Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns SP 101

I'm thinking about replacing my 1911 home defense (nightstand) gun with a 3" SP 101.

Talk me into it.

Take a look at the Sig P365 +P rated 9 mm, holds more reds and fits in a jean front pocket.

Nope.......I'm a wheel gun guy and only interested in the 101.

The SP101 series are great revolvers, and I have a few. I wouldn’t replace a nightstand-1911 with one, however, because the SP’s advantages—size, particularly—are irrelevant to a nightstand gun and its drawbacks—capacity, first and foremost—are liabilities in a home defense gun.

OK....I'll keep the 1911 and keep em both in the nightstand......now can we please talk about the 101.

Good guns, heavy for what they are. The 4.2” 22 and 327 have been my favorites. The only 357 snub I would use for heavy, hunting, .357 ammunition. Dry firing will smooth their triggers considerably and Wolff spring kits work nicely as well—but dry fire first. What specific models are you looking at?

they are fabulous revolvers--bull strong.

a really good option now is going the 9mm, as the ammo is cheap, so you can practice plenty--without having to hand-load.

9mm in short barrel revolvers is amazing, and they will churn up nearly 1100 fps out of the snub barrel. they outclass many .38 Special loads, and though not quite up to the .357 magnum--it's close in the snubs--with less recoil and muzzle blast.

you can't do much better than that in a small package.

+1 to this. Unless you have a need for the power and bullet profile flexibility the .357 offers, you’re better off with 9mm these days, particularly if using factory ammunition and not daily carrying the gun. I find carrying revolver moon clips to be less than ideal, and have avoided revolvers chambered in rimless cartridges for concealed carry for that reason.

Used S&W 64 4”. Buy a couple of them.

I'm on the opposite end...

Yes they are Ruger Overbuilt Tough but would much rather have a 3" LCR than a SP-101... Have had the SPs in 9mm and .327 and have shot others in .38, .357 and .22 and have never been impressed with the trigger pull either DA or SA. Even with spring kits they come nowhere close to a LCR, S&W J or K frame or a 3" GP-100...

Sights suck, especially on the new 3" guns that don't have the nice little windage adjustable rear...

Sorry...maybe for you but not for me...Bob

So, if it's for the night stand, why not a GP100, rather than the SP101?

Can’t see replacing an 8 or 9 shot 45 with a 5 shot. If I’m replacing a 45 it will be because of higher capacity

I know you're talking the 3" Ruger, but here's my journey. I spent a lot of time conflicted between the SP101 4.2" and the S&W 60 3". I wanted adjustable sights and portability. I envisioned this as a trail gun more than anything else. Unfortunately I couldn't compare them side by side at the same time because no one had both, so I ended up buying the Ruger- mainly because it seemed to have better sights (on the 4.2" version it has a fiber optic front) plus it had a unique sexy look to it too.

After playing with it for awhile, I realized it had an awful (to me anyway) double action trigger pull. This was my first double action Ruger since 1987- and I sold that so long ago I can't remember the trigger pull on it, but I've owned several Smith & Wesson revolvers since then. So I dry fired a few thousand times. Negligible difference. Watched the tutorials for polishing the parts and did that. Negligible difference. Then I bought a spring kit and experimented with it. While much, much better, it still REALLY stacks just before firing. It's doable, but... meh. Single action trigger pull is fine.

I also experimented with grips. The factory ones felt too "round". I first went with the black Hogue Overmolded and they felt better, but later I went with a set of pretty wood grips, also by Hogue, with a "Top Finger Groove". Feels great now. Sights are still a work-in-progress. I've always liked the white outline on a rear sight. Swapped it out for one that was taller and needed to raise the front quite a bit. Didn't want to lose the fiber optic, so I cut it in half and experimented with JB welding it higher. Kept getting it crooked one way or another. Eventually just bought a new factory front and put it back on, then ground down the rear. Got a little warm and the white outline kind of faded. Point of impact was finally back within limits of adjustability though.

All this has happened over the course of the last couple years. I still have it, but a month or so ago, I finally went out and bought the S&W 60 3" I've wanted for years. Even though it's only a few ounces lighter, it feels much lighter. Factory rubber grip was hard as a rock and the arch hits right in the center of my hand. Changed those to some pretty Altamont Altai's- they feel like a dream. Rear sight had too narrow of a window- widened it out with a file. Sights were still hard to pick up, used some fingernail polish. Trigger pull, while much smoother than the SP101, was WAY too heavy- off my Lyman's 12 lb trigger pull scale. Swapped the springs out and now have a great trigger at about 9 1/2 lbs.

