A while back I was considering getting a Charter Bulldog. I rather liked the features of the gun: good price, 44 Special, compact stainless steel wheel gun. However the quality really turned me off. Since then I have been looking for a better alternative, and keep coming back to the SP101. I love S&W but the J-frames are just too hard get my hands around at times. I see the SP101 comes in many variations. .38 or .357 Magnum, 2 or 3 inch, SA/DA or DAO. I also like the small GP100 with the 3 inch half shroud, but they do seem more like my 4 inch M19 in size. Anyone one have any advice on these Ruger small frames? And yes, the LCR38 and LCR357 look nice but too plastic for me!

I had a 3" barrel .357mag. It was a very early production one that I picked up used soon after they had just came out. The trigger pull was pretty heavy, and frankly sucked. The later production guns have a much better trigger and I wouldn't hesitate to buy another if it were newish.

It shot well, though the trigger sucked. Recoil was relatively tame for such a small gun, due to the weight and the 3" barrel. If it had a better trigger on that one, I would have probably kept it. I found the OEM grips very comfortable for me. The gun itself was kinda heavy, but it's a stainless steel Ruger, so that wasn't exactly a shock.

I've been kicking around the idea of getting a .327FedMag. The LGS has two of them, both 4", and the idea of buying one is growing on me.

I have an SP101 in .357 with the 21/4" barrel.
It is a well made gun with a decent trigger pull in both single and double action.
I was amazed at the 25 yard accuracy and seemingly low recoil using full house 158 grain magnums.
In short, I highly recommend this little powerhouse!

I have a love/hate relationship with the SP101. I've had three of them, a 2.25" 357, 3" 357 and a 2.25" 38 Special. I think they're nice looking revolvers and that's what kept me coming back but the triggers are HEAVY and do not respond as well to action tuning as other larger Ruger revolvers like the GP100 or Super Redhawk. The geometry of the action is just limited. In the end I sold off the two 357s and have kept the 38 Special but I never carry it or shoot it. Too many better options. The SP101 is a heavy gun for it's size. That weight helps tame the recoil and 357 is pleasant enough in small package but IMO it's too heavy to pocket carry and if I'm going to carry in a holster I would rather just go a bit larger and carry something with more capacity. Just my own preference.

I love my 637 (TALO PC version with action tuning from the factory) and the 637 is a big reason why the SP101 stays in the safe. Lighter, accurate and easy to stick in the pocket of my shorts (my year-round attire down here.)

I'm not bashing the SP101 - it's a nice looking little piece and with the Badger boot grip I actually like the way it balances and feels in my hand. I've invested a good deal of effort into these trying to make them the best they can be. Here's the 2.25" SP101 that I still have.



I changed the barrel profile, contoured the cylinder, softened the edges, upgraded the front sight to an XS tritium dot, removed the annoying MIM line up the back of the hammer, polished the internals, Wollf springs, bead blasted the exterior and swapped the grip for the Badger boot grip. It's the nicest SP101 I've yet encountered but still......

I also recommend the same gun Ralph7 has. I have the 2.25" DAO version that I picked up used a few weeks ago, mainly for my wife since she is starting to finally realize she'd better start getting into the CCW game. I've shot it a couple times and with .38 practice loads the recoil is surprisingly light and it's a fun gun to shoot. The recoil didn't bother my wife either. I was looking for a model 36 but a good specimen was out my desired price range, so I picked this up instead. I think it's a great gun for the money!!

Great gun; I shot one for several years. But I did give it a trigger job. I like the SP101 for reasons posted previous-a little larger and heavier than the J frame, so easier to shoot, but it is HEAVY. Now I carry and shoot what is IMO the best compromise; a 2" Model 10

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John

Love mine-Was a gift from a dear friend (and family Doctor) some 25 years ago when they first came out. Good smooth double action. Only issue is that it is a heavy little beast-unsuitable for pants pocket carry. But it does snug well in a winter jacket. I'd pick an SP101 over a steel J frame any day.

