Ruger revolvers question

[jeffrefrig]

First off, I'm not looking for arguments, etc., about the pros & cons of the .327 Fed Mag revolvers vs. .357 mags or .44 magnums; I know they are tried & true powerful wheel guns. I'd like to get a .327 Ruger. (S & W dropped them, so I'll settle for the Ruger.) Question: is there some difference between the SP101 and the GP100, the latter being about $50 to $100 more? It seems the GP100 has 7 shots available vs. 6. All GPs seem to be stainless, except for the 5" Lipsey version, which seems to be unavailable now. Any help or personal experiences would be helpful and appreciated. I believe Taurus &/or Charter Arms makes this caliber revolver, but Ruger seems to be tried & true compared to them. I'm open to any help from yinz guys...there is a wealth of info in this Forum membership and I'm learning stuff every time I log on! Thanks All in advance. Jeff T., Pgh, PA
GP100 vs. SP101?

 

[Texas Star]

SP-101 is a compact revolver mainly for concealed carry. GP-100 is a full size service gun.

I own both and love both. I don't think much of the .327 and think it'll be discontinued, and you'll have problems finding ammo. I've read that the .327 is a very loud cartridge to shoot.

I suggest that you join both Ruger boards and ask there. You may find someone who has a .327. And they can tell you about the 7-shot GP's. I avoid them. I've read that both S&W and Ruger 7-shot models give problems.

Apart from the old Russian Nagant 7.62mm, revolvers give fewer problems if the chambers don't exceed six.

 

[pawngal]

I have 2 Rugers in the .327 Fed , but neither are the one you are asking about. An LCR & a Blackhawk, opposite ends size wise. The LCR is a wicked little thing, similar to shooting .38+p in a lightweight J frame except you get 6 rounds.
In the 5 1/2 in Blackhawk it is pure fun and it is 8 rounds. I think it is very hard to find.
Yes, it is a loud round, comparing a 44 mag is a Boom. The .327 Fed is a loud Crack.

 

[Fishinfool]

Nice thing about the .327 mag is that, I do believe, you can shoot a variety of cartridges out of it - .32 H&R as well as the .32 Long. If you reload, hard to find ammo is not an issue.

Never owned one in .32, but have owned a couple Ruger GP-100 revolvers, and they are well made and accurate, similar to a S&W L frame in size.

To me, anyway, muzzle blast is not so much of an issue if you wear good hearing protection. Used to have a Ruger Blackhawk in .30 carbine, and that was a gun that sure had a "crack" to it. Good ears solve that issue.

Larry

 

[jeffrefrig]

Yeah, Tex Star, I have heard that about .327 will be harder to find in the near future, and being that I don't reload, that's a con$ideration for me. ($ on purpose!) And they do shoot about 4 different sizes of .32, but it doesn't make $en$e to spend +/- $600 if I can't shoot the .327 mag. any more. I did hear they're loud but easier to shoot. I had a used .44 magnum in my hands the other week and probably should've bought it for the $599 they were asking. Never saw one with 8-round capacity advertised anywhere; perhaps I should just stick with .357/.38 spl. Then I could just compare S&W to Ruger and see from there. I'm pretty sure it will just come down to price, but a blue Smith is prettier than a stainless Ruger and maybe a smoother trigger, too. Thanks folks!

 

[Shark Bait]

I have no experience with the .327 at all, but it's tough to beat a .357 for versatility. Ammunition is plentiful and there is a wide range to choose from. And yes, a Smith will likely have a better trigger.

 

[Cal44]

32 ammo is easy to find if you order online. 32 long makes a nice plinking/practice round. 32 h&r mag is a good defense round comparable to 38 Special or +p.

327 Federal is like a midrange 357 magnum.

There are Speer Gold Dot rounds available in 327 federal, as well as Hydra Shok, and some boutique ammo companies offering XTP loads (try Reeds).

Hornady recently announced a Critical Defense 327 Federal load, but I don't think it's shipping yet.

I have an LCR 327 and carry it - usually loaded with Hydra Shok. I like it and like the six shots.