I still have both, and did a fair amount of side by side shooting them just a few weeks ago. The first thing that stood out was.. 5 rounds goes quickly! Seems like after I loaded and started getting warmed up.. time to reload again. Wouldn't want to depend on that as my home defense gun. I like the idea of keeping the 1911 for that. Otherwise, both were doable with full power loads, but the .38's were much more fun to shoot. With the extra weight, the Ruger was a little more comfortable on the stiffer loads, but I think I enjoyed shooting the S&W a little more, probably because it was brand new to me and this was my first time shooting it.

Added a photo with the wood grips and one of the experimental JB Welded front sights that are no longer there.

Not sure you need a compact carry gun as your nightstand gun. What's wrong with your 1911??

Haha dontcha love it Charlie??

I've 2 sp's, a 327 and a 4" 357, the 327 is on my nightstand, love am both, I like the 327 best, it's got a 3" snout. ..

Never liked the 101 enough to want one.
Too heavy for a 5 shot compact gun.

If it's in the night stand, size and weight don't matter.

I agree with jwp475, if I'm ditching a 1911, it's for
more ammo.


Double stack 1911?

I have a SP101 in 357 mag with 2 1/2” barrel, they are easy to shoot well with the short barrel because of their bulk which negates the reason for the short barrel.

FieldGrade, guns are a personal decision, and a subjective one. I've got the SP101's and I like them a lot. If you like it, and you want it, get it. Who cares what anyone else thinks.

Yep. Great advise.

Personally I’d prefer an old six shot Ruger Security Six with the 4” barrel or a S&W 66 of the similar variant, if I was going with a revolver. But get whatever you like, if that’s what you want. No flies on the SP101.

Yea......I just ignore the usual "do what I do" crowd.


I'm just kicking the idea around right now because I don't shoot the 1911 very well (hands are too small or something) and I really prefer wheel guns so the 101 in 357 caught my eye. I already have two S&W 38's that I reload for so practice ammo wouldn't be an added expense.
Course I could always stuff some + P rounds in my 4" Model 10-8 but what fun would that be?

The varying opinions on the 101's trigger concerns me a little......I'm kind of a trigger snob.....but I might take a chance if I can find a used one at a good price.

Might need a little trigger work, but they are great little revolvers. And handle recoil Very Well.

Sometimes, something catches our eye and we simply must give it a whirl. But I don't recall hearing anyone rave about the 101's trigger, although some like it "well enough." And you admit to being particular about triggers. Doesn't seem like a match made in heaven.

But if you find a good deal on one, if you don't like it, you can probably send it down the road at little cost for the knowledge gained.

Yep.....

I agree totally with those two above.

I don;t know if having the DAO hammer on my SP101 makes the trigger feel different, but I think it ain't bad. It's not a S&W, but I wouldn't say it's better or worse than my model 60.....just different. Both have had a little work though.

Think I'd have to agree with Oregon45. If I were to buy another, I'd want it to be in 9mm. But hey - it's your gun. The hand issue, IMO, is most important. My hand issue is mine alone, of course, but I do find the SP101/Hogue grip combo to be one of the easiest things I have to get a good grip on and up into action quickly.

I am really starting to like the sp101.


Not a single thing wrong with it.





An interesting variation might be a 327 Federal.

Im liking the 38 special i just picked up recently. So much in fact i had the local shop order me a 327 which should be in this week!

What Bob said!

I bought the SP 101 as soon as they brought it out in a four inch 327. I like it a lot better after my local gunsmith worked on the trigger. In all fairness, the trigger on the SP 101 after smithing is almost as nice as the factory trigger on my LCR.

In 327, either revolver carries six rounds instead of five as in 38 or 357. The two inch LCR slides right into a pants pocket and you never know it's there.

What’s not to like?

Battleship grade strength, handy, ultimately reliable. I have four of them & I like my latest best, 22 with the fiber optic sight.

I've got two - and love 'em... One in .38/.357 and the other in .32H&R... I'd sell a bunch of others before I'd consider getting rid of these.. FWIW.

Since you seem to want a 3" wheelgun, have you considered the 3" GP100 in 44 Spcl? Yes, it only holds five, but it's another good alternative.....