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Forum consigliere

I've had a 3" barreled SP-101 for a couple of years. Yes, it is a bit heavy for it's size, but that does help some with recoil. Yep, the heft and 3" barrel do not allow it to be pocket carried. I usually use and offset clip IWB from Lobo. The action on mine seems fine. A tad heavy, but smooth. I purchased it used and have no idea if anything has been done to it. I too switched to a set of Badger boot grips. They just seem to fit me better.

I have a DAO with 2 1/4" barrel. I had a trigger job done on it and it is a dream to shoot. It was my first of many snub revolvers. I carried it for a while but it was just too heavy. I picked up a 637, and got very quickly hooked on Smith's.

I've thought about getting rid if it since my Smith's have now multiplied many times over, but it is nice to shoot a small snubby that takes the recoil and heavy rounds as well as the SP101.

If I found a good deal on another, I'd probably pick it up.

I've had two SP101's..... a 2 1/4" in 357 mag and a 3" in 38 spl. Both were earlier guns, before MIM (1994 and 1989, respectively). I liked the size, balance, weight, etc. A little lighter than a K-frame. A bit more concealable. I loved the modular design and the "built like a tank" robustness.

BUT.

1) The barrels were slightly over-clocked on both guns, so they had a tendency to shoot a few inches to the left. I never did address this issue, because it would have been costly.

2) The triggers were much heavier than my K-frames, although smooth. The modular trigger group is a bit complex....and I shied away from pulling it apart to do a trigger job. So, I did not do anything about this, except shoot the guns.

3) The cylinder throats were way undersized (around 0.355") which played havoc with accuracy and with shooting cast bullets. I enlarged these to a little over 0.357" on both guns, which improved things a lot, but.....

4) The forcing cones were cut at only 5 degrees, which created a serious leading problem with cast bullets - they were really only suitable for jacketed. The FC on the 2 1/4" gun was cut excessively deep - over 1/2" - and could not be re-cut (without creating a step, so it was pointless). The FC on the 3" gun was "normal", so I re-cut it to 11 degrees. Most of the leading/ inaccuracy problems then disappeared - with THAT gun.

In the end, though I got the 3" SP101 running pretty well, it still shot left, because of the over-clocked barrel. Besides, the trigger was by no means as nice as those of my K-frames. I finally decided, after all of that, that I'd had the "right" guns all along - my 3" K-frames. So, I sold off the SP101's - and I really haven't regretted it.

I'd echo what the others have said. I've got a 2.25" DAO, and it's a great little tank. It's a nice quality gun (unlike the Charter Bulldog, IMO), has a nice smooth action, and the grip on it really does a nice job of taming recoil.

It is heavy, so if you are thinking of carrying it all day, I'd look for a quality holster, and you'd be fine. The heft does soak up the recoil. I like a gun that's a little heavy. Full power .357s are a breeze to shoot... I've got an all stainless Ladysmith snubby that will put a hurt to your hand with the same loads, never mind the lightweight alloy Smith snubs!

The SP101 makes a good truck gun, house gun, or throw it in your jacket pocket gun. With its 5 round capacity and heft, I suppose there are 'better' options for these uses, but it's good to know that if you run out of ammo in a self-defense situation, you can always club the other guy in the head with it! ��

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NRA Life Member

I too have the SP 101 2.25 inch in .357 mag. I iwb carry it in a sticky holster without any problem. .38s are a real pleasure to shoot and .357s are very manageable. Mine also shoots a little to the left. Don't expect a S&W trigger on them though. All in all I carry it often and shoot it often. I think you'd enjoy one.

Every time I have owned a gun made by a company other than S&W, except for Walther, I have always sold it and come back to S&W. This will change now that most pistols are DAO. I have a few pistols made by other manufacturers that are DA/SA that I like. I do not like DAO, and do not understand the change, or why it was done? I like S&W revolvers, and regret selling some to buy the semi-auto pistols. I am now trying to get them back.

