Ruger SP 101 3"

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Special_K

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I'm thinking about picking one of these up. I handled one at the local Scheels here in MN and really liked it.

I guess my questions to everyone are:
1: What do you think of the SP 101 3"?
2: Does S&W make anything like it? (I'm not interested in Air weights)
3: Would the 2" be better for carry? I want a revolver I can practice with and still carry.
4: Any good holster recommendations?
 
1: I like them a great deal.

2: S&W Model 60

3: Yes, I greatly prefer the 2.25" for carry, as did my buddy who sold his 3" to buy a 2.25". I use the 2.25" for pocket carry even.

4: If you get the 2.25" a UBG Striker I or Canute. Excellent holsters at a very reasonable price and wait. I use a Desantis Nemesis for pocket carry (the j frame nemesis fits the 2.25" Sp101).

by the way, I have the version with the spurless hammer.
 
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sp 101

Special, i do not own a sp 101, but i can tell you after reading alot of forums about this gun, a lot of peaple love them. Ive heard there very accurate, reliable, and very durable, as for barrel length i think 3 would be fine. And all this is comming from a 686 owner.
 
I have a SS SP101 .357mag, 2 1/4".. Great carry piece. I have a little shoulder rig that puts it butt down and horizontal barrel, tucked right under my arm pit. Concealed with a T shirt is possible. A longer barrel might not. I also sometimes carry it IWB. It is bit on the heavy side, but understandable as it's SS. Surprisingly accurate for a short barrel. Single action is great, but double action trigger pull could use a different spring set. These are the tanks of the smaller snub nose revolvers.

-Steve
 
I carry a 2.25", my son carries the 3.06". Either one will do the job quite well. Both have advantages. The shorter version may clear a fraction better but I doubt you could tell the difference. The longer barrel will handle the recoil a tad better and have somewhat a better sight radius. I wouldn't turn my hand over for the difference. I like his gun extremely well. I know I didn't help a bit, did I? If you want a snap answer; buy the 3 1/16". YOu won't be unhappy. Now as far a S&W goes; the model 60 is probably the closest as it is a J frame if you can find a nice used K frame ie the 10 or 15 which are .38 spl's or even better a snubby 66 or 19 would be a .357. You won't go wrong with either manufacturer. The Ruger is an M1A1 Abrams Tank. The S&W, ain't noting wrong with it either. If you procure the S&W K frame .357 stay with the 147 to 158 grain projectile and that's my opinion; some may disagree. I'm a gun snob! Stay with Ruger or S&W. P.T.
 
Special_K: I'm no gun snob (own several Taurus's & even a Hi-Point), but the SP101 in 2.25" is what sits beside my bed everynight. It is built like a tank, as mentioned previously, and looks great to boot.

.38 Spl loads are much fun to shoot, and magnums are very manageable.

An SP101 was the first gun I ever actually bought (not handed down to me), and I purchased it for CC. However, I soon found it to be too heavy for me for CC use and got an UL Taurus .38 for that purpose. YMMV

I think many people would agree that a SP101 is a great addition to any collection(arsenal), and you don't have to worry about "abusing" it. It likes to be shot.
 
I've got the 3.06" version.

1: What do you think of the SP 101 3"?
Really nice revolver
2: Does S&W make anything like it? (I'm not interested in Air weights)
Sorry, no idea
3: Would the 2" be better for carry? I want a revolver I can practice with and still carry.
I carry my 3.06" SP101 with no problem. A 2.25" model may be a bit easier.
4: Any good holster recommendations?
I'm very happy with my Don Hume Model 721 with retention strap (protects both the hammer and your clothing). The gun carries very well.

I carry this one now and then. It is always loaded and close at hand.
 
Spl K,

The SP101 tends to create strong opinions. As you can see many really love its solid construction and "midsize" dimensions.

Others dislike the weight although the proponents will tout this as an advantage in taming recoil.

To me, it fills the nitch between snubby and full frame revolver nicely.

I have only two complaints, neither of which would deter me from purchasing it.

It is annoying that the factory trigger is so bad that the first thing needed is a Wolf spring kit. Also I loathe the warning label on the barrel.

That notwithstanding it is the only new revolver that I am considering presently.

Virtually every range has one to loan or rent so please, shoot before you buy.

Good luck
 
I have a couple of SP101s (both barrel lengths) and love them. That being said, don't discount S & W, my daily carry is a Smith 642 with a Crimson Trace laser. Even though I like the Rugers I don't want to carry the additional weight that comes with the SP101, just my opinion.
 
I have the 3" w/Hammer. For more dedicated CCW I believe the 2" version is a significantly better choice. Been carrying a quite a while with a number of different weapons and learned that 1" makes a big difference. Having said that I believe the SP101 is one of the best values on the market.

