Ruger SP101: Love it, Hate it, or...?

Do you love the SP101, is it "okay", or do you hate the darn things?

  • 1) Love It

    Votes: 54 46.6%

  • 2) It's Okay

    Votes: 51 44.0%

  • 3) Hate It

    Votes: 11 9.5%
  • Total voters
    116
I purchased my current one (hammered, 2.25in--.357) NIB for $449 in 2018-2019ish----it did have to take a trip to the mothership for the hammer pin backing out and was handled by the dealer causing no problems for me and was back in a week. It wears a Hogue rubber grip and is one of the most accurate handguns I own.

I'll probably eventually get a 3in version too-- but not at todays prices.

With all that said, my new LCP Max has pretty much pushed out all my other carry guns including my new Shield Plus---because it's so easy to carry and has quite a bit of firepower.
 
Omaha-BeenGlockin said:
I purchased my current one (hammered, 2.25in--.357) NIB for $449 in 2018-2019ish----it did have to take a trip to the mothership for the hammer pin backing out and was handled by the dealer causing no problems for me and was back in a week. It wears a Hogue rubber grip and is one of the most accurate handguns I own.

I'll probably eventually get a 3in version too-- but not at todays prices.

With all that said, my new LCP Max has pretty much pushed out all my other carry guns including my new Shield Plus---because it's so easy to carry and has quite a bit of firepower.
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Funny you should mention “todays prices.” I stopped at a local gun show this weekend and observed, for example, an LCR with a gun show price of $589 (38 special). A new 442 at the same table was $419. I guess demand has skewed prices like this. SMH.
 
I have one I bought new. 1994 or so. I’ve carried it a bunch. Bobbed the hammer. Bought a new hammer, carried it that way for awhile, remembered why I bobbed it in the first place.

There’s pitting under the grips. Little dents and dings. But, they just feel good to me. It feels substantial. Comforting. And, it’s as small and light a revolver I will shoot magnums in.

Out hiking. One speedloader full of hardcast. One full of rat shot.

upload_2023-7-10_5-48-42.jpeg


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Wandered into Smittys gun shop in Oak Cliff Dallas. 1996 or so. Saw this, brand new in the box way in the back. ridiculously cheap. It’s the original short frame in .38 Special. Still new in the box in my safe.

upload_2023-7-10_5-54-54.jpeg

So, yeah. I’m a fan.
 
sgt127 said:
And, it’s as small and light a revolver I will shoot magnums in.
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Mosin Bubba said:
It does a good job of setting the minimum shootable size for a 357. So it succeeds on that count.
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More than once, I've thought that if I ever switched to carrying a revolver, it wouldn't be anything smaller/lighter than an SP because that's the smallest/lightest gun I would be willing to shoot in .357Mag.
 
My SP101 will handle +P 9mm ammo just fine that I wouldn't enjoy shooting through a j-frame.

If I were to carry 357, I'd definitely prefer an SP101 instead of a j-frame.

For 38's I'd rather carry the LCR or 642. The SP101 seems like a lot of gun to carry for that cartridge. My LCR is 13.5 ounces and I can shoot 38's just fine with it. The 25-30 ounce weight of the SP101 is unnecessary for that cartridge, IMHO.
 
Rexster said:
I have dealt with the capacity “problem” by carrying multiple revolvers. In early 2002, when I reluctantly transitioned to a Glock G22 duty pistol, I discontinued my habit of using the same handgun, on and off the clock. Gen3 Glocks did not fit me very well, which contributed to my shooting an SP101 better than the G22. That was 2002, when I added the second spur-less SP101, soon followed by another, with the hammer spur. Instead of carrying a full-sized duty pistol during personal time, I carried two or three SP101 snubs. Some days, my 4” GP100 subbed for one of the snubs, as “primary.”

