Anyone buy one of the French Police trade in SP101's online?

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tominboise

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I see a few French police 3" SP101 38 specials trade in's online. I was wondering if anyone has purchased one and if so, what the overall condition was and what your impressions of it are.
 
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$530 for a 3" bbl .38? Has to be the grip. Sell it w/o that horrible grip and the $ goes down commensurately to: ??? As I've posted previously, lot of optimists out there. On 2d thought, guess it's to be expected as worn, imported Model 10s are going for the same money, and more. :rolleyes:

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
 
I bought one from a shop last year for $350.00. Mine came with the French police holster as well. I thought that was a good price, but wouldn't pay $530. But then I wouldn't pay some of the price I've seen folks paying for some of the rougher conditon S&W police trade ins.

A quick google shows another place was selling them for $399, but they're currently out of stock.
 
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kaaskop49 said:
$530 for a 3" bbl .38? Has to be the grip. Sell it w/o that horrible grip and the $ goes down commensurately to: ???
Click to expand...

All joking aside, these are original Trausch grips, which means that they look like hell and feel like heaven. This style is actually comparatively ordinary in appearance; the larger-frame versions look even more awkward, like below on a service version of the MR 73.

Since Jacques Trausch expired several years ago and his business died with him, the grips themselves have become somewhat collectible. Still no excuse to pay $200 too much for the SP101, though.


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I don't want to upset the Ruger fans but why would French Police want 5-shot SP101's when they could have MR73's? Were the Rugers for plain clothes Officers?
 
Moo Moo said:
I don't want to upset the Ruger fans but why would French Police want 5-shot SP101's when they could have MR73's? Were the Rugers for plain clothes Officers?
Click to expand...

That was part of it.

The Manurhin MR73‘s weren‘t much cheaper in Europe than here ;)

So while elite units like the GIGN got the various MR iterations, Manurhin collaborated with Ruger to produce the much cheaper Ruger-Manurhin Special Police, based on the Service Six series.

But these were full-sized service revolvers in .357. For plainclothes, as well as for female officers, the SP101 in .38 was adopted.

In the early 2000s, all revolvers were phased out when the Sig 2022 was adopted nationally (France does not have a federal structure and everything is very centralized).
 
I think the French guns were "Railway" police guns, at least some transportation branch. France and Ruger have always had a connection, Mini 14s as well as revolvers. The SP 101 is a fine weapon, and while we may say why not the standard .357, unless the French decided to shoot .357s over .38s, which they didn't do, there's no need for a .357.
 
Absalom said:
All joking aside, these are original Trausch grips, which means that they look like hell and feel like heaven. This style is actually comparatively ordinary in appearance; the larger-frame versions look even more awkward, like below on a service version of the MR 73.

Since Jacques Trausch expired several years ago and his business died with him, the grips themselves have become somewhat collectible. Still no excuse to pay $200 too much for the SP101, though.
Click to expand...

+1 on the Trausch grips. Here are some K/L frame target grips on my 681:
SW681.jpg

They may look a little funny, but the are very comfortable to shoot.
 
Absalom said:
Since Jacques Trausch expired several years ago and his business died with him, the grips themselves have become somewhat collectible. Still no excuse to pay $200 too much for the SP101, though.
Click to expand...

It's not just the grips that jack up the price, it's all that French provenance, maybe with a small dose of the stench of Gauloises. :D
 
I bought one of the 38 special SP 101 reimported from France. It came with Security holster and Trausch grips. The photos show the lanyard loop threaded through a hole in the grip. I lettered the gun and it shows being sent to France. I was advised Railway Police issue.
The gun did not look like it had been fired much, out side was hazey.
Okg5gE6.jpg

BymjR83.jpg
 
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