3" Ruger SP101 is on the way

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RetiredMajor

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I just bought a 3", Ruger SP101 and should have it early next week. I got the .357 Magnum Version, 5 shot. I'll use it as a woods/hiking gun and just for fun. I'd appreciate any thoughts current owners have on the gun and if they know of a good holster for woods carry/hiking. I prefer a holster with either a protective flap or a strap over the gun for security. Any input is welcome! Major
 
My friend bought one recently and loves it. He has small hands and the grip fits him perfectly. It is his SD gun. He is somewhat a beginning shooter and is already accurate with it. The trigger is pretty good. 38's are NBD in it. 357's are noticeably more stout, but even though he doesn't like recoil he still shoots them well and doesn't mind them.

Mine is a 4" 327. I have large hands and had to buy bigger grips to be entirely comfortable. My trigger was originally pretty stiff, but is slowly smoothing out with use.

All in all I like them and very much prefer them to J frames. They seem very sturdy. Our kids will doubtless be shooting them after we are gone.
 
Order wood inserts for the grip (your pick) and you will be much happier with the gun. I cannot believe that Ruger allows that thing, at the price, to sit on display in a dealer case with the hideous plastic inserts. Really I am not a fan of firearm modification but this is "the one" I do.

Love the SP101 - I have the same gun you ordered
 
3" Ruger SP101 is on the way
I just bought a 3", Ruger SP101 and should have it early next week. I got the .357 Magnum Version, 5 shot. I'll use it as a woods/hiking gun and just for fun. I'd appreciate any thoughts current owners have on the gun and if they know of a good holster for woods carry/hiking. I prefer a holster with either a protective flap or a strap over the gun for security. Any input is welcome! Major
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Congrats. I've wanted one of those for a while.

Holsters -- I hear good things about Simply Rugged. How's Iowa for open carry?

(How's the Makarov I traded you a few years back? I do sometimes regret making the trade, but life moves on.)
 
Major,

The first thing I'd do is have the trigger looked at. I bought my wife that same revolver for Christmas and it had a lousy trigger, especially compared to my S&W Model 60. We had the trigger & mainspring worked on and it's much better, though still not up to par with the Smith. Otherwise, the firearm itself is rock solid. We did replace the stock grips with Hogues.

She doesn't open carry, but you might check out http://www.tuckergunleather.com/ for holsters.

I have a couple of holsters on order from them. They have a good reputation.

Good luck with the new wheelgun!
 
You can get some reduced power springs (Wolff) and it will really sweeten up the trigger. They are not that hard to install and I'm sure you can find youtubes that explain how. They usually come with several springs so you can pick what pull weight you like. I did this for mine and my wife used it for a gun class. It really helped with her arthritic fingers, but it just made it a sweeter trigger anyway.
 
I have the same revolver.I have replaced the mainspring with a wolf spring of lower poundage,I smoothed the edges of the trigger and use pachmayer pebble-texture grips. I carry it in a Simply Rugged holster. It works well for both hiking and concealed carry. Use Buffalo Bore when hiking and mix in hollow points for ccw.
 
I suggest that you obtain some snap caps or dry wall sinkers and then dry fire it about 1000 times. It will improve the action a lot.
 
This is one of my favorite holsters:

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Made by Classic Old West Style specifically (and so marked) for the SP101. Can be worn strong-side straight up, strong side forward cant, cross-draw cant, and SOB. BTW, that's obviously not my SP101 in it: It also fits my Bulldog .44 very well.
 
Before you settle on a holster, you might want to think about grips. The stock grip is alright when concealment matters but in my experience, it doesn't make for comfortable shooting. I switched to a Hogue Hardwood and I've been very pleased. They are as comfortable as they are pretty. I was actually surprised to find them more comfortable than their rubber counterparts. The wood grip is just a little thicker and fills my hand better. Here is their SP101 page organized by wood type. Just click on a wood to see different grip options with pictures.
 
I have a 3 1/16" in 38 SP and will say it's recoil is "brisk" with +P ammo(I'm old with arthritic hands) so can't really imagine just how the recoil of 357 would be.
Mine has been shot enough to get smoothed up and does quite well accuracy wise.
 
Thanks for all the supplies! I may look at other grips but want to shoot the gun with the stock grips first.

Psyfly that looks like a nice versatile holster. I'll look into it.

Lee, the Makarov is great and is a keeper for me. It's just so accurate and reliable. Maybe I got better deal? Sorry!
 
I have the 3" and love it.

I have a Bianchi 5BHL thumbsnap holster and it works great OWB. I haven't really looked hard for an IWB holster.
 
I don't have a 3". Only because I haven't picked one up yet. But, I have two others in 2 5/8". A .357 and a .38 Special SPNY on the old small frame.

Just outstanding little revolvers. As a matter of fact, it's the smallest gun I will shoot full house magnums with. I like the factory grips. Good compromise between carry ability and shootability.

And, they can double as an impromptu impact weapon. Very solid.
 
Major, another option:

Don Hume JIT slide #52. This one is holding my 3" SP101 in .327 Fed Mag:

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A relatively inexpensive and easy to use holster. Although not as secure as the COWS, above, it conceals better undeer a polo shirt. I have three of these for different guns. I am a fan of the JIT slide.
 

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Great choice in both caliber and the gun...you can't go wrong. As to the holster, a good fitting one will not need a strap, flap or thong to retain the gun, so long as you stay off bucking horses, (don't ask how I know).

I like the old Tom Threepersons variety but without the closed muzzle end...I prefer it open to shed water and woods duff etc. The ones produced by El Paso Saddlery can't be beat for beauty and function, and do come with a strap if you so desire. Your mention of a "flap" is not all that bad an idea, preventing water incursion among other things, but will obviously slow up your draw.

It's a fine choice you've made (I carry a Smith M60 with a 3" bbl. for the most part when traveling to the "Big City" and also for many chores here on the farm.) BTW, a good combination if you reload is Skeeter Skelton's old every day carry load: a good LSWC pushed along by 13.5 gr of 2400 in Magnum brass. It'll give you over 1050 fps from your 3" SP101 and I suspect, superb accuracy. I've yet to find a .357 that doesn't like that load combination.

As always, that load should be worked up with due regard to pressures, but works to perfection in my .357's.

Here's a pic of my home-made version of that old staple for DA revolvers, albeit with my wife's M36 saddled up.

Best Regards, Rod

 
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My Ruger SP101 arrived yesterday and I picked it up. I bought it used on GunsAmerica. The gun looks brand new, as it was advertised. Not a mark on it and no discernible cylinder line. I took it to the range today and fired both 38's and 357's. I fired 50 of each. The gun is very accurate. I like the weight and the grips. It fits my hand nicely. I am very happy with my purchase. I'll use the gun for home defense and I'll take it hiking. Major
 
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