GP 100 or SP 101

Sp 101 is a pretty sweet shooting little revolver. Mine is the 2 inch in .357mag.
The trigger was decent out of the box, both single action and double action. It just got better with use. It's built like a little tank and with the full force felt from the .357 in it's lighter frame. It's an absolute blast to plink with 38s. I would highly recommend it.

The obvious answer is: both!



The GP was my first firearm and I enjoy shooting it immensely. GP stands for general purpose and it serves well for woods duty, home defense, or even in a nice OWB when you can get away with it. It is heavy, which makes it enjoyable to shoot with any load, and it has an appeal that cannot be overstated.

The SP is great for what it is - special purpose. It sees its fair share of carry duty and by any measure it is the concealable GP 100. Expect reduced power, reduced sight picture, smaller grip frame, and in the model featured above double action only... expect more recoil than its kin, which is the trade-off for its concealability.

It comes down to the purpose you are using it for, however I do not think you can go wrong with either, and if I could only keep one it would be the 4" GP - for me it is the quintessential beefy looking revolver and I dig it. In the original post you mentioned recreation - to me that means shooting ranges or out in the woods - GP wins. Unless you hike alot and are minimizing the weight on your hip, but this is probably not the case since both are relatively heavy among firearms.

If you look carefully, you can find shorter GP's and bigger SP's, but those are beyond the scope of this post.

I love my SP101 for concealed carry but for recreational use I'd definitely go with the GP 100 with adjustable sights.

I'm not so sure the GP & SP explanations are correct.
I've asked my contact at Ruger & he says nobody he asks knows.
I've also never seen those designations in any Ruger literature anywhere.
Denis

I love my SP101 for concealed carry but for recreational use I'd definitely go with the GP 100 with adjustable sights.

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I am in this camp.

I love my SP101 for concealed carry but for recreational use I'd definitely go with the GP 100 with adjustable sights.
I am in this camp.

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Same here, except I don't love my SP101 for concealed carry. Its just too heavy for concealed carry in my opinion unless you don't mind the weight. I take it camping sometimes. But the GP100 gets LOTS of use shooting steel.

I have the SP 101, 3" for CCW, I carry it in a Bianchi pancake holster on the RT hip. Its is a tad heavy, have Houge grips on it, but the extra weight of the revolver gives me the "heft" I want to hang onto when shooting the .357 rounds, just my preference. Either one will do you good service, but I don't have a GP to compare it to.

Get a 3" or 6" GP and go nuts!

I have a 3" barreled gun and it is a hoot to shoot. The muzzle flash from a shorter barrel with hot loads makes the whole range come looking. The 6" will be super enjoyable with the hottest load and could make a nice hunting gun if one is so inclined.

Good luck.

Neither are suitable for pocket carry so if you're going to carry on your belt you might as well buy the GP100 and add a round to the count. The GP100 does come with a 3" barrel.

I'm a fan of the GP100 but I do not like the SP101 at all. I don't like the trigger, the balance, the feel or the looks of the SP101.

Ruger S6. I love my PS6.

I would go with a shorter barreled GP 100 3 or 4 inch but that's me. I have a 6 inch and it shoots like a dream, cleanining out the powder burns from 38s real easy and is built so it will shoot well when my Grand Kids pass it down to their kids.

The one that can seriously handle full up .357 Magnum is the GP100. I reload custom ammo for my SP101. My GP100 at 5" can handle anything, but I am not sure I would be a fan at 3".

Ex said:

I tell many people "want the best answers, go to thehighroad.org" and this thread shows why!!!

Keep it coming guys! Have a suggestion? Feel free to side track it a little.
I really like my Ruger wheel guns, that goes without saying. I'm looking for my next pistola! Will it be a SP 101? Or ANOTHER GP100? Wouldn't mind one that's for sure...

Sell me on something!!! Please!

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Well then...
Since you already have a GP100 why not get a wheel gun in something a bit larger than 357?
I bet one of these bad boys would look great in your line up!
http://www.ruger.com/products/redhawk/models.html

I too own both. If I had to give one up it would be the gp 161. The sp in 3" is my favorite. The 6" barrel on the gp keeps it bedside or recreational only. Both shoot great. A 4" on a gp would be my next buy. Can't go wrong with any of them. Good shooting

If your mind is open to other revolvers a S&W Model 10 has historical significance and in some models achieves almost perfect balance. They are chambered for .38 and can be picked up for around $300 - $400 on the used market.

However... something really fun would be a Ruger Flat-top Bisley in .44 special...

Though I have a SP101 I thinking shooting the .357 mag out of a GP100 would be more fun and less painful on the wrist and fingers. I am not a fan of the .357 in smaller guns.

I AM a fan of the SP101 however but use a .2 mag.

I had owned my GP100 and SP101 for about four years when I came across some police trade in S&W M64s, I bought three and gave one each to my Mom and sister, kept one for my household.

My wife loves shooting it, her 14 yr old boy likes to think it's "his" and I have spent a lot of time playing around shooting my inexpensive lead hollow point reloads.

The M64 and M10, in my opinion, are probably the most over looked revolvers for the average household.

EX, if you have a household that likes going shooting with you but does not care for the full house 357 out of a GP100 the S&W M10, or M64 should get a good hard look from you!

My wife likes my GP100 but only shoots a few rounds out of it before her wrists get tired. I have the 6" barrel with full underlug so it's no surprise.
She will shoot the M64 until we are out of ammo for the day.