I picked up the GP100 .44 Special last week and just shot it at the range. OUTSTANDING revolver. Easy to manage. Quality and very accurate. Built like a tank. Highly recommend it.
Hey, Hickok. I've liked guns for a long time, but have never owned one, because of how terrible it is here in California. I wanna say proudly, that today, I started paying off a Beretta 92FS. You're one of the people who have inspired me to start participating in our second amendment and I would like to personally thank you. Thanks a lot. I hope more people start buying firearms, so they can appreciate everything about them and see why people are so passionate about firearms.
Darn it! Just told my FFL he probably wasn't going to see me the rest of the year, but having 4 Ruger revolvers, this needs to be in my collection ASAP. Great video, guys. Thank you.
This is a great video on accuracy and quality. I'd like to see a little more of 44Spl's ballistic pulverizing ability (obviously it has some). When I was choosing my first handgun about 8 years ago, one salesdude was telling me to choose a 44Spl over a 9x18 Combloc pistol for SD. I actually think both are great . Now I own a 45ACP, 3 Makarovs , several 9mm's, and two 357's . I usually gravitate to the Maks if I want cat-like defense capability, but if I want real power and penetration with lots of versatility I go to 357Mag, of which I own two. I'm now thinking of going for a larger caliber carry revolver. 44Spl seems like "it" for me, at this end of the spectrum. It takes up to 357 energy levels with less flash and drama, and a bigger bullet. If I wanted "mega" power in the handgun arena I go for a .454 Casull and be able to chamber most any other .45. Only the .32's have so much versatility. It's so effin neat how there are harmonics in gun ballistics.
Funny, reminding me of a Special Agent back-in-the-day 80's that carried a custom S&W Model 29 with a 2 1/2 inch barrel as a concealed weapon. He noticed I was the only one carrying a shotgun, while others were carrying an M16 rifle inside a building. I felt special when he pulled his 44 Magnum out from under his coat and showed it too me. Something you never forget.
Hello, my name is Ruslan, I am 18 years old, I live in Ukraine. I am happy to look at all your issues in arms. I admire you . you have a very large audience, and probably you will not read my letter, but I would like to tell you that you look in the Ukraine. I'm sorry if I did something wrong wrote. life is good. :-)
Thing i like about this channel is that its always about having fun, shooting targets its all very calm and from time to time educational, some other gun channels have this agressive feel to them like you know some dudes act like they are about to shoot someone
Hopefully this gun will renew interest in the .44 Special. I've had a Taurus 431 for almost 25 years, I've put thousands of rounds through it with 0 issues. With the short barrel it conceals pretty well, the weight isn't too bad either. It's a great shooting gun, pretty accurate for a snub nose, and the recoil isn't bad at all.The only downside is limited ammo availability compared to more popular calibers.
This caliber 44 special is not so common over here (North Scandinavia) . We dont carry concealed guns, shooting is mostly for recreation and competition shooting, and then we use the .44 mag instead (for the powerfactor) . Still the Ruger .44 Special is such a sweet firearm. Have a nice day
As a Hunter in my country, you can easy have up to six rifles/shotguns without too much trouble (with legal papers), even same caliber if you prefeer. Handguns is another story, you NEED to be a member of some sort of a sport shooting club or simular, just to be able to get a handgun license. Meaning you must "need" (and show a proof of need) those handguns for ex. competition/practice. If youre a active pistol shooter, 4 handguns (different calibers) is common, then moore active shooters can also have a "backup" gun in the most active class he shoots. We do not carry arms for self defence in my country (same goes for most of europe aswell)
I from the Netherlands, we have almost the same rules as you have. We're allowed a max of 5 guns. Handguns or rifles doesn't matter (even 5 guns in the same caliber). We must have an reasonable interrest for owning a gun(sport club shooting), impose no threat to our self or others and the guns must be for an approved competition.
Yes, thankfully, handloading is allowed. But, you need show youre license when buying either Gun powder, primers, bullets or plain factory ammo. So, only licensed gunowners can reload/handload or buy ammo. For brass i dont think you need show the license when buying.... dunno why. Im a reloader myself, making my own .38 special and .45acp ammo for mostly competition and practice, I make 98% of all the ammo im using.
Yea, seems like almost the same rules we have here in Norway. Also if youre have prior convictions from either drugs or domestic voilence or psych problems, good luck in getting a firearm license. I think its a good thing, people who love to shoot either recreational or for competition should be able to own a gun or two without too much hazzle. But I do think that if our gouverment was to decide, none of us "normal" people should own a firearm, only the police and the military. Maybe some Hunters apply aswell. There will be typos here, English is not my first language...cheers
Boy, that is one fine piece of machinery. I've had to sell off all my guns (revolvers, shotguns and rifles) to try and save my home while I'm waiting for my RR Retirement disability to start. Of course, it didn't work. They'll be selling my home down at the courthouse in the morning. Maybe when I get back on my feet I could pick up one of these. Thanks again for the video. Go Vols.
