Ruger SP101 vs Glock 20 SF

Texasjim, I used to feel as you do about SA guns. If you are riding on horseback and pull your DA finger on the trigger and your horse spooks and starts jumping you might accidently shoot your horse,self or companion. An SA takes care of that little glitch. Firing an SA can become second nature. I have several DA .44 mags. I mostly shoot them SA, but it is nice to have the option to use DA, and of course reloading is so much easier. I also own several SA .44 mags. They are a hoot to shoot. I can't shoot/reload as fast. That is a good thing in that I don't go through as much ammo. Thank goodness I reload. LOL. By shooting slower I tend to work on accuracy more. I had a Vaquero in .44 mag, and it was an accurate gun. Too bad I sold it. I like my SA guns to have 4 5/8 inch barrels for knocking around the woods, and my 6 inch barrelled ones for hunting, although either will fill the others role, those are my druthers in the large bore. My edc/go everywhere gun is the 3 inch sp-101 with 158 gr lswc over 13.5 grs of 2400. For bear I go up to Corbon's 200 grainers. The large bores weigh approx 42 oz vs the Sp 101's 26 oz. Good luck in your quest. Let us know what you decide.
ll

I have both the SP101 & a 20SF. Very fond of both. But if for whatever reason I could only keep one, I'd sell the Ruger.

Tuckerdog1

I've got a 21 short frame, which is basically the twin of the 20 in terms of size.


Here's a photo of it in an inside-the-waistband cheapo holster. (nevermind the crappy belt, this is just a demo). For size reference I'm about 6'4" tall and ~200 lbs. The gun carries ok like this but it starts to wear on me after a while. It's not the weight it's just having a big lump there starts to chafe. Also, if I bend/twist certain ways, it pokes me in the ribs on that side so it might bother you if you're wearing it concealed depending on what kind of hiking you're doing.






Like people say, a G20/21 is a big gun Even in my hand. Mine is a real soft shooter though even with 230g +P ammo.





I don't have an SP101. I've got an LCR that I was going to also post photos of, but I think the SP101 is bigger all around than the LCR.

Just go for the 6" GP100. You know you want it!

Man, it depends on a few things. If you have smaller hands, like me, you'll feel more comfortable with the SP101. Especially if you put a nice Hogue grip on it (you'll need to get rid of the Ruger factory grips). The .357 round can be a beast. You can go from weak .38 rounds to 200 grain Buffalo Bore cartridges that will blow a hole through anything walking the face of North America. And yes, the SP101 CAN handle "big" loads.

The 10 mm is a great cartridge, but the versatility of the .357 is outstanding. There's a huge variety of ammo, it will be cheaper to practice with, and it's a most reliable handgun. Glock reliability not withstanding, the Ruger will go "bang" every time you pull the trigger. Point and pull, trigger weight is acceptable and can be adjusted. And they are surprisingly accurate for a short barreled piece. Very, very good handgun.

Even lowly Glock 29 has 10+1 capacity with possibility of 15+1 from G20 magazine. Partial Eclipse OWB holster from Bladetech is very inexpensive and "hides" the gun well. Little five shot revolver just can't compete with that.

Little five shot revolver just can't compete with that.

Click to expand...

Unless you prefer them over Blocks.

I have several larger guns than an SP101 including a Glock. When I carry a hiking gun, I seem to end up with my SP101, 3" in a Hunter 1100 holster. It is the most comfortable option for me, even though I know I should have more gun in areas with grizzlies. Bear spray, which I carry, may be better for bears. When hiking, weight and comfort really are important, especially as I get older. I shoot the 3" SP101, as well as some of my 4" ones. Either the Ruger SP101 or the Glock 20 would probably be a good choice. If your gun is uncomfortable, is may stay back with the car.

With all of these opinions, you still have to feel comfortable with your choice. What do you shoot best? What will you be more comfortable with? I believe that I would be most comfortable with a Glock 20, or the Glock 29. But that's me. I'm looking at both right now, probably gonna pick the 29, in Gen4. It will be used for CC, though. For your needs, probably the G20.

I have a 20sf and a S&W M60 pro with a 3" barrel. I like them both, but I use the 20 for woods duty. If you really chronograph .357 magnum out of a 3' barrel vs 9mm+p out of your G19, you will see that there is not as much difference as you think. A hot 9mm is closer to a .357 out of a short barrel than many give it credit for. I think this plus the fact that you already have and like one Glock argues for the 20.

I carry my glock 20 concealed always, not a problemw

Sorry about that. My post should have read "most powerful semi-automatic handgun cartridge" readily available. I don't consider the 357 or 44 Magnum in a Desert Eagle or Coonan readily available. I am not aware of any other readily available handgun caliber that holds 15 rounds of a similarly or more powerful cartridge though I am sure there are some that exist.

