S391
Member
I'm thinking about picking up a Ruger SP101 and setting it up as a CCW gun; what should I have done (and who should do it) if I want to "do it right"?
Thanks in advance.
Thanks in advance.
Thinking of buy a SP101; what should I have done?
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orchidhunter
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S391, Out of the box the Sp101 is right for CCW. Save your money for range time and ammo. The range time will smooth the action. orchidhunter
America
Member
It is not a pocket carry like a 642 but I were gonna carry a full weight snubbie it would be the one.
What to do if it's gonna be strictly a CCW? Don't know that you should have to have anything done, but if you were to, IMHO, I'd have it rendered DAO. As long as it's at the 'smith, I'd have the action smoothed (but not necessarily lightened) as well. The SP101 trigger really digs into my finger, so if I were to buy one, I'd have the trigger radiused and smoothed, too. And fiber optic front sight might help in low light situations. And a little chamfering of the cylinder might help reloads go faster.
As far as gunsmith options, check out the post below:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=4853707&postcount=3
mgregg85
Member
I would spend some cash on .357 mag ammo and practice with it for a while, see what you need before you start messing with it.
Then, if you decide you want to change things, gemini customs can do some neat stuff for you...
If this is for carry the only thing I might immediately do is add some tritium sights, trijicon makes some nice ones. http://www.opticsplanet.net/trijicon-ruger-sp101-front-night-sight-rr14.html
Or a laser grip... Or both.
Then, if you decide you want to change things, gemini customs can do some neat stuff for you...
If this is for carry the only thing I might immediately do is add some tritium sights, trijicon makes some nice ones. http://www.opticsplanet.net/trijicon-ruger-sp101-front-night-sight-rr14.html
Or a laser grip... Or both.
The Lone Haranguer
Member
It does not need anything, at least not before shooting it to see what areas - if any - might benefit. The one I had could have benefitted from having the trigger edges rounded off, as they tended to bite my finger.
What you'll need to do...
Buy the gun.
Dry fire the gun 500 times to smooth up the action.
Take the gun to the range with some .38's and assorted .357 ammo.
Figure out what to carry in it.
Call Rob Leahy at Simply Rugged and order a holster.
Be a happy man.
Buy the gun.
Dry fire the gun 500 times to smooth up the action.
Take the gun to the range with some .38's and assorted .357 ammo.
Figure out what to carry in it.
Call Rob Leahy at Simply Rugged and order a holster.
Be a happy man.
Dan-O
Member
Get some badger grips, and put an XS Big Dot sight on the front.
S391
Member
Thanks for the info. I know that I want to have a trigger job done on the gun, put on a high viz style site and change the grips but I wanted to find out if there were any common mods that would really make the gun perform better. From the sounds of it they're pretty stout little buggers that just need the rough edges smoothed out........
nalioth
Member
S391, if you sit with it in front of your television, and dry fire it til your finger gets tired, you won't need a trigger job after a week or 3.
Before you drop the cash on it, I would go handle one first. Try it with a holster if you can. I just say that because they are heavy, like 25 ozs unloaded. I went with an S&W Airweight.
For less weight, and slimmer package you can get a Glock 26, S&W M&P compact, XD compact, etc. And you get 11+ rounds of 9mm vs. 5 rounds of 38/357. I never warmed up to the idea of the SP101 for carry.
For less weight, and slimmer package you can get a Glock 26, S&W M&P compact, XD compact, etc. And you get 11+ rounds of 9mm vs. 5 rounds of 38/357. I never warmed up to the idea of the SP101 for carry.
thirdeagle
Member
+1 on what mgregg85 said. . .find the ammo you like and go from there.
I also have an SP101 which needs a little bit of action work - maybe some new springs to start and a few more trips to the range with some intermittent dry firing at home. There is a good selection of aftermarket grips available. A good IWB holster from Simply Rugged may also be in order.
I also have an SP101 which needs a little bit of action work - maybe some new springs to start and a few more trips to the range with some intermittent dry firing at home. There is a good selection of aftermarket grips available. A good IWB holster from Simply Rugged may also be in order.
Here's one guys approach that worked real well: First, I got a set of Pachmyer grips--big improvement. Then I put in a Wolff spring kit with some stoning/honing of parts--great improvement, as it brought the trigger pull down to about 4 lbs (I plan a bit more stoning to get a good 2 1/2 lb pull). I haven't yet sprung for it, but I will get a reamer to lengthen the forcing cone, as I have had good results doing this on others. Mines a .32 and I don't currently have a reamer, hence the wait. An Uncle Mikes holster holds it well and is quite economical. Even after a 1000+ rounds, I'm not that good with it--past about 30 yards, a rabbit is fairly safe. I think a lot of that has to do with the short barrel/sighting plane. Enjoy!
