SP101 as a first revolver, good choice ?

No, Geoff didn't ask that, he stated that. He meant he's got a SSix and he wouldn't trade it.

Neither would I! I was going to suggest looking at either a 4" or a 2 3/4" Security Six. You'll get a rock solid gun at an excellent price, usually $200-225 in very, very good condition. You'll get adjustable sights and a higher profile (more visible) front sight that you'll probably find easier to shoot well. And you can shoot either .38 or .357 in it. That'd be my suggestion.

I'm not taking anything away from the SP101, by the way -- it's an excellent gun...just not sure it's the best first revolver...but ymmv!
 
I just bought a GP100 4" blued with adjustable sights and an SP101 3".

NO WAY I'd want to carry the GP100 on my body concealed.... it's a big, heavy gun! But great for home/RV defense, target shooting, plinking, etc. Wonderful for that.

But to grab a gun to take a walk, or stick in the glove box of your car... definitely the SP101 in 3". Not as good on the range though.

As far as the SP101 barrel length goes... I debated that one a long time in my mind and here on the forum. My conclusion was that the 1/2 shorter really didn't gain me anything, but I definitely lost some shootability in terms of sighting radius and weight to help keep the muzzle down for quicker follow up shots. Go with the 3", you'll enjoy the shooting more.

No one gun can even begin to do it all. That's why I've got a bunch of big and small 1911's, two Browning Hi-Powers, 686 in 6", GP100 in 4", SP101 in 3", 66 in 2.5", 642 in 2", and a PM9.

Decide what is more important to you... carrying it a lot or mostly home defense and range work, then choose accordingly knowing that you will sooner or later want to buy the other for meeting different needs better.
 
Here's part of a range report I posted on another site:

This is a very rugged pistol with soft rubber grips, a very visible blackened front sight and deep sighting notch in the rear. Some may protest that this pistol is a bit heavy for its size. While it is heavier than the equivalent Smith & Wesson or Taurus pistol, it is not heavy compared to larger psitols one might be tempted to carry. In addition, the grips are wider than either the Smith & Wesson and Taurus models. This combined with the weight helps reduce the felt recoil of the pistol, enabling one to shoot heavier rounds with greater ease and control than a lighter pistol affords.

Being chambered for the .357 Magnum cartridge, it can be fired with the .357 Magnum, .38 Special or .38 Special +p (higher pressure, more potent version of the .3, so it also has versatility in its favor.

For accuracy purposes, I fired 4, 5-shot groups with .38 Special, .38 Special +p and .357 Magnum rounds. 2 groups are at 10 yards, the other 2 groups are at 25 yards.

Rounds used were:
.38 Special: Federal American Eagle 158-grain lead
.38 Special +p: Speer 125-grain Gold Dot
.357 Magnum: 125-grain Speer Gold Dot, and 158-grain Federal Hydra-Shok

Group size at 10 yards (all groups rounded UP to nearest 1/8"):

158-gr. .38 Special:
Group1: 3 3/4"
Group2: 3 1/2"

125-gr. .38 Special +p
Group1: 3"
Group2: 3 1/8"

125-gr. .357 Magnum
Group1: 4 1/8"
Group2: 3 5/8"

158-gr. .357 Magnum
Group1: 2 3/4"
Group2: 3"

Group size at 25 yards (all groups rounded UP to nearest 1/8"):

158-gr. .38 Special:
Group1: 5 1/8"
Group2: 4 3/4"

125-gr. .38 Special +p
Group1: 4 1/4"
Group2: 4 1/4"

125-gr. .357 Magnum
Group1: 5"
Group2: 4 3/8"

158-gr. .357 Magnum
Group1: 4 1/2"
Group2: 4 5/8"

Results are fairly consistant. Please keep in mind these are groups fired single hand, without bracing, much like one might have to do in a defensive situation, so these are "real world" numbers, not braced, benchrest numbers.

The recoil of the Magnum was brisk, and about the same from both loads, the 125-grain load having considerably more velocity than the 158 grain load. The .38 Special was quite tame in recoil, the .38 +p had a barely noticable increase in recoil over the standard- pressure .38.
 
That being said, I would advise against the 3" Sp-101 just because there is very little in the way of holster choices available for it.

If you want the extra sight radius and are willing to hunt for leather, you can get a 3" GP-100 that has a smaller grip frame than the 4" and up GPs.

The factory grips on the SP are really great for me because they are wider than S&W grips and help absorb the recoil very well.

On teh other hand, the GP-100's full-size grip is perfect. It fills my hand just enough, is wide enough to distribute recoil well and short enough for my stubby fingers.

For constant carry, the SP-101 is hands down the winner. For shooter comfort when firing, the GP-100 gets the nod.
 
I just got my first Sp 101 a few weeks back. 3" ( 9mm). My first impression is that it is made VERY WELL. It's also a little on the heavy side. The weight and 3" barel is nice when fireing, both are a SLIGHT drawback when carrying.
My 2 cents . Guns are like golf clubs. It's hard to find one that does everything well. Having said that, If you want a carry gun, get a 2.5" 101. If you want an "all round gun ": get the 100 in 4"
 
Good writeup, Magnum88C. When I had my 2" 101, it was a hoot to shoot with magnum loads, and the .38 +P+ (Treasury load) as well. The fireball from the +P+ was awesome, even in bright sunlight! Bang and buck with the hot loads was a trip as well. My only problems were that my trigger finger would get sore from what I assume was trigger backlash, and residue from extended firing would bind up the cylinder, hindering rotation.

For shooting magnums, the SP101 is as light as I am willing to go.

For a first revo, I'm with the others; get a larger wheelgun to start with. Snubs can be a real challenge at first.
 
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