Ruger SP101: CC Experience

[GP100Wii]

Hello --

I'm really looking to get a Ruger SP101 357 as my CC firearm (2").

I would prefer it over an LCR, and would in fact love to get the SP101 hands down.

Some help please
I don't care about actual comfort-type concerns with its weight.

I do care about actual, practical concerns with carrying it.
- Sagging pants? (will a good belt take care of this for sure?)
- Printing
- etc.

Those with experience -- is CC with the SP101 very doable? Or is it a challenge that would in fact make it a difficult carry gun.

I'm 5'9, 150 lbs.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I bought one in 1995, if I recall correctly. It is my main carry gun. I carry it in a simple leather pancake with a shirttail over top. I sometimes have it on 12 hours a day and forget it's there until I flop down on the couch on it.

 

[goon]

CCW with the SP-101 is entirely possible, but you need to have a good holster and a stiff belt.

 

[788Ham]

I've got a 3 " I carry CC in a Bianchi pancake, never know its there, comfortable, wear a cover shirt over it. Fits tight against the body, never sags. I got an "Instructors" belt at Cabela's for $25 OTD, very secure rig.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Carries and conceals easy. Mine is a 3" and I carry it in the waist band in a Galco holster. I open carry in a Simply Rugged pancake holster.

the 3" with a full hammer is too big for pocket carry IMO

I want to get a hybrid holster for it

 

[silicosys4]

I also carry a 3" sp101 in a simply rugged pancake holster set up with IWB straps. It carries well, a good leather belt keeps it up and tight. It doesn't print under a tshirt at 4 o'clock IWB with hogue grips on it, but I'm looking to get a set of badger boot grips which are even smaller.

 

[fxstchewy]

I carry my 2.25" SP in a Mitch Rosen OWB works great.

 

[Fiv3r]

The 2.25" SP101 is my primary edc.
I carry it on a stiff belt I made. The holster is a simple pancake I made from a kit I bought at Tandy Leather and wet moulded to lock it in.

It rides high and tight and I never know it's there. I wear a shirt over it and it never prints more than a cell phone. Under a sweatshirt or overshirt it's invisible. I'm 5'10, 195# with a 32 waist for reference.

It really is a great carry piece for my needs as I like a hefty gun.

 

[HexHead]

...but you need to have a good holster and a stiff belt.

This is good advice, regardless if the gun. Makes all the difference in carry comfort.

 

[BLU]

I wanted a 3" but couldn't find one! I bought the shorter barrel SP101 .357 model. I stopped carrying the pre-lock Chief Special & sold the Taurus 605 specifically to carry just the 101. I'm use to a pancake holster like those guys above. However, I prefer my Miami Classic shoulder holster as it hides well with just a summer shirt and is even more comfy than a pancake. I love the SP101 in the Miami rig. The older belt holsters used for the Chief accepted the SP101 gun fine, but, the Galco shoulder holster was too fitted to the Chief so I had to order a new 101 holster as a replacement on my Miami Classic.

(Anyone interested in a almost-new J-frame holster for the Miami Classic?) The new 101 model holster is a tight fit but is stretching well and I can get my LCR .357 in there as well now, (though I doubt I'll carry it much with the 101 around!). I also purchased the Hogue rubber, finger groove, grips for the SP101 and made it even more so my favorite carry piece, (less than $20).

 

[SunnySlopes]

I carry the 2 inch SP 101. It's a DA only model and I use an IWB holster. The belt is critical for carrying a gun. Your typical $12 GAP belt won't do. You'll need a real gun belt, such as Beltman sells. http://www.thebeltman.net/

The problem with my holster is that I didn't pay enough attention to the specs in the online description. It's an IWB with clip that slides over belt/pants, etc. With my belt that is 1 1/2 inches wide, the clip can't fasten securely and rides off the belt when I'm sitting. I have to wear a 1 1/4 inch wide belt when I wear that rig.

Other than that, the gun is ideal for CCW.

 

[goon]

I also purchased the Hogue rubber, finger groove, grips for the SP101 and made it even more so my favorite carry piece, (less than $20).

