What would be the perfect Ruger IDPA revolver? I vote for a 4" GP-100 with an unfluted cylinder, a full lug barrel, Tritium fixed or adjustable sights, and two hammers: double/single and semi-bobbed DAO.
It would also be nice to see a 4" Redhawk with a carry melt and a round butt grip chambered for .45ACP, 45 Super, and 460 Rowland, capable of using moon clips. The same platform could be used in .357 mag with 7 or 8 shots... but that would be moot for IDPA.
A 4inch underlugged barrel Redhawk in 45acp with an unfluted cylinder that uses moonclips. Adjustable sights with a HiViz fiber optic front sight with wood grips and slicked up action.
Make a special run of 500 in that flat grey color they have. Kept it under $600 and I'd buy that
Hello. I voted for a customized/altered GP100 and just slicking up the actions on their current versions.
I'm not in the gun manufacturing business so I truly don't know, but I think that this would cover much of the market share for an IDPA revolver.
While I've had a long-term preference for the S&W, I do find the current versions with the built in key locks not appealing and recently purchased a 3" GP100, short shroud and small grip. The DA is OK, but the single-action is gritty and does not break cleanly. If Ruger could clean up their actions a bit more, I think these revolvers would sell. I would be willing to pay a little more for an action that was more satisfactory out of the box.
It seems a shame to provide such a tough, durable, and accurate handgun that's hampered from its true potential by a less clean action. The closer these revolvers' actions come to S&W's, the more they would sell...I THINK.
I agree pretty much with the customization suggestions made by Jesse. This would sell to folks wanting a special gun that was "right" out of the box.
The only things that have kept me from buying and using more Ruger DA revolvers has been the actions and the fact that factory parts are so very hard to get...even for a gunsmith. In most cases, the gun has to go back to the company. If a 'smith has slicked up the revolver, there seems to be a very good chance that Ruger will replace the parts with factory "unaltered" and the owner's back to square one except that he's now out the price he paid for the gunsmith to do the action job.
I think Ruger has an opportunity here to
take a lion's share of the market with a custom shop version of the GP and improving the existing one's action, something for more than one price range. Ruger might watch and see if either version truly takes off, eclipsing the other and offer only that version if the difference is great.
Ruger IDPA Revolver 
