I traded a Taurus 85 SS for a SP101 after shooting a friends SP. What a great revolver. And to think I may have flamed someone for recommending them in an earlier Post. Live and Learn. Anyway I can't get over how accurate and manageble it is even with 125 grain gold dots in .357 magnum.
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Any SP101 lovers out there?
- Thread starter BUTCH48
- Start date
Green Republican
New member
If you can, get a trigger job (including rounding the sharp edges of the trigger) and you just won't believe it.
I think the SP101 is a great design. But quality is patchy at best in my experience. I had a 2 1/4" version that was great out of the box. Smooth DA trigger, tight barrel cylinder barrel, crisp SA pull, good workmanship. In a fit of lunacy, I sold it. In a fit of remorse, I later impulsively (i.e. without carefully examining before buying) picked up a 3" version thinking I'd get a little more velocity and better balance from the longer barrel. This one came with the barrel screwed in too far (front sight at angle to one side, shot 2" right at 5 yds as a result), a SA trigger pull I've learned to know as "slide, grind, break," sharp edges on the trigger face, etc. Ruger "fixed" the barrel rotation by leaving me with a not so nice .006-.007 cylinder gap. It now shoots to point of aim, but I sure am glad I got the longer barrel for more velocity, because I surely need it now. I'm still debating on whether to spend time smoothing it out, or just dump it.
Does anyone know if the SP101 trigger and internals are case hardened? I'd hate to polish off the hardened surface on any parts.
Does anyone know if the SP101 trigger and internals are case hardened? I'd hate to polish off the hardened surface on any parts.
I like mine just fine!
It's a reasonably small revolver that I feel will never loosen up firing .357s - which is something I don't think I would have said about my K-frame Smiths. The lockup is great, and the trigger is smooth (if heavy) from the factory. The grip is a wonderful design.
I took my wife out shooting yesterday to try out the S&W 34-1 .22 I'd bought for her. She liked it, but she shot better with the SP-101 (with .38s).
22Shooter, I'd send that puppy back again. Totally unacceptable on Ruger's part!
It's a reasonably small revolver that I feel will never loosen up firing .357s - which is something I don't think I would have said about my K-frame Smiths. The lockup is great, and the trigger is smooth (if heavy) from the factory. The grip is a wonderful design.
I took my wife out shooting yesterday to try out the S&W 34-1 .22 I'd bought for her. She liked it, but she shot better with the SP-101 (with .38s).
22Shooter, I'd send that puppy back again. Totally unacceptable on Ruger's part!
GunreviewWebmaster
New member
The SP/GP series are a great design, I just hate the wicked (heavy) DA trigger pull on most Ruger revolvers. I think if Ruger put out better DA triggers, they would not only sell a lot more guns, but also outsell S&W revolvers by a lot. The Ruger design is better than S&W, the only thing that Ruger lacks is the smooth DA pull that S&Ws have. YMMV
Well, I've got a 38 spec. SP and I love it to death!
Broke it in with some 125 gr. jhp reloads, some 125 gr. nyclads, some 125 gr. gold dots...wasn't doing any precision accuracy work, just busting blue rock at 25 yds., everything shot where I wanted...
also added some zebrawood grip inserts...talk about tough looking! Looks like GP's little brother.....
Mike M.
Broke it in with some 125 gr. jhp reloads, some 125 gr. nyclads, some 125 gr. gold dots...wasn't doing any precision accuracy work, just busting blue rock at 25 yds., everything shot where I wanted...
also added some zebrawood grip inserts...talk about tough looking! Looks like GP's little brother.....
Mike M.
I carried a SP101 in .357mag in the DAO bobbed hammer version for concealed carry. It was extremely well made, good looking, accurate, and more than durable. I am a huge fan of the Ruger cylinder release. However, the factory trigger pull was horrible--it didn't improve with use or dry firing. I also didn't like the SP101 stock grips. I thought that they looked and felt cheap. The grips also didn't help concealment. Finally, I found that the revolver was generally too heavy for pocket carry and too heavy compared to comparable automatics that were much easier to conceal. I traded it for a NAA Guardian. With all of that said, I would love to purchase another one and have it customized by Jack Weigand. Instead of trading it, I should have sent it to Mr. Weigand for improvement.
I like mine. I have two complaints. One is that the sights print low with every bullet I tried. At 25 yards it shoots about 2 feet low with 158 grain bullets. That is unacceptable to me. Secondly the last two times I fired it, I sprayed the gun with blood as the blister in the web of my strong hand finally broke. The blister begins with the first shot and gets bigger with each shot. If the gun shot with the sights it would certainly be my primary CCW gun. It is superb. The power of the .357 would definitely unseat my .45 ACP Officers Model which is what I carry now.
