Looking for opinions on a woods gun. . .

S

Salamander42

Joined
Mar 21, 2007
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I've been shopping around on-line and at the local shops and I think I've settled on a Ruger GP-100 for my first gun:

http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firea...ble Action&famlst=8&variation=Satin Stainless

I'm still a little unsure about weather I want the stainless or blued version, and which barrel length to get though. I'm leaning toward blued with the 6 inch barrel. What do you all think? I'll probably primarily be using it for "plinking" and target shooting with .38 special ammo and for protection from predators with .357s. I don't have to worry about anything large around here. . . wild and/or rabid dogs or coyotes are probably the biggest 4 legged critters I'd be even remotely likely to encounter. Of course there is also the possibility of running into a 2 legged predator. I may try to use it for a bit of hunting, but since I've never even hunted with a rifle I doubt that I'll have much luck trying to stalk up close enough to get a good shot with a handgun. :o

I've also looked at Taurus and Smith & Wesson revolvers. I've read both good and bad about Taurus, and the Smiths I like are a bit outside of my price range. I'm open to other suggestions if anyone has any ideas. I want to keep it around the 500 dollar mark, and I'd like a .357 revolver because I like the versatility of being able to use .357 or .38 special ammo.

As a side note, how do you carry your gun in the woods? I'd like to get a Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack with the gun pocket but I don't know if a 6 inch barreled revolver will fit in there. I also doubt that it would work very well with a backpack for overnight trips.
 
If humidity and moisture is going to be a consideration then stainless is the way to go.

Ruger makes a decent little revolver and 6" is fine for the woods for your purpose although you could go with a 4". Generally Ruger is bomb proof. I used to own a gun shop and rarely had issues with Ruger revolvers unless someone did the "do-it-yourself" gun smithing or used reloads, handloads, cartridges made in 3rd world countries, or over pressure rounds.

I'm not a huge fan of adjustable sights on these revolvers as they are just not rugged enough for the woods...sometimes gear takes lick'n and these sights can be a wee bit fragile. So I generally opt for heavy fixed sights on my woods guns. But you'll have to work around that if that is what you end up with.

If you're backpacking then you've got a couple of choices...one is a standard outside the waistband (OWB) holster with a Blade Tech attachment so you can unhook it on/off of your belt and snap it onto the waist belt of your pack without having to unholster the pistol sweeping everyone in your party with the muzzle.

For an OWB holster I've had considerable good luck in the woods with the one of the Blackhawk Serpa CQC models (assuming they make it for your model) as it has one of the best retention devices currently made and is very well built for the $$$'s. For safety reasons I'm not a huge advocate of most retention straps made for concealement and/or hunting type holsters so I would advocate you steer away from them.

Another option is there is one really awesome backpack called the mini-wasp that is specifically designed as a three day pack with a dedicated place to put a defensive handgun into...you can do this while wearing the pack and it is fully concealed and undetected. You can do this from your strong or support side without compromising your 4 Point Presentation.

If the Max Versipack is going to be adequate for all your carry needs and as a holster then you should be set. Just make sure whatever you select it has a dedicated holster that specifically fits your gun and covers the trigger and trigger gaurd area.
 
Are you dead set on a .357? Reason I ask is because if you don't really have to worry about any large predators and will be mostly "plinking", a .22 pistol is a helluva lot of fun. The ammo is much cheaper, you can carry more of it and there is not much that is more fun than hunting small game with a .22 pistol. .357 is a fantastic cartridge and can be used for larger game like deer at reasonable distances but its not much for "plinking" even with the .38 rounds.
 
The Ruger GP-100 is an outstanding, reliable firearm.
If you have time to shop around, take a look at the Colt Trooper III. Not available new-in-box but they can be found in the same price range as the Ruger and an unbelievable firearm overall. Fit and finish is well above par.

I passed on a 6" Trooper III at Cabelas and regret it every time .357 revolvers come up.

Take a look at the offerings at Gunbroker.com for some examples.

