For wheelgun fans looking for something rugged, accurate, and competition-ready out of the box, the Ruger GP100 Match Champion promises to deliver.

The GP100 has been in Ruger’s catalog since its introduction in 1985 as a replacement for the venerable Service, Security, and Speed Six models. The previous generation Ruger revolvers had established a strong reputation for durability and accuracy among revolver shooters, and the GP100 has proven to meet or exceed the performance of past Ruger revolvers.

The GP100 Match Champion is an upgraded version of the standard GP100, marketed as a competition-ready revolver.

Verdict Up Front: The Ruger GP100 Match Champion

The Ruger GP100 Match Champion blends classic revolver durability with modern refinements. With its half lug barrel, smooth trigger, upgraded sights, and slab-sided barrel, this .357 revolver is ready for the range or real-world use.

It is widely regarded as a great revolver, offering a combination of robust construction and enhanced features that appeal to both enthusiasts and competitive shooters.

• Best for: IDPA/ICORE competitors, woods carry, home defense
• Not ideal for: Concealed carry or shooters with smaller hands

Specs & Technical Breakdown

Fit & Finish

The GP100 Match Champion is crafted from full stainless steel and features Ruger’s renowned “built like a tank” construction. The attractive brushed stainless finish is durable and resists wear and tear better than blued guns. Machining is clean with no blemishes or imperfections.

The slab-sided barrel features a half-lug design, unique to the Match Champion, and incorporates an 11-degree target crown.

Cylinder lockup is tight with minimal play. The GP100 Match Champion features Ruger’s triple-locking cylinder, which locks at the front, bottom, and rear for a very positive lockup and consistent alignment. The chamber mouths and ejector feature chamfering to aid in fast reloading. The cylinder is also contoured, with the front edge rounded to facilitate reholstering.

Trigger Pull & Action

The GP100 Match Champion is unique among GP100s in that all its internals are polished from the factory, resulting in a very smooth double-action pull of approximately 9 pounds. The single-action trigger breaks at a crisp 4 lbs. Compared to a standard GP100, the Match Champion’s trigger is noticeably smoother. The trigger pull is creep-free, with minimal over-travel, and all the contact points have been refined for a better feel. Ruger added bushings to the hammer and trigger to improve alignment and smoothness. Even a tiny bit of improvement in the trigger pull can make a noticeable difference in shooting performance.

While the stock Match Champion trigger is perfect for IDPA-style shooting, those who are serious about competition will likely want to experiment with trigger spring weights to fine-tune their setup.

Despite the Match Champion name, this GP100 is still rugged enough for real-world defensive shooting.

Sights & Ergonomics

The Match Champion comes with a high-visibility fiber optic front sight. The bright green fiber optic rod facilitates easy sight acquisition when shooting quickly. There are two factory options for rear sights.

The adjustable sight version pairs the fiber optic front sight with an adjustable rear sight. For a competition and target gun, the adjustable sight model gives you the option to dial in your sights for a specific load.

The fixed sight model I have comes with typical Novak combat sights. I opted for the fixed sight version, partly due to my intended use as a carry gun. The fixed sights are less prone to snagging or being knocked out of alignment during carry. The downside is that the fixed sights may not be regulated to the loads you intend to use. I’ve shot a wide range of .357 and .38 Special ammo, and some loads shoot an inch or two off my point of aim at 25 yards. Fortunately, my primary carry load shoots dead on with the fixed sights.

The included Hogue wood grips look and feel incredibly nice. The stippled wood provides a very nice grip surface when shooting, while not being too aggressive during carry. The grips feature a palm swell that fits my large hands perfectly. My wife has small hands, and she finds the grips too wide.

The Talo exclusive Match Champion comes with rubber Hogue grips, which are the same shape and size as the wood grips but should offer some extra cushion when shooting heavier 357 loads.

Accuracy & Range Performance

The GP100 Match Champion has proven to be very accurate. I haven’t shot it from a rest, but it’s easily capable of precision shooting on par with any other pistol I’ve shot. When shooting single action, the gun is capable of sub-2″ groups at 25 yards with quality ammo. The match-crowned barrel and tight lockup certainly help in this regard.

The crisp single-action trigger makes shots well beyond 25 yards doable. On more than one occasion, I’ve taken the Match Champion to the 200-yard range. I have to hold about two or three feet above the target, but I’m able to hit steel full-size ISPC torsos with some regularity. Is this practical with a 4-inch 357 revolver? Probably not, but it’s certainly fun.

When it comes to practical shooting drills, the Ruger Match Champion excels. The smooth double-action trigger pull makes shooting controlled pairs at self-defense ranges fast and easy. The bright fiber optic front sight draws your eye, and it’s easy to follow during recoil.

