Which .22 Revolver - SP101 or Single Six/Ten?

[TrailWolf]

Need a .22 plinker for cheap fun and to add to my handgun lineup... Held all the below and like them equally. Really like the idea of the covertable Single Six .22lr/.22mag, but realistically I dont think I would ever use the .22mag... I'd carry my .357 686 if I needed power in a revolver....

So, price aside, if you could only own one, which would you add?

Ruger SP101 4" .22lr

Ruger Single Six .22lr/.22mag

Ruger Single Ten .22lr

Thanks

 

[RaceM]

Got a Single Six & like it. Being able to eat both LR and magnums is what sold me. Want to get another for customizing.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I just love to shoot the Ruger Single-Six and the convertible is a good deal IMO.

If you think there is no way you would ever want to shoot a 22 Mag from the revolver buy the Single-Ten instead. (less reloading)

 

[22-rimfire]

That is a tough call when you include the Single Ten. I really like it, but I prefer to shoot double action 22 revolvers.

Hmmmm.... I think I'd buy the Single Ten and get the SP-101 22 later when I could afford it. Better yet, get the Single Ten now and a S&W M17 later. The new SP-101 in 22 has not grabbed me, but I have purchased both the LCR-22 and SR22P.

 

[TrailWolf]

I just love to shoot the Ruger Single-Six and the convertible is a good deal IMO.

If you think there is no way you would ever want to shoot a 22 Mag from the revolver buy the Single-Ten instead. (less reloading)

Thanks guys - seems like a classic is a classic for a reason.

As for the conversion in the single six: what is the argument for .22mag over using my 4" S&W 686? Is it just that .22mag is enough for most critters and a lot cheaper than .357mags?

 

[snakeman]

Single six wins in the versatility department as well as single action reliability. So it's a no brainer for me the single six is the only one.

 

[22-rimfire]

It just depends on what you intend to use the revolver for. For pure plinking or a walk in the woods gun, 22LR all the way. What animals do you intend to potentially use the mag on? Most seem to buy the convertible and then leave it with the same cylinder in place and then buy another one if they want the other caliber down the road. Putting money aside, I like the Colt Trooper Mark III in all three calibes; 357 mag, 22 WMR, and 22LR.

 

[arcticap]

I think that double action .22's are the most fun. They offer the opportunity for rapid combat style shooting and quicker follow up shots. Just try to make sure that it has a pleasant enough DA trigger pull before buying one.
Then try out the DS-10 eight shot speed loader and loading block for it to be able to spend more time shooting without as much of a hassle loading and ejecting!

http://ds10speed.wordpress.com/

 

[bergmen]

A Super Single Six convertible with 6 1/2" barrel was my first handgun. I bought it in 1976 and it has the bicentennial barrel on it.

It is still one of my favorites. The .22 magnum cylinder is a hoot, lots of fun and a darned good small game hunting sidearm. Extremely accurate, I have shot ground squirrels with their heads just sticking out of the hole at 50 yards. That takes a little patience.

I have other .22 revolvers, been looking for the SP101 but they are rare as hen's teeth around here. Single ten looks darned good. Heck, I would get all three if I were you.

Dan

 

[PabloJ]

The Ruger SP101. It's nice to have DA option especially in .22lr.

 

[tubeshooter]

I'd vote for the SP-101... but I am biased.


I've been keeping my eye out for it since Day 1, and really looking high and low for one the last couple of months. At the gunshow this weekend, one vendor told me he ordered 10 the first of the year and has received a grand total of four.

He also added "good luck with that".

 

[Stainz]

My choice was purely conceptual, as I already have a few S&W rimfires. I've also had a blued fixed sight Single Six - no thank you. The Mag cylinder was loud, flashy, and I spent nearly as much on a box of MaxiMags as I did on a brick of .22 LR el-cheapo's. I like DA anyway - so I chose the new SP-101.

Stainz

 

[CraigC]

Blued 4 5/8" Single Ten, hands down, every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

The Mag cylinder was loud, flashy, and I spent nearly as much on a box of MaxiMags as I did on a brick of .22 LR el-cheapo's.

The .22Mag is best as a field cartridge, where it's heavier bullet at 400fps higher velocity better anchors small game and varmints.