Chris
 
Salamander42 said:
I've been shopping around on-line and at the local shops and I think I've settled on a Ruger GP-100 for my first gun:

http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firea...ble Action&famlst=8&variation=Satin Stainless

I'm still a little unsure about weather I want the stainless or blued version, and which barrel length to get though. I'm leaning toward blued with the 6 inch barrel. What do you all think? I'll probably primarily be using it for "plinking" and target shooting with .38 special ammo and for protection from predators with .357s. I don't have to worry about anything large around here. . . wild and/or rabid dogs or coyotes are probably the biggest 4 legged critters I'd be even remotely likely to encounter. Of course there is also the possibility of running into a 2 legged predator. I may try to use it for a bit of hunting, but since I've never even hunted with a rifle I doubt that I'll have much luck trying to stalk up close enough to get a good shot with a handgun. :o

I've also looked at Taurus and Smith & Wesson revolvers. I've read both good and bad about Taurus, and the Smiths I like are a bit outside of my price range. I'm open to other suggestions if anyone has any ideas. I want to keep it around the 500 dollar mark, and I'd like a .357 revolver because I like the versatility of being able to use .357 or .38 special ammo.

As a side note, how do you carry your gun in the woods? I'd like to get a Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack with the gun pocket but I don't know if a 6 inch barreled revolver will fit in there. I also doubt that it would work very well with a backpack for overnight trips.
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When my two sons graduated from high school I gave them each a Ruger GP-100 in stainless steel with a 4 in barrel. Guess that says it all. ;)
 
I'd suggest the stainless model in 4".

I have a S&W Model 66 4" that is a fine all-around piece. It fits nicely in a Maxpedition Jumbo.

Good luck with your choice,
desmobob
 
Its a tough decision. I carry a 22 Ruger Mark II on my belt . Just because its the only pistol I own. A little .38 that I could carry in a pocket would be preferable.
 
just personal experience but i have medium hands and the gp-100 is a way too big for me. i find the sp-101 fits much better.
 
Thanks for the feedback everyone!

Quirt said:
I'm not a huge fan of adjustable sights on these revolvers as they are just not rugged enough for the woods...sometimes gear takes lick'n and these sights can be a wee bit fragile. So I generally opt for heavy fixed sights on my woods guns. But you'll have to work around that if that is what you end up with.

Another option is there is one really awesome backpack called the mini-wasp that is specifically designed as a three day pack with a dedicated place to put a defensive handgun into...you can do this while wearing the pack and it is fully concealed and undetected. You can do this from your strong or support side without compromising your 4 Point Presentation.

If the Max Versipack is going to be adequate for all your carry needs and as a holster then you should be set. Just make sure whatever you select it has a dedicated holster that specifically fits your gun and covers the trigger and trigger gaurd area.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the insight on fixed vs. adjustable sights Quirt. Not having owned a gun this was something I had completely neglected to consider. Do you happen to have any other info on that Mini-Wasp backpack? A quick Google search didn't bring up anything useful for me.

Bwilson said:
Are you dead set on a .357? Reason I ask is because if you don't really have to worry about any large predators and will be mostly "plinking", a .22 pistol is a helluva lot of fun. The ammo is much cheaper, you can carry more of it and there is not much that is more fun than hunting small game with a .22 pistol. .357 is a fantastic cartridge and can be used for larger game like deer at reasonable distances but its not much for "plinking" even with the .38 rounds.
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I did consider a .22, and I'm sure I'll get one before too long, but I was wanting to get something a little more versatile for my first gun. The .357 probably isn't quite a "do it all" gun but it seems to me to be suitable for quite a few different kinds of shooting.

Rupestris said:
The Ruger GP-100 is an outstanding, reliable firearm.
If you have time to shop around, take a look at the Colt Trooper III. Not available new-in-box but they can be found in the same price range as the Ruger and an unbelievable firearm overall. Fit and finish is well above par.

I passed on a 6" Trooper III at Cabelas and regret it every time .357 revolvers come up.

Take a look at the offerings at Gunbroker.com for some examples.

Chris
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip on the Trooper. A quick glance at gunbroker.com turned up quite a few of them as well as some model Vs. Are the different models pretty comparable or is there something about the model III that makes it special?

desmobob said:
I'd suggest the stainless model in 4".

I have a S&W Model 66 4" that is a fine all-around piece. It fits nicely in a Maxpedition Jumbo.

