What niche does your SP-101 fill?

[TheGreatGonzo]

recently had to move my gun safe from one room to another, which necessitated emptying it out for a bit. It gave me the chance to take a good long look at everything that was hiding out in there. And it made me start to ponder a bit about a couple of my guns. For example, my SP-101. It is a 2" .357 in the beautiful Target Gray finish. It sports a nice little Trijicon front site and Eagle Secret Service grips. I have some excellent leather for it, to include a Del Fatti rig. But I never carry it! When I choose to go with a 5-shot revolver, I carry my much smaller S&W 640. If I feel like a bigger wheel gun, I defer to my 3" S&W 686, 3" S&W Model 13, or 3" Ruger GP-100. So, aside from the beauty of the little piece, why am I holding on to it? For you guys who carry SP-101's on a regular basis, why is it your carry choice? For you guys who own them but don't carry them (like me), why not?
Gonzo

 

[38-44HD45]

Excellent question! When I carry my SP-101, it is typically in a Renegade ankle rig, as backup. However, since I got my Colt Magnum Carry, my 101 usually sits in the safe, like yours, since the Magnum Carry weighs a little less and holds 6 rounds. Wonderful little guns, the SP-101s; last forever, easy to shoot, easy to slick up, but heavy for a 5-shooter. I have a nice Brommeland Max-Con V for mine, but I think I've only carried in it once.

 

[flop-shank]

I just bought an SP-101 on Saturday and am in the process of hashing out all of the possibilities that it offers. It's a gun that offers a lot of versatility. It's small enough to fit many pants pockets (which makes a great weakside BUG), and is big, and hard hitting enough to carry as a full size gun IWB (but is small enough to appendix carry, no way with my 5" 629). I own a Taurus 605, and it and the SP are nearly interchangeable. Now when I need to appendix carry (church, yardwork) I can have a full power gun available to either hand (2 1/4" .357 is roughly the same power as a full size 9mm). I intend to put the Taurus on semi-retired status since it's seen over 1500 full power 125 gr. .357s and I don't want to shoot it loose again. The Ruger will be the workhorse and be practiced with more since they shoot and feel very similar, and the Taurus will get the gig as the SP's BUG, or when I have to leave a gun in my car, shower duty, or need a beater gun. Both guns fill an important niche in my lineup, but for those who read this and are looking for such a gun, the Ruger is better designed, higher quality, stronger, and made in America. Also remember that Rugers tend to have slightly higher muzzle velocities than other brands too.

 

[bronco45]

Have had a SP 3" from their earliest inception, traded the 3" 38 for 357 when they came out. For the past ten years I've intermittently carried a Colt Cobra 38 or a SP 2.25"

The Cobra is delicate and is carried in a pants pocket. The SP is a pit bull and is carried in an IWB rig that used to carry my 3"ers or a Mernickle concealment rig OWB.

From my experience the SP fills that niche where you want a Magnum but not a 44 or 45LC heavily loaded. It tunes easily, I love the Meprolight night sight, I have on both of mine, and I have one with a Pachmayr Compac grip and the other wears the factory issue.

I don't carry a lot any more but what stays home is a Model 65-5, a 629-2 Mtn Rev. and a Springfield Loaded 45.

I have every confidence in the SP.

In all fairness I live in rural Idaho and outside of an encounter with a Coyote or Badger I don't worry too much about what is lurking in a town of 900 people.

 

[otis24]

I've owned several SP101's, both in 2" and 3". As a carry gun, I found the SP101 just too difficult to carry comfortably. I now carry a S&W Model 640-1. I am more apt to carry it and have it on me because it is amazingly more comfortable to carry than the Ruger. There are those who will say that THEY can carry a .44 mag comfortably. I'm short, fat and bald and have tried, I just can't carry an SP101 with ease. That said, they are great guns. If I had another SP101, it would be a 3" and fill the niche as a compact trail gun.

 

[Chipmunk6]

hmmmm

Got one, don't ever carry it. If I'm carrying something that
size, I usually pick the Bulldog Pug(.44spl). I just feel
better with bigger chunk of lead.

Chipmunk6

 

[Andy Griffith]

I do own one in .22LR.

I take it with me when fishing...
Cause it makes a great boat anchor. *Ba dum ching*

I have carried it concealed a couple of times when out trout fishing, and it is great for that, fit's right in my waders. If I carry it in Georgia, it has to be in a holster, but in North Carolina, it doesn't.

 

[jbouwens]

I used to carry the brick around until I wised up and started to carry a 638, My SP 101 is a good gun, but...... too heavy, big for its class of guns (pocket), and for me it failed the reliability test. the cylinder stop spring broke and jammed the cylinder- thank heaven that it happened at the range. I carry the 638 because it's light, powerful, shrouded hammer, and rust resistant finish. I did put a Crimson grips on the SP 101 and now use it for a bedroom (small safe) gun, I have the 357 two inch and I just swapped with a buddy for his 9mm 3 inch, it shoots good but the recoil is more than a hot 38 and not as accurate at 15 plus ranges as my smith is.

 

[ENH]

Mine sets next to the computer and is at hand for front door visitors.

 

[Andy Taylor]

Don't have one, but always wanted a 3", with the bobbed hammer, that is only available on the 2". shrug.
I honestly never saw much use for less than a 3" barrel when firing .357. It seems that the increase in recoil and blast is to much for the small amount of velocity gained over a GOOD .38 load in the same gun. I figure it would pretty much fill the same roll that my 3" M13 currently occupies, but with less worry about banging up a nice gun or worry about K frame forcing cone issues with lots of 125 grain magnums.
One of these days I will most likely get one, but I have other priorities at the moment.

 

[flounder22]

I had one for a little over a year but found that my 642 was so much easier to carry. I got tired of looking at it setting on the night stand and sold it a few weeks ago for almost what I paid for it...I needed some cash for more fishing stuff. It was a hard decision to make and regret it a bit but I`m just a one gun type of guy and the 642 with CT sights fits all my needs.

 

[rodcraft]

canoe anchor? (sorry, couldn't resist)

 

[countryboy]

I use my SP101 .357 2 1/4" for EDC and I'm very happy with it.

 

[Stubborn Dutchman]

I love mine. I keep it next to me in the car where it is easier to reach than my IWB 6906. Plus it is always with me around the house as a door greeter. It is built like a tank but I stoke it with stout loads and it absorbs recoil just fine.

 

[PeterCartwright]

I don't carry it much since I got my Kahr P9, but I can't imagine getting rid of it. It shoots too well, and is nearly bomb proof. One niche it still fills best is in my fly flshing belly bag, tucked in beside my fly box. Stoked with 180 gr. WFNGC bullets, the little gun offers significant punch in a small package when I wander around more remote places in Michigan's U.P.

PC