Broke in my SP101

[herkyguy]

First revolver purchase. I just finally got my hands on some .357 and had a great hour at the range yesterday. .38 is fun, but .357 is an amazing and awe-inspiring thing. I am really glad i went with the SP101 as the weight really absorbs the kick from the gun. I feel like i could shoot .357 magnum all day long if it wasn't so expensive. it's the 2 1/4" barrel, stock trigger, and stock sights. At 5 yards the gun is accurate enough for me to trust it. plus it's a revolver. so I will probably purchase a crossbreed supertuck in the next few weeks and try it out as a carry gun. beautiful piece of craftsmanship!!! the ammo is .357 winchester magnum SJHP 110 gr., CCI shotshells, and .38 +P Hornady 110 gr.

 

[BP Hunter]

Congrats!! Beautiful looking piece. I have a Taurus MOdel 85 ultralight snubbie that I have been very happy with but have been seriously looking into trading it for the SP 101. I wanted to have a Ruger and be sure that it would last a lifetime.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Congrats on your 1st revolver purchase...you made a great choice! The SP101 is a good one. In the revolver line, I've got Colts and S&W's (Rugers too.)

But right on my side today is the SP101.

 

[messerist]

I just got this one on Saturday. The Stag grips from Sack Petersonhttp://www.sackpeterson.com arrived while I was at the gun store picking the gun up! This is the second one I've owned in two years! First one I sold to my brother after he blackmailed me by threatening to tell my big sister who burned her Barbies at the stake when we were little. It is a great carry revolver IMHO. I hope you enjoy your's herkyguy. p.s. don't sell it to anyone even if you are blackmailed!

 

[Dee]

Congrats on the purchase! I just joined the Sp-101 club recently myself with this being my first revolver purchase as well. I also enjoy shooting .357 ammo out of it.

Messerist; those are great looking grip inserts, I was thinking of hardwood ones or stag but I really like the ones you have pictured.

 

[Drail]

The SP 101 is probably the greatest design to come out of the Ruger factory. I do wish they would spend a little more time and deburr their triggers though. A nice clean freshly machined 90 degree corner has no place on the trigger. At least it's not a big deal to fix it. You probably won't ever wear those SPs out.

 

[messerist]

Dee, he charges $45 and that includes shipping and the optional Ruger emblem. He is my go-to-guy for stag of which I am totally addicted to.

 

[Lone Star]

That Ruger logo looks really nice. Classes up the gun no end.

What inserts are available from this guy, other rhan stag?

Lone Star

 

[TwoNiner]

How do you like the winchester 110g .357 ammo? That seems like a light bullet. Try the 158g American Eagle load next time. BOOM!

 

[riceboy72]

Ugh, it's posts like these that's making it hard for me to turn the blind eye on the SP101's for sale in the case at the local gun shop. I really want one for backpacking and hiking, and keep getting more and more tempted, especially when I see posts like this one.

Sheesh. Resistance is futile, isn't it?

 

[herkyguy]

The winchester 110 gr SJHP was all i could get - at walmart of all places for $27.00 per 50. i have nothing to compare it to, but i would love to get some heavier bullets and give them a try. My Corbon DPX just came in from cabelas yesterday. Although with the price, i probably won't be shooting them for fun.

one of the great things about a .357 is the variety of ammo. I've got some hornady .38+P defense, the winchester .357, some CCI .38, a box of shotshell, and now the DPX. I am planning on a central florida hike this coming sunday and my SP101 will certainly be with me.

like i said, this is my first revolver, but it really is a great gun and i now fully appreciate the value of a revolver. it really changes one's perspective.

 

[LRS_Ranger]

You will love this gun forever... BTW try some 158gr Magtech's .... Makes the dude next lane over with the 9mm feel like he has a toy... kaBOOM!

 

[pezo]

Go get some holster wear on that thing, then its broke in. P.S, what .357 mag loads are you shooting out of that thing that you dont find them uncomfortable to shoot, excessivly muzzle blasting and slow to follow up's? My most comfortable are remmy 125 grain sjhp's and that still bites. I use a recoil glove for .357. I am a .38+p convert. I did try though.

 

[pezo]

Ah my bad you did mention what type. 110 grain. I wonder if thats the difference. Ill have to try 110's. 158's are insane.

 

[amd6547]

I shoot a 3' SP101, and don't find recoil with 357 mag ammo to be excessive at all...I have shot AE and Blazer 158gn, and DoubleTap 125gn (my carry load).

 

[Cocked & Locked]

I shoot handloads in my .357's...N and K frame S&W's, Colt Python, SP101. I load no differently for any of them.

158 grain Hornady XTP's or 158 grain lead SWC's (pictured above) over a healthy dose of 2400 powder. They speak with authority just as a .357 is supposed to.

from little to medium to big

 

[herkyguy]

Can't find any 158s near me. The 110s are not bad at all, but there is definitely muzzle blast. Someone please clue me in as to what is the maximum weight of a round for .357?? I am new to this revolver and also new to .357. Thanks.

 

[Sam1911]

A reloading manual can tell you a lot of cool things like maximum safe loads. Here's what Hodgdon has to say about some heavy .357 Mag. loads:

180 GR. NOS PART Hodgdon H4227 .357" 1.575" 13.7 1308 40,900 CUP

180 GR. NOS PART Winchester 296 .357" 1.575" 13.5 1396 39,100 CUP

180 GR. NOS PART Hodgdon H110 .357" 1.575" 13.5 1396 39,100 CUP

180 GR. NOS PART Hodgdon Lil'Gun .357" 1.575" 15.0 1422 34,500 CUP

So you could safely push a 180 gr. .357 bullet over 1,400 fps from a strong .357 Mag. revolver.

Look for companies like DoubleTap and BuffaloBore for factory loads like that.

In fact, here's a page of them from BB: http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=20

Hold on tight, ok?

 

[Dee]

So far I have only tried the Remington 125 gr'ers, I didn't think the recoil was that bad and I enjoyed shooting them. Plus it seems like that is the perfered weight for SD in .357 from what I understand so I will likely stick with that for the most part.

 

[357mag.]

Imo,the full-house 125's and 158's are not bad out of the 101 as the weight of the pistol really helps.I see no differnce in follow-up shots between 38 +p's and the mags.As far as S/D loads,the lightest I would go is the 125's and the heavyest would be 158's.

 

[stealth]

I'm curious, having shot a S&W 442(642) with a variety of .38+p (125, 158). If anybody has both, how does the SP101(2") compare in recoil when shooting the same weight (125, 158) but in factory .357 magnum form?

 

[Old Jimmy]

My wife loves he SP 101 and has no trouble shooting full house .357 loads out of it but tells me my 1911 kicks too much. She says her SP is too heavy to carry now so she wants to leave it in the nightstand and get a Ruger LCP to carry...

 

[rd2007]

That is a good problem to have, Jimmy. I wish my wife was encouraging me to buy more toys..

 

[vulture]

I have one with the 3" barrel but it's chambered for the .32 H&R Mag. Sweet gun and fun round, I can put .32 S&W Longs and Shorts through it as well, not as accurate, but sure are fun, especially those light little shorts.

 

[Sisco]

Love mine. It's at the top of my list of keepers.