3” SP101 Wiley Clapp?

[Jared]

Apparently there is now a 3” version of the SP101 Wiley Clapp. All I can find so far is an SKU #15710. Maybe someone with better Google-Fu than me can find an image. I’m excited for this. I had the 2” version and it left me wanting two things: a 3” barrel and a bobbed hammer. I’m all but sure this won’t have the bobbed hammer, but I can hope.

[41magfan]

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/640x480q90/923/sNtJIl.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/pnsNtJIlj)

[Lester Polfus]

I was just fixing to take pictures of my Les Paul and sell it so I could buy either a 640 Pro or a 2.25 SP101 Wiley Clapp.

This complicates things.

[Totem Polar]

So that thing where I am forever ripping on S&W for not giving a shit about upgrading their sight offerings?

That. Here’s a proven, durable wheelie that is pretty much GTG out of the box.

[Lester Polfus]

If you had told me 10 years ago that we would see actual development in revolvers, I wouldn't have believed it.

In the last few years we've seen Ruger putting usable fixed sights on the SP101 and GP100, the LCR, the Kimber K6, and Colt putting money into new versions of old guns.

Perhaps it's a Revolver Renascence?

I'm not sure what's driving it. Perhaps ennui with soulless plastic people poppers, and saturation of 1911s at every price point?

Either way I'll take it. 90% of my carry needs are taken care of by discreet, small frame wheelies, and a 4" large frame woodsbumming revolver.

[Jared]

What this all really complicated for me is that I was looking at a 4” SP101 Match Champion that had the best DA SP101 trigger I had ever tried. But.....for some reason I don’t really like the SP as a 4” gun. Still tho, that trigger was sweet and I was pondering what I could part with in order to have the SP101 MC. Now there is this out there. I have a decision to make, and it probably won’t be an easy one.

[backtrail540]

47021

[Zeke38]

DANG! As an old retired cop friend of mine said the other day " I thought I was through buying guns, but they keep building neat stuff". I think his statement applies to this announcement from Ruger. Now to live two years longer so we can get one out here in Idaho.

[TheNewbie]

This in .327......

[S Jenks]

Now there is this out there. I have a decision to make, and it probably won’t be an easy one.

If it makes it any harder for you, my stainless GP100 WC is by far my favorite revolver out of seven. The contoured cylinder, matte finish and FO front sight is about perfect. People like to rag on GP100 triggers but after about 4000 rounds I find the DA pull far superior to my 64, 10-10, 637-2 and 60 Ladysmith.

[HeavyDuty]

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/640x480q90/923/sNtJIl.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/pnsNtJIlj)

If that had been available before, I probably would have bought it over the 3” Kimber K6 that I ended up with.

[OlongJohnson]

What this all really complicated for me is that I was looking at a 4” SP101 Match Champion that had the best DA SP101 trigger I had ever tried.

After my GP100 experience, I don't regard any Ruger DA revolver out of the box trigger as particularly indicative of what it can be. A simple deburring and smoothing can do amazing things. Don't judge any particular example until it's been worked over by a competent person.

Unless there's something obviously defective, then find a different one. Duh.

[camsdaddy]

I bought a used dao SP101 in 38 special. The trigger had been smoothed by the previous over. It is smoother than my J,K or L frame revolvers. It’s incredible.

If I come across one of these 3” Wiley Clapp SP’s I will seek out the man and have him work it.

[paherne]

I was just fixing to take pictures of my Les Paul and sell it so I could buy either a 640 Pro or a 2.25 SP101 Wiley Clapp.

This complicates things.

You DO have TWO kidneys, don't you?:cool:

[Lester Polfus]

You DO have TWO kidneys, don't you?:cool:

I'm partial to the kidneys, but I have a Les Paul, a Telecaster, and a pair of busted up hands from my misspent youth..

[Joe in PNG]

I'm partial to the kidneys, but I have a Les Paul, a Telecaster, and a pair of busted up hands from my misspent youth..

If you also had a Rickebacker bass, I'd be sending you a PM.

[HeavyDuty]

If you also had a Rickebacker bass, I'd be sending you a PM.

Is this where I mention my new 4003S/5?

[mmc45414]

This in .327......
I say this, in 9mm...

[03RN]

Thats actually a really nice looking gun.

Is the frame big enough for a 6 shot .38 cylinder?

[Wingate's Hairbrush]

...Is the frame big enough for a 6 shot .38 cylinder?No but the weight is. ;)

[jeep45238]

I wonder if Ruger would ever cast this bugger with an aluminum frame.

[rd62]

I say this, in 9mm...

I'd buy one of those

[Lester Polfus]

I say this, in 9mm...


I'd buy one of those

I've often wondered if it would be economically viable for Ruger to have a semi-custom shop.

By "semi-custom" I don't mean hand fitted and polished. I mean guns that are screwed together from parts they stock, but in a non-cataloged configuration.

For example, your only choice of adjustable sighted SP101 is the 4" Match Champion, which is kind of a platypus gun. I'd pay Ruger a premium to take a an adjustable sight SP101 frame, and screw a 3" barrel onto it. The only other ways to do this are economic non-starters. You can either buy the 4" adjustable sight gun, and pay a gunsmith to shorten the barrel or install a take-off 3" barrel, or pay cylinder and slide the price of a 3" gun over again to mill it for a J-frame sight.

Likewise, there isn't enough demand for .44 Special GP100s to keep them in the catalog, but maybe they could gin up enough .44 barrels and cylinders to feed custom orders?

You could go on the Ruger website, navigate your way through some drop down menus to mock up what you want, pay and six to eight weeks later it could ship to an FFL with a spiffy looking certificate.