It's a good gun! I bought one for my wife to carry; and, other than the annoying message to, 'Read the instruction manual' on the barrel, I have no complaints. I had a local smith do an action job on it; and the action is smooth enough for my wife to shoot decent groups with. Me? I shoot good groups with it; and, while the SP-101 doesn't have quite as responsive a trigger as an S&W factory standard, Ruger's trigger is NOT excessively difficult to work with. (You get used to it!)

What you have to watch with Ruger is the exact same thing you have to watch with a lot of brand new Smith & Wesson revolvers: ....... QUALITY CONTROL. I've heard rumors that Ruger has no quality control; they simply allow the customers to verify their pistols for them; and, based on samples I've handled at a local gun store, I'd say that, indeed, Ruger has no quality control; or, at least, no sophisticated quality control. So, initial inspection of a brand new Ruger (or Smith) before you buy it is particularly important.

Yes, it's true! When we set out to purchase a new SP-101 I found them with things like canted barrels, and excessive cylinder end-shake. In fact I was on my second brand new and factory replaced SP-101 BEFORE I called Steve Sanetti to complain. The third SP-101 I received was perfect, and has worked like a charm!

It's not uncommon for me to do a 50 to 100 fired-round range session with this pistol. Between my wife and myself we'll fire this smallish (but not little) Ruger until it's, literally, way too hot to touch with bare skin! So far, with less than 1,000 fired-rounds through the gun, it's never so much as hiccuped! The SP-101 we finally ended up with does shoot straight and well.

It's a 357 Magnum, and has never fired anything except hot, and mid-range 357 Magnum loads. I consider it to be an excellent 10 to 12 yard self-defense revolver - Which is especially important to me because, in a life or death CQB pistol combat situation, I train to engage sooner and at greater distance than what is usually expected. (In other words I try to prevent the other guy from stepping into his own, 'personal combat comfort zone' first, and before I do.)

As far as the trigger goes, I like the trigger on my wife's, now 9 year old (no MIM seams!) SP-101 better than I liked any of the factory-stock triggers on new Glock pistols that I've purchased; and this is especially true of the latest trigger bars that Glock is using on their more recently manufactured pistols - The trigger bars with the more severe (but safer) angles on their striker lug, ‘slip tabs'.

Personally I wouldn't own a small frame revolver with a 2 1/2 inch barrel. Why? Because such a short barrel is too difficult to shoot straight at the longer distances I prefer to engage at; and, whenever I'm not well practiced, the preceding statement includes me, too. On such a modest sized revolver I, far and away, prefer to use a: longer, straighter shooting, and easier to control, 3 inch barrel.

As everybody is learning: Nowadays the, 'mutts' tend to run in packs; and the first time you have to simultaneously engage more than one opponent you'll appreciate the practicality of having a longer rather than a shorter barrel. This is especially true whenever you become engaged by a second attacker who has the street savvy to further disadvantage you by hanging back, or to obliquely, ‘three-quarter’ you while his pal gets up close and personal, ‘in your face’. (This is exactly the same, ‘interview technique’ that many police officers use.)

A Ruger SP-101 with a 3 inch barrel is somewhere between a disadvantageous small frame, and a standard frame, ‘combat revolver’ - Which in today’s increasingly godless, increasingly violent, and increasingly confrontational world has become an obvious oxymoron. I like my wife’s SP-101 (Which I sometimes borrow.) enough that it’ll never be for sale.

Yes, an SP-101 is too heavy for comfortable pocket carry; but, then again, I’m never comfortable pocket carrying anything larger than a Beretta, ‘Tomcat’. What the SP-101 is NOT is either too light, or too ill-proportioned to adequately and effectively defend yourself with; and, really, when everything is finally said and done, isn’t versatile, more broad based self-defense the whole point to carrying a pistol in the first place!

I bought a DAO, bobbed hammer version brand for my son's 21st B'day. Took him to the range and he shot poorly with it. I tried and on a few chambers the trigger was very hard to pull on some rounds, if you could pull it at all. Sent it back to Ruger and they replaced the "D" bushing and it was GTG then.