I love my Rugers, have six of their handguns. I also have the Charter Arms 44 special & have put over 600 rounds through it without a hiccup. You did a video on it and were not to excited about it, but I just wanted to add that it is a great shooter for less than half the price of this new Ruger 44 and it can easily be carried. I have the On Duty model that has the shaved hammer & it actually fits in the pockets of most of my pants. I really enjoy all the videos both you & John do, thank you for all your great work!
Great video as always Hickok45, Ruger is my lifeblood I love ever Ruger I buy from the little SR-22 to the Super Blackhawk Hunter... I bought because of your old video... It's always nice to see them come out with a new Revolver, even if it's just a re-chambered classic. If I was not such a 'Round' man I would carry my GP-100 4" .357 every day CCW. I've done it a few times but it's very difficult because my gut does not like to hide anything larger than a matchstick. Florida I don't get but a couple days a year that warrant wearing a coat out so it's tee shirts and button up shirts all day long. Blasted revolver is my favorite handgun even over .44 mag and a few 9mm.
Thanks Hickok. Another great video! Nice revolver. Disappointing that it is not .44 Magnum like the Smith & Wesson 69. That would have been really sweet!
I purchased this GP-100 in .44 Special and I enjoy shooting the .44 Russian round in it. Excellent accuracy with minimal recoil. I reload the .44 Russian with a 200 grain cast round nose. In fact, this is my favorite revolver round.
Elmer's favorite load in his younger years as a real outdoorsman & hunting guide pre-WWII, was his famous .44 Sp 250gn HC SWC handloads at 1200fps from a Colt SAA with 5 loaded chambers. It could deal with anything including Grizzlies. Later he favoured the same load in a S&W 1950 4". This Ruger is the first proper equivalent anyone has made since the 1950 S&W. Could be the finest outdoors revolver of all time! And Hick hits everything he shoots at with it, once he has the holdover worked out. Get your wallet out Greg, it's a keeper!
I love how he gently placed the smith down but then tosses the charter but you gotta love those guns if you need a back up gun or a truck gun those are great.
Thanks for the review, hickok45. It's always interesting to see a bullet in flight. At around 15:45, while one-handed shooting at the far gong, you can actually see the round going down range and hitting.
Best gun channel on RUclips. Ordered a Life is Good hat to pimp around the ammunition plant where I work. Although technically you are sponsored by a competitor. Maybe someone will get on the ball and you can get some sponsor competition going.
hickok45, I love your videos. You actually inspired me to start up a channel of my own. I just uploaded a video on the Marlin Model 39-A. Obviously that gun is nothing special but I wanted to start out simple. Thanks! Keep up the great work.
One thing I have read that interests me very much about Ruger pistols in general is they are such heavily built guns they are an excellent choice if you want to experiment with hand-loading higher power cartridges and unusual bullet weights. I saw one video where a chap was actually casting his own bullets from lead and then shooting them with more powder than usual through a Super Redhawk chambered for the .454 Casull with what he called a 'bull barrel'. He said he had been doing this for many years and never experienced any problems. Moreover the gun itself was an off-the-shelf piece and had not been modified by a gunsmith. I thought that was pretty impressive! It does surprize me however than anyone who was particularly enthusiastic about .44 special would not buy a Ruger .44 Magnum pistol and have the ability to shoot both rounds. I guess maybe a gun specifically tailored for the weaker cartridge might shoot more accurately?
hickok45 I've got a couple video suggestions for ya: 1836 Colt Paterson: I'd love to see a video on the first Colt. Le Mat Revolver: This 9-shot beast with a 20-gauge shotgun barrel is the most formidable revolver of the Civil War. Both these guns are available through Taylor's & Co. Thanks for all the awesome videos.
As usual, a great demonstration. Now for my own opinion.... I actually liked the sights on the 357 you had there, better. The green glowing sight looks cheap to me. And the front sight of the 357 mag GP100 is easier to change-out, than on the dovetailed 44 special gun. I also like the fixed rear sight on the 357 - less change of a snag on clothing when drawing from a holster. And a few final thoughts here... 44 special ammo is very hard to find. When you do find it, you can actually expect to pay MORE for 44 special than the more powerful 44 mag. So if you really want to do some shooting with a 44 special, you need to handload to make it economically feasible for most shooters. And...lastly...if you do handload and want to get into 44 special (or even 44 mag), you owe it to yourself to study the ballistics of the 44 Russian cartridge. I won't go into great detail here, but the older 44 Russian will fit in 44 special and 44 magnum chambered revolvers, and will pretty much do everything the 44 special will do...with less powder (another means of saving money).