S&W makes a model 60-15 (check me on the suffix) that is a .357 in 3". It's a VERY good gun. It doesn't weight as much as the SP101 so you'll likely notice a bit more recoil. You'll also pay a LOT more for it and it has the dreaded lock. Not sure if there are pre-lock 3" S&W's but if there is you'll be hard pressed to find a used one for sale and if you do it'll likely be over the internet and it'll definitely cost more than $550 unless it's in rough shape.

The S&W's have a lot more grip options, the SP101 grip options are pretty good if you have medium to large hands. If your hands run on the smaller side then the grip choices are more limited. The good news is that the stock grips are simply outstanding.

Some of the negatives for the SP101 is the trigger but the wolf spring kit cost me $8 and it took me 5 minutes to put it in and putting in the main spring (that's all I did) is an absolute no brainer and made a HUGE difference in my gun. Makes the pull better than any other revolver. Shooting the gun a lot does actually help some as well.

Another bad is that my gun was very SHARP when I got it. The trigger guard, the trigger, etc. we're sharp and actually cut me shooting .357. you can sand these to mellow the edges a bit without messing up the finish. Mine had to make a trip back to Ruger because it locked up during my very first range session. When I sent it in I mentioned the sharpness and they took care of that nicely and I can't "see" any difference but I FEEL the difference.

For holsters HBE Specialty leather works makes a COMIII IWB that is simply the highest quality available today but at a very good price ($109 I think) and you only wait 3-4 weeks). Another less expensive option is an IWB from AJ Concealco. I have several of those. They're around $70 and work very well. The front strap has an unusual attachement point but I like it. the quality is acceptable and the cant is adjustable. I can't say enough good about this holser if you want to spend less money.

Then for true economy you can check out FIST leather hoslters. they're just "okay". I've used a number of them.

For OWB holsters I'd recommend you AVOID the K&D Defender series unless you are really thick from front to back. They're holsters are very thick and the imprint of the cylinder is on the back side so if you're narrow it bends over and pulls the cylinder into your side and isn't too comfortable. But if yoiu're big, this won't be a problem.

Then there's a guy called UBG holsters. Quality is medium to approaching excellent and he makes some good stuff.

I plan on keeping my 3" w/Hammer for a rough and tumble field gun. Then I'd like to get the 2" and send it to Gemini Customs and have the gun done up real nice (check out their web site and you'll drool!).

Problem I've had is finding beautiful wood grips for the SP101 for the smaller hand. Best I've found are Eagle Secret Service grips but even they are a tad large and you can't use a spead loader with them so I'm pretty much stuck with the stock grips.

Many buy inserts for the stock grips. There's a small black plastic piece that can be replaced with a wood insert. Ruger used to sell them but no longer does and there are only a few guys selling them now so they choices there are limited as well.

If you like the gun stock as it is, then you're golden.

I think it's probably the best all round value in a .357 revolver that there is.

I did add some Pachmyr Compaq grips and they fit small hands and REALLY tame .357 recoil and with .38's it's like shooting a hyped up .22 mag. Those are outstanding grips for the SP101 and they look good too.

Another good thing is that you can get replacement front sights. The front sight is pinned so you could get a night sight or fiber optic sight installed. Take a look at the "wonder sights" at the Gemini Customs web page and you'll see what I mean. You'll want a gunsmith to do the sight install but at least it can be done.

Based on my experience I'd say for an all round woods, CCW, home defense, etc gun I'd get the 3" with hammer. But if this is really going to be a more dedicated CCW piece, I'd get the DAO version (hammer is bobbed) with the 2" version. Also if it's dedicated CCW I wouldn't worry about prettying up the gun or how it looks if you use 600 grit sand paper to smooth the edges.

Hope this helps.
God Bless
Gideon
 
1. Best compact handgun in the world.

2. No. The J-frame is smaller, and the K-frame is larger. In size, the SP101 is like the discontinued Colt Detective Special, but with its 5-shot cylinder, a stronger weapon.

3. Better for carrying in what manner? With a good sturdy belt and holster, they will be equal. With a less-sturdy set-up, the longer barrel will balance better, and flop around LESS. In a pocket or ankle rig, the shorter barrel is generally better.

4. Milt Sparks PMK, the best sixgun holster I have found, period, for my 2.25" SP101s and my 4" Speed Six. The 3-1/16" SP101 is between these sizes, so should work just as well.

I don't yet own an SP101 in the 3-1/16" barrel length, but it has long been on my short list, because I believe answer #1 above. Really. Once I no longer have a badge, and will feel less urge to tote a large "battle" pistol, I want to have on of these perfect-sized Rugers.
 
If I didn't already own a 3" S&W 65-5, I'd probbaly pick one of these up (heck, I might anyway). I think the K frame is closer to the size of the SP-101 (vs. a J-frame). The K holds 6, the Ruger holds 5. That doesn't bother me much. I wish Ruger still made the 38/357 SP-101 w/ a 4" tube.
 