Like Arc Angel said, I think they QC is pretty slack and they let the buying public do some of their R&D/QC for them. I also had to return a new GP 100 because the stainless finish was horrible. After only a few days it was back to me tho, which tells me they've seen it before and have the routine down on fix and return. Not meaning to slam Ruger of course...

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Isaiah 41:10

I've had four SP101's over the years ( 357, 38spl, 9mm and .22). All were solid revolvers that I truly wanted to love. That said, despite solid build, all had only "OK" fit and finish that needed attention. More of an issue, all needed extensive trigger work to get them acceptable (but still not on par with a tuned S&W). Lastly, grip choice was a bit more limited than with a S&W. Long story short, they are all gone and/or replaced by their S&W counterparts.
Based on my experience, if your goal is for a good carry gun, I'd skip the learning curve and go right for a alloy S&W J frame of one flavor or another..

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Dave

I've owned two - the first a 2.25" .357 back in the late '90s (awful trigger) and the second a newer 3" .357 that's a keeper (great trigger).

These things are tanks (I happily shoot mine with my most powerful handloads) - the 5-shot .357s are strong as the dickens and they carry light and skinny (wonderful for hikes up the mountain). I'm partial to the 3" tube to get some legs under the .357 loading and find it carries perfectly easily IWB - and I've not found that even the short SP-101s carried well in the pocket (the fantastic stocks are too grippy for the pocket, and the gun itself is large-ish - the same exact size as a 6-shot D-frame Colt . . . in fact, the SP works great in my Detective Special holsters).

Just to note - the 3" is a lot skinnier but not all that much smaller than the old 6-shot Speed Six .357:


I found that the trigger guards of both my SPs to be very sharp: I filed off the sharp bits (as well as the sharp corners of the hammer) and found them much more pleasant to shoot.

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Now go make God proud...

Back in the 80s when the SP came out the 38 didn't do much for me as I was carrying a Colt DS off duty and a Model 19 on duty.

But when they brought out the SP in 357 and DAO I bought one. I rarely shoot a revolver SA unless it i a 44.

Put a Meprolight night sight on the gun and had the action tuned and sprung. Carried it in a Bianchi rig with a second six in a belt slide by De Santis. Qualified with 357s and carried this gun for off duty and some plainclothes work.

Leap forward to 2015, just purchased a WC model SP101, fired 15 rds of 38s in it and the face of the cylinder was dragging so hard on the forcing cone that I shipped the gun back to Ruger on their dime. That was 10 days ago and Fed EX sent an email yesterday that the SP was on its way back to me!

Bottom line I will have the WC tuned and will carry it on occasion as it is a great 357 platform. I love snubbies and carry them and admire the engineering in them. Smiths, I have one snubby a 442 no lock, the rest are different makes and from different eras.

Your SPs are hell for stout and will serve you well.

Great thread, some VERRY savvy posters here. Make a good round-table discussion. Most seem to agree the 101 is a good gun, but... The original guns in .38 suffered from weak trigger return function. This I both read and heard personally from 2 NYPD officers. This has been corrected, IMO.

The 101 has two distinct trigger pulls, strange that this sounds: One when dry-firing at home, and the second under live fire. I don't know why I let this bother me; I can handle mag loads in my 60 and 340s without difficulty, I don't flinch on these guns. An LEO buddy on this Forum tells me he concentrates on sight picture and simply "pulls through." Must try this.

It seems to be a gun we like in most cases, yet it suffers from not being a Smith, if I read the above posters correctly. It also seems to be one that if we sell, we wish we hadn't.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

For the life of me, what is a "WC model?" So I don't know everything! Stay safe, partner.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

Wiley Clap edition: the features incorporated into these models have been well received.

(Me, I like my bone-stock SP just fine. It's a keeper.)

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Now go make God proud...