 

[ForumSurfer]

I shoot tons of 22 at steel on the back 40 of my property. For that reason alone, I would be very unsatisfied with a single six/ten IF it were my only 22. The sole reason is that I shoot often, which means I reload often. The SP is easier to reload, hands down.

So buy yourself the SP first and then the single six.

But then again, different strokes for different folks. I have a friend of mine who is perfectly content with only shooting 50-100 rounds through his single six and calling it a day. Meanwhile, I'm reloading mags and cylinders until my fingers are numb...which is part of the fun for me with 22's and reactive targets.

 

[CraigC]

DA's are simply easier to unload. SA's are in reality at least as quick if not quicker to load. Although DA shooters will never admit it. I'm sorry but if you believe that a SA .22 is significantly slower to reload than a DA .22 then you have obviously never spent enough time with a SA.

 

[Orion8472]

I really like the SP101 in .22lr, but as of right now, they are just asking way too much for it. Shame too. I went with a Single Ten . . . and I even consider it a BIT much for a .22lr pistol, though both will last a lifetime. The Cowboy Action is what I wanted to go with, as well.

 

[ForumSurfer]

I'm sorry but if you believe that a SA .22 is significantly slower to reload than a DA .22 then you have obviously never spent enough time with a SA.

You're right, I haven't. I've spent quite a bit of time shooting others' and really enjoy them, though. I'm just quicker with a DA and I honestly don't see how to change that unless I switch to exclusive SA for a serious amount of time. I could argue a speed loader for the sp101, but they're like $30 so they seem a little silly unless you're competing and speed is a factor. Plus you still have to factor in time spent loading the speed loader sooner or later.

If it makes you feel better, the cookie jar fund is going towards a SA 22.

 

[PabloJ]

I really like the SP101 in .22lr, but as of right now, they are just asking way too much for it. Shame too. I went with a Single Ten . . . and I even consider it a BIT much for a .22lr pistol, though both will last a lifetime. The Cowboy Action is what I wanted to go with, as well.

When put up against Webley top break ejector with speed loader the side-gate loader shooter is hopeless for speedier reload.

 

[Rollie]

Any convertible I ever had would not shoot to the same place with different cylinders/ammo. Maybe I had bad examples, but I ended up using only one cyl./ammo and sighting in for that combination, and not using the other cylinder. I had22/22mag,357/9mm,& 45colt/45acp. Rollie

 

[Orion8472]

Pablo, . . . with all due respect, I really don't care about "speedy reloads" with a revolver that I'm purchasing for fun casual shooting. I'm not planning to do competitions here.

My [coming] Single Ten will be for target shooting, and the single load gate/ejection is part of the fun, as is the SA.

Your mileage will vary, of course. . . .just speaking for myself.

 

[weblance]

I have all 3, If I could only have 1, it would be a Single Six. I bought the Single Ten first, and its really great. I wanted an SP101, but they are almost non existant. Then I got an LCR22, and its a fun gun, Then I ended up with 2 different Single Sixes, a Stainless 5 1/2" Convertible, and a 4 1/2" blued Convertible. I finally got my SP101, and its nice, but doesnt get shot much. Its been the 4 1/2" blued Single Six I shoot the most. It really a hoot to shoot Magnums out of these guns. The Single Six offers the most versatility of the listed models. I dont really see the need for a double action revolver in 22, as I feel double action is for self defense, and a would never use a 22 for that.

 

[Orion8472]

weblance, that is a very good perspective.

 

[Prosser]

What's your evaluation of the accuracy of the three .22lrs?

I've heard different things about each gun, as far as what the barrel specs are,
and what the cylinder specs are.

 

[foghornl]

I have the 50th Year Single-Six Convertible, 4-5/8" (or so) barrel and fixed sights.

Waaaaay up on the Fun Gun list, right behind my MKII

 

[Texan Scott]

I don't like the current sp-101s in .22lr. nothing wrong with them, except that i carry snubby .38s, and i'd use a .22 revolver mostly as a practice/ plinking gun that comes closest to what i shoot in .38s (the new sp-101 .22s don't look or feel like a typical carry revolver). if i could get an sp101 .22 that looked/ felt like an sp101 .357, that'd be different.

if i'm just plinking, i'll want a New Bearcat (not one of your choices, i know, sorry) but the single-six would be the closest thing.