S&W makes a model 60 with a 3" barrel and adjustable sights. It weighs about 24oz. The gun is slim and carries IWB well.

A 2" barrel can be pocket carried. The airweight guns are ideal for this. I carry a 642 and a model 12 this way. It is easier to pocket carry a light gun if your going to lug it around all day.

It is a good idea to practice with what you carry. I shoot homemade 148gr wadcutters for practice followed by a cylinder or two of my carry ammunition.

Kramerleather.com makes really good highend holsters. Rays Holsters(shado.com) sells good inexpensive hosters. Mika makes the best pocket holster in my opinion.
 
I love my new 3" SP. I find the stock trigger spring to work fine on my gun, but may experiment with a lighter pull (wife shoots it as well). The spring change is cheap and easy enough to do at home. I put on Hogue rubber grips but the stock grips shoot fine (I have smaller hands). It's a lot of fun to shoot in 38 or 357.
IMO, the gun is too large and heavy for conceal carry. I can't imagine sitting down or even bending over with it on my side. I have a cheap, Mikes IWB holster but just for range use. Living in Maryland, CC is not an option for me. I assume a big, pancake style OWB holster would work much better.
 
Wow!
I didn't expect to get this much help!
It sounds like I could probably get away with carrying the 3" version in a good holster with a beltman belt. :)

I'm still debating between the 2" and the 3" model I guess if either offered up at a good price I would take it.
 
I own a 3" 101 and it's excellent. I would never own a 2". I don't see the point. If you are looking for something to carry in a pocket, even the 2" is too heavy for me so I would have to go to a S&W airweight. I carry in an ISWB holster which makes the extra inch of the 3" a non-issue. The pluses are increased sight radius, increased bullet velocity, and just more comfortable to shoot. Great gun.
 
Though I use mine for pocket carry. I would suggest if you are going for IWB carry, get the 3". If you are looking for OWB carry then get the 2"

The longer barrel will actually stabilize the gun better IWB, where the longer barrel for OWB would be that much more barrel hanging past your belt line.
 
Recently purchased the SP101 in .357 with 2.25" bbl, with CT laser grips, for my wife. We are both very pleased with it. The DA/SA action is as smooth as my S&W's with stoned actions. I am absolutely enamored with the CT laser grip/sights.
 
Recent SP101s I have handled at a local dealer have tended to have VERY smooth actions. I bought a 2.25" with a hammer spur, with a smoothness that rivals a K-frame with a trigger job. No, this SP101 does not have a light trigger, but very, very smooth.

There is a 3-1/16" SP101 at the same nearby dealer right now that is calling my name; I may well put if on lay-awake, er, I mean layaway soon if nobody else grabs it first.
 
I really like my 3 inch Sp101. It doesnt ride as well in a pocket as the 2 inch would but its really to heavy for me to ocket carry comfortably anyways. I carry mine IWB with no problems at all.
 
1: What do you think of the SP 101 3"?
I like the two we have. The 3.06" balances better than the 2.125" guns, and the revolvers are heavy enough to need belt carry. IWB with the longer barrel is no issue, and the longer barrel provides a bit more velocity and a longer sight radius.

2: Does S&W make anything like it? (I'm not interested in Air weights)
The M60 is close but the S&W is smaller. The SP-101 is somewhere between the J-frames and K-frames in size.

3: Would the 2" be better for carry? I want a revolver I can practice with and still carry.
I carry the three-inch gun.

4: Any good holster recommendations?
Sparks VM-2 is great for this revolver. Got one for Xmas.
 
1: What do you think of the SP 101 3"?
Click to expand...

I like the one I have in .32 H&R mag.

2: Does S&W make anything like it? (I'm not interested in Air weights)
Click to expand...

The model 60, which, IMO, is a much nicer gun. But they didn't offer it in .32, which is what I was after. Already owned five .357's. S&W's have better fit & finish, and the lockwork is far smoother. If S&W had made a 2-1/2 or 3" M60 in .32, I wouldn't have the SP101.

3: Would the 2" be better for carry? I want a revolver I can practice with and still carry.
Click to expand...

With a revolver, the barrel is not the difficult part to hide. Little difference between the 2-1/4" and 3-1/16".

4: Any good holster recommendations?
Click to expand...

Bianchi is my first choice.
 
I have a 2.25 inch in .38 Special that I sent to Gemini and a 3 inch in .357 Magnum. The 3 inch has Trausch grips on it, which fit my hand perfectly, but make the gun more of a field gun than a CCW. I'm either going to send it eventually to Gemini, or I may try the Wolff springs route. For a great pancake holster that is tough as nails, I like the Simply Rugged:http://www.simplyrugged.com/index.html
 
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