It is hard to beat a Ruger for the build or price. Not so difficult to do so on the D/A or D/A S/A. If the gun is unpleasant to shoot, or even not that enjoyable chances you aren't going to put in the range time to become proficient in using it. Not to bash your choice but I would have went with the m36 or even better yet a nice 2" m15 .38 special or a 2" m10 for fixed sights. It is hard to pass on a Ruger that will cost the same or maybe even a little less but the trigger action on a M15 2" makes it a joy to shoot and the accuracy is amazing for a 2" snubbie. Just my personal choice and opinion. I have owned a few Rugers and find that they are a great value, but slightly overbuilt with a consistent heavy trigger regardless of what model. My last was the SP 101 .22 L/R. I may be just spoiled by the trigger action of the older Smiths, but that is what I like in a revolver, it's all about the trigger action.

Attached Images

S&W M15-2-3-4 2 inch .38 specials 029.jpg (83.6 KB, 47 views)

The SP101 along with all of Rugers revolvers are in my opinion quality guns at affordable/reasonable prices. That being said, I don't have a use for a 5 shot revolver that is in the same weight range as any of my 6 shot S&W K frames.

I have an SP 2-1/4" .357, DAO. It is my only carry piece, and has been since I got my CCW over 11 years ago. I also carry it in my pocket, and disagree with the others that it is "too heavy" for that; maybe for someone who has to wear those paper-thin dress pants as everyday attire that would be an issue. I just tighten the belt on my Haggars and there isn't a problem.

I use only .357s in it -the 125gr. variety. As others have said, recoil is easily manageable with these. As long as one keeps practicing with them, one may become proficient and gain acceptable speed with follow-up shots. Regular practice is essential, though.

All my other revolvers are Smiths, and I don't know if any of them has a better trigger than the SP. However, mine may have had a trigger job done on it before I bought it.

I use the stock grip, which is outstanding. I have a longer Hogue grip but it is too long for pocket carry.

Someone mentioned sharp edges on the trigger guard. I don't have that problem with mine, but the edges on the trigger itself are a bit sharp. Maybe someday I'll round them off. A tritium front sight would be helpful also.

Many folks want greater capacity than the SP provides, which is entirely understandable. I'm content with five rounds, but that could change someday I suppose.

The end of the matter: I'm completely satisfied with my SP101 for carry, and highly recommend it to anyone who wants the power of the .357 and doesn't mind having only five rounds available to him/her.

Best wishes in your choice,
Andy

I bought one some years back. But I never really warmed up to it even though it is a Gemini Custom with a decent trigger and nice sights. I guess I could never wrap my head around such a heavy gun with only 5 rounds. A very good friend of mine has been wanting a home defense gun and has asked me to go with him to buy one. I think I will be wrapping up the SP with a bow just in time for Christmas. ��

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

Thanks for all the replies. It seems like the SP101 is a pretty fine revolver. I maybe get one as the more I keep looking for an affordable but robust small revolver for CC and utility use, the more I keep coming back to it. I do not expect 1950-60s S&W quality, but most Rugers I have been around are miles ahead of Charter and those Brazilian makes. I know it is heavy for its size but I have to say 5 rounds of .357 Golden Sabers in 24 ounces sound better than 7 little .380s in a PPK or P230 of the same weight.

My SP101, is a fine gun. No real complaints, except it is too heavy for pocket carry. If I have to use a real holster and good belt, I'm going to carry something with more than five shots.

I carry my DS since it's way sexier than my SP and that is very important in Hollywood.

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

CCantu, I would trust 5 rounds of 357 for certain more than a .380 auto with 7, or 70 rounds, IF it does not malfunction. I've only owned one SP-101, a 9MM. It is heavy and I don't carry it, finding the little alloy-famed J-Frame better for me. I don't even try to justify the Ruger for any particular purpose. But I enjoy shooting it, it works every time, is accurate when shooting carefully and I have no intention of ever selling it. Buy the SP-101 if it appeals to you. I don't think you can go wrong....