Good luck with your choice,
desmobob
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Is there enough room in the Jumbo that you think an extra 2 inches of barrel would fit? I'm still leaning a bit toward the 6" despite a couple of suggestions for the 4" but haven't quite made up my mind.
 
chuck buck said:
just personal experience but i have medium hands and the gp-100 is a way too big for me. i find the sp-101 fits much better.
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I haven't handled the SP model, but the GP feels pretty good to me when just handling it in the store. I haven't actually fired one though. A couple of the Taurus and Smith models that I've handled felt really huge and awkward to me. One of the things I want to do before I buy anything is go to one of the ranges here in Indy where I can rent a gun for an hour and try out a couple of different guns similar to what I think I want if not the exact models.
 
I have a GP100. If I could only have one handgun for the rest of my life, that's probably the one I would take. It is simple, heavy, accurate and well built.

Also, the trigger pull on it is pretty decent (after putting five thousand rounds or so down the pipe)! In double action I would say it is nearly as good as my gf's 686 Classic Hunter, which has a really incredible pull.

Also it will put up with really hot reloads without complaining. Max pressure loads of H110 behind 180 grainers...WHAM!
 
I have owned the stainless 4" GP 100 since Ruger first came out with them, excellent choice. The only thing I can say is, it is a bit heavy if you think you may someday carry it all the time as a CWC. This handgun can shoot some very heavy .357 Magnum loads or you can tame it down with mild .38 Special plinking loads. It is also very easy to field strip and clean. You can get any size grips to fit your hands. My wife uses mine for home protection; I carry a very light S&W 340 PD in .357 for CWC.
If you plan to do a lot of target shooting you can't beat a .22 LR revolver. Heck BUY BOTH if you can afford it! Good luck.
 
Swampdog said:
I have owned the stainless 4" GP 100 since Ruger first came out with them, excellent choice. The only thing I can say is, it is a bit heavy if you think you may someday carry it all the time as a CWC. This handgun can shoot some very heavy .357 Magnum loads or you can tame it down with mild .38 Special plinking loads. It is also very easy to field strip and clean. You can get any size grips to fit your hands. My wife uses mine for home protection; I carry a very light S&W 340 PD in .357 for CWC.
If you plan to do a lot of target shooting you can't beat a .22 LR revolver. Heck BUY BOTH if you can afford it! Good luck.
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Nope, not planning on using it for regular concealed carry,except maybe in the Maxpedition bag I'm thinking about. Even that is more for the woods than anything so as not to attract attention. I wouldn't even be thinking about the 6 inch barrel if I really wanted to carry it around concealed in the city. I'm sure there will be another gun in my future for that purpose. :D
 
I probably should carry my S&W 686+ .357, but it is heavy, so I carry this little Airlite Ti 38 spl. It weighs very little. I just hope I don't get charged by an angry wild boar.

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QUIRT - "I'm not a huge fan of adjustable sights on these revolvers as they are just not rugged enough for the woods...sometimes gear takes lick'n and these sights can be a wee bit fragile."
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I disagree with Mr. Quirt. Buying a .357 with non-adjustable sights defeats the vast versatility of the .357 and that versatility is greatly diminished. First, the fixed sights are regulated at the factory for just one cartridge and bullet weight, ordinarily a 158 grains round nose or SWC bullet at standard velocity.

Secondly, that point-of-aim for the .357 bullet, will not be the same for a .38 Spec., and one of the fine aspects of a .357 Magnum is its ability to shoot .38 Specials, cheaper. But those .38s won't strike the target where the regulated fixed sights .357 Magnum bullet will strike.

By having adjustable sights, one can easily adjust that rear sight to account for whatever ammo one uses, .357 or .38, hot loads or plinkers, different bullet wieighs, etc. Therefore, the versatility.

As for fixed sights being "fragile," I've carried both revolvers and semi-autos with adjustable sights out in the boonies, and never had any problems with them being destroyed, or even dinged.

Just my experience, but I'd buy a 4" adjustable sights revolver, if it were I, so I could use whatever brand and type ammo I wanted. Also, in my experience, a 4" barrel is more "packable" than a 6" barrel. :thumbup:

L.W.
 
I keep a little Glock 33 (.357 sig), but I've been eyeing the SP101 3" in .357 for quite a while now. I just can't find a shop that actually has one in stock so I can handle one.

I'm primarily concerned with two-legged problems when in the woods, so it opens up my options a little bit. When animals are the primary concern, a .45 or .357 becomes the minimum caliber to bring along.
 
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