CIA 650 or 2.25 SP101?

C

catmath 1911

New member
Hello All,

I know this is a repetitve subject for me, but I am having a hard time deciding which of these two firearms I would rather have. I have a few questions I would like to have answered by someone who has experience with these two revolvers.

1. I know.357 snubbies are a handfull, but which one of these would be more comfortable to shoot, considering the weights of both are about the same. Also, how are they plinking with .38 special rounds?

2. Does any one have a picture of these two side by side for a size comparison?

3. Durability. We all know that the SP101 is built like a tank, but what about the 650? Anyone have any problems shooting .357 in the 650?

My local gun store does not have either one in stock, so I am relying on feedback from forum members until I can fondle both in person.

Thanks,

catmath 1911
 
I can give you a little insight...for what its worth. I own and carry an SP and a mdl 60. Ive shot and almost bought a 650 CIA...for summer/pocket carry.
The SP is a little larger than the CIA physically, but in a pocket it feels ALOT smaller. The trigger outa the box in d/a pull, easily goes to the Taurus which is smooth and fairly light. The grips on both are a trade off, the Ruger has better grips for me for full house loads...very good. But the CIA has a 2 finger boot grip that does a pretty good job of lessoning 357 recoil and is very small. They take the same speed loaders, easily found anywhere.
The sights are similar no advantage to either. Accesories (spelling?) are probably on the Rugers side for holsters, grips, sights etc. But the Taurus is gaining ground also.
Shooting them is different. The little CIA lets you know when your shooting full house loads, but its not too much by any means. The SP is better at handling the brutal stuff and is easier on you in the long haul.
Id honestly tell you to get either. If its a deep conceal you are looking for, get the Taurus. If its primarily an IWB gun..you cant go wrong with the Ruger.....pssst. There is a killer deal on an SP in the Classy section here on TFL..with an IWB holster.
Shoot well
 
Thanks for the insight Eric. I am leaning towards the 650 due to the fact that it can be carried in the pocket. But, I don't want a firearm that will be too uncomfortable to shoot and practice with .357 carry loads.
 
I have a Taurus 605 which has been a good gun and I've shot an SP 101 and I was very impressed. I am probably going to replace my 605 before long with a Taurus 85 for the size and an SP 101 for when I want to use magnums.

My 605 is very uncomfortable when shooting .357s out of it. Even with .38+Ps I don't want to go beyond 40-70 rounds and with .38s 100 seems to be my limit for comfort. It is a nice gun and quite small. However, I will replace it with an 85 (probably the 85UL) since it just isn't practical to shoot .357s out of it so I'd rather have the lighter weight and thus more concealability in this gun. If I won't shoot much .357 out of it (very little in fact) I don't see the point of the extra weight that you pay for the .357 capability.

I recently shot an SP 101 at the range. The trigger was much better than I expected (I don't know if the owner did any trigger work). I hate Ruger grips (I know, most people love them but I don't) but this guy replaced his and with the replacement grips it felt great in my hand. Best of all it was almost as easy with .357 rounds as my 3" K-frame (the weight isn't that different so some of it must have something to do with the Ruger design).

For trigger and size the Taurus wins hands down (though the Ruger isn't too far off as to be a problem for either). For controllability and comfort the Ruger runs rings around the Taurus. For looks, that is subjective, but for me the Taurus wins. Strength, probably the Ruger. It seems that either way you can't go wrong, but since you want to be able to shoot lots of .357 I'd get the Ruger unless you are very resistant to recoil.
 
SP101, if you are going with 357 and not 38 spec.

Grips can be your choice, mine are houge mono-grips. A little larger than stock, but all the difference with full power loads.

As for the trigger, lots of dry-fire practice(you should be anyway).
 
Sorta depends on your shooting habits...

If you enjoy shooting a LOT of those full-pressure +P .357 rounds, I'd opt for the SP101. If you're using the gun mainly for self-defense and are not so-much concerned with hot loads, I'd buy a 650 CIA.

After reading some of the posts on this thread, I must be some sort of masochist because I find my mod 605 fairly easy to shoot and handle with factory standard .357 loads. The 605 is is basically identical to the 650 CIA except for the exposed hammer. I've taken the lengthened grip off my 605 and replaced it with a shortened grip off the mod 85 and it still is comfortable to shoot and handle.

After handling the SP101, I did not like the trigger, nor the sights as well as the Taurus. The mod 605 has a dreamy trigger for a factory-set gun. Maybe I'm goofy on this regard too but I find the 605 with the shortened boot grip more compact, lighter, and easier to conceal/carry over the SP101.
 
Will the 650 fit holsters that are designed for the model 85? If not, What model of firearm will be the best in adapting a holster to fit the 650?

catmath 1911
 
I have a Galco molded leather holster for my 650. The holster is labeled as fitting a S&W 2" J-frame, or a Taurus 85. The 650 fits great.
 
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