ammo showing any sign of sticky extraction. The other brands of ammo ejected the fired cases effortlessly.  Every cartridge fired. There were no failures to fire with any ammo tested, even some old ammunition from the 1970s that I found stashed in the ammo pile.

The GP100 handles really well. The short-lug barrel makes the revolver balance perfectly, and the double-action trigger pull is very easy to control. The single-action pull is crisp, with no hint of grittiness at all. The synthetic/wood grip feels perfect in my hand. This is a rugged, reliable, and wonderfully-accurate revolver that will last many thousands of rounds and still give excellent service. I have never seen a worn out GP100 357 Magnum, and am sure that continued use of 22 Long Rifle ammo will do it no harm.

I get to fire a lot of guns. If the bullet leaves the bore and goes where I want it to go, I pretty much like it, but some, I like a lot more than others. This one I love. This 22 LR GP100 is a dandy revolver.

Check out the extensive line of Ruger firearms and accessories online at www.ruger.com.

For the location of a Ruger dealer near you, click on the DEALER FINDER at www.lipseys.com.

To order the GP100 online, click on the GUN GENIE at www.galleryofguns.com.

To order quality 22 Long Rifle ammunition, go to www.luckygunner.com and www.midsouthshooterssupply.com.

Jeff Quinn

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Click pictures for a larger version.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All accuracy testing was performed with the GP-100 secured into a Ransom Master Series machine rest.

 

 

Ten-shot groups fired at 25 yards.

 

 

Jeff has had some of this ammo for a long time.