The Ruger SP 101 .357 Mag

[IfYouOnlyKnew]

Cleaning/cylinder ?'s

NIB SP101 3 1/16th" .38/.357. Is it possible or adviseble to use a spray type cleaner on the internals after removing the grips? I am not at all confident in my disassembly abilities beyond grip removal but would like to see if a spray cleaner and re-oil would suffice before I fire the gun for the first time and afterwards, too.

Also, using a bore light, I can see small rings which seem to be milled into the front part of each cylinder chamber. I have not seen this mentioned on any other SP 101 thread and just wondered if this was standard and what was the purpose of those rings?

This is my first handgun and I still need to pick up ear muffs, etc before I get to a range but I have enjoyed getting to know this revolver, dry firing it, and getting familiar with the owners manual, etc. Main use will be for HD, car/truck/boat, and a woods gun. Thanks.

 

[rogerjames]

IfYouOnlyKnew,
This is my first and only gun also. I've had no problem following the manual and taking it apart for cleaning. I don't know about spray cleaners because I haven't used them. I even took the trigger assembly completely apart and did a trigger job following written instructions and a Brownell's schematic. If your anxious to shoot before disassembly and cleaning, at least make sure the cylinder is clean and rotates freely when dry firing. Clearance is quite tight and after about 100 rounds at the range some brief wiping at the end of the cylinder is necessary for the cylinder to lock into place properly without sticking. My chambers have milled rings near the bullet end of the chamber but I'm an amateur and don't know what purpose they serve. She's a pleasure to shoot though, even with .357. She's in my night stand every night. Enjoy

 

[Michigunner]

jdmb03,

I am in the same situation with arthritis in the shooting hand.

The initial test will include the Gold Dot .357 Short Barrel ammo.

The following info was suggested to me by Gary A.

The next level test will be Golden Saber .357 with a predicted muzzle energy of 356 ft/lbs. Some consider that round to be a medium load.

Speed loss was presumed to be 50 ft/s for each inch of barrel length reduction.

The published Golden Saber data was for a 4 inch barrel, the speed was 1220 ft/s, and bullet weight was 125 grains.

I calculated 356 ft/lbs by using the formula M x V x V, then divided the result by 450400.

I don't yet know if the Golden Saber will expand as desired.

Bill

 

[gggman]

I carry it every day. Pachmaer grips, Fist pancake holster, and a Dillon gun belt.

 

[Scotticus]

Wow! What a pleasure to shoot. Went with the Hogue monogrip on my new 3" .357. I shot everything I could find around here: WW 130gr .38, 158gr .38, 125gr +p, Corbon 125gr +p, WW 110gr .357, 158gr JHP .357, and a couple of 180gr cast hunting cartridges and 180gr JHP. The 180-grainers were the only thing that wasn't too enjoyable.

Sort of looking for a more visible front sight, though. Sounds like that Millet might be the ticket. Any other reasonably priced hi-vis sights out there?

 

[jdmb03]

Sort of looking for a more visible front sight, though. Sounds like that Millet might be the ticket. Any other reasonably priced hi-vis sights out there?

Trijicon and XS make a front night sight for the 101.

 

[spyderdude]

Its been a great shooter, and a great CCW piece!

 

[Pk14]

Greetings all -

I spent a hour breaking in my Kimber .22 conversion kit and decided to finish up with my Gemini Customs 3" .357. The night sight is regulated for 7 yds / with 158 grainers while the CT grips laser is set up for 135 gr Speer SBGD.



I tried a box of American Eagle (Federal) 158gr JSP .357s. Ouch. I got through 25 rounds and called it a day. The combination of the CT grips, 4-port comp, and 158gr JSPs demonstrated that is not the HD / SD combo for me! Happily, 145gr Silvertips and 135gr SBGD are no problem. Next time I want to hurt my hand and I can't find a hammer close by, I'll pull out the remaining 25 158gr JSPs...

Great gun, however, if that 158gr load was the only show in town, I'd have to find some different grips (the CTs are the original hard plastic grips). The SP-101 will certainly handle the rounds. I could not even begin to imagine the pain that would occur in a S&W 340PD with that load...

Pk

 

[chorlton]

I'll be picking up my second - I mean my wife's first - Sp101 in a couple of weeks A 2" to go with the 3"

 

[Cousin Mike]

I’m in!

Here's my Target Grey 2 ¼” SP101 (DA/SA .357 Magnum), still wearing the original grips. I’d been looking for a J-frame to carry for a while, but lately I’d become infatuated with the SP101, so when I saw this at my local shop I didn’t hesitate to pick it up. CCW ammo = Federal 130gr. Hydra-Shok JHP’s. I practice with them, and Remington 125gr. JSP’s…

I can’t find enough good things to say about this revolver… I should have bought one years ago.

 

[CZF]

Nice pics and info here. I ordered a 2 inch SP-101 in .357 last spring.

Tooks almost two weeks to arrive at my Dealer's, and when I got it home..noticed that it was a 38 Special +P!

The action was rough and gritty, and the gun seemed quite heavy.

Thinking that I could buy a lighter gun in .357, I quickly sold the unfired SP
at a significant loss.

Now after handling the Smith .357 J fames. I find that they pinch my trigger finger when dry firing them. Rossi and Taurus revolvers are not in the picture, so that leaves me at the .357 Ruger Sp-101 doorstep.

 

[olywa]

I've had a 2" SP101 w/hammer for a while now and I thoroughly enjoy it. But I just bought a 3" SP101 and I think I've found perfection in a light revolver. I've owned a lot of 357s over the years and this one has the best balance of features and functionality I've yet found for my uses. If I had to give up all my 357s but one, the 3" SP101 would be the one I'd keep. I have a Silver Dollar Pancake on the way from Simply Rugged. That'l be one sweet combo.

