Greetings,
My wife attended a good quality gun class over the weekend and from the selection which she fired, she liked the SP101 380 spurless the most. There was an S&W 357 which she fired with a 380 round but she said that that gun was too heavy for her..
Myself I'm an S&W proponent.

Any equivalent to the Ruger in the S&W repertoire?

If not, then any thoughts on the Ruger in question?

Thanks

Well, the FIRST thought is not to shoot .380 ammo in either the SP-101 or the S&W equivalent. That wasn't a typo; you said ".380" twice! Your wife may be confused about the right cartridges.

These guns use revolver ammunition called .38 Special or are chambered for the .357 Magnum round, which also allows using .38 Special as a lighter load for reasons too long for me to explain here.

Recoil with .357 loads in a gun that size is fierce, not for the casual or new shooter. Use them with 38 ammo unless you need the added power, as a hiker might in a trail gun worn in areas where cougars or bears might be a threat. There are self defense scenarios that might cause me to load .357 ammo in my SP-101, but home defense isn't one: the muzzle blast and noise indoors may harm your hearing!

To answer your specific question, the S&W equivalent is the model 60-15. I think -15 is current; there may be a later dash suffix with minor engineering changes.

Because the S&W is a little lighter than the SP-101 and has a cylinder release more likely to cut your thumb on recoil, I prefer the Ruger in this size gun, chambered in .357. I also STRONGLY suggest the three-inch barrel option, which gives desirable extraction and increased velocity and control benefits.

I DO NOT advocate the spurless hammer. That is a specialty option for those who really want it, but it is less safe, I think, and precludes cocking the hammer for more precise shooting at longer ranges.

If the lady wants a lighter gun, she will pay for it in increased recoil, especially when firing the Plus P higher velocity .38 ammo. I think the answer is to buy an older Model 60 snub in .38 Special caliber, before they cheapened the line with MIM parts and added a lock that we aren't supposed to discuss here. If you want a new gun, and you may, given your lack of firearms knowledge, I'd totally buy the Ruger, despite it usually having a heavier trigger pull. I own both the Ruger and an earlier .38 Model 60-4, both with three-inch full lug barrels. I think the S&W platform is too much of a good thing when chambered for .357 ammo.

If a snub is required, the SP-101 is heavy for its size, but kicks less. It is durable; people often say that it is built like an Abrams tank. Ditto for the larger GP-100, a full size .357.

The light alloy snub guns kick like a mule with effective ammo. They carry easy and shoot rough.

A lot more research needs to precede your wife's gun purchase and she needs to learn for sure which ammo goes in which gun. Absolutely!

Others will voice other opinions. I think mine are the basics and need to be heeded. Good luck with your final purchase decision.

Taurus makes a small-frame revolver chambered for .380 ACP; can't recall if it has a spurless hammer. If it was an SP-101, it is really an in-between size of a J and K frame. A 3" target sighted J frame comes closest, and the trigger will probably be better than the Ruger on average.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Thank you for your correction Texas Star. Absolutely wright about the caliber.

Also, thanks for the good quality answer on the spurless SP101.

The spurless SP101 is Double-Action-Only. It's a decent option for snag-free concealed carry. Ruger triggers are heavy and crude, but can be cleaned up and lightened fairly easily.

I owned both a 2-1/4" and 3" SP101, and to me the 3" had considerably more recoil than the shorter barrel, but ymmv.

The SP101 is a decent little gun, but for the size and weight, I would look for a 2" S&W model 10 or 64, which is a K frame and holds 6 rounds instead of 5 with the SP101.

Keep in mind that K-frame S&W's are markedly larger than an SP -101. It is only a little larger than an S&W J-frame.

Also, many modern SP-101's have quite good trigger pulls, although typically heavier than on S&W J-frame guns. Spring kits can cure that, but be careful of installing springs too light to fire all ammo.

The Ruger (and S&W) triggers will "wear-in" and smooth up, as with all new guns. I wouldn't change a spring until I'd fired some 500 rounds, to see what wearing-in will do. Put a couple of drops of good oil down into the action to begin. That may also flush out some tiny debris left from the manufacturing process.