Ruger should try an alloy frame and try to get the weight down to 28 oz or so. That would be a great carry gun. I love the 44 Spl. Back in the 90's the Rossi 720 was kind of a sleeper. i bought one 7 or 8 yrs ago. Nice gun, surprisingly good trigger. Weight is like a light K frame due to all the steel machined out of the cylinder. And it has adjustable sights. Kudos to Ruger for bringing this out. Would make a great truck gun.
Hickok if you end up doing a Ch.2 for this one, I know a lot of us would be interested in some warmer 44 sp loads, like the Skeeter Skelton load of 7.5gr unique with a 240 grain keith boolit, or some buffalo bore or similar commercial loads. I feel like warmer loads can really fill that gap between weaker 44sp and 44 mag, and would set a heavier gun like the gp100 apart from the lighter charter arms in the ability to handle those.
I have one of these and it handles heavy buffalo bore and underwood ammo very well. With those loads it is very versatile and not nearly as punishing as 44 mag. All in all though, 44spl is definitely a cartridge for handloaders. Some of the Underwood 255gr loads clocked in at a little over 1000fps in these.
Most comments on the CA Bulldog (in 44Spl) indicate that recoil isn't bad at all. I have a Bulldog in 357 with a 6" unshrouded barrel and I've shot all kinds of loads up to 180's, but mostly 158's. I have to say that the recoil on that was very benign for a 357. One of the first things I noticed about it out of the box was how light it was. I put a nice rubber pachmayr grip on it and with that it's a pussycat with just about every load I've ever shot out of it, even one-handed. It was actually my first 357 and I was admittedly a little squeamish when I pulled the trigger for the first time. I soon realized how silly that was! 😁
I cc my 357 GP100 with a sourdough pancake holster and, while I know it's there, I can carry all day. I will say that It is a hard gun to keep concealed in warm weather. I'm 6' 2" and 165 pounds for comparison, if you're considering this for CCW.
Got 1, and I like it. But it is so heavy compared to my Charter Arms Bulldog. It is like comparing a Pinto to a 4WD pick up truck. I too had to play around a little to figure out where it was hitting. But once done, it shoots great. I notice the GP also fits my old Service Six duty holster, if I don't mind the barrel length discrepancy. 'The Ruger is easier to clean and maintain. The Ruger is heavy enough to soak up recoil and strong enough for some fairly stiff handloads. Conversely, as you note, the Charter Arms is much easier to carry around all day, and both of them work well with commercial ammo. Chooaing which one to carry is I think about the mission you envision for it. Big game hunting with stiff handloads? The Ruger of course. Concealed carry all day long with factory JHPs? The Charter Arms, no question. Etc.
i bought a charter arms 44 a few months back, load them with gold dots over 6gr unique. nice shooting little gun, goes in your jeans pocket too. it's not my everyday, that's my XDS9. i think if you shoot 44 spl or 38 spl, there is something to be said for running them through a special only pistol even if you can run them in a mag.
I used to have a 44 Bulldog, and loved it. This Ruger makes me think real hard about getting another 44 wheelgun. The best thing about having a gun that shoots Magnum, however, is that you can shoot either. Wonder if Ruger will ever chamber this in that? Cylinder walls look heavy enough to take it, and Ruger makes an anvil of a firearm.
I really enjoy your video's, I've actually caught myself speaking back to you a couple of times! Keep up the good work and I will enjoy watching. Life is good.
As far as price goes ... I bought a new 3" 357 GP100 for $520 at a gun show (even though the MSRP on it is $799). The MSRP on this 44 special GP100 is only $30 more (MSRP $829). So I wouldn't be surprised is it might go for under $600 as a practical matter ... though I say that even though I haven't actually seen one of these for sale yet.
I own several Rugers including the GP100 in 357/38. I sure wish that Ruger would chamber this revolver in 45 Long Colt!! 44SP is damned hard to find unless one reloads.
The S&W 69 Combat Magnum in .44 mag on an L Frame is in the same class as this revolver. .44 special is a great round but can be a pain for reloading if you are trying to create light powder puff rounds. Over flash can be an issue resulting in a squib. Stay on the hotter side of .44 special when reloading and you'll be fine, going too light can ruin a range session at best and end your shooting career at worst if you touch off after a squib.
It would have been nice to see the Ruger compared to the S&W 69. The 69 weighs about the same but has a 4.25 inch and gives you the option of shooting 44 magnums. I have not shot a centerfire GP100 in quite a while but the last time I did the trigger was not as nice as a S&W. The 69 I have shoots .44 specials so well I would have a hard time choosing it over the Ruger. The only problem is if I have the gun sighted in for magnum loads the specials shoot low.
