Tyro, Post a Review of Your WeigandSP101
- Thread starter Stoic
- Start date
Stoic,
'Happy to respond to your request. It just so happens that I tested the SP101 today.
I cannot give you a "before" review of my SP101, because I bought it "new" from Jack Weigand - unlike my GP100, which I bought from a TFL poster who enthusiastically recommended to me Jack Weigand, who had "worked his magic" on the SP101 of the seller, who said that after getting his Weigand enhanced SP101, the GP100 was just "gathering dust", which is why he sold it to me. So, I sent the GP100 to Jack for barrel porting, an Ashley Outdoors Big Dot front sight, and a combat precision trigger job. I was so completely satisfied with Jack's work on the GP100, that I ordered the SP101 from him as a dealer as well as a customizing gunsmith.
My SP101 is ported on the center line of the top of the barrel, has an Ashley Outdoors Big Dot Tritium front sight, and a polished and smooth trigger. Jack sent a note on the invoice saying to not shoot lead bullets in the gun, because he was concerned that lead splatter might adversely affect the tritium sight, which is right in front of the forward-most of 3 ports (the sight and the three ports take up the entirety of the 2" barrel).
Jack recommended using Winchester Silvertips. I tested the gun using 145 gr. .357 Silvertips (Silvertips are also available in 125 grain .38 caliber, but I did not have any of those on hand; I have ordered a couple of boxes of the .38s from cheaperthandirt). No problem with recoil (as I had had with my GP100 - prior to porting by Jack Weigand - because of arthritis in the shooting hand). I was able to easily shoot tight groups with .357s in the SP101, with no effect on my arthritis and no discomfort.
After the test firing session, the front sight was lightly smoked by the porting, without diminishing the visibility of the sight. The smoke residue was easily wiped off with MPro7. I had put some Vasoline on the front sight a couple of days before I test fired it. I don't know if that helped protect the sight, but I will continue to put some Vasoline on the face of the sight after each cleaning, just in case it does help keep the Tritium night sight from being adversely affected during shooting sessions.
The Ashley Outdoors Big Dot front sights on my GP100 and SP101 make rapid sight acquisition so clear and easy - so very much faster and easier than the black on black sights that are standard issue on these revolvers. Actually, I have both front and rear AO combat sights on the GP100, which came from the factory with adjustable sights; the SP101 had fixed sights, so it could only accommodate an AO front sight, which works perfectly with the fixed rear sight. I should add that the AO sights are not part of Weigand's standard package: they were my idea and requested by me as an add-on to the Weigand package; likewise the porting.
I could not be more happy with any gun than I am with this Jack Weigand enhanced SP101. I am so pleased with it, that it is probably the only gun that I will carry concealed, and I don't think I will have any problem carrying it anywhere it is legal to do so under the CCW laws in my state (NC).
The gun weighs 25oz. unloaded, so good holsters will be needed for CCW. I have ordered (from Lou Allesi) an ankle holster, a 1.5" belt and a hip/belt holster, and a pocket holster (for outdoors type vests, of which I have a bunch) for the SP101, to make it easy and convenient to carry concealed with whatever mode of dress or course of travel may be appropriate on any given day. Of course, such matters are quite simplified for a retired old hermit such as I
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[Edited by tyro on 04-23-2001 at 07:05 PM]
'Happy to respond to your request. It just so happens that I tested the SP101 today.
I cannot give you a "before" review of my SP101, because I bought it "new" from Jack Weigand - unlike my GP100, which I bought from a TFL poster who enthusiastically recommended to me Jack Weigand, who had "worked his magic" on the SP101 of the seller, who said that after getting his Weigand enhanced SP101, the GP100 was just "gathering dust", which is why he sold it to me. So, I sent the GP100 to Jack for barrel porting, an Ashley Outdoors Big Dot front sight, and a combat precision trigger job. I was so completely satisfied with Jack's work on the GP100, that I ordered the SP101 from him as a dealer as well as a customizing gunsmith.
My SP101 is ported on the center line of the top of the barrel, has an Ashley Outdoors Big Dot Tritium front sight, and a polished and smooth trigger. Jack sent a note on the invoice saying to not shoot lead bullets in the gun, because he was concerned that lead splatter might adversely affect the tritium sight, which is right in front of the forward-most of 3 ports (the sight and the three ports take up the entirety of the 2" barrel).
Jack recommended using Winchester Silvertips. I tested the gun using 145 gr. .357 Silvertips (Silvertips are also available in 125 grain .38 caliber, but I did not have any of those on hand; I have ordered a couple of boxes of the .38s from cheaperthandirt). No problem with recoil (as I had had with my GP100 - prior to porting by Jack Weigand - because of arthritis in the shooting hand). I was able to easily shoot tight groups with .357s in the SP101, with no effect on my arthritis and no discomfort.
After the test firing session, the front sight was lightly smoked by the porting, without diminishing the visibility of the sight. The smoke residue was easily wiped off with MPro7. I had put some Vasoline on the front sight a couple of days before I test fired it. I don't know if that helped protect the sight, but I will continue to put some Vasoline on the face of the sight after each cleaning, just in case it does help keep the Tritium night sight from being adversely affected during shooting sessions.
