Bullets for a SP101

[Crazy Dane]

It looks like I may come into possession of a Ruger Sp101 .357 Mag, this is all I know about the gun at this time. This would be my first in that caliber, I always thought that the "magnum" was really loud and obnoxious and didn't offer anything over my .44s or .45s. Even though I've never owned a gun in that caliber, I have managed to stock up a few hundred rounds of .38 and .357. I know its a really crappy time to add a new caliber so I wont look this gift horse in the mouth. That said, I probably need to get on a list for bullets and brass. Starline will let me back order brass as well as several bullet companies. If one was to bulk order bullets right now, is the 158 semi-wad cutters the bullet to order? something else? This may not be a high volume piece or it may kick off an obsession, I just don't know.

[CWM11B]

If it is a two inch model, and you plan on carrying it, I would seriously consider using 148 grain full wadcutters. In my non +p rated snubs, I load them with them. Rated guns get Gold Dot 135 +p. I was gifted a 2" SP 101 a while back as well. I shoot the GD in it. I have zero desire and less than zero intention of ever putting any .357 through it.

[camsdaddy]

The SP101 is a 38 special gun for me that can shoot 357. I would place an order with Acme bullet for a box of their 158 lswc.

[LtDave]

158 SWC is a good general purpose bullet in .38 Special. I'd stick with a polymer coated bullet to reduce/eliminate leading. Somewhere between 3.0 to 3.5 grains of Bullseye is a classic .38 load. 4.4 grains of HP38 or Win 231 is good too.

[Totem Polar]

Since this is in the “revolvers” forum and not reloading, I’ll be one of the contrarians and say that the “midrange” .357 loads—eg. 125 grain Golden Saber, 135 grain Gold Dot (.357) are tailor-made for the SP. I’m not a fan of the full-power .357s, or even the mostly full-power like the silvertip 145, in the SP-sized guns, but the extra recoil of the midrange loads is well within tolerance—and there is a performance advantage over .38+P in the bullets’ terminal ballistics.

I have a small stash of both golden saber and GDHP, because I historically have an interest in small-ish snubs like the SP, King Cobra, and K6S—all of which shoot the GS and GDHP admirably. JMO.

[mmc45414]

IMO the magnum discussion really revolves 2" or 3".

ETA: "revolves", I crack myself up...
Obviously I meant revolves around the length.

[gato naranja]

The SP101 is a 38 special gun for me that can shoot 357.

This.

The 4" SP101 can blur the line a bit, but I do not care to use .357 mid-range or full-power loads out of a 2" SP101.

A nominally 158 grain LSWC is my favorite all-around bullet in this caliber, but the 148gr full wadcutters work very well for me in a short-barreled SP.

[Lester Polfus]

Since this is in the “revolvers” forum and not reloading, I’ll be one of the contrarians and say that the “midrange” .357 loads—eg. 125 grain Golden Saber, 135 grain Gold Dot (.357) are tailor-made for the SP. I’m not a fan of the full-power .357s, or even the mostly full-power like the silvertip 145, in the SP-sized guns, but the extra recoil of the midrange loads is well within tolerance—and there is a performance advantage over .38+P in the bullets’ terminal ballistics.

I have a small stash of both golden saber and GDHP, because I historically have an interest in small-ish snubs like the SP, King Cobra, and K6S—all of which shoot the GS and GDHP admirably. JMO.

I was going to say exactly that.

A friend of mine and I spent a day at the range right before COVID with: a Smith 638, a pair of LCR 2" .357s, a 3" SP101, a 4" SP101, and a 4" GP100.

We tried the following loads: 148 grain wadcutters. .38 Special +P 136 grain Gold Dot Short Barrel, .357 Mag 125 grain Golden Saber. .357 Mag 158 Grain LSWC loaded middling hot (about 1050 fps), and .357 Mag 158 Grain American Eagle JSP.

There was a "sweet spot" with each gun and each shooter between ammo power and gun weight.

That's one of the beauties of the .357 revolver.

[Duelist]

I have only shot .38 Special through an SP101. The owner’s husband though it should shoot .357 because .357, but she couldn’t hit anything with it. I loaded her some bunny fart .38s and another box of service-level .38s. She loved the bunny farts and after those, wasn’t afraid of her gun anymore, so she shot the service power loads and they were fine, too. I gave her a box of .38 JHPs (don’t remember what they were) and away she went, confident and happy instead of dreading shooting.

.357 cartridges never entered those shooting sessions.

I have shot a handful of midrange 110 .357s through a 60-9. It wasn’t as obnoxious as I thought it would be, but I’m sticking with .38s for that gun. No need to beat myself up.

[03RN]

Rimrock has plenty of bullets in stock. I think their 148s are on sale as well

[Crazy Dane]

When it happens I will detail the why fors later, I'm just exploring my options now. To start, I don't know if I would carry a SP101. I bought a LCR in 9mm a while back to fill the sweatpants/walk the dogs gun, my daily carry is a P365 or a flavor of 1911 and my woods guns goes to my .44s. I could see it being a coat packet gun if I wore a coat or maybe light field use??? < This is why I posted in the revolver section and not reloading. Anyway, I dug out the ammo I had stored and I have 150 rounds of .38 158gn round nose, all Winchester white box and 200 rounds of mixed manufactures of .357. It is all 158grn and is either semi-jacketed soft point or semi-jacketed hollow point. My intentions in asking which bullets is just to have bullets on hand, sort of like having a few thousand of 9mm 124rnfp or a really big bag of .44 Keith bullets on hand. I will sort out what round to carry later. I like the semi-wad cutter in the .44s and I'm thinking the same for this. I have found them in 125, 148 and 158 grain flavors and can get coated in the 125 and 158. I will most likely add in 148dewc to the order when I decide which way to go, so there is that. After this gets settled I get to explore holsters, speed loaders and speed strips and since I keep adding to the small revolver side of the safe I am gonna try and find a class geared to them for early next year. I'm ok with the LCR but I could be better.

Thanks for the replays and thanks for letting me ramble