I have the 4.2 inch SP101 in .32 H&R. It's a six shot rather than a five shot. I use it a lot as a woods walking gun - usually with 100 grain cast SWCs. I bought it used, so I can't say whether the trigger had work done on it, but I find it more than satisfactory and I've owned and shot a lot of S&Ws and Colt double actions. Not a pocket gun, but I wouldn't be distraught if it were the only handgun I owned.

Well Tim......I did indeed say I was only interested on the Sp 101.....to be honest I've always thought the GP was pretty ugly so I haven't paid much attention to them.....until now that is. I'm a big fan of the 44 Spcl......... already reload for one so that a plus.....adjustable sights are nice.....and the unfluted cylinder helps in the ugly dept. so you definitely have my attention.

I'm going to town Wed. so I think I'll try and do a comparison of the two revolvers......hopefully side by side.

Dam your hide Tim.....

PS.....does anyone here know how the GP's trigger compares to the SP?

For me....the gp trigger is a bit nicer.

FG, I'm kind of in the same boat, regarding trigger comparison. Never had a GP100 until a few days ago. Never was interested in one until the .44 special hit the ground. And then I found out about the 10mm Match Champion.

At this point, I'd have to say that my SP101 trigger feels almost as good as my Security Six, and a little better than the Match Champion. The MC is just as smooth, but definitely a tighter lock-up, and a little heavier. But the SS is thoroughly broken in many times over, the SP is well broken in and had some work (both conditions, before I acquired them), and the MC is brand new (Haven't done more than dry-fire yet). My thoughts on all the above though, have come down to - why settle for the 44spl, when you can have one more round of the 10mm in the same package?

I like the SP-101, had a couple but not in a decade or more. I can only think of two drawbacks and one isn't necessarily an issue now. First thing, I don't like fixed sights. I mess with enough loads that adjustable sights are pretty near a necessity. You c'n get 'em on the 4.2" barreled versions now. Second thing, not so much the trigger, but the gap between the trigger guard and the back of the trigger is too narrow. I found that I'd get a fold of skin in there which would keep me from firing subsequent shots in DA mode. No issue with shooting single action where I'd use the pad on my finger tip on the trigger, but when I'd hook the trigger at the first knuckle, it was pretty predictable.

If I were to get an SP-101, I think it'd be the .327 Federal, 4.2 inch, adjustable sights. I think that'd be pretty abusive on the ears. I've had a couple single sevens with 4-5/8" barrels and they bark ... loud ... with .327 ammo.

Tom

I bought a 2 1/4” SP 101 in .357 magnum around 25 years ago. At the time, I was driving a lot (too much.) I’d spend a lot of road time dry firing that revolver in double action. It smoothed out to a great double action pull. The single action pull is good also, for what it’s worth. It’s one of 2 da revolvers I have that is not aSmith and Wesson. My son always liked it well enough that he’s got it’s twin. My brother liked it well enough that I haven’t seen it in probably ten years. Oh well....

Now don't you start dammit.....

Seriously though.....I love the 44 Special and already reload for it.

And don't forget.....I'll still have the 1911 under some kleenex and chit in the nightstand if I need another round.

I have six SP101's, 3 of the 2.25" DAO, and 3 of the 3". I am converting one of the 3" revolvers into DAO as well and the other two may follow. I have had them for about six years now. They replaced several S&W 625's which were just two large for me.

I keep pondering on the 5 shot capacity.

There is a general case to be made for the revolver over the semi-auto. Grant Cunningham makes the case as well as any. Here are the advantages for me:

With the Crimson Trace LG-303 grips, the SP101 fits my hand perfectly. The grip fits right in the web of my hand and the front joint of my trigger finger fits the trigger with a little to spare so that I don't pull to the side as I have with larger revolvers. The double action pull is smooth and keeps getting smoother. It is easy for me to shoot.

The mass of the revolver makes shooting the Speer Gold Dot 38 Special +P load very manageable and the 2.25" barrel boosts them to over 900 fps. The SP101 is noticeably more manageable with these than the Ruger LCR.

The Buffalo Bore .38 Special 158 grain +P ammunition is not nearly as comfortable to shoot with the 2.25" barrel. I am hoping the they will be more comfortable in the 3" barrel. If not, the 3" barrel will take the standard pressure Buffalo Bore 158 grain SWC to over 900 fps. The Hornady Critical Defense .357 load also works well in the 3" barrel.