Also I have a 431pd in 32 h&r -- a six shot 32 h&r mag airlight J frame.

I carry the 431 loaded with 32 h&r magnum Critical Defense which has been around for a few years.

 

[stonebuster]

GP100 vs SP101

The GP100 is a larger framed gun than the SP101. The weight of a 4.2 inch 6 shot SP101 327 mag is 29.5 oz vs 40 oz. for 4.2" 7 shot GP100 327 mag. Recoil is much more manageable with my GP100s vs my SP101 in 357mag. The photo shows the difference in the frames although the GP is 5" vs SP at 2.25" but it should give you an idea.

 

[Texas Star]

32 ammo is easy to find if you order online. 32 long makes a nice plinking/practice round. 32 h&r mag is a good defense round comparable to 38 Special or +p.

327 Federal is like a midrange 357 magnum.

There are Speer Good Dot rounds available in 327 federal, as well as Hydra Shok, and some boutique ammo companies offering XTP loads (try Reeds).

Normandy recently announced a Critical Defense 327 Federal load, but I don't think it's shipping yet.

I have an LCR 327 and carry it - usually loaded with Hydra Shok. I like it and like the six shots.

Also I have a 431pd in 32 h&r -- a six shot 32 h&r mag airlight J frame.

I carry the 431 loaded with 32 h&r magnum Critical Defense which has been around for a few years.

You may wish to look at the words that I highlighted and correct them.

Should read Speer GOLD Dot and "Normandy" should read, Hornady.

I'm sure that you know the difference and were just tired. But this could confuse our members who are new to guns... And amuse our French members, who will wonder what Normandy has to do with a US brand of ammo.

 

[Cal44]

You may wish to look at the words that I highlighted and correct them.

Should read Speer GOLD Dot and "Normandy" should read, Hornady.

I'm sure that you know the difference and were just tired. But this could confuse our members who are new to guns... And amuse our French members, who will wonder what Normandy has to do with a US brand of ammo.

Thanks. Fixed them.

The auto spell checker/corrector strikes again.

I can see why a spell checker might not know Hornady, but automatically changing Gold to Good seems weird.

 

[Texas Star]

Thanks. Fixed them.

The auto spell checker/corrector strikes again.

I can see why a spell checker might not know Hornady, but automatically changing Gold to Good seems weird.

Those spell checkers get to me a lot, too. I always proofread. The spell checker seems not to know many gun terms and brands and may change a word. Devilish things, spell checkers...

 

[BB57]

To be more precise the GP100 is close to an L framed sized revolver.

The major difference is that while S&W uses a grip frame, Ruger uses a grip stub, which allows for more range of adjustment via different grips, and the grip shape options are not limited at all by a grip frame. The K/L frame is limited on the lower end size wise by the frame and the frame also limits the shape options. In contrast, the grip stub approach allows for smaller grip and shorter trigger reach than the K/L frame can manage.

In other words the GP100 can fit everyone where the K/L frame cannot.

The SP101 is slightly larger than a J Magnum revolver. A 3" SP101 will be about 5 oz heavier than a 3" Model 60 due to the additional material in frame, top strap and forcing cone.

That extra 5 oz also makes the SP101 more pleasant to shoot than a Model 60 when you are shooting .357 Magnum loads.

Ruger also uses a grip stub on the SP101, so the grip options are also very broad.

----

In terms of .327 Federal, in a short barrel it offers near .357 Magnum performance launching a 115 gr JHP at around 1325 fps. That compares well velocity wise to a 125 gr .357 Magnum in the smae 3" barrel.

The 115 gr Gold Dot achieves that 1325 fps in a 3" barrel, reliably expands to around .5" and will penetrate about 14". And it will do it with about half the recoil of a 125 gr .357 Magnum. BUffalo bore also offers a hard cast 130 gr load that will do 1300 fps in a 3" revolver. With performance like that I am skeptical that the .327 Federal going to go away.

The .32 H&R Magnum came out in 1984 and it wasn't long after that the rumors of its demise started circulating and that was driven at the time by the general lack of acceptance and lack of popularity of .32 caliber at the time. I think the current .327 Federal rumors are an echo of that and I think they are just as inaccurate.

