Best “One *Revolver* To Do Everything”

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Ruger SP101 4” .327 Federal Magnum.

I’ve seen people cleanly take deer with that pistol. And it carries well despite the long barrel. From fighting to hunting, to target work with lighter .32 loads, this is the most versatile and effective revolver in history.
No. Boutique ammunition, and expensive to boot. Though probably a sweet shooter
 
Ruger SP101 4” .327 Federal Magnum.

I’ve seen people cleanly take deer with that pistol. And it carries well despite the long barrel. From fighting to hunting, to target work with lighter .32 loads, this is the most versatile and effective revolver in history.

Now that would be a neat gun I would be interested in. Small, Rugged, Capable of Many things……

Yet 2 sticks,3 feathers & a String can kill a Deer cleanly

That dosnt make it a good idea.

No Offense being given, JC1911
 
I recall several of us trying to improve it. Beautiful rifle.

Too bad you couldn't get your gun to shoot. I only expected field grade accuracy from my 77/22. Believe me I was shocked at the 50 yards groups I was getting. And best of all I did it with cheap Federal Blue Box bulk ammo from WM. I once shot a 30 yard group that had 4 shots in a slightly oblong hole. Of course I blew the 5 shot group by landing shot #5 at the edge of the hole. Still small enough to be under a dime at that range. But I am off topic.
 
For me, GP100 stainless 6 shot, 4.2" half lug barrel with fixed sights.

I've carried it. The barrel length isn't a big deal because the half lug and fixed sights keep it slender. But it's got enough sight radius and barrel length to be useful. Regulated for the middle ground weight of 158gr projectiles, it's not too far off POA with 180gr, and manageable with 125gr.

As a do it all, it's hard to beat IMO.
 
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Mmmm.... grr... you have a point. Never heard Ruger compared to Taurus though, not in a good way.
 
For me, GP100 stainless 6 shot, 4.2" half lug barrel with fixed sights.

This is the gun Ruger should make in greater quantity. With
the right marketing, it would be a winner. Of course, the
3-inch model does quite well already.

The fixed sighted Match Champion is also a consideration
in this area but Ruger ups the price point a bit too much.
 
This is the gun Ruger should make in greater quantity. With
the right marketing, it would be a winner. Of course, the
3-inch model does quite well afeady.

I've had the 3" too, though technically it was a full lug. I sent that one down the road, but my wife has the gun I mentioned. And I agree with you. Ruger should make more of them. As far as revolvers go, it's a very utilitarian design.
 
FD4D21C7-6BBF-4242-8C0C-CBEC09C84949.jpeg This thread needs photos-

The Ruger for cost and ruggedness is a good revolver as Op stated. And as for him being 26 as someone stated , I think he is sensible and makes valuable points…..

Except a argument for saving up more for a S&W 619/620 could be made and That would make his choice a viable extraordinary option.
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Tho they have a Lock, If that dosnt bother ya.
 
I have a couple of SP101's. They're kinda small and their triggers are usually not so good.

There is no mystery to what it takes to make a Ruger trigger better. Anyone with at least minimal skills can do the job. I did my 6" GP way back around 1990 when I first got it. And back then there was no internet for me. I just took it apart and saw how worked and smoothed everything up and cut a couple of coils off the main spring. I don't know if there were any spring kits back then. Probably were but I didn't know about them. This is my most fired gun of all I own except 22 pistols. I have fired at least 5,000 rounds through this gun and never ever had a misfire or light strike since I worked on it. And the trigger pull is almost as good as the trigger on my model 28.

https://gunsmagazine.com/guns/how-to-upgrade-your-ruger-sp-101-revolver-trigger/

This tutorial works on all Ruger double action triggers.
 
As far as I am concerned if you haven't owned a certain gun and have personal experience with it your opinion doesn't count.
There is a lot of truth to this statement. I've made it a point to not recommend or condemn a gun unless I've not only inspected it, but put more than "a few" rounds through it.

I used to own a Ruger SP 101 and thought it was heavy for what it was. It was at a disadvantage to the S&W J-frame due to size and weight. It was at even more of a worst disadvantage to the Colt D-frame as to action smoothness, lockup, capacity, and accuracy. The fact that it was easier to tune the action of either...and there were more pistolsmiths, at the time, that could perform a good action tune on them...put the Ruger even further behind.

It certainly wasn't intended as an all-around revolver (confirmed by discussions with Ruger engineers)
 
Much as I like my 3” SP101, the GP100 is a better performer, if I must actually get to shootin’. Longer effective range. Faster follow-up shots. More ammo, in the cylinder. More “work space” for the task of reloading. I may have to wear a larger cover garment, of course, to conceal a GP100.

Nothing theoretical or hypothetical about this post. I have fired a GP100, defensively. It is not for sale, even if offered $10K.

A Speed Six, Service Six, or Security Six provides is a nice alternative, in a form factor slightly trimmer than a GP100, but the GP100’s grip mitigates recoil better, in my hands. I also like pre-keyhole S&W K- and L-Frames.
 
Much as I like my 3” SP101, the GP100 is a better performer, if I must actually get to shootin’. Longer effective range. Faster follow-up shots. More ammo, in the cylinder. More “work space” for the task of reloading. I may have to wear a larger cover garment, of course, to conceal a GP100.

Nothing theoretical or hypothetical about this post. I have fired a GP100, defensively.

A Speed Six, Service Six, or Security Six provides is a nice alternative, in a form factor slightly trimmer than a GP100, but the GP100’s grip mitigates recoil better, in my hands. I also like S&W K- and L-Frames.
I’m going to PM you momentarily.


To the rest of ya....
Regarding weight... of course it’s heavy... but it’ll tolerate anything you can fit in the cylinder, and still outlast a Colt, Smith J frame, and Kimber while eating anything you put in it and begging for more.

Trigger tune... a mentally challenged monkey with a rock could tune a Ruger... I dunno where y’all are getting the “hard to find smiths” for part, or the “hard to tune” part....
 
It certainly wasn't intended as an all-around revolver (confirmed by discussions with Ruger engineers)

There are probably a lot of guns pressed into all around yeoman service to do everything simply because thats all the owner has or can afford. I bet a hundred or more years ago people would be amazed at the collection of guns modern people own and would not understand why. Most were lucky or felt no desire to own more than one gun. Out west it would have been one of the big revolvers and back east more likely a smaller gun like one of the old break tops in 32 or 38sw rounds. In reading about the 49ers and the Gold Rush people in the east supplied themselves with pocket guns if they could find them before going west where guns were nearly impossible to buy. Those were do all guns. Jacks of all trades and master of none so to speak.
 
Regarding weight... of course it’s heavy... but it’ll tolerate anything you can fit in the cylinder, and still outlast a Colt, Smith J frame, and Kimber while eating anything you put in it and begging for more.
Since you've never owned any of the ones mentioned, what actual experience would you be basing this claim on
 
Trigger tune... a mentally challenged monkey with a rock could tune a Ruger... I dunno where y’all are getting the “hard to find smiths” for part, or the “hard to tune” part....

Not sure about monkeys, but I did carefully stone the rough spot in my first GP100’s action. Since then, I have selected smoother-actioned samples.
 
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