 

[SAWBONES]

IMNSHO, there's no better compact CCW revolver than the Ruger SP101.
I have three of them, two with 2.25" barrels, one with the 3.1" barrel. The shorter barrel versions are ideal for carry in the "appendix" position.

They "point" right on target, and have the best, most highly-visible sights of any fixed-sight compact revolver available today, so are ideal for both sighted and "point" shooting. They point best and are most comfortable plus most readily concealable with the stock rubber grips IME. YMMV, etc.

They are most likely to shoot closest to POA with heavy 158gr .357 Magnum loads, IME.

 

[dbernie5]

I just picked up a new SP101 2 1/4 inch barrel .357 last night. It feels like it fits well, I haven't fired it yet, maybe this weekend.

 

[clipse]

My polished .357 SP101.

And for really deep cover.

 

[19-3Ben]

dbernie5- welcome to the club!!! You made a great choice last night!

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. Count me in as a strong fan of the SP101.

Here's why:

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Ruger SP101 Report.htm

Best.

 

[461]

I had a 2.25" .357 for a few years and sold it, currently I've got a 3" .32mag and a 2.25" Gemini Customs 9mm so I'm a club member indeed. Next project is a 3" .357 probably sent to Gemini and then a hard chrome or some industrial finish as a super kit gun.

 

[Risasi]

Another big time SP101 fan here.

I have a 3" SA/DA, wolf spring kit, green hi-viz front sight, standard grips. However this will change. I've found the rubber grips grab too much at clothing and tends to print. This is mainly used for open and concealed carry in urban areas where I want to remain low profile.

I am thinking about changing the front sight to a tritium white dot, and bob the hammer, and would also like to do a melt job sometime.

I carry in a Don Hume IWB rig. However I do belief I will be changing this soon. I find it rides just a bit too high and tends to poke me in the kidney too much. I'll likely start to carry a second as a BUG too.

 

[bigmike45]

They are great little shooters. I have two...or I should say my wife now has one and I have one. Hers is the 2 1/16" DAO.

Mine a 3 1/16" either carried OWB in a Don Hume


or IWB in a Tucker Heritage

 

[icecorps]

Eagle Grips

Hey, 101 lovers...

I just got some Eagle Secret Service grips for mine. Anyone have these? They block my HKS speedloaders. Anyone have a similar experience?

Pictures forthcoming.

 

[texas bulldog]

i plan to pick up one of these in a couple weeks at the next austin gun show. it'll be my primary CCW, and i'm looking forward to joining the club. i'm wondering if you kind SP101 owners can speak on the relative merits of the the 2.25" versus the 3". as a small guy who wears relatively close-fitting clothes, i feel like the 2.25" will be easier to conceal, and would therefore get carried more consistently. but the improved shooting performance of the 3" definitely piques my interest. i plan to carry mostly OWB, occasionally IWB. not a big fan of pocket carry...my pockets have too many things in them as it is.


also...could someone tell me where to find those pearl panel inserts i saw on the picture thread? those sure are sharp.

thanks, y'all.

 

[dbernie5]

I finally had some time to spend with my SP101 last weekend. I love this revolver!! It shoots well. I need some practice with it but, so far I'm impressed.

 

[MCgunner]

Just bought this little begger for $250, practically new.

It's a heavy little fart, almost as heavy as my 3" Taurus 66 which shoots a little easier and more accurately. It's a little easier to carry, though, not as much bulge from the grip. I probably didn't need it, but my son-in-law needed cash and I told him I'd sell it back to him. He's on a second tour of Iraq, though, so I have it for at least a year I reckon. It's an good shootin' little gun with 140 grain loads, but my 180s HURT in this little thing! I won't shoot those loads out of my Tauri medium frame guns, just my Blackhawk and this tough little SP. They make 662 ft lbs, just over 1300 ft/sec out of that little barrel. Yeah, they're hot and I won't shoot anymore unless it's at a hog when I'm checkin' the hog trap. I put the first three of those things off a rest into 2" at 25 yards, though, pretty amazing, then flinched the last two shots. :banghead: The one thing I really like about it is that it shoots my .38 wadcutter, my 140 carry load, a 158 grain SWC practice load in .357, and the 180 grain load all to point of aim. How often does THAT happen!? That fact right there makes me wanna keep it. Be a pretty danged good back pack gun with the heavy load in black bear country, too, though I think I prefer my 4" guns for that.

Here it is compared to my Taurus 66.

On the subject of barrel length, I'd have bought a 3 1/16 inch, or whatever it is, if I was buying new. I prefer the longer barrel for better ballistics and extra sight radius. The gun is an IWB anyway, not a pocket gun, and a 3" barrel carries well for me IWB. However, that said, I'm getting 550 ft lbs from a 140 grain Speer in front of 17 grains of 2400, pretty danged good, and it shoots 3" or so at 25 yards from a rest which is plenty good 'nuf for self defense. You don't lose as much as I'd reckoned with that less than one inch of barrel, so if concealment is a concern to you because of body size or build or something, don't hesitate to get the shorter barrel length. I always go longer, though, if I can make it work for me. I just shoot better with more sight radius, but it ain't like I'm ineffective with the snubbies.

 

[rono]

Found a real nice SP101 2.25" Bobbed hammer DAO last week at a local dealer. Used but not even a scratch. Still has the original box.. Well the temptation was too much. Stopped in today and I'm picking it up tomorrow. Guess it's time to join the club. Always could use another carry gun.....

Ron-O