I have the Hogue grips on mine as well. The original grips were a little too small for me and I lost some control, but the Hogues fit my hand very well. Full power magnum loads aren't at all painful with them. You can't get past the blast and the jump in that small of a gun, but it's not painful to shoot.

 

[LNK]

Yes a good belt will help. In fact without it you are wasting your time. With a good belt and holster, I carry a 4" gp100.

 

[JRWhit]

Carried an SP101 for a few years. never had an issue with a decent belt and an IWB leather holster at 3-4 o'clock. Never noticed the weight. I'm a medium frame at about 195lbs. I could see it being cumbersome for some one smaller.
The LCRs are pretty nice. I was really impressed with the double action triggers.
I haven't had the pleasure of the magnum, but the 38 +p shoots quite nicely.

 

[tomrkba]

I do care about actual, practical concerns with carrying it.
- Sagging pants? (will a good belt take care of this for sure?)
- Printing
- etc.

Those with experience -- is CC with the SP101 very doable? Or is it a challenge that would in fact make it a difficult carry gun.

I'm 5'9, 150 lbs.

Of course it is very concealable.

The advice I give is always the same:

1) Buy a 1 1/2" wide GUN belt. I like Comp-Tac kydex reinforced belts.

2) Buy a holster with forward cant. Have one that goes inside the waistband (IWB) and one that rides on the outside (OWB). The Milt Sparks Versa Max 2 is a great concealed carry holster with forward cant. Just skip all the others and buy one. I use the DeSantis Thumb Break Scabbard or one of the El Paso Saddlery OWB holsters. I usually get them with thumb breaks for a bit of security.

3) Don't be a dork and walk around with a black belt and a brown holster. Match your rig up with your shoes. I'm serious about this. Women will think you're an idiot if you do this.

4) Dress around the gun. An IWB holster will conceal better because the gun is tucked in tight. Get the Milt Sparks holster. Trust me: I have several large boxes full of holsters that I never use. Do not worry about the wait; just order it and it will arrive in several months. Buy matching speed loader holders (similar to Safariland #371 holders; Milt Sparks knows about them). If you don't get the VM 2, you'll end up buying 10 holsters before buying the VM 2. Maybe this is a gunny tradition; the holster manufacturers are counting on your "search for the perfect holster".

5) Modify the gun slightly. Add a front night sight, chamfer the charge holes and have the trigger smoothed out by an experienced gunsmith. There should be no stacking or grit.

Don't swap the springs and put in a light trigger reset spring. Your trigger finger will outrun the reset and you'll have to work hard to avoid slapping the trigger on the next shot.

6) Grips are very important. Buy something that you can conceal, which means it's as short as possible while allowing you to get your small finger on the grip. Herretts, Badger, and Eagle all make "boot" grips. You may want to try Pachmayr.

7) Carry at least two full reloads. At least one reload should be in a speedloader and stored on your belt in front of the gun. Buy six to ten Safariland Comp I loaders from The Speedloader Store. Buy a pack or two of speed strips and something to put them in. I built a little kydex clamshell that protects the cartridges, but you could use leather or buy a leather speed strip holder (belt mounted or a pocket version).

Also pick up at least two Safariland #371 Holders (or the Milt Sparks equivalent). I have tried everything available and built my own stuff and the #371 holders are the best solution I have found with decent concealability. Pockets do not work well because the loader is not consistently presented.

8) Attend at least one two day defensive handgun course taught by a REVOLVER instructor. This will allow you to wring out your gun and gear while teaching you about the SP101. Ask the instructor if he or she knows revolvers; if not, look elsewhere. Mas Ayoob knows revolvers and trains people all around the country. Grant Cunningham teachs also. Thunder Ranch and Gunsite offer revolver courses, but they're on the high end.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

I owned and carried one for a while. It is much too heavy and large to be a successful pocket gun. It is much better as a compact belt gun, or something to carry in your vehicle (revolvers don't eject empty cases).

 

[Riomouse911]

I like revolvers, and have several with 3" or shorter barrels in .22, (J frame) .38 (2-J and a K frame, SP101) and .357 (2 K-frames and a Dan Wesson with a 2" barrel in the set).

