Ruger GP100

Something that has eluded my firearms hobby is a revolver.  It's not that I don't like them, it's just that it hasn't been a priority for me.  I knew that I'd have one eventually, just like a black powder muzzle loader, but just not anytime soon because there is other stuff I still want to get.  Anyway, a chance to pick up a Ruger GP100 for a fairly awesome price came a long and I could not resist.  Thanks Ray!

The revolver came at such a low price, I didn't even ask for the mileage.  Anyway, it came from a buddy so I trust him when he says that it's still very accurate.  

This is probably how it comes from the factory, including the lock, papers and the shell casing from the factory test round.

This is one beefy hunk of steel, and it sort of reminded me of that line from that film Snatch "Heavy is good, heavy is reliable.  If it doesn't work, you can always hit them with it." - Boris the Blade/Boris the bullet dodger/Boris the sneaky fucking Russian.

Ray replaced the front blade sight with an aftermarket fibre optic one.  I've seen some people simply paint their front blade with a bright red paint, which probably works fine as well.

The machining that goes into these seems to be done extremely well, with what appears to me as fairly tight tolerances.  I have to admit, I opened the cylinder and spun it like so many cowboy movies I've seen and that thing just kept on spinning like a well oiled machine (I also flipped it closed like in the movies too, lol!).

Not a very good shot of the bore, but it was very bright and shiny, with strong rifling which suggests to me that Ray probably didn't shoot it very much. 

I've never had a shiny gun before (stainless or chrome finish) so this was a first for me.  It was hard photographing this pistol because of the way the light bounced off it.  The camera also picked up all sorts of scuffs in the finish that don't appear to the naked eye

Ray also tossed in a bunch of speed loaders and a holster.

Something about brass, stainless steel and black that look great together.

After reviewing the safety features of this revolver and familiarizing myself with it's safe usage, I felt confident enough to load live rounds in it for the photo shoot.  I made doubly sure the hammer was down and there was no way it would go off.

When Ray first showed me pics of the GP100 and mentioned it was a .357 Magnum, I really had no idea how big it was going to be.  I watched a few youtube videos and it really didn't look very big.  When I picked it up, the size and the weight was truly a surprise for me.  

I know it's not the biggest revolver out there, but it's definitely a good size for me.  The 1911 is a good size pistol for me, and the GP100 feels bigger.

In comparison to my Sig 226, which I consider big, (but light and accurate), 

My Walther PPQ truly felt dwarfed by the GP100

Lol, my GP100 next to my first revolver.  When I was a kid, my dad got me a transforming .44 Magnum made by Takara (same company that made the Transformers toy line).  My brother got Megatron (lol, the Walther P38 is still on my pistol wishlist) and I got this guy.

Advantage S&W .44 Magnum, it transforms into an evil robot hell-bent on world domination.

Anyway, can't wait to take my first revolver out to the range to try out.  I totally feel like Saeba Ryo with this beast.

Lol, only fans of older anime will know what I'm referring to.  As a kid growing up in Japan, my wife watched the animation City Hunter in which the main character's (Ryo Saeba) firearm of choice was a Colt Python in .357 Magnum.  I know mine's not a Colt, but the wife doesn't know the difference (lol, neither do I at this point) but because it's a .357 Mag, I sort of have her approval because her favorite anime character had one, hahahahaha!!!!

Luke's first 50bmg

Lol, someone made a meme out of Luke:

Gotta love Canadian Gun Nutz, hahahahahahaha!!!

"Any bed-wetting antis monitoring this site are now curled up in the fetal position in their safe spaces.  Good job, and good dad!" - CGN member

The only thing I see wrong with these photos is that he might be a lefty, lol!

Cadex CDX-50 TREMOR and PGW LRT-3

Well, it was probably just a matter of time before people started to ask which 50BMG to get, the new Cadex CDX-50 TREMOR or the PGR LRT-3.  I'm not here to sell you one over the other, or tell you which rifle is better.  This post is just provide information which is publically available (please contact me in regards to any errors or anomolies found in the following post) and to express some of my own personal findings.  I have not performed any serious in-depth accuracy or precision tests, but from what I have experienced so far, you won't be disappointed with either, and they likely perform as well as their respective manufactures have promised.

