Ruger GP100 Review: Weight, Reach and Practical Limits
Ruger’s model 1705 weighs 40 ounces before ammunition, according to its current specification sheet. That’s two and a half pounds to account for before deciding whether this revolver suits your hands and practice plans.
This Ruger GP100 review focuses on the six-shot, stainless model 1705 with a 4.20-inch barrel, not every revolver carrying the GP100 name (Ruger specifications). It’s a research-based assessment using manufacturer documentation and attributed published testing, not Mike’s personal hands-on test.
The short answer: the GP100 deserves a supervised fit assessment if you want to learn on a full-size revolver and can comfortably manage its weight. Don’t choose it just because someone calls it simple or durable. Trigger reach, the effort required to operate it and a realistic care routine matter more than that label.
Ruger GP100 review: which model is being assessed?
Model numbers matter here. Ruger’s current 1705 specification sheet identifies a .357 Magnum revolver with six chambers, a Hogue Monogrip, satin stainless finish, ramp front sight and adjustable rear sight.
The same sheet lists a 4.20-inch barrel, 9.50-inch overall length and 40-ounce weight (Ruger). Use those current factory figures when discussing this configuration, rather than treating dimensions from another GP100 as interchangeable.
There is a small source conflict worth making explicit: the older Guns and Shooting Online staff review lists overall length as 9.7 inches for its model 1705, while Ruger’s current page says 9.50 inches. This article uses the current factory listing; the difference isn’t evidence that Mike measured either example.
The practical takeaway is to identify the actual model before arranging a familiarization session. A review of the family name alone leaves too much room for a different barrel, grip or chambering to enter the conversation.
Does the GP100’s weight make it easier to learn with?
Weight isn’t automatically a benefit or a problem. In its published test, the Guns and Shooting Online staff described the 40-ounce revolver as substantial and found it more pleasant with the tested .38 Special ammunition than with the tested .357 Magnum loads.
That report describes those reviewers and that sample, not a promised experience for a beginner. It also doesn’t tell you how comfortable you’ll be supporting the revolver during a lesson.
Suppose you can hold an unloaded example comfortably for a brief introduction, but your hands start shaking or your wrists hurt as the session continues. Tell the instructor and stop rather than pushing through discomfort to justify the equipment choice. A shorter session, more rest or a different firearm may be the better starting point.
Write that concern into a one-page firearms training plan before the appointment. “Check whether I can safely manage this revolver without strain” is a more useful lesson goal than “get used to a heavy gun.”
What does published testing say about grip and trigger reach?
The Guns and Shooting Online review, which carries a 2013 copyright, reported a 12.8-pound double-action trigger pull and a 4.5-pound single-action pull before later modifications. Those are measurements of its sample, not current factory guarantees or measurements of your revolver.
The same reviewers criticized the supplied Hogue grip’s finger grooves and front-to-back dimensions, saying the shape didn’t suit their hands and made the trigger reach long (Guns and Shooting Online). That is useful counterweight to the assumption that a factory rubber grip will fit everyone.
For a beginner, the question isn’t whether an online reviewer liked the grip. It’s whether you can safely manage the actual revolver without repeatedly shifting your hand or forcing an uncomfortable reach.
Ask an instructor to observe that fit with the firearm verified unloaded and under the venue’s handling rules. If a movement causes pain or uncertainty, stop and describe it. Don’t turn the lesson into a contest to overcome a poor fit.
The older review also discusses modifications made after its initial test (Guns and Shooting Online). Those later results aren’t stock specifications, and this assessment doesn’t recommend modifying the trigger or internal parts.
What safety and care requirements are easy to overlook?
A revolver’s visible cylinder doesn’t remove its handling hazards. Ruger’s GP100 manual, page 18, warns that hot gas and particles escape through the gap between the cylinder and barrel, and directs users to keep hands and fingers clear of that path.
Have an instructor explain that warning before live fire, especially if your previous familiarity comes from a different handgun type. The manual also requires shooting glasses and hearing protection for shooters and bystanders (Ruger manual, page 18).