It's not the most common round on the planet, but 35 years later it's still in production, still available in a self defense load, and still being chambered in various firearms.

Worst case, if .327 Federal is discontinued, you can still shoot .32 H&R magnum, .32 Long, .32 Short and even the semi-rimmed .32 ACP in it. It's about as close as it gets to a universal revolver.

The downside is that the .327 Federal gets its performance by operating at 45,000 psi, compared to 35,0000 psi for the .357 Magnum. That equates to a more noise than the already very loud .357 Magnum. The .30 carbine has a reputation for being very loud in a revolver, even louder than a .357 Magnum, and it operates at 40,000 psi - just to give you another point of reference.

 

[sheepdawg]

I've owned both the GP100 and the SP100 in 357. The GP trigger is light years better than the SP trigger.

 

[stonebuster]

SP101 trigger

I've owned both the GP100 and the SP100 in 357. The GP trigger is light years better than the SP trigger.

I own two GP100s which have very nice smooth triggers. When I got my SP101 the trigger was worse than bad. Ruger replaced the hammer dog. When I got it back I sanded/polished the strut, installed hammer shims, hammer dog shims and a 10# Wolff mainspring. The trigger is now very smooth, light and reliable after 800 rounds with no light strikes. So with a little work and @$30 the SP can have as good a trigger as the GP(IMO).

 

[Cal44]

The GP100 in 327 holds seven rounds.

But they also sell a GP-100 in 357 Magnum that holds seven rounds.

I'd be more interested in a 327 Federal GP100 if they managed to fit in 8 rounds -- otherwise it doesn't seem to have an advantage over the 357 Mag version.

My main reason for interest in the LCR 327 and the 431PD was the 6 round capacity. One extra round from 5 to 6 is significant, IMO.

If I were to buy another 327 revolver from Ruger, it would be a Single Seven -- for fun, not for carry.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Another 357 Guy here.
No experience with the 327.
Have owned Smiths, Colts and Rugers.
Now I only own several Smiths.

 

[Bullet Bob]

Well, everybody who reads the .327 threads is probably tired of seeing this picture )) but this Lipsey's special Ruger Bisley Single-Seven .327 Magnum (what a keyboard full) is my favorite .32 S&W Long revolver. If S&W would make a K-frame for the .327, I'd buy one to shoot the not so mighty Long. I don't really see enough demand to make that happen.

 

[dave1918a2]

I have the Ruger Single Seven in .327 and I love it. The 100 gr factory loads sting a little, but are fun to shoot.

 

[dr. mordo]

I have the LCR327 and absolutely love it. It has been my go-to pocket gun for years, though I recently got a Kimber K6S that has displaced it.

I am not worried about ammo availability. The 327 platform is incredibly flexible and is growing in popularity, as threads like this show. Plus, 32 H&R can be loaded into almost 327 territory and provides another very viable option for a self-defense round. 327 ammo is also not too expensive if you buy it online.

As for SP101 vs GP100, the question is whether you would prefer to carry a L frame or a J+ frame. Personally, the SP101 is too bulky for pocket carry, and if it's going on my belt I'd rather have a full size gun. That's why I own a 3" GP100 Wiley Clapp 357. I don't think they make a 3" GP100 in 327, unfortunately.

I have two observations about the GP100.

1. I love the grip. As noted above, it gives you far more flexibility and comfort than any S&W grip option no matter what your hand size. I keep the factory compact grip on mine, and I love it.

2. The trigger is different from a S&W. I swapped the springs on mine, and as a result it's very long and a bit clunky when the cylinder locks into place. But that cylinder clunk is because of the way the gun is timed - for longevity rather than maximum smoothness. That clunk is a reason why Rugers rarely go out of time. But it's still a clunk in the middle of the trigger pull.

 

[dr. mordo]

I'll add that 327 recoil is definitely lighter than 357, but still a handful in my LCR.

The recoil from my 17 ounce LCR327 shooting full tilt 100gr magnums is very close to the recoil from my 23 ounce Kimber K6S shooting 125gr Rem UMC JHPs.