The 3” SP101 was a nice replacement for a very special revolver that I let get away from me. In the Eighties, I had an S&W Model 60, a stainless J-Frame, with a 3” bull barrel, and a square butt, one of a limited edition. I could shoot that one as accurately as I could a medium-frame revolver, especially when our qual course was set-up to be shot with five rounds between the mandated reloads. I very nearly shot a felon with this one, as he pivoted and tried to draw a huge 5.5” Ruger Redhawk, which he had tucked, holster-less, into his britches. He fumbled his draw, resulting in the Redhawk falling to the pavement. I already had the 3” Model 60 in-hand, so, he was taking a big chance, trying to draw. We learned that this felon had gone to prison as a teenager, for murdering the neighborhood ice cream man, and had just been released, after 30+ years, shortly before I almost shot him. He had been burglarizing vehicles, and was in an area we had staked-out, to catch folks like him. Unlike most car burglars, in the Eighties, he was packing iron. He admitted that he was thinking about committing armed robberies, in the area that we had under surveillance.

Multiple-snub carry was/is not just for ammo capacity, but for accessibility options. I write lefty, but throw righty, and shoot DA revolvers decently well both righty and lefty. Some thugs target their intended victim’s right hands/arms, at the beginning of an attack, so, having a weapon positioned for lefty access has merit.

Another reason for multiple five-shot snubs is the amount of work space that one has, when reloading. There is ample clearance when working with a K/L-Frame, Speed/Security/Service Six, or GP100 cylinder. SP101 and J-Frame revolvers require more care in aligning the speed-loader or other loading device.

To be clear, I am not all-revolver, every day. I use Glocks, too, with some frequency, especially when abusive environments are a factor. We live not far from brackish and salt water, and in this wet, green, humid part of Texas, my own body is producing plenty of salty perspiration, much of the year. Gen4 and Gen5 Glocks fit my hands much better than the Gen3 Glocks I was using 20 years ago.
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Thank you for this post. It finally struck me that whatever knife & handgun I'm carrying, they're always both on my right side. If my right hand were grabbed or incapacitated (happened to me recently), I would be up the famous stream without means of propulsion.

I'm going to get an appropriate carry sheath for a small fixed-blade knife that I know I can use decently left-handed, and start carrying it on my left side. (It's the one in my avatar.)

Update: The OEM kydex sheath works fine with the belt clip removed. It draws easily left-handed. My new EDC. Who says an old dog can't learn new tricks? TY again. :)
 
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Anchorite said:
Funny you should mention “todays prices.” I stopped at a local gun show this weekend and observed, for example, an LCR with a gun show price of $589 (38 special). A new 442 at the same table was $419. I guess demand has skewed prices like this. SMH.
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Academy sports has locked 642s for $519. Crazy innit?
 
I probably have had the worse luck with SP101’s than any firearm I ever owned … I have had one good one .. first one I ever owned probably 16 yrs ago .. a DAO 2.25 inch model that was fantastic
3 others that I owned after I had traded my DAO
Had problems.. canted barrels.. horrible yoke to frame fit and /or super incredible heavy trigger pull
I sent one to Ruger .. I was told canted barrel and horrible yoke to frame fit was within specs … :)
 
Tallball said:
When the SP101 came out in 327 magnum I ordered a four-incher, because it was the only DA one available at the time, or the only one I wanted anyway. I got it and took it to the range. Apparently it was designed to exactly not fit my hand well, no matter what kind of grips I put on it. I was shocked that the trigger on a "nice" revolver (that I paid full retail for!) was so terrible. I kept taking my 32 H&R Single Six to the range instead, then I got over it.

Later I decided to buy a ridiculously inexpensive 2.5" 357 version that was supposedly a "display model" (untrue). The trigger was absolutely terrible. Traded it towards something else and got over it.

Then my LGS had a 2.5" version in 9mm. I didn't own a DA 9mm revolver. The trigger was fairly decent. They made me a good deal. I got a pair of the Hogue grips that seem to fit me best. I replaced the mainspring with a slightly lighter one. I could shoot it "okay". I was moderately pleased with my purchase.