I'm eager to find the new grip for the 44sp GP100 and try it out on my 357. I'm not a fan of finder groves in my grips so I swapped in the old style grips years ago.
Alex Moore most likely and they continue to make a Blackhawk in .41 mag, however I have always thought the GP100 in .41 Mag would be a winner because of the midsize frame. There are customs out there that are in .40SW and a proprietary ".41 special" as six shots, due to boring the cylinder makes the walls too thin for the Magnum, but now that Ruger has made a five shot cylinder maybe that would work.
When I was a youngster shooting 44 spcl. in my Dad's Model 29 (4" barrel) was like shooting a 22 lr. 😀 I took a 300 lb. feral hog with hand loaded 44 spcl. They were loaded hotter than factory 44 spcl but still very mild compared to full bore 44 mag.
While unrelated, I'd really like to see a video on the Benelli MR-1. It's supposed to be fairly lightweight while unloaded. Been looking for a solid .223 rifle that doesn't use a long stroke or direct impingement system but still accepts AR-15 style magazines and ammunition.
That is nice but, for the size and weight I think I would rather get the 3" 629. It isn't much bigger and packs a bigger wallop. I can still shoot 44 special in it if I want to.
.44 Special is hard to find and in its factory leadings it usually isn’t special at all. They would have sold more if it was a .45 ACP or Colt. People always ask why a semi-auto cartridge in a revolver but the availability, price and performance make them a better option than a .44 Special in my opinion. They should have made it able to handle the magnums.
I opted for the .44 mag. .44 spec is as expensive as .44 mag and harder to find. If you're a collector and must have one of everything, then I could see it. But not in my safe.
I want to see a video on the Rock Island Ultra FS HC 6 inch 1911 in 10mm. I enjoy your videos and I've seen just about all of them. Great work, Thank you!
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Sketer Skelton loved the 44 speical, its a niche gun but still a great one
I picked up the GP100 .44 Special last week and just shot it at the range. OUTSTANDING revolver. Easy to manage. Quality and very accurate. Built like a tank. Highly recommend it.
Hey, Hickok. I've liked guns for a long time, but have never owned one, because of how terrible it is here in California. I wanna say proudly, that today, I started paying off a Beretta 92FS. You're one of the people who have inspired me to start participating in our second amendment and I would like to personally thank you. Thanks a lot. I hope more people start buying firearms, so they can appreciate everything about them and see why people are so passionate about firearms.
Congrats William!! We need you in the fight
Darn it! Just told my FFL he probably wasn't going to see me the rest of the year, but having 4 Ruger revolvers, this needs to be in my collection ASAP.
Great video, guys. Thank you.
This is a great video on accuracy and quality. I'd like to see a little more of 44Spl's ballistic pulverizing ability (obviously it has some). When I was choosing my first handgun about 8 years ago, one salesdude was telling me to choose a 44Spl over a 9x18 Combloc pistol for SD. I actually think both are great . Now I own a 45ACP, 3 Makarovs , several 9mm's, and two 357's . I usually gravitate to the Maks if I want cat-like defense capability, but if I want real power and penetration with lots of versatility I go to 357Mag, of which I own two. I'm now thinking of going for a larger caliber carry revolver. 44Spl seems like "it" for me, at this end of the spectrum. It takes up to 357 energy levels with less flash and drama, and a bigger bullet. If I wanted "mega" power in the handgun arena I go for a .454 Casull and be able to chamber most any other .45. Only the .32's have so much versatility. It's so effin neat how there are harmonics in gun ballistics.
Funny, reminding me of a Special Agent back-in-the-day 80's that carried a custom S&W Model 29 with a 2 1/2 inch barrel as a concealed weapon. He noticed I was the only one carrying a shotgun, while others were carrying an M16 rifle inside a building. I felt special when he pulled his 44 Magnum out from under his coat and showed it too me. Something you never forget.
Hello, my name is Ruslan, I am 18 years old, I live in Ukraine. I am happy to look at all your issues in arms. I admire you . you have a very large audience, and probably you will not read my letter, but I would like to tell you that you look in the Ukraine. I'm sorry if I did something wrong wrote.
life is good. :-)
Heisenberg Heisenberg come on man. this is not the channel you're looking for.
Здравствуйте
Heisenberg Heisenberg whoah where'd this joker come from? that's pretty fucked
The Koval not you, that white supremacist dude. you're cool. greetings from america
thank you, very nice to talk with someone from America
you rock hickok...my favorite RUclipsr ever. keep up the good work man
Thing i like about this channel is that its always about having fun, shooting targets its all very calm and from time to time educational, some other gun channels have this agressive feel to them like you know some dudes act like they are about to shoot someone
We love Hickok45(and son) because 2,406,793 subscribers can't be wrong.
