Davidson's, for those not familiar, is one of the most prominent gun distributors in the country. With so many dedicated customers, Davidson's is often able to persuade gun manufacturers to produce exclusive versions of firearms, often with features you won't find anywhere else. Today's video review covers one such gun, the Davidson’s Exclusive Ruger GP100 revolver.
The Ruger GP100 isn't new, of course, having replaced the popular Ruger Security-Six about 40 years ago. The hardy, reliable, hard-hitting wheelgun already has dozens of variants. This one, however, is special. As our expert tester at American Rifleman noted, "But even with all these options, only a scant few are available with a 5” barrel, which is considered by many to be a 'Goldilocks' length that’s not too long or too short. Davidson’s worked with Ruger to bring this 5” .357 Magnum revolver to market."
This heirloom-quality revolver is crafted entirely from stainless steel, with a triple-locking cylinder that secures at the front, rear and bottom of the frame. That's an added boost of reliability for a firearm that must withstand the forces released by the powerful .357 Magnum chambering. The firearm is fully engineered to help you withstand that recoil, too: The fluted cylinder and full underlug on the barrel provide extra weight out front to reduce the kick. There's also the weight of the firearm; that 43.5 oz. (unloaded) heft also eats up the rearward forces.
As robust as the cylinder is, releasing it from the frame is simple. Just push on the cylinder release latch located on the left side of the recoil shield, which allows the cylinder to swing out, exposing the fully shrouded ejector rod that enables shooters to quickly dump spent cartridges.
Our testers took this terrific "just right" wheelgun out for a test drive, and were very pleased. Check out this great video from our friends at American Rifleman to see why the Davidson's Exclusive Ruger GP100 made our NRA Gun of the Week! To learn more about the Davidson's Exclusive Ruger GP100, click here.
