New Blue Ruger .357 SP101 Snub Announced

I heard they are bringing back the 9mm offering as well

A blued SP? Just WOW! Why do they tempt me so???? Really really want.......

Something for everyone! I'd never buy one myself, I already have a couple stainless SP101s. I'm waiting for the 8 shot Super Redhawk in 357mag.

Love the stainless look better but would possibly go for a blued with 3'' barrel.

Here is a link to the gun on Ruger's website:

https://ruger.com/products/sp101/specSheets/15702.html

and:

https://ruger.com/products/sp101/specSheets/5779.html

I bought a SS SP nearly 30 years ago. I doubt if I would have bought it if blue had been the only option.

That is a handsome little blaster. If they release it in a 3" version I'll be all over it.

I have a bad habit of swearing off .357 wheel guns then gradually accumulating them again. I think I just need to admit to myself that I'm a fan and stick with them.

I never can decide how I feel about Ruger's bluing.

One one hand, it looks utilitarian which I like for a carry gun. But on the other hand, it looks more like paint compared to S&W's blued guns.

I never thought I'd see a blued SP. Pretty cool!

FYI, the TALO model is cerakoted stainless.

bassjam said:

But on the other hand, it looks more like paint compared to S&W's blued guns.

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The difference is in the metal prep, not the bluing itself. Ruger has always cut costs on polishing to save the customer money.

Polishing? Heck, Ruger doesn't even bother to deburr the insides of their frames. Every one I've been inside of was just nasty........ But they are perfectly fine guns - just not polished like jewelry. You might be shocked to learn how long it takes to teach someone to polish a gun. S&W's polishers had to apprentice for 5 years before they turned them loose and they had to learn to make their own polishing wheels. It really is an art form and very labor intensive. Skilled labor.

I stopped by my LGS to see if they had one yet. Yep they do...so I fondled it for a bit. Not sure I like the finish. Not what I expect in a blued gun. Kind of flat and dull.

wankerjake said:

I heard they are bringing back the 9mm offering as well

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I'd definitely be interested in that.

I prefer stainless but if the price is significantly cheaper it might be a winner and might find a place on my hip

I actually like the blued finish and would consider getting one if it had a 3" barrel on it.

I'll take chrome moly steel over stainless ANY DAY. Blued, Parkerized, whatever.

I love blues guns. But, sorry, for the role a snub revolver fits in my life, I prefer stainless.

I have military grade corrosive sweat and, lots of it. My stainless SP101 has pitting on the grip frame.

I’d ruin that gun in one day in the Texas heat.

Consider having the gun plated with hard chrome. If done properly you will have no rust but it is not cheap (around $200). Or you could go with one of the "paint" finishes. Also consider removing the grips and applying some rust preventative oil to the surfaces under the grips weekly. Your sweat "wicks" under the grip and just sits there. That's why you are seeing corrosion under those grips. Birchwood Casey makes a product (a polarized oil) called "Barricade" (used to be called "Sheath") that will neutralize the acids in your sweat. I have used it for many years on blued guns and it works as advertised. Another option is to use a holster with a sweat shield that keeps the sweat from ever reaching the gun. I feel for you - I have had friends who had corrosive sweat like yours and could rust a stainless gun on a hot day while you watched. If you are shooting on a hot day with sweaty hands you absolutely MUST remove the grips, wipe the metal down and re- oil after you shoot it. A thin layer should protect the steel. You also need to wash the sweat off the inside of the grips and dry them completely. Compressed air will blow the water out of the grips.

bassjam said:

I never can decide how I feel about Ruger's bluing.

One one hand, it looks utilitarian which I like for a carry gun. But on the other hand, it looks more like paint compared to S&W's blued guns.

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I noticed over the years that the blueing on Ruger guns wears pretty fast compared to Smith and Wesson

Not sure if it has something to do with cast vs forged

Is it a blued steel gun, or a blued over stainless gun? Having had bad luck with the finish on blackened stainless guns I'd pass if was blue over stainless.
Ruger spec sheet says it's alloy steel.

CraigC said:

I never thought I'd see a blued SP. Pretty cool!

FYI, the TALO model is cerakoted stainless.



The difference is in the metal prep, not the bluing itself. Ruger has always cut costs on polishing to save the customer money.

Click to expand...

Yeah, and that's why I haven't typically gone for Ruger blued guns. A lot of them look like a chalk board to me. Not all, I've seen some gorgeous blued Rugers over the years, but an awful lot of them just don't do it for me.

Now if they polished them up nice prior to blueing and came close to some older S&W revolvers I could see dropping a little extra coin on one. Give me a Colt Blued finish on a Ruger and I might pay Kimber prices for one.

Ruger's polishing has always been somewhat utilitarian. This was part of their marketing for the first few decades and a cost-saver to the consumer. Of course, these days, there's very little price difference between Ruger and S&W. Although it might be pointed out that Ruger has improved their product while S&W has been cutting corners. Only a few exceptions exist, the Old Model Blackhawks had a decent polish on them, while Supers were polished bright.






Of course the potential is always there to make it something spectacular.