Questions about the Ruger sp101 .357 magnum revolver.

mg357 · Nov 18, 2015

I have some questions about the Ruger sp101 .357 magnum revolver.

Was it ever used by any police departments in the united states?

And was it ever used by the united states military?

bigsteve113 · Nov 18, 2015

Good question! I'm curious to see the responses. I know I carried one as a back up on duty, and as a primary off duty for years, until they came out with the KLCR .357. It served me well and I still have it and always will.

As you probably already know, since you asked about "U.S." police use, France issued it to it's policemen, I think in .38 special configuration, for a while. I don't know of any U.S. police agencies that officially issued it, but it's on the approval list for many agencies I know of. Back in 'the day' there were sure a bunch of the SP's cousins, Security Six, Service Six, and Speed Six, riding in many police holsters!!

kaaskop49 · Nov 18, 2015

I knew 2 NYPD officers who carried the SP101 in .38 as an off-duty gun in the late 80's, so it was apparently authorized. As an aside, both reported problems with a weak trigger return spring, so they were not terribly pleased with it.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

ISCS Yoda · Nov 18, 2015

Back in 'the day' there were sure a bunch of the SP's cousins, Security Six, Service Six, and Speed Six, riding in many police holsters!!

Those were the SP and GP predecessors.

bigsteve113 · Nov 18, 2015

ISCS Yoda said:
Those were the SP and GP predecessors.

Yes, you are correct. Predecessors is a better description than cousins!

bronco45 · Nov 18, 2015

Google SPNY and GPNY they were Rugers usedby NYPD

Texas Star · Nov 18, 2015

Can anyone post the photo of the cute French detective with the SP-101 on the back of her belt?

My SP-101 has a smooth, but heavy, trigger pull. It has no problem with a weak trigger return spring. Maybe those NYPD cops had guns with springs weakened to get a lighter pull. They had to use DA-only versions.

murphydog · Nov 18, 2015

No and no on the SP-101, at least as a .357 and as far as I have heard or read.

6thtexas · Nov 27, 2015

Can the SP101 use J frame speedloaders?

Old cop · Nov 27, 2015

Back in the early '70s a few security agencies issued them to their uniformed personnel. We, not knowing any better, looked down on the Ruger revolvers as being something "less than" our S&W Model 15s.

hangnoose · Nov 27, 2015

NYPD & SP101

guy I worked with in 1998 got into the academy & NYPD he had a sp101 as his bug/off duty, Either strongly recommended or issued, I don't know.

Biggfoot44 · Nov 27, 2015

Once read in a gun 'zine about the purchase of half dozen or so .357 SP101's for undercover Narcs , so that would remove the question slightly from Never.

But in general BUGs were/ are privately purchased, within some vararing degree of Dept aproval. The above mentioned. NYPD short list aproval probably the largest.

KLYDE · Nov 27, 2015

6thtexas said:
Can the SP101 use J frame speedloaders?

Yes, it uses the same speed loader as the J frame.

Questions about the Ruger sp101 .357 magnum revolver.

mg357

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bigsteve113

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kaaskop49

ISCS Yoda

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bigsteve113

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bronco45

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Texas Star

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murphydog

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6thtexas

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Old cop

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hangnoose

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Biggfoot44

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KLYDE

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