Recoil, Control, & Handling

Recoil will depend significantly on the loads you’re using. .38 Special has almost no recoil at all, and the Match Champion makes an excellent gun to introduce less experienced shooters to the world of revolvers. Moderate .357 loads are very manageable, and the gun’s nearly 40-ounce weight helps tame recoil when shooting rapidly.

With full-power 180-grain Buffalo Bore .357 loads, the hardwood grips start to become quite painful. Recoil is very manageable, but the wood grips transfer a lot of recoil into the web of your hand. It’s not a problem until you start shooting the heaviest 357 Magnum loads. If you plan to shoot a lot of max power 357, I strongly recommend the Hogue Tamer rubber grips. The Tamer grips make a significant difference when shooting 180-grain 357 Magnum loads, and I will put them on before range trips if I intend to shoot a lot of heavy 357 Magnum ammunition.

Reloads are the typical revolver affair. The wood grips offer ample clearance for HKS speed loaders, making it my preferred method for a fast reload. Speed strips are another option, but they’re substantially slower than speed loaders. The chamfered chambers on the cylinder enhance Reloads. The .357 mag versions of the Match Champion are not cut for moon clips. If you want that feature, the 10mm Auto version comes from the factory ready for moonclips.

Carrying the GP100 Match Champion

While the GP100 Match Champion is marketed as a competition-ready revolver, it is well-suited for carry and self-defense use. My typical use case for this gun is as a wood gun. I carry it OWB in a Galco Combat Master holster when camping or fishing in the backcountry. Grizzlies and Moose are rare in my neck of the woods, so a full-power 357 Magnum is plenty for anything I’m likely to encounter. Despite the gun weighing nearly 40 ounces, it carries quite nicely with a good belt and holster. It’s a reassuring sidearm when I come across fresh black bear or cougar sign.

Concealed carry wasn’t a consideration when I purchased the GP100, but to my surprise, it can still serve in that role even with an outside-the-waistband holster. I usually open carry when in the woods, but there are times I want to conceal the gun when I come across people or go into town. The Galco Combat Master holster holds the gun close to the body, and all it takes is pulling my T-shirt over the weapon, and it hardly prints. With a jacket or flannel, the gun is completely concealed while remaining readily accessible if necessary.

GP100 Match Champion vs Competitors

The GP100 Match Champion is one of many high-quality revolvers on the market. When shopping for revolvers, I shot the S&W 686, Colt Python, and GP100. All three are excellent, and I would’ve been happy with any of them.

The Smith & Wesson 686 and Match Champion had the best triggers, while the Colt Python’s trigger had some stacking in double action, and the single-action trigger was much heavier than the 686 and GP100. The 686 and Match Champion’s triggers felt very similar. I’d give a slight edge to the 686 over the Match Champion when it comes to double-action trigger pull. Single-action triggers were comparable.

There is no denying that the Colt Python is one of the coolest-looking revolvers of all time. On looks, the Colt wins hands down. The rear sight on the Colt Python is poorly designed and wouldn’t maintain zero by the end of my range session with it. I knew that if I went with a Python, I’d also be spending an additional $100 to replace the rear sight. This was unacceptable to me for a gun that already costs nearly $700 more than the 686 or Match Champion.

That left me deciding between the 686 and the Match Champion. In general, GP100s have a reputation for long-term durability, especially when shooting a lot of full-power .357. Since my intended use was as a woods gun, I knew I’d be shooting a lot of heavy-loaded magnum ammo, and I wanted a revolver that would withstand that firing schedule. The 686 is still a good gun, but the GP100 is going to hold up better under heavy magnum use. Ultimately, the GP100 was my choice, and I have no regrets.

• GP100 Match Champion: tank-like build + polished internals
• S&W 686: slightly smoother trigger from the factory
• Colt Python: sleek design, expensive

Pros & Cons

✅ Pros

• Extremely durable and accurate
• Match-grade trigger work from the factory
• Excellent recoil control and balance
• Sights and grip upgrades are top-tier

❌ Cons

• Heavy for carry
• Only 6 rounds (vs 686+ with 7 or 627 with 8)
• Wide grip may not suit all hand sizes

Is the Ruger GP100 Match Champion Worth It?

For those looking for a competition-ready revolver or just something a little different than the standard GP100, the Match Champion is hard to beat. The Match Champion bridges the gap between heavy-duty reliability and refined performance, resulting in a gun that can fill any role suited to a 4-inch-barreled revolver. Whether it’s competition, target shooting, or real-world self-defense use, the GP100 Match Champion can fill the role admirably.

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