My wife couldn't pull the trigger. She is very small in stature. I replaced the springs and now the trigger is very nice..and she can use the gun. So a few dollars and a few minutes transformed the trigger.
Since you folks seem to be the local experts.. Who makes the best speedloader for this gun?
Since you folks seem to be the local experts.. Who makes the best speedloader for this gun?
I asked that a while back, and got reminded of the S.L. Variant speedloader. They allow you to adjust the central pitch to align the cartridges with your individual revolver - no jiggling or twisting, it just loads with a push.
Having said that, I don't think they're worth $20.00 + shipping, which is what Dillon's has them at. I just bought an HKS 36-A for $8.95 at my local gun shop. (Plus, I've got a lot more of those Bianchi speed strips than I'll ever need.)
You know, Gary, my wife (also fairly tiny) had difficulty pulling the trigger initially, but she got over it.
Having said that, I don't think they're worth $20.00 + shipping, which is what Dillon's has them at. I just bought an HKS 36-A for $8.95 at my local gun shop. (Plus, I've got a lot more of those Bianchi speed strips than I'll ever need.)
You know, Gary, my wife (also fairly tiny) had difficulty pulling the trigger initially, but she got over it.
Erich:
Not trouble..she could not pull the trigger using one finger. I had a hard time believing this. She is 4'9 1/2" and has a size 3 shoe. My hand is larger than her foot. Anyway, I found that changing the springs made for a better trigger.
I have the HKS, but don't like it. The SL-Variant sounds like a try. Most of what I buy is not worth it. How many magazines do I have that cost more than four SL-Variants? The answer is .. many. In fact, much of what I like is expensive and much of what I can afford, I don't want and don't own.
My recent marriage took care of the can't afford and will buy.
Not trouble..she could not pull the trigger using one finger. I had a hard time believing this. She is 4'9 1/2" and has a size 3 shoe. My hand is larger than her foot. Anyway, I found that changing the springs made for a better trigger.
I have the HKS, but don't like it. The SL-Variant sounds like a try. Most of what I buy is not worth it. How many magazines do I have that cost more than four SL-Variants? The answer is .. many. In fact, much of what I like is expensive and much of what I can afford, I don't want and don't own.
My recent marriage took care of the can't afford and will buy.
tubeshooter
New member
Won't say 'lover' yet, but...
....I like the gun fine so far. I've only had it a couple of weeks (.357, 3").
Coming from an all-steel Taurus model 85 (pre-safety lock), it's definitely an improvement overall over that. Somewhat easier to shoot than the 2" barrel, though not by a tremendous amount or anything. I suppose I can count on better velocities, and of course I'm very happy with the increased versatility load-wise.
The old trusty .38 carries a lot more comfortably, though. Can't deny that. I use IWB generally, so it's no big deal, but pocket carry goes from "less-than-ideal" to "virtually impossible" when going from the Taurus to the SP.
The trigger is Heavy (with a capital H, as you can see). Nothing you can't get used to, and probably means more harm to practice session accuracy than real-world self-defense applications, but still worth noting. Probably the *only* knock I have against the gun.
Looking forward to some Lett grip inserts soon, they should make the gun look much nicer. The factory inserts look cheesy to me.
-tubeshooter
....I like the gun fine so far. I've only had it a couple of weeks (.357, 3").
Coming from an all-steel Taurus model 85 (pre-safety lock), it's definitely an improvement overall over that. Somewhat easier to shoot than the 2" barrel, though not by a tremendous amount or anything. I suppose I can count on better velocities, and of course I'm very happy with the increased versatility load-wise.
The old trusty .38 carries a lot more comfortably, though. Can't deny that. I use IWB generally, so it's no big deal, but pocket carry goes from "less-than-ideal" to "virtually impossible" when going from the Taurus to the SP.
The trigger is Heavy (with a capital H, as you can see). Nothing you can't get used to, and probably means more harm to practice session accuracy than real-world self-defense applications, but still worth noting. Probably the *only* knock I have against the gun.
Looking forward to some Lett grip inserts soon, they should make the gun look much nicer. The factory inserts look cheesy to me.
-tubeshooter
Ranger Grant
New member
I have had a 3" SP101 .357 for several years now. It's my "house" gun, and currently loaded with glaser blues (I live in an apartment complex). It's never failed me at the range, easy to clean, easy to shoot.