I had a 3" SP101 that the previous owner had bobbed the hammer spur on. I liked it less than the 2" DAO one I had owned previously.
I traded it straight across for another 2" DAO gun, whose owner was fond of the CT lasergrips he'd had on it. The lasergrips complimented the 3", while the facory rubber grip w/ Altamont inserts compliment the 2" gun, in my eyes/experience. YMMV.
"It's surprising how often you start wondering just how featureless a desert some people's inner landscapes must be."
-Maple Syrup Actual
Some prefer the 2", some prefer the 3", some prefer the LCR, some the SP, some hate Rugers altogether and prefer Smiths.
A 4" barreled revolver offers reliable HP expansion, a 2" does not. Does a 3" barrel offer ammunition performance closer to the 4" or closer to the 2"? I know the gun handles more like a 4", but what about the ammo?
A 3" SP, GP, K-frame, etc loaded with the FBI load or the newer 135gr SBGD is a great choice, but only if the round is likely to expand. If it is just as likely, or more likely to fail to expand, and therefore offer less wounding than a WC, might as well carry WCs, and if carrying WCs, might as well carry a smaller and lighter gun that's easier to carry.
I dont think there is a bad option. I also recommend sanding down the trigger guard it will slice you open.
If we're limiting the conversation to the SP101, I'm gonna say 3". The SP is at its best in a belt holster, & in a belt holster there's no real concealment difference. In fact the 3" usually is more stable in the holster than the 2.25" . I've carried 2.25" SPs in the pocket & on the ankle, but those carry positions require a serious wardrobe commitment with that little chunk of iron! It is amazing to me the shootability difference (in my hands, anyway) between 2" & 3". All things being equal, I get a greater increase in practical accuracy going from 2" to 3" than I do going from 3" to 4".
If you di, or know somebody, you can load some 38 loads that recoil about like a 22 for about the same cost as CCIs are going for right now.Originally Posted by Jim Watson
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I really like my SP101 Wiley Clapp.
Rounded smooth trigger, beveled cylinder and Novak sights.
I'm kind of re-thinking my decision to go with a GP100 MC and instead I am looking at the Ruger 4" SP101. If I have to carry this revolver concealed (should Clinton or Sanders get into office) then the SP101 is better suited to that role. I was wondering, however, how well the 30oz SP101 handles 357 mag recoil. Does anyone have any input (know that it is of course subjective) on the ability for a 4" sp101 to handle full power 357 rounds? Thanks!
Last edited by chiral; 05-27-2016 at 12:47 PM.
A 3" should expand 135gr GD's just fine. Check with Doc or Chuck to verify that.
A bigger gun makes hitting easier - faster and more accurate. It's not just about the ammo.
I don't think you can do everything you want to do with one gun, but if it were me, I would get a 2 or 3" K frame.
Alternately, a 3" sp101, since you already have steel and aluminum J frames.
Chiral, I have a "Wiley Clapp" SP 101 with a 2.25 inch barrel, and a GP 100 with a 3 inch barrel as well as the MC GP 100. The SP doesn't recoil a significant amount more than the GP does.
The SP with the 4 inch could be the best of everything. Longer barrel....more expansion, longer barrel....less recoil. I also believe it has adjustable sights.
I have never shot the 4 incher, but I don't find the short barrel offensive. YMMV.
I owned an SP101 with a 4 inch barrel for about a year and half. I added a wider wood grip and replaced the 14 pound factory spring with a 10 pound spring and found it really enjoyable to shoot. The gun was very accurate with five rounds grouping at about an inch at 25 yards from a rest. .357 158 grain were surprisingly controllable and recoil wasn't excessive.
As I reported elsewhere on the forum, the gun broke; Ruger declared the gun unrepairable and sent a new one to my LGS. I traded it unfired for a seven shot S&W 986 since I had started shoot steel regularly and shooting 5 targets with a 5 round gun was pushing it.
Two caveats: Physically inspect the gun very carefully before buying it. Many SP101s have significantly canted barrels out of the factory and quality control isn't what it should be. Ruger had to send me three rear sights before I got one that would actually adjust. Secondly, make sure you can get the holster you want for a 4 inch barrel before you buy the gun. I only found 1 holster without a strap that would fit the gun and it wasn't very suitable. Many people will make a holster for the 2 and 3 inch SPs, but won't make a 4 inch version.
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