Stainless doesn’t mean maintenance-free. Ruger specifically identifies perspiration, moisture, humidity and salt air as possible causes of discoloration or rust, and calls for inspection and appropriate cleaning and protection (GP100 manual, page 26).
For a South Florida owner, build the after-range check into your plan rather than assuming the silver finish can be ignored. If the revolver has been exposed to sweat or moisture, follow the manufacturer’s care instructions with the firearm unloaded; Ruger explicitly requires unloading before cleaning (manual, pages 20 and 26).
Storage deserves its own decision before the first lesson. Ruger directs owners to store firearms securely and unloaded, separate from ammunition and inaccessible to unauthorized people, and warns against storage in moisture-attracting holsters (manual, page 28).
Who should consider the GP100, and who should skip it?
Consider a supervised assessment if your goal is to learn safe revolver handling and you are willing to evaluate comfort honestly. The useful verdict here is conditional: investigate the fit, don’t assume the GP100’s reputation settles it.
Skip this configuration as your starting point if its weight already causes discomfort, the reach makes safe handling awkward, or you want equipment you can use without learning model-specific care. You don’t owe any firearm a successful fit assessment.
Also skip the idea that an older favorable review proves indefinite reliability. The Guns and Shooting Online test reported no malfunctions during its shooting session, but that observation cannot establish the condition of an individual used gun or guarantee a different example.
If you own a revolver whose condition is uncertain, ask the manufacturer or a qualified gunsmith about inspection before arranging live fire. An instructor’s fit discussion isn’t a substitute for mechanical evaluation.
What should a South Florida familiarization lesson cover?
Start with your questions, not a performance target. Ask to discuss the unloaded safety check, comfortable handling, manufacturer warnings and storage responsibilities before deciding what live-fire familiarization is appropriate.
Suburban Protector’s private instruction page lists Palm Beach Shooting Center in Lake Worth as a lesson location. It also lists Declaration Defense in Pompano Beach for Broward-area sessions (private lesson locations).
Confirm the meeting location and equipment arrangement directly. Those venue listings do not establish that a GP100 model 1705 is available to borrow or that a particular appointment is open.
Before booking, read about the Suburban Protector instructor team and explain what you need assessed. Mention limited experience, hand discomfort or uncertainty about an existing revolver so the conversation starts with your actual needs.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Ruger GP100 a good first revolver?
It can be worth assessing, but don’t assume it fits because it’s a revolver. Model 1705 has a factory-listed weight of 40 ounces, and published reviewers raised grip and reach concerns (Ruger, Guns and Shooting Online). A supervised fit check should come before deciding it is a sensible learning platform for you.
How much does the four-inch GP100 weigh?
The specific model covered here, 1705, has a 4.20-inch barrel and a factory-listed weight of 40 ounces (Ruger specifications). Don’t apply that number to every GP100 configuration. Check the model number and current documentation when discussing weight, and consider how comfortable you are supporting the actual unloaded example.
Can a .357 Magnum GP100 use .38 Special ammunition?
Ruger’s manual identifies .357 Magnum GP100 models that also chamber .38 Special and .38 Special +P (manual, page 12). Verify the markings and documentation for your exact revolver rather than relying on the family name. If you’re uncertain about suitable factory ammunition, stop and ask Ruger or your instructor before using it.
Can a stainless GP100 rust?
Yes. Ruger warns that stainless revolvers can develop discoloration or rust from conditions including perspiration, humidity and salt air (manual, page 26). Follow its inspection, cleaning and protection instructions with the firearm unloaded. Stainless construction is not permission to leave a damp revolver unattended in storage or ignore its condition after use.
Did Mike personally test this GP100?
No firsthand GP100 testing notes were supplied for this article, so it does not claim Mike tested or owns this model. The assessment uses Ruger’s current specifications and manual plus attributed Guns and Shooting Online observations. Treat it as preparation for your own supervised fit discussion, not a substitute for one.
Bring one specific fit question to your lesson
Use this Ruger GP100 review to choose the question you want answered first: weight tolerance, comfortable reach or safe familiarization with a revolver you already own. Send it with your private lesson request, state the exact model if known, and confirm the venue and equipment before you travel.