Ruger GP100 Match Champion First Shots

Finally time to get shooting the new Ruger GP100 Match Champions. We have two guns with consecutive serial numbers 814 and 815, respectively. The first thing to do is take the guns to the range and determine POA/POI and which is the most accurate. The second part of that goal is to make sure they’re reliable after receiving a CNG Custom action job.

Ruger GP100 MC

Whenever I do an initial test of a match gun, I’m going to be looking for a few things that I can’t find in dry fire. Obviously accuracy and reliability are two key factors, but other little things – how I interact with the sights, any issues with the stocks during recoil, sticky extraction, etc. A quick rundown on the guns:

  • Fixed Novak rear sights, fixed front green fiber optic
  • Action polish and tune to a ~10 lb trigger pull
  • Both guns have point of impact that’s slightly to the right of point of aim, 814 was about 1 inch at 20 yards, 815 was 2-3 inches.
  • Both guns have sights regulated for 158 grain bullets at a moderate velocity.
  • 814 was more accurate than 815.
  • 815 had intermittent sticky extraction issues
  • Neither guns extracted CCI Blazer aluminum ammo very well
  • The Hogue stocks are really good.

On the actual shooting, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked the Hogue stocks. Visual inspection and dry fire had me not liking them as much as the classic rubber insert grips, because they changed my hand position to a less aggressive grip. However, under live fire they actually worked better. Both guns were 100% reliable with Magtech 158 grain LRN, which is one of my favorite bullets for IDPA. It’s low flash, low smoke, and meets the extremely low SSR power factor of 105 easily. Off a sandbag at 20 yards, the guns produced some pretty solid groups with the Magtech.

1.5 inch group from 814 with Magtech
1.5 inch group from 814 with Magtech
2 inch group from 815, Magtech 158 grain LRN
2 inch group from 815, Magtech 158 grain LRN

Both guns were obviously pretty accurate, with 814 holding a slight edge. I’ll need to drift the rear sight a smidge on 815 to get it hitting where I want it, and I’ll do that with 814 as well, but just a little bit less. I do however need to clean up the chambers on 815; nothing crazy. I will chuck a brass cleaning brush in power drill, lube the chamber thoroughly and then just give her a buzz. This has solved any sticky extraction issue I’ve ever had.

Contrary to earlier posts, the charge holes on the guns are not chamfered, so I’ll need to send it off to get that done sometime before IDPA Nationals in September. They’ll do for now at Indoor Nats, but I definitely want to get that work done. The only issue I encountered with the guns were two rounds of Double Tap 158 grain LSWC that wouldn’t detonate in either of the GP100s or the Security Sixes I was also testing that day. Four different guns and four failures to detonate indicates a bad primer, so we’re not counting that against the guns.

More GP100 Match Champion coverage coming as the shooting season kicks off!

9 Comments

  1. Magtech, really . . . certainly low price and inconsistent from my experience. In four years of shooting I’ve not heard one person say anything besides it’s low cost practice ammo. Typically they say it’s dirty shooting as well.

  2. Are any A or better wheel gun shooters in any of thee action pistol formats using Ruger other than you? Not a snotty question, really interested.

    1. I’m pretty much the sole Ruger warrior out there that I’m aware of. There are guys who run them, but no one at the B/A/Master level.

  3. Caleb, what is cng custom? Do they specialize in ruger revolvers? I have an sp101 with the false reset. Do you know of anyone who can fix this? Or a link to instructions on how to fix this. Any help would be greatly appreciated,

      1. I’m sure there are other folks out here than me who would be interested in an article about polishing internal surfaces (why, howto, tips, etc). It’s been something I’ve been curious to learn about wether I do it myself or know what to look for in a smith that will do it for me.

  4. Did you replace any internals or jist clean them up? I remember you changing some things in your colt 1911s…

    Also- how does the Ruger feel compared to the S&W SSR? Pretty obvious comparison but I doubt many people are as qualified to answer it.

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