How could anyone not love .44 special?
Hopefully this gun will renew interest in the .44 Special. I've had a Taurus 431 for almost 25 years, I've put thousands of rounds through it with 0 issues. With the short barrel it conceals pretty well, the weight isn't too bad either. It's a great shooting gun, pretty accurate for a snub nose, and the recoil isn't bad at all.The only downside is limited ammo availability compared to more popular calibers.
Just bought one.those of you thinking of this gun you won't be disappointed.great balance.low recoil.just love it..
You can't go wrong with a GP100, greetings from Italy.
This caliber 44 special is not so common over here (North Scandinavia) . We dont carry concealed guns, shooting is mostly for recreation and competition shooting, and then we use the .44 mag instead (for the powerfactor) .
Still the Ruger .44 Special is such a sweet firearm.
Have a nice day
Are you allowed to have handguns? I thought you're only allowed to have long guns for hunting?
As a Hunter in my country, you can easy have up to six rifles/shotguns without too much trouble (with legal papers), even same caliber if you prefeer. Handguns is another story, you NEED to be a member of some sort of a sport shooting club or simular, just to be able to get a handgun license. Meaning you must "need" (and show a proof of need) those handguns for ex. competition/practice. If youre a active pistol shooter, 4 handguns (different calibers) is common, then moore active shooters can also have a "backup" gun in the most active class he shoots.
We do not carry arms for self defence in my country (same goes for most of europe aswell)
I from the Netherlands, we have almost the same rules as you have. We're allowed a max of 5 guns. Handguns or rifles doesn't matter (even 5 guns in the same caliber). We must have an reasonable interrest for owning a gun(sport club shooting), impose no threat to our self or others and the guns must be for an approved competition.
Yes, thankfully, handloading is allowed. But, you need show youre license when buying either Gun powder, primers, bullets or plain factory ammo. So, only licensed gunowners can reload/handload or buy ammo. For brass i dont think you need show the license when buying.... dunno why.
Im a reloader myself, making my own .38 special and .45acp ammo for mostly competition and practice, I make 98% of all the ammo im using.
Yea, seems like almost the same rules we have here in Norway. Also if youre have prior convictions from either drugs or domestic voilence or psych problems, good luck in getting a firearm license. I think its a good thing, people who love to shoot either recreational or for competition should be able to own a gun or two without too much hazzle.
But I do think that if our gouverment was to decide, none of us "normal" people should own a firearm, only the police and the military. Maybe some Hunters apply aswell.
There will be typos here, English is not my first language...cheers
Boy, that is one fine piece of machinery. I've had to sell off all my guns (revolvers, shotguns and rifles) to try and save my home while I'm waiting for my RR Retirement disability to start. Of course, it didn't work. They'll be selling my home down at the courthouse in the morning. Maybe when I get back on my feet I could pick up one of these. Thanks again for the video. Go Vols.
Silly Hickok, Its always revolver day!
hickok45 never misses, some targets are just too scared to react.
David Pesina He's the only man Chuck Norris fears.
Hickock45 a living American legend ... you guys are absolutely the best !
I was always hesitant in buying a Charter Arms with regards to everyone saying the older "new" models had QC issues. Will buy this Ruger asap.
Just got my first revolver!! Thanks for the videos !my choice was very easy!! 686 S&W plus deluxe 3" barrel!! I love it!!
I love my Rugers, have six of their handguns. I also have the Charter Arms 44 special & have put over 600 rounds through it without a hiccup. You did a video on it and were not to excited about it, but I just wanted to add that it is a great shooter for less than half the price of this new Ruger 44 and it can easily be carried. I have the On Duty model that has the shaved hammer & it actually fits in the pockets of most of my pants. I really enjoy all the videos both you & John do, thank you for all your great work!
What an enjoyable channel this is. Good review. Also, sir, you are an excellent shot. So much fun to hear those steel targets ring.
Love the .44 special! Great job as always!
Great video as always Hickok45, Ruger is my lifeblood I love ever Ruger I buy from the little SR-22 to the Super Blackhawk Hunter... I bought because of your old video... It's always nice to see them come out with a new Revolver, even if it's just a re-chambered classic.
If I was not such a 'Round' man I would carry my GP-100 4" .357 every day CCW. I've done it a few times but it's very difficult because my gut does not like to hide anything larger than a matchstick. Florida I don't get but a couple days a year that warrant wearing a coat out so it's tee shirts and button up shirts all day long. Blasted revolver is my favorite handgun even over .44 mag and a few 9mm.
Hickok45 is the Bob Ross of guns.
Thanks Hickok. Another great video!
Nice revolver. Disappointing that it is not .44 Magnum like the Smith & Wesson 69. That would have been really sweet!
Glad to see the .44 Special is still alive!