I am also looking at replacing the front sight with a fiber optic front sight. This might work better than the front sight with my eyeglasses in the daylight.

It is a pleasure to discuss the SP101




.

I have both the 4.2" SP 101 in 327 and the 3" GP 100 in 44 Spcl……like them both but find the GP100 more accurate.. ..Just do what I did after picking up the GP100 and stop by Alan Harton's shop and beg him to do an action/trigger job on it...…..came out very nice...

Good luck with the shopping.....

Charlie, if you are open to the GP100 3" 44 special, check it out. The two I've had (and still have one) are nice triggers. Nicer the the SP101's. I've got (right now) 6 SP's. Wanting to get down to 4. That 44 special is a nice gun, good trigger, and is just flat shoots well.

DeFlave's got one, sounds like he really likes his too.

Thanks for the first hand information Marlin.

I'm definitely interested in that 44 but I'd like to handle a GP first just to see how they fit my hand first.

We have 2 fairly good sized stores (Sportsmans and North 40) and a few smaller ones so I should be able to do that Wed.

Despite his mental challenges Travis actually knows his way around a handgun......I'll see what he has to say too.

Thanks again.

Well, there's a good reason.

Do yourself a favor while you're trying on the GP for size, and fondle a Match Champion if you can. The Hogue grips they come with are much better than the standard grips (which I hate), and make a huge difference in the way it feels. Pretty sure you can get those grips and put them on any GP100.

I have had a 3" for 5 or so years. For me it just works. As light a 357 Mag throwing 125's as I would ever want to shoot and it shoots very well. It resides in one of my vehicles loaded as such.

FWIW: I have a 101 without the adjustable sights. XS Sights (makers of the XS Big Dot) makes a Standard Dot Tritium front sight for these (also fits the J-frame Smith). It is a round, white sight with a tritium center. It's just the correct size. I REALLY like mine and it's much easier to see than the standard black front blade.

M7

Cant do it

Para used to make a 14- shot 1911 style 45. P14 ?

Fieldgrade,
For what it’s worth.......I’ve had one of the GP100’s in 44 Special with the 3” barrel since they were first introduced and love it. It is my most often “carry” gun and is my “night stand” gun. The action is good, both single and double action and is superbly accurate. The only change I made was installing a set of regular GP100 Compact grips. They make the gun easier to conceal if so desired, look good on the gun, and fit my hand better than the grips that come on the gun. I think you would like it.

Charlie, if you want it, buy it. But a 5 shot 101 on the nightstand vs. the 6 shot M10 you already own is going backwards. You'll shoot .38 +P from either one and the extra shot and 1" of barrel make the S&W the more logical choice for a bed side revolver.

KYHillChick has had hers since 2006 and loves it. It's her everyday carry.

Good advice as usual GC and after handling both models yesterday I think I'll take it....at least for now.

Yes!

Had a hammerless SP101 for 25 years. Got it for the Wif. Loved it, accurate and manageable with 125gr .357mag HP.
Being SS, I carried it as my boat gun, too.
Traded it off, last month, only because of being DAO, Wif could no longer handle the heavy trigger pull, with her arthritis.

Kept it and 3 speedloaders on the night stand. Highly recommend them.

My Sp101 is a 4" 32H&R mag and won't be going anywhere.

Have had a 2" 357 SP101 I bought to carry in a gun pocket in a leather jacket on the Harley over 20 years now, also have a small light holster so I can clip it to a windshield bag. Black grip, holster, and bag it is almost invisible, to use when open carry was legal and CC wasn't in the city limits without a permit, I think it will keep it.

Do it - Wolf Spring Kit and Meprolight Frontsight on mine. Would recommend both changes.

Meprolight Ruger SP 101 Front sight

I've had a 3" for several years now. I like it for what I use it for which is a camping/trail/fishing companion. I also picked up a Hill People Gear Original Snubby kit bag which it fits in nicely. Switched out the factory grips to the Pachmayr Diamond Pro Series and that made a huge difference to me. Probably going to switch out the front sight to an XS in the near future. It is a little tank too.

I've owned a couple and all I can say is they are the best small full power revolvers in their size class. They are very comfortable to shoot, well made and dependable.

You will love the Ruger SP101! Buy with confidence.

I’ve had a 2.25” version for about a decade, mine is a 357
Magnum and has Played many roles for me. I’ve used it as
My concealed carry gun, my woods/hiking gun, now it’s my wife’s woods gun. I’ll never get rid of that gun.