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NRA Life, COTEP 640

The S -P 101 in 4 inch will be my next family member.Only problem being is I broken the piggy bank this year. Added a Springfield Xds 45c, and A Smith M & P 40c. So I have to save but have planed on a 101 for a very long time.

UPDATE: My Wiley Clapp model SP101 came back to me on the 4th of November. Forcing cone cleaned up and recut. Barrel cylinder gap is now .005/6 on the weapon. Fired it yesterday afternoon and weapon cycles without a problem and shoots a good group.

Have a spring kit from Wolff and the weapon is going to my smithy as trigger is smooth and heavy.Hopefully the tuning will make the new SP make it light and smooth. DAO hammer is next project for this little beast.

Spent 30 odd years working County SOs and as a State Parole Officer. Worked plain clothes and uniform and had the privilege of carrying weapon of choice as I worked my way through the ranks at the SO.

One of the fun diversions of working at an SO was felony prisoner transport from usually the seven western states. Transport was carried out by two officers in a patrol car.

On such occasions I would wear a LW Commander 45 auto in a Jackass shoulder rig and a Colt Cobra 38 in an ankle holster. Life was good and the transports usually routine which is translated uneventful.

Always wore the weapon that I felt was tactically correct for the occasion whether Patrol, Investigations or warrant service.

In 93 I went to work as a Parole Officer and was issued a Glock. They work but never liked them, still don't. Today I just carry what strikes my fancy for the day. A slicked up SP works for this day.

I have a 2 1/4" DAO. It's one of my regular carry guns. I put some lighter Wolff springs in it and polished up the trigger surfaces. It smoothed out, and lightened the trigger considerably. Finish on the gun was a little rough. Lots of little sharp edges. A little time with some 1000 and 2000 grit sand paper and she was good to go. I love this little gun, heavy enough to handle full house magnum loads, light enough to carry. Ruger customer service sets the standard in the industry. S&W is good but Rugers is better.

Thanks again for all the advice. I really like the SP101s because I feel they fill a niche that is getting rare. Yeah I understand the J-frame Airweights are much lighter, as are the pocket autos. But those guns feel almost too small in my hand, and fitting them with bigger grips makes them the size of the SP101. I will say if I can find a Smith J-frame .357 pre-lock or a Colt Magnum Carry DS, I would buy one. But for the price it seems hard to beat a Ruger snub right now. I just keep going back and forth on either the 2 inch DAO or the 3 incher.

Put me in that category. I had one many years ago and foolishly sold it. A new SP101 is currently number one on "the list" to buy. Mine will be a 2.25 inch, standard hammer version.

Get the short one! You don't need or want that 3" telephone pole. Get a bigger frame size if you want a "Long Tom."

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

P.S. CCantu357, you analyze very well!

I have a 2" that I changed the factory grip to a longer Hogue grip. Shooting .357 with the small grip hurt after a while. Overall it is a great and reliable snubby.

I've had the short DAO version and my present day 3". IMO the 3" makes the most sense for me since it's essentially a belt gun anyways and it carries on a belt as well as the 2.25" gun did.
I deburred the trigger group and stud when I got it, I actually think it has a very good DA pull.
It's always been a very good shooter for me.

That's darn good shooting for full-charge mags from a fixed-sight shorty at 25 yards! I'm guessing SA, maybe from a rest? Bet you could top that group with a smaller bulls-eye!

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

I have the 2 1/4" in 9mm. Its surprisingly accurate, comfortable to shoot, and in 9mm, its economical to shoot and be an effective round. I highly recommend them.

Thanks...it was actually done DA, alongside my LCR .357- which posted a 3&7/8" group. It was for the snubby match here.
I was holding 6 'O'clock bull, which was pretty much where it hit.

