SP101 vs GP100

The GP100 is a 'full-size' six-shot revolver, kind of like the old police revolvers.
The SP101 is a smaller 'snubbie' 5-shot gun, better for concealment.

The first thing that comes to mind is that the GP100 is 6 shots. The SP101 is 5. These links will tell you more.

http://www.ruger.com/products/sp101/specSheets/5771.html
http://www.ruger.com/products/gp100/specSheets/1705.html

Both are great revolvers.

Frame size. The GP100 is a "medium" frame size. A bit beefed up from service guns from the era when police carried .38 revolvers. The SP101 is a small frame, more along the lines of guns designed for concealed carry. Both have beefy investment cast frames and have some heft to them. In comparison between the Smith J Frame snub nose airweights and the SP101, the SP is heavier and more "tank" like. The GP100 is a full blown "heavy duty" .357. But not as large as the N frame, "large frame" guns Smith and Wesson made when .357 was a new cartridge (and still available in newer iterations). These large frames used a frame size previously intended for .44 and .45.

Good choice. You'll never wear it out. If anything, it's tougher than a tank!

Really like my 3" SP101.......and I really want a 4" SP101.
The GP100 (owned for a long time) feels like it should be chambered for .44 Mag - it's too big for my taste.

As always, YMMV.

I miss my (stolen) SP101...

I own one of each.


I use the big one for playing at the range and the smaller one for CCW.

The biggun is a better target shooter/possible hunting gun since it can be fitted out with nice, adjustable and high viz. sights. Both front and rear sights are available for the GP100 to personalize the gun to your taste.

The little guy is just a nice sized handful of 357 magnum.
I have, since the above photo, fitted it with a glow in the dark front sight.
I like my SP101 for CCW.


Two different tools for different jobs...



P.S. If you really want either of these revolvers to shine go ahead and do/pay for a trigger job. It really is worth the time/money.

I have the GP100. After installing lighter trigger and hammer springs it has a great trigger. I have a few friends who own Smiths who like my trigger as much as theirs.
Check youtube for videos on how to do it yourself. It's not hard.
Lots of dry firing will do what a trigger job will for smoothing out the action. My action is nice and smooth so I was able to get by with the lightest springs for both the hammer and the trigger.

I let a friend shoot it the other day and he liked shooting .357's out of this much better than his SP101. Mainly due to size I'm sure.

A fiberoptic front sight is a really nice addition. And really easy to do.

If you are patient and look at the classifieds in forums like this or on gunbroker, etc. there are older model GP-100's that had fixed sights and a 4" half lug barrel. I have 2 3" GP's at present with the older model rubber/wood grips. Favorite handguns, period. I also have a 6" GP and a 4" 686. All beauties but my favorites are the 3"s (with the original compact grips).

the GP can be had in a small barrel, but it is bulky with a good sized grip I swooned over one at a LGS as a conceal carry but it was too lage for me but still wish i had got it.

the SP101 is a good conceal revolver, smaller than the GP but still heavy in 357.

The sp101 isnt all that big nor all that small. it is a good carry gun but i am not Huge on its weight. I have a charter arms bulldog 44sp that is liter than it.

The GP is a real attractive gun in real life. its one of those romantic revolvers you see every once in a while that is the quintessential revolver....

if your going to the range to shoot get a GP, if you want to carry get the sp101 if you must choose between the two. Otherwise to carry get a small S&W for the money or a Taurus they are awesome too.

I have a GP-100 with a 6" barrel, and based on my experience with it I am in the market for an SP-101 for CCW. I haven't heard of many people regretting either one.

EMS_92 said:

Well I got a year till I turn @!, but I was thinking when I do make the GP100 mine about buying a Wolff shooters pack. Thoughts?

Click to expand...

I used those springs in my GP100 and I think they are a great value.

However; my revolver is a range toy and I've spent a good bit of time bonding her on my work bench. I followed the guidance of a man with years of experience (IBOK) and smoothed up the action a lot. I experimented with various spring combinations and found a set that works *for my revolver with the ammo that I reload.

You should bond with your revolver.

Strip 'er down to the little bits n pieces and learn 'er inside and out.
Give 'er a little love. Smooth this, and that, find what springs she likes and shoot your pistol as much as you can.