And lots of dry firing. It is an awesome gun, especially when the trigger is well broken in. It doesn't need anything, IMO. I carry on the bely or in the pocket. Yes, it is a little heavy, so I don't pocket it often. But when I need to I can and do.
rdrancher
Member
what should I have done?
Nothing. It will do its job right out of the box. Buy it, and shoot it a lot.
rd
Nothing. It will do its job right out of the box. Buy it, and shoot it a lot.
rd
I would have your SP disassembled and cleaned, removing all of the small metal chips that the factory sometimes leaves in there, and have any burrs removed. Then re-lube and reassemble. I radiused the face of the trigger for the sake of comfort. If you have to install a lighter mainspring, don't go too light. The hammer must fall with enough force to ignite the primer every time! Change the grips if you must. If you have trouble seeing the front sight, try painting it before you replace it. If you find a color you like, you have saved yourself some time and money. This is all I did to my SP.
It is important to remember that these are not competition revolvers. If one wants ported barrels or ultra-light triggers, make that your next project gun. If your SP is ever is ever taken as evidence in a shooting, you want it to look like any other SP. You do not want the jury to think that you are obsessed with guns and had a special "killing machine" made. In a murder trial I was involved with, the murder weapon was passed from juror to juror; and they were instructed to examine and dry fire it to feel the trigger pull.
Keep your SP as close to stock as possible. Practice, practice, practice. May you never have to use it.
It is important to remember that these are not competition revolvers. If one wants ported barrels or ultra-light triggers, make that your next project gun. If your SP is ever is ever taken as evidence in a shooting, you want it to look like any other SP. You do not want the jury to think that you are obsessed with guns and had a special "killing machine" made. In a murder trial I was involved with, the murder weapon was passed from juror to juror; and they were instructed to examine and dry fire it to feel the trigger pull.
Keep your SP as close to stock as possible. Practice, practice, practice. May you never have to use it.
Scrap Olis
Member
The Best 2 Mods that Will Not Break You
Hogue monogrip and paint the front sight ramp orange or red.
Hogue monogrip and paint the front sight ramp orange or red.
Absolutely correct about the sharp trigger. Ruger could market the trigger all by itself as an industrial radish peeler. I don't know who's in charge of this kind of stuff at Ruger but for the love God deburr that thing!!! Other than that it's a perfect carry gun if you can deal with the weight of a REAL GUN. If you can't, then buy a Glock. The girley man's gun.
williamthedog
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- Sep 28, 2006
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Scrap Olis QUOTE
Hogue monogrip and paint the front sight ramp orange or red.
I put a $15 WOLFF trigger spring kit in mine also.
Hogue monogrip and paint the front sight ramp orange or red.
I put a $15 WOLFF trigger spring kit in mine also.
Big Mike
Member
I say nothing at first. Just buy it first and put lotsa rounds through it. I like the factory stocks on mine...lots of options out there for the SP101, but I'd shoot it first before sending it off to get smith'd. Good luck! Mike
Random Discharge
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Check the cylinder gap...
Check the cylinder gap before you buy. The last two NIB SP101's I've measured were between 0.008" and 0.010".
Ruger considers less than or equal to 0.010" within specification. My experience has been that Ruger does not try very hard to build them with proper gaps in the 0.004" range.
Check the cylinder gap before you buy. The last two NIB SP101's I've measured were between 0.008" and 0.010".
Ruger considers less than or equal to 0.010" within specification. My experience has been that Ruger does not try very hard to build them with proper gaps in the 0.004" range.
ronto
Member
The DAO with Trausch grips in a Mika pocket holster...I never leave home without it.
crebralfix
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1) Cut the cylinder for moonclips
2) Chamfer and smooth the cylinder
3) Change the grips if needed
4) Add a night sight if desired
5) Add a rear sight if desired
6) Action job if desired
I consider #1-3 essential.
What barrel length are you considering? I have a 2 1/4" barrel model, but I'm contemplating the 3" version.
2) Chamfer and smooth the cylinder
3) Change the grips if needed
4) Add a night sight if desired
5) Add a rear sight if desired
6) Action job if desired
I consider #1-3 essential.
What barrel length are you considering? I have a 2 1/4" barrel model, but I'm contemplating the 3" version.
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