I purchased this GP-100 in .44 Special and I enjoy shooting the .44 Russian round in it. Excellent accuracy with minimal recoil. I reload the .44 Russian with a 200 grain cast round nose. In fact, this is my favorite revolver round.
Love these videos. Mr. Hickok your completely right big bore revolvers have that X factor. The kind that make you just want to say "Make my Day".
Elmer's favorite load in his younger years as a real outdoorsman & hunting guide pre-WWII, was his famous .44 Sp 250gn HC SWC handloads at 1200fps from a Colt SAA with 5 loaded chambers. It could deal with anything including Grizzlies. Later he favoured the same load in a S&W 1950 4". This Ruger is the first proper equivalent anyone has made since the 1950 S&W. Could be the finest outdoors revolver of all time! And Hick hits everything he shoots at with it, once he has the holdover worked out. Get your wallet out Greg, it's a keeper!
I love how he gently placed the smith down but then tosses the charter but you gotta love those guns if you need a back up gun or a truck gun those are great.
that long grip and the shape looks great. I love all three of those revolvers on the table.
Almost 2.5 million subs now!!! WOW!!! Congrats on the popularity!!!
I don't feel so bad now I flunked all my math classes too. & now I need to buy a new GP100 in 44spl trim. & life is sooo good!
Thanks for the review, hickok45.
It's always interesting to see a bullet in flight. At around 15:45, while one-handed shooting at the far gong, you can actually see the round going down range and hitting.
thanks so much for explaining the difference between 44 mag & special. i've always wondered about that. good work as always, sir :)
Hey Hickok! Can you do a video about the Walter PP? I love your videos!
I just bought a GP100 44spl and I must say she's perfect. I don't really care for the grips and it's more manageable then you would expect
Watched your Charter Arms Bulldog video over and over. Couldn't take it any longer, had to buy one. Love my new Bulldog and love the 44 Special!
You are the Teacher.....& We Learn Sir....Thank You for all this Great job of Yours Mr. Hickok45...Sir...Mis Respetos Señor.
Nice that 15:43 mark looked like it lobbed the bullet out there. Always loved a wheel gun too.
love my GP100 357 magnum....good stuff!
You can still get more power loads for 44 that beat 45 ACP. So it can be a lower power alternative, a lighter Magnum!
Best gun channel on RUclips. Ordered a Life is Good hat to pimp around the ammunition plant where I work. Although technically you are sponsored by a competitor. Maybe someone will get on the ball and you can get some sponsor competition going.
I saw Kentucky play down here in Tuscaloosa, Alabama last weekend. Big Blue has a great basketball tradition.
hickok45, I love your videos. You actually inspired me to start up a channel of my own. I just uploaded a video on the Marlin Model 39-A. Obviously that gun is nothing special but I wanted to start out simple. Thanks! Keep up the great work.
One thing I have read that interests me very much about Ruger pistols in general is they are such heavily built guns they are an excellent choice if you want to experiment with hand-loading higher power cartridges and unusual bullet weights. I saw one video where a chap was actually casting his own bullets from lead and then shooting them with more powder than usual through a Super Redhawk chambered for the .454 Casull with what he called a 'bull barrel'. He said he had been doing this for many years and never experienced any problems. Moreover the gun itself was an off-the-shelf piece and had not been modified by a gunsmith. I thought that was pretty impressive!
It does surprize me however than anyone who was particularly enthusiastic about .44 special would not buy a Ruger .44 Magnum pistol and have the ability to shoot both rounds. I guess maybe a gun specifically tailored for the weaker cartridge might shoot more accurately?
I appreciate a gun video where the misses are not edited out.
hickok45 I've got a couple video suggestions for ya:
1836 Colt Paterson: I'd love to see a video on the first Colt.
Le Mat Revolver: This 9-shot beast with a 20-gauge shotgun barrel is the most formidable revolver of the Civil War.
Both these guns are available through Taylor's & Co.
Thanks for all the awesome videos.
That's impressive. one handed ringing the gong with a short barrel revolver.
The only man to hold freshly fired ammo and show no pain. LEGEND
Hickok can you please do the Jennings J-22lr ?
I have a ruger gp100 44 special, love it. got it for $625 at a gun show. mine is for home defense and target shooting.
As usual, a great demonstration. Now for my own opinion.... I actually liked the sights on the 357 you had there, better. The green glowing sight looks cheap to me. And the front sight of the 357 mag GP100 is easier to change-out, than on the dovetailed 44 special gun. I also like the fixed rear sight on the 357 - less change of a snag on clothing when drawing from a holster.
