Ruger SP 101 sight question?

[Bill B.]

On the Ruger SP 101 in .22 LR it has windage adjustable sights but no elevation adjustment. Does it need the elevation adjustment or for those that either own one or have shoot one is the point of impact good from the factory. I have shot some fixed sight guns that were perfect and others that shot both high and low. I have a chance to buy one of these revolvers at a good price but would have liked it a bit better with fully adjustable sights. Looking for some feedback ...........

 

[Nick96]

The .22 SP101's originally came in 2.25 & 3" barrel lengths (matching the .38/.357 SP's). I believe now they are only produced with 4" barrels. In my opinion, barrel length is going to be a more critical factor than adjustible sights. If you are looking for a target pistol with adjustible sights, a 6" or longer barrel is really needed.

That said though, I have one of the early model 2.25" barrel .22 SP's. I got it as a cheap ammo understudy for the .357 SP - and for that purpose it is excellent. About as far out as I regularly shoot with it is about 15 yards (the typical range I expect I will ever use the .357 SP). I can tell you at that range I can consistently put all rounds into a 2" circle SA - and about a 4" circle fairly rapid DA fire. Just judging from what I see at the range, this is on par or better than what I see from other shooters using non- target type revolvers & autos - any caliber - any barrel length.

The windage adjustible feature is a non issue for me. The few times I've messed with adjusting them didn't produce a significant improvement down range - so I just leave them alone now. Elevation has always been spot on as far as I can tell - with any type of ammo (generally the cheap Remington Golden bulk packs since they seem to burn pretty clean).

The more common complaints you hear about the .22 SP's is they tend to weigh a bit more than similar size revolvers (they are built on the .357 frame after all), the cylinder is 6 shots rather than the more popular 9 shots and the DA trigger pull is somewhat heavy (common to all Ruger revolvers & most .22 DA revolvers) - though the SA pull is quite light & crisp. The DA trigger pull really smooths out & lightens some after some live or dry firing - and lighter hammer & trigger springs are available (though I've chosen to just stick with the factory springs so far).

You said you had an opportunity to get one for a good price - and I'm going to assume that's in the $300 range (give or take 50 bucks). You will find that's a lot cheaper than any S&W you will be able to find in comparable condition. Taurus probably currently sells the broadest variety of .22 revolvers right now - and many of the base models sell in that price range. But their quality control seems spotty - and other competitivly priced foreign .22 revolver makers out there are about the same. The Ruger is on par with S&W in terms of quality.

This has been a long winded answer to your question. But the short responce from my experience would be to get it. I really like mine. I think you will find it to be completely satisfactory - and it will certinaly give you years of trouble free service.

 

[JohnKSa]

If it's shooting low, you can file down the front sight or make/buy a shorter one.

If high, the opposite applies.

 

[Bill B.]

Nick96


Appreciate the detailed info. The SP 101 I am looking at is the 4" barrel model .22LR and can be got for less than $300.00. I have heard other's metition the weight also as they are quite " chunky". I don't really wish to get into the hassel of changing out the front sight to adj. the point of aim. I would rather buy a S&W fully adjustable version and be done with it even if they do cost more. Thanks for the replies guys!

 

[Nick96]

Bill B.,

Happy to oblige. If your mind is set on an DA revolver with adjustible sights, I'd have to say the S&W's are going to be the hands down winners. If you are willing to go the extra $150 to $200 (even for something like a used classic S&W K-22) to get what you want, you'll be money ahead down the road.

It's my personal opinion that when it comes to .22's, you should buy the best quality you can afford. Why? .22 ammo is so inexpensive, and the round is so much fun to shoot - that you will be running literally thousands of rounds through it. And faster than you may think. I never go to the range with my .22's where I don't go through at least 300+ rounds. Whereas you can do that with .22's for under $10 - even the least expensive factory loaded center fire 9MM's & .38's are going to run you at least 4 times more. When you are cycling rounds by the thousands rather than the hundreds, little imperfections (sights, grips, triggers, extraction, mis-fires, broken or pre-maturely worn parts, etc.) get real irritating real fast.

If you are more interested in target shooting than the mechanics of the particular handgun - might I suggest a .22 semi auto pistol or a single action (cowboy type) revolver. I of course am a Ruger fan, and that company makes the most popular .22 auto out there (the Mark II and new Mark III's). Most varients of these are going to be much less expensive than comparable DA revolvers. They are practically indestructable, and the basic design has been around for more than 50 years - with after market parts and accessories available for them second only to the Colt 1911 design. Ruger also offers several single action revolvers in .22 that tend to be less costly than comparable DA revolvers. Again, long term proven designs with plenty after market parts and accessories available. Some of those models can also be had with interchangable .22 LR and .22 Magnum cylinders (if you have a need or desire for something with a bit more punch to it). But above all, go with quality makers like S&W, Ruger, Browning & Beretta.

 

[Gary A]

"If high, the opposite applies."

I hear ya, John, but how do I file
up the front sight?

 

[Bill B.]

I already have a Ruger Mark II Slabside Target and a S&W K-22 6" Masterpiece so I have a couple of decent .22's. The reason I was looking at the SP -101 was because of the 4" barrel and its stainless. S&W M18's would fill the bill nicely but are a bit on the high side compared to the Ruger. The S&W 34's and 63's are nice little guns but I find them a little light for target work but they are dandy as a carry in the woods .22. I may still try to work out a trade for the SP 101 as it has been on the dealers shelf for sometime now and it isn't selling. S&W's out sell Ruger revolvers over 3 to 1 in this area so it's sometimes easy to get a good deal if you like Rugers.