I have an sp101 3" and I carry it all day with no problems. I just got rid of a G27 because it was hard to conceal. The sp101 conceals very well. With that said, I probably spend as much time in the woods as anyone on here. It is comfortable to shoot with full bore .357s and it is perfectly reliable. Just replace the standard black front site with an XS big dot and you have yourself the perfect gun for low light conditions as well. As several others have said the .357 out of a 3" is not much different than the .357 out of a 4". I have a full sized gp100 with a 6" barrel and although more powerful and easier to shoot it is nothing that you want to carry on you all day. The truth of the matter is no one is carrying a long gun on them for woods carry. Maybe for hunting or a short stroll in the woods but not if you are serious hiker. Weight, bulk and concealability all matter in the woods. If you get spotted on a trail with an AK, you are going to draw a lot of unwanted attention. Get the sp101, Glocks are great, but not for woods carry.

Do you want rate-of-fire, or concealability? The G20 WILL be harder to conceal - my 3" SP101 has hidden on me in absolute plain-clothes better than a Sig P232...and that's with a $5 Bianchi holster and flimsy dress belt no less.

For woods-carry, where you won't need to hide it, you could go with the 10mm. It can mostly beat a .357 for sheer M.E. out of the 4.5" barrel, and the 10mm class is devastating for impact. The round was developed as a super-pistol round by Jeff Cooper IIRC, and the FBI developed the .40 because it was TOO powerful.

Rate of fire - when shooting, coming from semi-auto's, I DO rather miss the rapid-fire Semi's offer. However, it taught me to blow off $80 of ammo in very short time, with a bunch of little holes in the paper, rather than savoring my shots.

For Glock 20 owners - how is the reliability on your 10mm's? I know classically it's a pistol-wrecker (frame-abuse, slide abuse, etc.). That is a consideration - the SP101 was designed around the .357 Mag, and has been said to have a "K-frame chassis in a J-frame size".

Also, do you reload? It's MUCH easier to get reloading for .357 than 10mm, IMHO. By easier, I mean that you are more apt to find stray or extra .38 or .357 cases anywhere than 10mm. That goes for factory ammo, too. My local hardware store carries .38 special, and EVERY wal mart I've been into has at least 158gr JSP. Bullets themselves can be found in EVERY form, whereas the 10mm selection is a bit smaller selection. Lee sells the "hammer-it-in die kit" for .357/38 - NOT 10mm.

Also - Ammo cost. 10mm is a pricey round, no matter how/what/where. I don't know if it can run .40 S&W in the chamber ala .357/.38...or in the mag for that matter.

The other feature I enjoy of my .357 is the ability to shoot .38 - which, to many, is a fine little squirrel round - so I can handle small game AND large game with one pistol. Also - HUGE punchy rounds, unless you're experienced with them, WILL make you flinch. Flinching=bad shooting. After so many .357's, even when trained, your tired hands will start to want to flinch out of fatigue. Being able to pick up a cheap box of 130gr .38Spl's is great for this point in time...or if you're getting used to the gun, you won't be battering yourself or the gun.

I also must say that the Ruger SP101 has more character - the Glock is an EXCELLENT tool, but nothing more. It can be washed in your dishwasher, if needed. If it drops off the truck, big deal. But, there is a certain ritual and bonding experience when you get to break-down and hand-clean/polish all the spaces, spots, and crevices of your revolver. Knowing every inch of it like your own is a bit comforting. Plus, some of the grips you can get make a 3" SP101 absolutely GORGEOUS.

Where I got tired of striker designs/semis (Steyr M40, Walther PPS, Glock 19), was that when I was dry-firing practicing (ALL good shooting involves trigger control - something built by dry-firing), I had to re-cock the pistol after EVERY pull. This gets old...fast. Plus, there isn't much to a glock trigger - you pull it, its springy, it clicks. Or, gun goes bang, and hole appears in something.

With a revolver, there's that satisfying ratcheting as the next cartridge rotates to the forcing cone, followed by that sweet release and a hard THUMP to your hand - letting you know that you are only getting a taste of what just happened on the other end. If I want precision, I cock the hammer back, and I'm working with a rifle-grade trigger release. I can keep pulling the DA trigger over and over, and keep re-cocking the SA trigger with one hand. No more "Click. Rack. Click. Rack".
Also, with enough control, it's somewhat fun to "snap" your cylinder with the DA trigger (pull it far enough to move the cylinder to the next chamber, not far enough to fire - do when empty).

All that said, if it isn't obvious, I'm for the revolver. Yes, it only has 5 rounds, but really, if 5 .357Mags don't drop what you're shooting at, chances is it's on top of you already and your gun won't matter...

Just some food for thought...

I vote for the SP101.

Of course, I am a revolver kind of guy...

When my dad passed in Feb. I inherited his SP101 in 38 sp. Nice little firearm, easy to carry, plenty of punch. For all day outdoor carry I much prefer it to my full size .45's (H&K and Springfield 1911). I have no experience with the 10mm Glock (I'm not a fan of striker fired pistols), but I have to ask, where are you going to be hiking that you might need 15+1 firepower? Compton? A .38 sp or .357 should take care of any wildlife problems that you are likely to run in to unless you are strolling through Grizzly country. Please remember, I am posting this thinking of outdoor applications, not social work, although the SP101 will suffice for that too...
MR