And a few final thoughts here... 44 special ammo is very hard to find. When you do find it, you can actually expect to pay MORE for 44 special than the more powerful 44 mag. So if you really want to do some shooting with a 44 special, you need to handload to make it economically feasible for most shooters. And...lastly...if you do handload and want to get into 44 special (or even 44 mag), you owe it to yourself to study the ballistics of the 44 Russian cartridge. I won't go into great detail here, but the older 44 Russian will fit in 44 special and 44 magnum chambered revolvers, and will pretty much do everything the 44 special will do...with less powder (another means of saving money).
Ruger should try an alloy frame and try to get the weight down to 28 oz or so. That would be a great carry gun. I love the 44 Spl. Back in the 90's the Rossi 720 was kind of a sleeper. i bought one 7 or 8 yrs ago. Nice gun, surprisingly good trigger. Weight is like a light K frame due to all the steel machined out of the cylinder. And it has adjustable sights. Kudos to Ruger for bringing this out. Would make a great truck gun.
Like Ruger, like the .44 special, great idea. Perfect for the handloader..Good shootin neighbor.... Life is good...
sure it´s better than an eight,nine or ten shot revolver idea.
Hickok if you end up doing a Ch.2 for this one, I know a lot of us would be interested in some warmer 44 sp loads, like the Skeeter Skelton load of 7.5gr unique with a 240 grain keith boolit, or some buffalo bore or similar commercial loads. I feel like warmer loads can really fill that gap between weaker 44sp and 44 mag, and would set a heavier gun like the gp100 apart from the lighter charter arms in the ability to handle those.
I have one of these and it handles heavy buffalo bore and underwood ammo very well. With those loads it is very versatile and not nearly as punishing as 44 mag. All in all though, 44spl is definitely a cartridge for handloaders. Some of the Underwood 255gr loads clocked in at a little over 1000fps in these.
Great review as always... I picked one up yesterday. Thanks Hickok45 !
Most comments on the CA Bulldog (in 44Spl) indicate that recoil isn't bad at all. I have a Bulldog in 357 with a 6" unshrouded barrel and I've shot all kinds of loads up to 180's, but mostly 158's. I have to say that the recoil on that was very benign for a 357. One of the first things I noticed about it out of the box was how light it was. I put a nice rubber pachmayr grip on it and with that it's a pussycat with just about every load I've ever shot out of it, even one-handed. It was actually my first 357 and I was admittedly a little squeamish when I pulled the trigger for the first time. I soon realized how silly that was! 😁
Love the hat brother! Thank you Hickok and Big John, you two are doing a great thing!
I cc my 357 GP100 with a sourdough pancake holster and, while I know it's there, I can carry all day. I will say that It is a hard gun to keep concealed in warm weather. I'm 6' 2" and 165 pounds for comparison, if you're considering this for CCW.
Got 1, and I like it. But it is so heavy compared to my Charter Arms Bulldog. It is like comparing a Pinto to a 4WD pick up truck. I too had to play around a little to figure out where it was hitting. But once done, it shoots great. I notice the GP also fits my old Service Six duty holster, if I don't mind the barrel length discrepancy. 'The Ruger is easier to clean and maintain. The Ruger is heavy enough to soak up recoil and strong enough for some fairly stiff handloads. Conversely, as you note, the Charter Arms is much easier to carry around all day, and both of them work well with commercial ammo. Chooaing which one to carry is I think about the mission you envision for it. Big game hunting with stiff handloads? The Ruger of course. Concealed carry all day long with factory JHPs? The Charter Arms, no question. Etc.
i bought a charter arms 44 a few months back, load them with gold dots over 6gr unique. nice shooting little gun, goes in your jeans pocket too. it's not my everyday, that's my XDS9. i think if you shoot 44 spl or 38 spl, there is something to be said for running them through a special only pistol even if you can run them in a mag.
Hi Hickok, haven't visited in a while, but great review. Your shooting skills never cease to amaze!
I used to have a 44 Bulldog, and loved it. This Ruger makes me think real hard about getting another 44 wheelgun. The best thing about having a gun that shoots Magnum, however, is that you can shoot either. Wonder if Ruger will ever chamber this in that? Cylinder walls look heavy enough to take it, and Ruger makes an anvil of a firearm.
They have a 3” Redhawk 6 shot for the same purpose. I think .44 Mag might be a bit much for the GP100 frame
I really enjoy your video's, I've actually caught myself speaking back to you a couple of times! Keep up the good work and I will enjoy watching. Life is good.
I just got a new Ruger GP100 44 special and love it not to bad for distance
Boy I tell ya, that .44 special really smacks that gong!
The S&W Mountain guns are about the same weight and carry 6 rounds instead of 5. You can get them in .44, .45.
Reminds me a little of my Old Ruger Security Six in .357 mag. I have the 2 3/4" barrel, fun little shooter.