Set aside the funds for a simple single stage reloading press and find her pet load; cast lead as well as a premium jacketed hollow point. Trust me, it's well worth it.



Owning a revolver like the GP100 can easily turn into a romance.

I have other pistols; I carry my .45 as a CCW preference, my SP101 when it's more prudent but nothing else that I own is as much fun to take out and shoot for a few hours than my GP100.

My .45 is a Springfield XD Compact and it's one ugly work horse.
My SP101 is a handful of loud and mean.

My GP100, on the other hand, is a sexy lady, whom I hate to let go at the end of the dance, and lament that our time has come to an end every time I lie her back into the gun case.

i have a 2.5" sp101 in .357 with rosewood badger grips.....and let me tell you, its a looker as well as a shooter.

its got a good heft to it which helps soak up the recoil of the .357 while being decently small enough to comfortably conceal carry all day.

Heres mine before I put the Fiberoptic sight on.




And this is how well it shoots after the new springs. 10 yards .357.

The 4th round is part of another group when I was shooting DA fast.

you won't be diappointed with either. i have a 3" gp100 that i love, and will likely get a 2.25 sp101 someday.

I plan on getting a GP, but for now I'm happy with my Security Six.
The DA pull will loosen/smooth out with regular use. I've had my sp101 for 17 years and when it was new the DA pull was 13 lbs. I just checked it last night and it has dropped 3lbs

SP101 DA= 10.12 SA= 4.83
Security Six DA= 9.25 SA= 4.07

I have two of each and I find the GP's to be far superior.

I've had a 2.25" SP for years and it's a wonderful little gun. If you plan to carry at all I would strongly recommend an SP as the size and weight differences are significant. If it's strictly for the range the GP's weight becomes an advantage, helping to soak up recoil and hold steady for off hand shooting.

If you're looking for a gun that can do it all the 4" SP101 is a very sweet piece. At 30oz it's still 6oz lighter than the 3" GP, making it eminently "packable" as John Taffin might say, while retaining enough weight to control the recoil on heavy loads. It also has VERY nice fiber optic sights, the nicest I've seen on any Ruger and the slimmer width makes it far less obtrusive for carry.

If you go for a GP, I think the 6" is the way to go, the extra length & weight makes it even more pleasant to shoot and gives a longer sight radius to help with shot placement. There is also an aftermarket rail available, from Weigand Combat that allows installing an optic if you decide to some time. I'd like to get a 6" GP set up with a Trijicon RDS some time. I think it would be a fantastic hunting revolver for here in Ohio.

Regardless, either one is an outstanding choice and will be not only a lifetime gun, but can be an heirloom to pass on.

I do recommend checking over whichever you plan to buy carefully, especially making sure to dryfire it to try the trigger. As much as I love my Rugers, their quality control leaves a bit to be desired at times and I've found significant differences in individual guns, with triggers ranging from very nice to pretty crappy. Be a careful shopper and go home happy. If a shop won't let you try the trigger, buy elsewhere. Dry firing will NOT harm these guns, a fact noted by Ruger in the owners manual.

I dislike the SP101 also. The crane is not long enough to facilitate quick reloads with the factory grips. It's just a bit too big to be only a five shot revolver with 2 1/4" barrel. I also dislike the fixed sight channel; I'd prefer something from Bowen Classic Arms that gives a good sight picture.

They are both great handguns; and it like any other pistol it depends on your usage, and features desired. The SP101, 3" barrel is one of the most shootible CCW revolvers IMHO, especially if you plan to carry .357's. It carries great, all day in an IWB holster, not so much a pocket gun. It is one of those rare carry guns that is also pleasant to shoot. It is also a bargain IMHO.

FWIW - the SP101 fixed sights are quite acceptable out to 25 yards - I don't shoot mine any further, but I'm sure some folks do.

If you want to get into shooting all lot of hot reloads - the GP100 is great as it is a tank, and the sights can be adjusted for different loads. Little big for practical EDC, unless you plan to open carry. It's a little heavy as a field gun, IMHO - but many use it for this purpose.

I like my sp101, with the traush grips it handles the recoil from magnums very well.