ANY small .357 is a grizzly to shoot with magnum loads, even the chunky Sp101. It's been my experience with new-to-the-gun magnum-snub revolver shooters that most are fired about 15-20 times with full house loads, then the box of magnums is retired permanently for 38+P.

I have the Sp101 in .38 special. It's chunkier/heavier than the M-49 bodyguard I have in the safe, so it will sag pants when used without a good belt/carry holster as posted. (Compared to my 642, it is like a boat anchor..but it is WORLDS more fun to shoot than that lightweight ever will be.)

honestly, any carry gun that is a chore to carry...over time will be carried less and less. If you get used to the drill, get used to the gun, and (honestly) don't mind having to carry a bit of weight, it'll be a great companion. And like most Rugers it'll out last you, your grandkids, and maybe even their grandkids to boot.

 

[sgt127]

I put many miles on an SP101 with an old suede inside the belt holster. It's not quite a pocket gun due to weight, but, at least it's usable with full house magnums. As a matter of fact, it's the lightest gun I would shoot with real magnums.

 

[tomrkba]

honestly, any carry gun that is a chore to carry...over time will be carried less and less.

Jim Cirillo put it best in Guns, Bullets and Gunfights when he said, in a fight, you will want the largest gun in the largest caliber with the highest capacity possible.

Unmotivated and complacent people who demand convenience over everything else want a tiny gun that does not bother them in any way. Cooper's "Common Man" concept comes to mind when they say this. One should excel at concealed carry and defensive handgunnery, rather than be lazy and complacent about the activity.

"This preoccupation with equality is another symptom of the degeneracy of The Age of the Common Man. In the first place it is an illusion, since men are not created equal, except in the political sense. Everyone is better or worse than someone else in a particular example of his capacities, and pretending that this is not so is simply silly. Excellence, not mediocrity, should be everyone's goal, and it is hard to think of anything, from gardening to crossword puzzles, at which someone may not excel."

--Jeff Cooper in Shotluck

My current revolver for carry is a Ruger GP100 with 4" barrel. It beats a snubby in all respects except for the ability to fit in a pocket--which disqualifies such guns from my carry rotation in most cases. The important part is the shooting aspect since criminals are not impressed with misses.

 

[Haywood]

My SP101 is in my carry rotation. I normally carry it AIWB. I can carry it there comfortably all day. I have carried it in pockets but, the pants have to be heavy duty so they don't sag. I much prefer my LCR 357 or S&W442 for pocket carry. The SP handles mid range 357 and 38+P easily. With the SP in the waist and shirt out I have no printing and have never been questioned about carrying. With a SP and back up LCR I feel well protected.

 

[garrysks]

I carry the SP in a DeSantis Nemesis pocket holster. Yes, it is a little heavy, but I'm used to carrying lots of stuff in my pockets at work, like nuts and bolts, etc. I carry the gun in my right front pocket, and 3 speedloaders with Federal 115g JHP in my left pocket. It's not for everybody, but it works great for me.

 

[ronto]

I've carried the 2 1/4" in a Mika pocket holster for years and don't find it to be too heavy.

 

[Thomas Traddles]

I have the 2.25" SP101 and use a simply rugged pancake holster that can go either iwb or owb. I usually carry owb. It does cause me to hike my britches a bit more than the LCR 38 +P. It is about the only thing I can say badly about it. It is not the rig to carry that is so problematic, but my body shape. Suspenders would probably be a good idea, since, like Hank Hill, I have no ass.

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I'd be interested to know from tomrkba what rig he uses to carry the GP100. I've thought that it would make a good carry weapon and I would be keen to know what his experience might be.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Suspenders would probably be a good idea, since, like Hank Hill, I have no.....

Suspenders are not a terrible idea. I have no issue carrying my SP101, but I have carried a 5" 460 magnum X frame on the hip while hiking by using suspenders.

 

[shadow9]

Had mine for a while now - carry with the flimsy thin single-clip Bianchi holster. Just upgraded to a Crossbreed, waiting for that to arrive. I've hidden it with the flimsy setup (dress belt too) with cargo shorts and an untucked cotton polo shirt with ease.