9mm ammo has been half the cost of 38 special for ages, so I've been doing most of my snub practice with the SP101 for the past year or two. It took a lot of time and effort, but I can shoot it almost as well as my j-frames by now. Its trigger still isn't great, but I'm used to it. It still doesn't fit my hand that well, but I'm used to it. I realized that the stainless sights were bothering me, so I blackened them front and rear. When I shoot a good j-frame lately it seems easy, so apparently the SP101 is pretty good for snubby practice.

I still don't love the SP101, but I'm glad I've put the time and effort into learning to shoot them decently. I'm a better shooter as a result.

View attachment 1160884
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On YouTube there is a video from MCarbo doing an action job on an SP. Since I did mine, it's so much easier to shoot. (Caution: The trigger assembly is tricky.)

Still heavy compared to a J frame, but I can shoot reduced .357s through it with ease.

One thing I'm still struggling with though, is what's the best way for me to carry at least one reload?
 
sgt127 said:
I have one I bought new. 1994 or so. I’ve carried it a bunch. Bobbed the hammer. Bought a new hammer, carried it that way for awhile, remembered why I bobbed it in the first place.

There’s pitting under the grips. Little dents and dings. But, they just feel good to me. It feels substantial. Comforting. And, it’s as small and light a revolver I will shoot magnums in.

Out hiking. One speedloader full of hardcast. One full of rat shot.

View attachment 1161156


View attachment 1161158

Wandered into Smittys gun shop in Oak Cliff Dallas. 1996 or so. Saw this, brand new in the box way in the back. ridiculously cheap. It’s the original short frame in .38 Special. Still new in the box in my safe.

View attachment 1161157

So, yeah. I’m a fan.
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What kinda loaders are those and how do you carry them?
 
sgt127 said:
5Star. Beautifully made. Weirdly, turn the opposite direction from the HKS we are all (most) used to.

https://5starfirearms.com/speed-loading/

Stacked on top of each other in the little vertical pocket on 511 cargo shorts. I wear shorts most of the year, cooler weather, just in a jacket pocket.
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We need a new thread on speedloaders.
 
I like them but it's all relative. I've carried one a little bit, but overall the size is odd to me a little. They're bigger than J-frames so they carry worse, but they shoot better also. Problem is, they're not real small and overall, these days it's hard to justify a heavy 5 shot .357 over a lighter, quicker to load, easier to shoot, easier to carry, much higher capacity 9mm or .40. I love revolvers, but I decided some time back that I have no reason (or desire) to carry one.
 
Had a 3” 38spl that I liked well enough. Seemed blocky and rattley compared to my 642, so I let it go.
 
The design of the ejector rod is different from the one S&W uses. One result is that the rod is basically just an extended "button" of sorts and is loose to rattle. In addition, the transfer bar is intentionally very freely moving and can rattle in some circumstances. All the parts that need to be tight are tight.
 
i just bought a new one in 9mm last month. of course, i have other nines in auto, but somehow, i still like to carry this one. i got a suede-lined Bianchi de-minimus holster for it and some checkered wood grip panels. painted the front sight with nail polish so i can actually see it in broad light. i only use the moon clips to carry spares, but load it directly at the range. my P365 SAS out-does it in capacity (10rds) but the loaded weights are about the same. i also changed the mainspring and bought a polishing kit from M*CARBO which i haven't applied yet. accuracy on both of these pieces is so-so beyond about 7yds. i find myself carrying the SP more often than the 365. i guess i just kinda like wheelguns somehow.
 
Excellent guns.

Strong enough to digest an unlimited number of full bore .357 magnums with no issues. One of the toughest most durable ALL STEEL revolvers ever made.

They’re built like a tank and the weight helps take the recoil or maximum velocity magnums.

The LCR and J-frames are lighter, sure, but will not handle nearly as many hot loads over years of shooting.
 
sgt127 said:
Weirdly, turn the opposite direction from the HKS we are all (most) used to.
Click to expand...

I hate that "feature". I've spent way too much time behind the wheel of HKS speedloaders to ever think I could make the transition to a "weird" change of direction, especially under stress, no matter how well-built the 5 Star loaders obviously are.
 
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