PGW LRT-3 

MSRP: $8,500 

Dimensions and Weight:

·         Weight: 25.125lbs/11.42kg

·         Open Length: 52.5in/133.35cm

·         Closed Length: 43.5in/110.49cm

·         Open Width: 2.5in/6.3cm

·         Closed With: 5in/12.7cm

·         Min Length of Pull: 13.25in/33.65cm

·         Max Length of Pull: 14.5in/36.83cm

·         Barrel Twist: 1-15in

·         Barrel Material: Stainless Steel

·         Barrel Length Standard: 29in

·         Chamber Type: 50 BMG ACCURACY

·         Muzzle Brake: Unknown brand, possibly AAC? (1”-14UNF threading)

·         Action: PGW 

·         Bolt: PGW

·         Ideal Ammunition: 750 Grain AMAX

·         Effective Range: 1,800m

·         Magazine Capacity: 5 Rds

·         Cheekpiece Range of Adjustment: 1in/2.54cm

·         Trigger: Single stage Triggertech

·         Top rail: 45MOA

·         Accessories included: Two magazines ($375 each as per PGW price list 2014), one Pelican 1770 Long Case with custom cut foam (exact Value unknown, approximately $800-1,000), cleaning kit, cleaning rod, chamber guide, LRA bipod ($475 as per PGW price list 2014)

Cadex CDX-50 Tremor

MSRP: $8,499.95

Dimensions and Weight:

·         Weight: 23.0lbs/10.432kg

·         Open Length 51.5in/130.81cm

·         Closed Length 42.4in/107.7cm

·         Open Width: 4.25in/10.8cm

·         Closed With: 5.3in/13.5cm

·         Min Length of Pull: 13.25in/33.65cm

·         Max Length of Pull: 14.5in/36.83cm

·         Barrel Twist: 1-15in

·         Barrel Material: 416 Stainless Steel

·         Barrel Length Standard: 29in, 8 groove, 1.680” Straight taper with barrel band

·         Chamber Type: 50 BMG ACCURACY

·         Muzzle Brake: Cadex MX1 (1”-14UNF threading)

·         Action: 416 Stainless, Cadex heavy duty 1.960” custom

·         Bolt: 416 Stainless, 4 lug, 50 degree throw, tool-free firing pin disassembly

·         Ideal Ammunition: Unknown (likely 750 Grain AMAX)

·         Effective Range: Unknown (likely 1,800m+)

·         Magazine Capacity: 5 Rds

·         Cheekpiece Range of Adjustment: 1in/2.54cm

·         Trigger: Cadex DX1 Single or DX2 Double stage

·         Top rail: 20 MOA, 30 MOA, or 45MOA

·         Accessories included: one magazine ($334.95 each as per Cadex web store), Sniper Drag Bag ($195.95 + $50 for 62” version)

Some of these photos are from the day of the unboxing of the TREMOR.  As you can see, size-wise, the two rifles are very comparable, which is not particularly surprising as the PGW uses the Cadex chassis system.

Both bolts are built very robustly with plenty of mass to send the round home and lock it down.  The Cadex unit has 4 locking lugs compared to PGW's 2 locking lugs, but I doubt either will give me any grief.  The advantage the Cadex unit will have is a shorter throw (50 degrees according to Cadex website).

Under natural light, you will notice a slight variation in the color of the rifles, with the Cadex rifle having a slightly darker hue.  Both look great in my opinion and I like the two-one as well as the one-tone.

A comparison with the two muzzle brakes, both with 1”-14UNF threading.  The PGW his held on with a massive lock nut, where the Cadex unit appears to be spun on and locked down with a built in clamp-style fastening system.

Comparison of the safeties.  The PGW uses a Remington-style safety where Cadex has the safety integrated with the bolt.

Here is a clear comparison between the bolt lever throw, Cadex on the left, PGW on the right.  

If I'm not mistake, the newer chassis from the TREMOR (left) has a longer hand guard.  You will also notice that the ventilation slots were left uncut to act as an anti-mirage system.

A comparison between my three tan Cadex chassis.  Top is the one used for my PGW LRT-3, the middle one is the new Cadex CDX-50 Tremor, and the bottom one is a stand alone  Lite Strike I bought for my Savage 110.  

All my Cadex rifles.

The magazine well for the two 50bmg chassis systems appear to be different, with the mag release lever being an updated design in the new TREMOR (left)

The rear of the magazine well sports a different magazine locking latch which facilitates loading and unloading magazines in the new TREMOR (left).  With the LRT-3, the magazine has to be tilted in slightly, but with the TREMOR, the magazine can go virtually straight in.

My kid and his "hand-me-down" 50bmg.  This photo will probably upset a few anti-gun bed-wetters, lol!