GP100 and SP101... as good as S&W or Better?

I had a 4" 686-4 and, after my Browning Hi Power, it was my favorite range gun. However, for the general purpose revolver I needed it was just a bit long and heavy. I replaced it with a 2.25" SP 101, and am not sorry I did.

The 686 trigger was of course much better in DA, although in SA the SP 101 is just as nice. The ergonomics of the Ruger are much more comfortable to me than the S&W, but that may be more of a smaller/larger revolver issue than a S&W/Ruger issue. I have a Hogue rubber grip on the Ruger. It points naturally, fits my hand perfectly, and manages recoil as nicely as the stock rubber grip.

I was thinking the other day how much I liked that S&W, and that I might get another 4" 686 one of these days just for a range gun (can't afford that luxury right now), but then I remembered my father-in-law's 1976 4" Police Service Six. I have told him not to sell it without talking to me first, so that will likely be my next revolver.
 
Rugers are rugged, take real hot loads and will last for several generations.
My Smith are not as rugged, cannot take as hot a load, but are outstandly more accurate. As you guessed I'm a S&W fan. All my Smiths are just Dead accurate. But when I buy a 454, it'll be a ruger.
 
Zwolfgang,

You keep mentioning that the Ruger feels better and is more comfortable for you. In a defensive situation, it is far more important to get shot placement where you want it than the amount of rounds in a magazine, IMOHO.

If you can get get one or two 125 or 158 grain .357 hollow point rounds into the center mass of a torso and he or she keeps coming, you are dealing with Godzilla anyway, and kiss your *** goodbye. I own a 1911 and carried one in the Service, and I love it, but I love my Ruger GP-100 4" S/S much more. It is the gun in my nightstand because I know that I will hit whatever I aim at, and I can load it with whatever I want and it won't fail me.

I guess I am trying to say that whatever gun you can shoot best is the gun you should use. Shot placement is everything. If, in fact that is what you are interested in. If you want to just shoot at the range, you can use .38 reload wadcutters to plink, or hot .357 loads if you want to have some fun with a GP (which will take anything you can feed it forever) or a S&W. I owned a 686 and liked it. It's a toss up. Like everyone said, the trigger is a lot better with a Smith, but, with a little work at home with a Dremel polishing set-up, the trigger actions are equal.

Just my .02 cents.

mtanc
 
Smith's are prettier than Rugers...but I dont buy a gun cause its pretty....my wife buys a dress cause its pretty....I'll never use my wife's dress for self defense.

Bob
 
Have never owned a Smith, but will comment on the Ruger SP 101.

As somebody said earlier, get the Hogue grip. It is just so fine, making a good revolver very intuitive.

I have the 2 1/4 inch barrel, and if I could do it over again, would get the three inch. Not that I'm getting rid of what I got, or that I can't shoot the 2 1/4, I would just like to see how the three inch handles. Obviously, a tad more muzzle velocity and sight radius.

I agree that the Ruger trigger need FULL RESET.

The trigger is initially rougher than (I PRESUME) the Smith, but a few thousand dry fire recycles breaks it in nicely. Or you can polish it yourself if you know what you are doing.

You are talking to a guy with three Ruger Security Sixes. The GP 100 looks to me like a pregnant cow. Ruger said he never made any money on the Security Six. His loss, our gain.

The SP101 is a fixed sight gun, and I think it likes 158 grain bullets to shoot to point of aim. Such is my experience with mine.
 
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I agree that shot placement is #1. At present, with either my 1911s or my Browning Hi-Powers I can hit much, much better than I can with a double action revolver. I know that with practice, I could improve my DA accuracy, but when the chips are down, I think I could still probably place my repetitive hits better with a 1911 or BHP. That said, I'm a revolver guy also. I like them both. I like the power of the .357 especially, but the triggers on my 1911s and my tuned BHPs allow awesome shot placement. Even though I have had my smiths for years, they've not been to the range in a very long time.

Something about the SP101 has been calling my name for as many years as I've seen them (quite a few). Something tells me it's about time I had an SP101. I might be inspired to shoot it more than I do my Smiths.
 
ZWolfgang,

Tough question to answer. As I said before I like all three. It would be the SP101 because it is smaller and lighter than the other two, I seem to be more accurate with it and since it was my first .357 there is some sentimental value to it.

They are all great guns and a person couldn't go wrong with any one of them.

Neal
 
The Ruger SP 101 is not to be compared to a full-sized fighting handgun. It is a different tool in the toolbox.

My main fighting handgun is a Glock 19 (15 +1).

The SP 101 is a belly gun, intended to provide extreme reliability, extreme safety, no dancing ejected brass, at motel room or poker table length, when you are caught completely by surprise, with just your swinging richard in your hand.

I currently train and maintain five tools in my toolbox (with backups for each).


belly gun - Ruger SP101

main handgun - Glock 19
(what you use your Browning HP's and Colt M1911's for. If I need more, I got Glock M22 in .40 S & W.))

12 gauge pump - short barreled Rem 870

midrange semi, 30 round mag - AR/AK


shake 'n bake sniper - Winchester model 70 in .308 with 4 X Nikon.
 
Texian said: "The SP 101 is a belly gun, intended to provide extreme reliability, extreme safety, no dancing ejected brass, at motel room or poker table length, when you are caught completely by surprise, with just your swinging richard in your hand."

Well said indeed! Yes, my Colt 1911's and BHPs are my main pistolas. The SP101 would be as you call it a very close range, surprise reply.

Other guns in my "regular" defense toolbox are:

Mossberg 500 Persuader 12 ga.


Winchester/Miroku '92 Ltd. 16" Trapper - .45 Colt
Win92Trapper.jpg


Winchester '94 16" Trapper - .44 Magnum
Win94Trapper.jpg



Colt and other 1911's

Browning Hi-Powers in .40 cal.

S&W 642

Kahr PM-9

The SP101 would be joining these guns.
 
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