New member of the family

[tfr270]

 My wife and I just bought a Ruger GP100. We can pick it up in eleven days. We went through a few guns at the range at this gun dealer and decided on this one as the one that she liked best and could handle with confidence. We tried the SP101 (too much recoil for her, fine for me) the Smith and Wesson 686 ( the hammer was too small for her reach comfortably to use in SA and the trigger pull wasn't as clean, and was harder, than the GP100), and a few semi autos (she didn't like them...said there is too much to them...just wants to point and shoot) and then we decided on this revolver.
Funny...two schools of thought at the gun counter..."she's a girl...she needs a small revolver" to "she won't like the recoil on the small revolver, try out the mid size four inch barrels for home defense. She'll be more comfortable." Obvioulsy she proved the second guy right. 

[Big Frank]

Good choice. If I ever buy another .357 it will probably be a 4" GP-100.

[fightingquaker13]

For the record, I hate you. I have been looking for exactly that gun for a while and they are damned scarce on the ground here in So. Fl. You will not be dissapointed in it. I know folks like Smiths, but for my money you can't beat a Ruger wheelgun.
FQ13
PS give us a range report

[tombogan03884]

For the record, I hate you. I have been looking for exactly that gun for a while and they are damned scarce on the ground here in So. Fl. You will not be dissapointed in it. I know folks like Smiths, but for my money you can't beat a Ruger wheelgun.
FQ13
PS give us a range report

Same in NH, I was lucky enough to find a S&W model 13.

[tfr270]

I love this gun shop. It has an 18 yard indoor range, lots of rentals, great guys who are real gun guys, and a huge selection of guns of all types...and it's right in the middle of Liberal La-La land in Marin County California. We walked in today after spending the morning doing the brain tumor society fundraiser walk (my wife is a five year survivor) and went up to the counter and saw this revolver. They do have more...This one was NIB and not the counter display. There was at least one other at another shop here in my town but I didn't really like dealing that guy. He really wanted me to buy an HK USP and wasn't really that thrilled about my interest in the Ruger. Plus his was a few dollars more than this one.
Another funny thing...the guy at the counter today went to hand it to me. I just nodded to my wife and she took and went through a handling drill with it...closed the cylinder, open the cylinder, closed the cylinder; asked permission to dry fire, got it, brought it up to her eye with perfect grip and extension, went single action and double action....sweet.
This'll be her gun. Next month when I can buy a new handgun again (30 day wait between new handgun purchases in this state) I'll be looking for a handgun for me.
Those handguns and her 20ga and my 12ga will be our last line of home defense. If they get through the doors, past the Rhodesian Ridgeback, survive the Inferno Spray (if we decide to deploy that before the guns) then they will deal with #1 Buck or .357 JHP. 

[Sponsor]

[Green Mountain Gringo]

The handgun that I've had the longest is a GP100 stainless 6 inch barrel.  It is a wonderful shooter.  The extra barrel really helps dampen the recoil.

You gotta love having a sweety who enjoys the feel of a fine weapon in her hand, I know I do. 

Yes, pun intended. 

[MAUSERMAN]

Nice wheel gun GP100's kick S&W ass. I had a S&W model 10 that i sent back three times and the gun never worked right. A local gun shop let trade the 10 for my GP100 and i never had issues with it ever.

[tfr270]

And I can find ammo for it! Another local shop got in a load of .38 and .357. His .45acp was a little low though he had LOTS of .40sw.

[jaybet]

When it was time for my wife to get her first revolver she wanted a 6" blued GP161. The clerk and I talked her into a 4" stainless, 7 shot S&W 686. She was mad at me for months. About a year later I got her the Ruger and she was very happy, but after having both for a few years the S&W is her favorite. The trigger is sweet and it fits her hand better. The Ruger is a bit big for her. Actually it's pretty big anyway- most people who see it mistake it for a 44 mag at first.

As long as she's happy that's ALL that counts.

[tfr270]

Yep, there you go...it's all about what fits and how they like it.
We shot the 686 and GP100. Her comments were that the trigger pull felt light to her and that she could reach the hammer easier for SA on the GP100. She dry fired both and didn't like the 686 tinny sound.
Different strokes...I'd really like to get some of those 686 S&W custom shop build ups. Those are sweet!