[Chuck Whitlock]

I've often wondered if it would be economically viable for Ruger to have a semi-custom shop.

By "semi-custom" I don't mean hand fitted and polished. I mean guns that are screwed together from parts they stock, but in a non-cataloged configuration.

For example, your only choice of adjustable sighted SP101 is the 4" Match Champion, which is kind of a platypus gun. I'd pay Ruger a premium to take a an adjustable sight SP101 frame, and screw a 3" barrel onto it. The only other ways to do this are economic non-starters. You can either buy the 4" adjustable sight gun, and pay a gunsmith to shorten the barrel or install a take-off 3" barrel, or pay cylinder and slide the price of a 3" gun over again to mill it for a J-frame sight.

Likewise, there isn't enough demand for .44 Special GP100s to keep them in the catalog, but maybe they could gin up enough .44 barrels and cylinders to feed custom orders?

You could go on the Ruger website, navigate your way through some drop down menus to mock up what you want, pay and six to eight weeks later it could ship to an FFL with a spiffy looking certificate.

I'd be sooo damn broke, but you are on to something. There are several examples that aren't quite what my heart desires, but could be LEGO'd together with pieces that already exist.

[OlongJohnson]

Someone (everyone) please beat up Ruger about making a 5.5-6 inch version of the SP101 in .327 Fed.

If not that, a 5.5-7.5 inch Single Seven Bisley stainless in .327 Fed.

Better yet, badger them about the custom shop actually being a custom shop. At least to the level of allowing ordering combinations of parts that they already make but don't assemble as standard SKUs. Custom assembly, not necessarily custom manufacturing or gunsmithing. Such as the above Bisley model...


I've often wondered if it would be economically viable for Ruger to have a semi-custom shop.

By "semi-custom" I don't mean hand fitted and polished. I mean guns that are screwed together from parts they stock, but in a non-cataloged configuration.

For example, your only choice of adjustable sighted SP101 is the 4" Match Champion, which is kind of a platypus gun. I'd pay Ruger a premium to take a an adjustable sight SP101 frame, and screw a 3" barrel onto it. The only other ways to do this are economic non-starters. You can either buy the 4" adjustable sight gun, and pay a gunsmith to shorten the barrel or install a take-off 3" barrel, or pay cylinder and slide the price of a 3" gun over again to mill it for a J-frame sight.

Likewise, there isn't enough demand for .44 Special GP100s to keep them in the catalog, but maybe they could gin up enough .44 barrels and cylinders to feed custom orders?

You could go on the Ruger website, navigate your way through some drop down menus to mock up what you want, pay and six to eight weeks later it could ship to an FFL with a spiffy looking certificate.


I'd be sooo damn broke, but you are on to something. There are several examples that aren't quite what my heart desires, but could be LEGO'd together with pieces that already exist.

I've been wanting that for a long time.

[spyderco monkey]

I say this, in 9mm...

Ruger offers their .357 Blackhawk with a 9mm conversion cylinder.

https://ruger.com/products/newModelBlackhawkConvertible/images/0308.jpg

I've often wondered why they don't sell GP100's and SP101's with a 9mm Conversion cylinder.


Alternatively, Ruger's .45 LC Redhawk is milled for moonclips, allowing it to also fire .45 ACP.

I wonder if Ruger could develop such a system for their .357's, to allow firing 9x19 with moonclips?

[Joe in PNG]

Is this where I mention my new 4003S/5?

A 5 string Ric!?!?
The spirits of Chris Squire and Lemmy weep at such heresy!

[HeavyDuty]

A 5 string Ric!?!?
The spirits of Chris Squire and Lemmy weep at such heresy!

Hey, I’m five string everything for years now. My little reptilian brain doesn’t allow me to flip back and forth between fours and fives very easily. I paid my dues - I had an Azureglo ‘80 4001.

[Dave T]

Thats actually a really nice looking gun.

Is the frame big enough for a 6 shot .38 cylinder?

Not quite but I bet if Ruger was to make the frame a tad bigger but still smaller than the GP-100, and put 6 holes in it, they would sell a couple truck loads in the fist month. Look at how well the Kimber and new Colts are being received.

Dave

[Rock185]

I like the 3" SP101s, and have an older one myself. An adjustable sight would be a plus though, sort of like a S&W kit gun. And that new tapered cylinder profile is just plain weird. Looks like something went wrong during manufacture, just as with the new Colt Cobra with that misshapen/multi-angled trigger guard.....ymmv

[backtrail540]

3" WC Sp101's are all over gunbroker now. Bud's also has them in stock.

https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/415010289/ruger+sp101+wiley+clapp+357+mag+3+stainless+steel

[Totem Polar]

3" WC Sp101's are all over gunbroker now. Bud's also has them in stock.

https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/415010289/ruger+sp101+wiley+clapp+357+mag+3+stainless+steel

https://pics.me.me/halt-erection-unable-to-cease-good-sir-rl-29685426.png

[gato naranja]

[QUOTE=Jared;978606]But.....for some reason I don’t really like the SP as a 4” gun.QUOTE]

I was the same way, but now I covet a 4" .357 SP101 with a walnut Hogue monogrip (no finger grooves) that a guy here in town owns. The trigger is good though not great, but that gun balances better in my hand than anything this side of an 1851 Navy. Delightful with .38 Specials.

I, however, dislike (IMMENSELY) the tapered "Clapp" cylinders that have seemingly become standard on SP101s. Nonetheless, this 3" with decent sights is a good idea.

Now they need to offer more bobbed hammer options on the 101s.

g n

[OlongJohnson]

I'm good with the hammers just being stainless. You can cut them yourself and if you know what you're doing, get the finish right without any "refinishing."