The case can be made that spurless hammers are safer.

To wit-
home alone.
3 am, awakened by noise.
novice grabs gun, starts checking house.
front door rattles, gun is COCKED reflexively, leveled at door in perfect isoceles stance.
10 minutes later, no other sounds have been heard, arms are tired and trembling.

We are now inside, with tired arms holding a loaded, COCKED revolver.
hmmmmmmmmm...............
We don't want to open a window or door to point it at the ground while uncocking because there might be someone lurking.......

Please choose the best backstop while uncocking this loaded gun with tired arms while still stressed out:
a. Floor
b. Ceiling
c. Wall with no neighbors
d. Refrigerator


Think about spurless or Double Action Only revolvers for self defense guns for novices.
Teach them to shoot DA if they need to shoot.

If they develop into a shooter for sport or pleasure, single action (cocking hammer) shooting can be phased into with another gun.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Too many to count, S&W 642's, sold for the EXACT reasons stated..

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SWCA #2306
DAV in honor of POP

Just using this quote as a pick.....SP101s are the same size as Colt Detective Specials, etc. Both are six round and fit the same holsters perfectly.

I prefer "hammerless" or bobbed hammer J-frame/D Special size guns for carry. Less to snag and I'm not going to be shooting them s/a for defense anyway.

You don't have to know much about guns to support the NRA. Welcome everyone.

You summed up just about everything I would say.

I know there are women out there who are master gunners in every way but I think the average woman will do just fine with a revolver.

I think the 642 or LCR are adequate protection and are nice little guns to boot.

The SP101 is a great gun too so if his wife likes the extra heft, I say go for it.

Just hope the OP makes it ultra clear to his wife that 380s and the SP101 go together like honey and mayonnaise.

T'ain't nothing wrong with an SP101-one of the finest made snub .357's made in my opinion. J frames shine with what they were originally made for - .38's. They REALLY shine when chambered in .38 in an airweight frame. (They're also a bear to shoot in this configuration however). In my opinion, a SP101 is the smallest frame a .357 should be chambered in-next up would be a snub K frame. J frames are primarily for carry. In another considered opinion, I see no reason whatsoever to go smaller than a 4" barrel K frame for a bedside gun.
I have more opinions about additional topics-just ask me and I will happily share

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Forum consigliere

Pretty much right on imo...'cept wife and I both prefer HB three inch K's for the nightstand

Hello, sir. I have to ask, first of all, what this gun is to be used for. Is it for concealed carry? Home defense? Other? We are probably correct in assuming it has a defensive purpose, but we still are actually guessing, and need you to fill us in.

I have the gun your wife prefers, an SP101 with a spurless hammer. You didn't give the barrel length; mine is the 2-1/4". Mine is also chambered in .357. I use it strictly for concealed carry. The spurless hammer prevents the problem of a hammer spur catching on clothing when it is drawn(probably little chance of that anyway, but it's possible). It also doesn't permit single action fire as mentioned previously, but if the gun is to be used defensively, double-action fire is what would be used in nearly every case anyway. I concur with Lee that a gun which can be cocked can be a hazard in various defensive scenarios. For home defense the 3" barrel is a good choice; for carry the 2-1/4" is a little easier to conceal. The trigger on mine is outstanding -better than many of my Smiths, in fact.

These are just a few thoughts; fill in a few details and maybe we can be of even more assistance.

Best wishes in properly arming your wife.
Andy

Um...no. Sp101s are not six rounds (except the 327 Federal). They are 5 rounds in 38 or 357 and they are considerably smaller than a K frame. Maybe you are thinking of a Security Six?

Also, I think it's obvious that the Wine64 is talking about 38 special, NOT 380. I don't think his wife fired a 380 in a 357 Smith. So he needs to be looking a J frames. The other obvious option is just buy the sp101. The Ruger sp101 is a solid, reliable gun that will last a lifetime. And if you change your mind down the road, it would have great resale value.