I have a very well used one. The only reason it isn't carried much anymore is limitations on my retired police creds as to what I can carry. There was a period where I carried it very regularly, shot the heck out of it, including a lot of .357 magnum. It is a tank. Mine was sent to Bowen a while ago for his fixed sights and some other work. It is a wonderous gun, and great for someone willing to live a five shot lifestyle.
As a side note, a whole bunch of my guys carried them as back up guns on SWAT. With their vests and gear they could not access their primary pistols with their support hand. Many bought Sp 101's and they were carried for support side back ups and shot extensively in this role. We also had a lot of officers, myself included, that rode a lot of miles under the left leg driving as an instant access gun both on and off duty.

Essentially, I really like them. Currently I am limited to Smith revolvers on my permit along with HK semi autos. The S&W 640 Pro fills the same role as the SP-101. Great gun, but I think the Ruger is more durable with higher power ammunition.

I own both 2.125" and 3" Model 60s in .357 Mag as well as a 3' Ruger SP101 in .357 Magnum.

They are very similar in size, so if one fits you fine, so will the other.

The Ruger is a more rugged design with more metal in the forcing cone, the top strap and in it's side plate-less frame. It also has a full under lug barrel that is a bit heavier than the barrel in my Model 60-14 and 60-15. Overall an SP101 will weight 4 oz more than a Model 60 with the same length barrel. That slight increase in weight is somewhat noticeable when carrying it, but it is not objectionable. That extra 4 oz is very noticeable when shooting it and really helps tame .357 Magnum loads.

Both pistols benefit from a better grip - I prefer the Hogue Monogrip on both revolvers. One of the major benefits is that the grip fills in behind the trigger guard, keeping your middle finger lower and preventing it from getting rapped by the back of the trigger guard under recoil. They make .357 Magnum loads almost pleasant to shoot and running a box of 50 full power loads through a 3" SP101won't leave you flinching.







The heavier construction of the SP101 makes a significant difference if you plan to shoot your revolver a lot with full power .357 Magnum loads. The Model 60 was made to be carried with .357 Magnum loads, but shot primarily with .38 Special. It won't tolerate a steady diet of .357 Magnum nearly as well as the SP101.

Both are very accurate and will produce one hole groups offhand at 10 yards if you do your part, and both are 3" group capable at 25 yards off hand if the shooter is up to it, which is excellent combat accuracy.

The overall feel of the Model 60 is smoother and the internal workings don't feel as mechanical as the SP101. However, the trigger on the SP101 isn't bad once you replace the trigger return spring with a lighter one from Wolff, and you can also go with a lighter hammer spring for a little more improvement.

In fact, the Ruger's comparatively huge fire control parts clunking around to create the more mechanical feel of the SP101s trigger pull is an advantage when firing it double action, as you can feel the hand and the bolt as they each engage the cylinder and it breaks the pull into three distinct stages: Pull until it clicks; pull some more until it clicks again; then hold pressure and squeeze a little harder until the shot breaks. I wouldn't recommend staging the trigger that way under extreme stress, but on the range it stages much more predictably than the trigger on the Model 60.



Both will fit the same holsters (usually).



You can also get a tritium front sight for both revolvers, giving them both great utility as a self defense handgun.





I do like the adjustable sights on the Model 60-15 as it allows the rounds to go to point of aim regardless of the load used. On the other hand, while it shoots standard pressure .38 Specials a bit low, the SP101 will put 125 gr . 357 magnum loads to point of aim out to 25 yards.

In both cases whether you go with the SP101 or the Model 60, I recommend a 3" barrel in .357 Magas it's just not that efficient in a 2.125" barrel - and the extra weight of the longer barrel helps you shoot it better in both revolvers.

Thank you for this super post. Possibly the greatest hands-on analysis of 2 snub small-frame revolvers I have ever read. Will have to re-read it. You've answered questions I haven't even thought of. Especially like your thoughts on SP101's trigger action. You know your guns. All good wishes and good shooting!

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

Heck, nyeti, no one ever taught me that: "...under the left leg driving..." Thought I knew everything. Great thread. It has made me decide (again) not to sell my SP101 and to do more work with 125gr loads.

Stay safe, partner. Retired or active, getting uglier out there.

Kaasop49
Shield #5103