As far as price goes ... I bought a new 3" 357 GP100 for $520 at a gun show (even though the MSRP on it is $799). The MSRP on this 44 special GP100 is only $30 more (MSRP $829). So I wouldn't be surprised is it might go for under $600 as a practical matter ... though I say that even though I haven't actually seen one of these for sale yet.
Go big blue! shout out from Lexington! Hickok is the man!
I own several Rugers including the GP100 in 357/38. I sure wish that Ruger would chamber this revolver in 45 Long Colt!! 44SP is damned hard to find unless one reloads.
The S&W 69 Combat Magnum in .44 mag on an L Frame is in the same class as this revolver. .44 special is a great round but can be a pain for reloading if you are trying to create light powder puff rounds. Over flash can be an issue resulting in a squib. Stay on the hotter side of .44 special when reloading and you'll be fine, going too light can ruin a range session at best and end your shooting career at worst if you touch off after a squib.
Amazing I gotta get one always liked revolvers love the old school so sick of plastic pistols
Both have their place, I started out with revolvers, Colt and S&W... Later I had a Ruger Redhawk stainless steel .44 magnum
Hickok45 is a big time University of Kentucky fan.
Hey Hickok, can you do a video on a Webley revolver please.
lol the ground is littered with shell casings, love it.
I would love one of those 5-shot gp100s in 45 colt. The 45ACP/45Colt Redhawk model is a little too bulky imo, but the gp100 is perfect for me.
It would need a bigger cylinder to accommodate 45 caliber cartridges.
It would have been nice to see the Ruger compared to the S&W 69. The 69 weighs about the same but has a 4.25 inch and gives you the option of shooting 44 magnums. I have not shot a centerfire GP100 in quite a while but the last time I did the trigger was not as nice as a S&W. The 69 I have shoots .44 specials so well I would have a hard time choosing it over the Ruger. The only problem is if I have the gun sighted in for magnum loads the specials shoot low.
I'm eager to find the new grip for the 44sp GP100 and try it out on my 357. I'm not a fan of finder groves in my grips so I swapped in the old style grips years ago.
Like to see a .41 Mag version
William Phillips they did that with the Redhawk, though I don't know if they produce it anymore
Alex Moore most likely and they continue to make a Blackhawk in .41 mag, however I have always thought the GP100 in .41 Mag would be a winner because of the midsize frame. There are customs out there that are in .40SW and a proprietary ".41 special" as six shots, due to boring the cylinder makes the walls too thin for the Magnum, but now that Ruger has made a five shot cylinder maybe that would work.
Today the call it a 10 mm love to shoot both , also like 2 see gp 100 in 45 LC
When I was a youngster shooting 44 spcl. in my Dad's Model 29 (4" barrel) was like shooting a 22 lr. 😀 I took a 300 lb. feral hog with hand loaded 44 spcl. They were loaded hotter than factory 44 spcl but still very mild compared to full bore 44 mag.
Nice firearm but I still prefer the 44 magnum
I would like to see a comparison video between this gun and a 629 of similar barrel length. Comparing weight, cylinder width, etc.
I'm ready for a chapter 2 on this gun! Just picked mine up this past Friday!
"Did he shoot four? Or did he shoot five?" - One of many classic Hickok45 quotes that belong on a t-shirt!
Looks like a nice piece and love the .44 special. It's just sucks that unless you reload it's close to $1/round
Now there's a beautiful weapon. Never handled one, but that grip looks like it would be great.
While unrelated, I'd really like to see a video on the Benelli MR-1. It's supposed to be fairly lightweight while unloaded.
Been looking for a solid .223 rifle that doesn't use a long stroke or direct impingement system but still accepts AR-15 style magazines and ammunition.
own the 44 bulldog. maybe I'm not as recoil sensitive but it was almost nothing.
Good video, thanks Hickok45. John, good info, thanks!!
waiting for you to get the new ruger redhawk 8 shot .357 snubby. I cant wait til theres more available. great job as always!
What about a Security Six ? That would be nice to see
That is nice but, for the size and weight I think I would rather get the 3" 629. It isn't much bigger and packs a bigger wallop. I can still shoot 44 special in it if I want to.
good video sir love the old wheel guns and it's funny that your wearing a UK hat in Tennessee lol. go cats!
.44 Special is hard to find and in its factory leadings it usually isn’t special at all. They would have sold more if it was a .45 ACP or Colt. People always ask why a semi-auto cartridge in a revolver but the availability, price and performance make them a better option than a .44 Special in my opinion. They should have made it able to handle the magnums.
I opted for the .44 mag. .44 spec is as expensive as .44 mag and harder to find. If you're a collector and must have one of everything, then I could see it. But not in my safe.
I want to see a video on the Rock Island Ultra FS HC 6 inch 1911 in 10mm. I enjoy your videos and I've seen just about all of them. Great work, Thank you!