I’m sitting here cleaning guns after taking my step-son shooting today. Only got a hundred rounds or so on the GP100 and about half that on the 610 before we got rained out, but I wanted to get down what I was thinking before I forgot my talking points.

Guns:
1. S&W 610 4”



2. Ruger Wiley Clapp 3” GP-100 10mm



Fit and finish:
The S&W wins here but not by much. A few sharp edges on the Ruger while at the same time spots of nearly indiscernible frame fitment. The factory supplied moon clips needed a little extra push as they were really right over the ejector. Aftermarket or usage will likely solve this problem though. With that said, the Ruger moon clips were way easier to work by hand without a tool. Both held rounds with a comparable level of retention.

Form:
The Ruger wins hands down if you’re looking for something smaller and more concealable, and not just due to the 1” shorter barrel. It’s smaller in nearly every dimension, I haven’t looked on paper but in practice and feel it’s much more concealable but also large enough to get a full grip on the gun. The Ruger also comes with Novak style sights, fiber optic front. This alone is a huge reason to go with the Ruger for any use other than the range. The Ruger is also 6.5 oz lighter with the shorter barrel and profile.

Trigger:
Keeping in mind both are stock from the factory, the Ruger has a much better trigger. Slightly longer pull but smooth all the way through. A hair less take-up as well. The Smith has some grit and while that may be solved from usage, both of these were unfired at purchase so I feel this is a good comparison. I also prefer the contour of the Ruger trigger a bit more, this may be a combination of contour and trigger reach. I haven’t shot my centerfire revolvers in single action as I’ll never use it real life so I can’t comment on the single action. However, double action the Ruger wins hands down. Assuming one did work on the triggers the S&W would likely close the gap, but that is a hit on the S&W as it would be an additional cost, where as with the Ruger I wouldn’t bother touching the trigger, even for CC.

Shooting (based on my ability)
While still trying to learn the pre-travel on the Ruger, I was able to keep 6 rounds in a torso-sized target at 50 yards. I was going slow but not overly so. Maybe one shot every 3.5 seconds. I could possibly do the same with the Smith but certainly not as fast. At 7 yards I was able to hit a beer can with the Ruger 6x shooting equally as fast. Again, I’ve done this with the Smith but not as fast. This has a lot to do with the aforementioned sights. The fiber optic and Novak rears on the Ruger are just faster. No way to compare them apples to apples. With comparable sights on the Smith one could likely close the gap, that or being a better shot than me . Again, this would be an additional cost over the Ruger. The Ruger also felt more comfortable to me. Outside of the grip options, the Ruger’s trigger length, contour, and most likely the sights just made for a more comfortable shooting firearm.

The “If I could only buy one?” Question:
If my use for the gun was anything other than the range I would 100% choose the Ruger. Based on the form factor, trigger, and sights it’s the obvious choice. With that said, if I only ever planned to own one revolver and would only use it at the range I would choose the Smith. While most 610s are not your classic pre-lock versions, it still has that classic revolver aura. I wouldn’t ever consider it a poor choice. I paid a hair over $900 dollars for each one. The Smith is an unfluted version with a true 3 7/8” barrel so it commanded a $50 premium over regular 610s. And the Ruger, at $920 is more than I think a regular GP-100 is worth, but these versiosn are limited runs and I’ve seen them go for $1500 in between production runs. So the price is money saved in my opinion. If I only owned one for the range, the Smith, I’d be inclined to clean up the trigger. This could easily be accomplished for less than $100 with an Apex or Wilson spring kit and some steel wool, but again, an additional cost. With all that said, I would 100% recommend the Ruger for any real life use, whether it be in town or around your property.

Thank you for the review.

I love my S&W K and N frames but that GP100 looks nice. May need to check one out.

Otto,
You likely already know this, however...
Take the grips off the revolver and get it dried off underneath them.

In my youth, I had a Colt Gold Cup (all stainless) and returned from a summer action pistol match where the pistol got some rain on it. Of course, in a hurry for the upcoming work week.
I did dry the pistol off and wiped it down with a oily rag. But the next time the grips came off the pistol, I had some rust pits underneath the rubber grips.

quote:

Originally posted by SW_Sig:
Thank you for the review.

I love my S&W K and N frames but that GP100 spines nice. May need to check one out.

I accidentally deleted some of my post. Added it back so hopefully it offers a bit more.

I like em’ both and have been happy with wheel guns from both brands. Nice write up.

quote:

Originally posted by cee_Kamp:
Otto,
You likely already know this, however...
Take the grips off the revolver and get it dried off underneath them.

In my youth, I had a Colt Gold Cup (all stainless) and returned from a summer action pistol match where the pistol got some rain on it. Of course, in a hurry for the upcoming work week.
I did dry the pistol off and wiped it down with an oily rag. But the next time the grips came off the pistol, I had some rust pits underneath the rubber grips.

Yes, Sir. Taken off, dried off, and silicone rag over the frame.

Great thorough write-up, thanks for taking the time to share it!

I have a GP100 and quite a few Smiths, and I have a hard time choosing between them. The GP100 is solid and very smooth right out of the box. The Smiths seem to vary more from gun to gun, but with a little work even the rough ones clean up nice. Neither of them is that hard to work on, either, once you learn the tricks.

I agree about the form factor, too. The GP100 is more of a mid-size which makes it much more practical for carry, especially your 3" model. The N-Frame is just big. I only have one...a 329PD, and while it's super light it is pretty bulky, especially when you're sitting for long periods of time. Add the weight of that steel 610, and I can imagine it's not a gun that you're going to put on your belt and forget it's there.

That 610 looks absolutely badass, though, especially with that unfluted cylinder.

I have several Smith & Wesson revolvers. Always kicked myself for not buying an NOS prelock 6” 610 when I had the chance.

That said, I’ve got the same model GP100 that you do and I really love it. It has by far the easiest to stage double action trigger pull of any revolver I own. To the point I want to get the 7 shot Match Champion version in .357 that they just did a limited run of as well as a 7 shot Whiley Clapp model in .357.

But I’m holding off on buying anything right now. I’m number one on my dealer’s list for a Smith & Wesson 686 Mountain Gun whenever they can get one.

Visit
https://www.triggershims.com/
I installed shims on my 357-GP-100 Wiley on the hammer and hammer-dogs----made a luvly improvement.

That Ruger is sexy.
I researched them when I bought my 3" S&W 686+.

I need to add one to the inventory...

Pachmayr Diamond Pro grips really transform that 610, Otto. Love them on my 610.
https://www.lymanproducts.com/diamond-pro-series

That non fluted cylinder on the 610 is especially eye catching!