Snub recommendation for a new guy?

[gato naranja]

The SP (101) is user friendly to the point I have had mine apart to its individual pieces. The only thing I have not had off is the barrel. It is a touch heavy but can be pocket carried without too much trouble, it is pocket dependent though. It is durable enough to use as a make shift hammer to drive nails. I think I can shoot this one until the end of time and not wear it out.

If I found myself in a place with only a can of motor oil, a used tooth brush and no other support, I would take the SP101 all day.

In my opinion, they will tolerate more careless or downright bone-headed treatment than most revolvers and still manage to function. My remaining SP101 is mighty loose, but it is still reliable and reasonably accurate.

[Doc_Glock]

LCR 357 not available right now. LCR 22, 38, 9mm are still in stock. Not keen on the 9mm snubs right now, although the ammo is easier to find and cheaper too

My LCR 9mm has been brilliant and incredibly durable with little maintenance. Plus moonclips are amazing and if the ammo is available I would go this route all day long. Great to carry, kinda painful to shoot, but it sounds like you won't be going through cases of ammo.

I have not had issues with bullet pull with lots of ammunition down the pipe but I shoot full cylinders and don't do partial reloads.

I attempted a 2000 round challenge with the 9mm LCR and it almost made it. If I had locktited that screw it would have.

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....l=1#post779858

[MolonLabe416]

Of those you listed, I’d go with the K6 hammer less. Great sights and an excellent trigger out of the box. 6 rounds in a form factor that isn’t much bigger than the 5 round revolvers listed.

[farscott]

My choice would be the SP-101 even though I have not bought one in more than a decade (bought my first one in 1995). The only catch is that the trigger edges will need to be broken as they are razor-blade sharp from the factory, and there may be some burrs on action parts. A little time with some files will make it a much better handgun. The SP-101 will last lifetimes, especially with standard pressure .38 Special. The SP-101 design is modular, allowing easy disassembly with basic tools. Combined with the stainless construction, it should serve well in a region with limited factory parts support.

[vtfarmer]

My choice would be the SP-101 even though I have not bought one in more than a decade (bought my first one in 1995). The only catch is that the trigger edges will need to be broken as they are razor-blade sharp from the factory, and there may be some burrs on action parts. A little time with some files will make it a much better handgun. The SP-101 will last lifetimes, especially with standard pressure .38 Special. The SP-101 design is modular, allowing easy disassembly with basic tools. Combined with the stainless construction, it should serve well in a region with limited factory parts support.

Regarding the trigger surfaces- The recent triggers are, I believe, MIM, and the edges are very smooth and rounded. When handling the recent guns, both GP's and my SP101, I often find myself running my finger over the trigger to savor the smoothness.

[CarloMNL]

Thanks for all the advice. I’ll try and check out an LCR but looks like the SP101 might be it.

[farscott]

Regarding the trigger surfaces- The recent triggers are, I believe, MIM, and the edges are very smooth and rounded. When handling the recent guns, both GP's and my SP101, I often find myself running my finger over the trigger to savor the smoothness.

Thanks, that is good to know.

[gato naranja]

Regarding the trigger surfaces- The recent triggers are, I believe, MIM, and the edges are very smooth and rounded. When handling the recent guns, both GP's and my SP101, I often find myself running my finger over the trigger to savor the smoothness.

We have not owned a GP-100 with the MIM trigger, but the 4" .357 SP101 we once had did have the MIM trigger... and being a SP101, the MIM hammer as well. As you say, that trigger - and the hammer - needed no rounding off whatsoever. The "ergs" of them are really quite exemplary compared to the skin slicers of the past. With the exception of the (to me) ugly and essentially worthless cylinder taper Ruger insists on, I think the current SP101 is overall a better beast than the old ones.

I don't say that about too many firearms.

If Ruger would ditch the tapered cylinders (for those who actually value them, a taper is an easy job for a 'smith with a lathe) and put Novak rear sights on all the "fixed sight" SP101s, I'd even consider replacing my "Rattler" with the new equivalent.

[mmc45414]

Bullet pull: ... If I had the choice, I would use long bullets (147) even though they are heavier. ... I am fairly sure crimp makes the most difference.

And those 147g sure have a lot of case gripping them.

[CarloMNL]

This search did not go as I hoped it would.

TLDR version: Ended up going with a G43X.

Long version:

The Ruger distributor told me they had 6 SP101s in inventory but many of these were store display units and the few that weren't were already spoken for. I asked if I could buy a display unit. I was told yes but the paperwork involved in moving a display unit back to police storage takes about three months, and only guns warehoused in the police storage facility may be processed for purchase/registration. Given the general mood due to Covid, I figured waiting that long may not be a good idea.

Ruger's rep is also the country's S&W distributor. I asked after a Model 60. They told me all S&W revolvers are out of stock, and resupply is uncertain as S&W wheelguns have been very slow moving for them in recent years. (While M&P 2.0s and Shields have been selling as fast as they can bring them in.)

Colt distributor was all out of Cobras and Night Cobras.

I paid a visit to one of my friends who works for the company that distributes Kimber, Glock, Taurus, and Norinco. The only K6s they have left are 3" DAO variants, which I didn't find appealing. Since my backup plan was a G26 or G43 (in that order), I asked if they still had inventory. None in stock but 43s scheduled to arrive end of April barring any shipping delays. No ETA yet on the 26s.

He then asked if I'd consider a G43X. I asked for details and he said, "Black slide, railed frame. I have about four left." I remembered a few P-F.com posts saying the black ones are good to go so I filled out the paperwork and handed over my credit card. Unless lockdowns mess things up, I should have the pistol in about two weeks.

Not the route I had planned to take but not a terrible ending either.