The Ashley Outdoors Big Dot front sights on my GP100 and SP101 make rapid sight acquisition so clear and easy - so very much faster and easier than the black on black sights that are standard issue on these revolvers. Actually, I have both front and rear AO combat sights on the GP100, which came from the factory with adjustable sights; the SP101 had fixed sights, so it could only accommodate an AO front sight, which works perfectly with the fixed rear sight. I should add that the AO sights are not part of Weigand's standard package: they were my idea and requested by me as an add-on to the Weigand package; likewise the porting.
I could not be more happy with any gun than I am with this Jack Weigand enhanced SP101. I am so pleased with it, that it is probably the only gun that I will carry concealed, and I don't think I will have any problem carrying it anywhere it is legal to do so under the CCW laws in my state (NC).
The gun weighs 25oz. unloaded, so good holsters will be needed for CCW. I have ordered (from Lou Allesi) an ankle holster, a 1.5" belt and a hip/belt holster, and a pocket holster (for outdoors type vests, of which I have a bunch) for the SP101, to make it easy and convenient to carry concealed with whatever mode of dress or course of travel may be appropriate on any given day. Of course, such matters are quite simplified for a retired old hermit such as I
.[Edited by tyro on 04-23-2001 at 07:05 PM]
Tyro,
Thank you for the great review! Congratulations on your superb example of the guncraft. I'm extremely envious. I still lament selling my own bobbed hammer DAO Ruger SP101 in .357mag. I used it for concealed carry in a paddle holster for about a year. However, my SP101 came from the factory with a horrible trigger and it just wasn't a pleasure to shoot at all. At the time, I didn't know about Jack Weigand and his ability to transform the SP101 into a supreme example of a combat revolver. Now, I want to buy another SP101 and send it to Mr. Weigand to work his magic. I sure wish that I had my SP101 now. This is a perfect example of the maxim: "You'll always regret selling or trading a gun in your collection." It's true: I DO!
Thank you for the great review! Congratulations on your superb example of the guncraft. I'm extremely envious. I still lament selling my own bobbed hammer DAO Ruger SP101 in .357mag. I used it for concealed carry in a paddle holster for about a year. However, my SP101 came from the factory with a horrible trigger and it just wasn't a pleasure to shoot at all. At the time, I didn't know about Jack Weigand and his ability to transform the SP101 into a supreme example of a combat revolver. Now, I want to buy another SP101 and send it to Mr. Weigand to work his magic. I sure wish that I had my SP101 now. This is a perfect example of the maxim: "You'll always regret selling or trading a gun in your collection." It's true: I DO!
Thanks for the review Tyro. I have been meaning to send three different revolvers to Jack, but something else always comes up. I have a Model 29 4" that I bought used for a belt gun while hunting. During it's tryout, I had some failures to fire and noticed that they cylinder wasn't always rotating. Not being much of a gunsmith, I was going to send it to Jack for repair and an action job. Assuming I was satisifed with the work, I was then going to send him my SP-101 and my GP-100. I debated on the porting but decided that the short barrel was already giving up enough velocity. If I can't shoot lead bullets, I definitely don't want it. I have no wrist problems, so recoil isn't that big of a deal. The sight tip is also appreciated. I don't shoot my SP-101 a whole lot because it shoots very low with the factory sights. Even with 158s it shoots at least a foot low so I would be interested in the sights myself. I actually don't have a single complaint with my GP-100, but what the heck, why not send it to; it might feel left out.
SP-101
A bit late but I would highly recommend Teddy Jacobson. He did an SP-101 for me with trigger job and chamfering the cylinder for speedloaders and polished trigger. The double action went down to 9 lbs. or so from 16. They painted the back of the front sight bright orange which picks up easier. Now that I see they make Ashley sights for J frames I have been thinking of one on the SP as done by J. Weigand. That would make it complete.
Only other person besides those mentioned who work their magic on SP's I am aware of is TJ Custom in Ontario, CA. I have tried a friend's GP-100 that he worked over and it was light and fired every round.
A bit late but I would highly recommend Teddy Jacobson. He did an SP-101 for me with trigger job and chamfering the cylinder for speedloaders and polished trigger. The double action went down to 9 lbs. or so from 16. They painted the back of the front sight bright orange which picks up easier. Now that I see they make Ashley sights for J frames I have been thinking of one on the SP as done by J. Weigand. That would make it complete.
Only other person besides those mentioned who work their magic on SP's I am aware of is TJ Custom in Ontario, CA. I have tried a friend's GP-100 that he worked over and it was light and fired every round.
Shooting Low
I don't know how much it would correct the problem but over at the Ruger Forum as I recall one person mentioned getting the front sight for the .22LR SP as it was shorter. Numrich has them for only a couple of bucks as I recall. The url is:
http://www.e-gunparts.com/products.asp?chrMasterModel=1910zSP101
Jim
I don't know how much it would correct the problem but over at the Ruger Forum as I recall one person mentioned getting the front sight for the .22LR SP as it was shorter. Numrich has them for only a couple of bucks as I recall. The url is:
http://www.e-gunparts.com/products.asp?chrMasterModel=1910zSP101
Jim