Current Ruger SP101s?

[TNThomas]

Nice, I didn't realize they had a 6 shot. I have been carrying, shooting, and competing off and on (25 yard Bullseye) with a SP101 match champion for about 2 years now. I don't score great compared to the 22lr guys, but the gun is an actual threat beyond close range, which is not true for the J frame I often carry. It will hold value so it's a safe purchase. I'm about 1-2k rounds in, mostly 38 special cast boolits.

The match champion is basically the same thing but a smoother trigger via shims, adjustable sights, target crown, better grips, a little smoothing out on sharp corners (cylinder mainly), and a high polish finish.

The only gripe that I have is that I had to shift the rear sight further left than I would have liked to in order to get it sighted in off a bench. But it's on, I would just prefer it closer from the factory. I have debated putting a small red dot in its place but have held off to keep a small profile in the Fanny pack carry.

 

[orygun]

@CountryGent , If you love that small frame 3" as much as I love my 3" J-Frame, you will only regret not buying it sooner!

 

[CountryGent]

Thanks for the heads up @orygun. Good to hear. (I had one on Gunbroker watchlist for a short while. Went to buy yesterday, but again another matter arises I had to take care of. Came back to GB today and gone, so gah. However, this was serendipitous, because I found Grab-a-Gun had the same for less money and shipping. )

 

[CountryGent]

The new brunette friend came in yesterday:



I gave it a spin in the afternoon. Random thoughts:

• Handles and points well. I don't know if it is unique to this model, but it is more compact than I remember the SP101s of yesteryear. (It is entirely possible I've simply forgotten over the last couple decades.)
• I shot up a 20 count box of .32 H&R Magnum. Nary a hiccup, very accurate, and recoil was a nothing .
• Sights are good, not great, but certainly serviceable.
• For the giggles I tried some .32 ACP. The hotter stuff from Europe we run in the Škorpions just worked and was accurate enough to make the little target dance. MagTech ammo of the same caliber, generally, failed to fire. Big deal? Nope, as going to, largely, stick with Longs and the two Magnum (H&R, Federal) cartridges. I suppose I could run the short .32 S&W for low noise and recoil plinking. (On that note, I need to resupply of ammo of this type, both for this piece, and a S&W in .32 H&R.)
• The trigger pull is different than the various Smiths we have. Not better or worse, really, just different. (At least the little I've shot it.)
• If I had to use one word to describe the piece, it would be "solid".

I need to shoot it a quite a bit more, including with hotter .327 loads, but so far, so good.

 

[CountryGent]

An ammunition supply drop came today, including some .327 Federal. I shot up a few cylinders worth this afternoon. It was noticeably more spicy than other .32s, but I didn't find it unpleasant in the least. Just for fun, I shot up some .32 Long wadcutters too, which were surprisingly accurate.

 

[orygun]

An ammunition supply drop came today, including some .327 Federal. I shot up a few cylinders worth this afternoon. It was noticeably more spicy than other .32s, but I didn't find it unpleasant in the least. Just for fun, I shot up some .32 Long wadcutters too, which were surprisingly accurate.

I assume the recoil isn't up to 357 levels, but is the muzzle blast similar with the 327?

 

[CountryGent]

I assume the recoil isn't up to 357 levels, but is the muzzle blast similar with the 327?

The concussive muzzle blast was certainly noticeable and what made it stand out from the other .32s. In terms of actual felt recoil, no, it doesn't seem like in .357 Magnum territory when compared to guns of, more or less, the same size.

 

[orygun]

Did you have any sticky cases on extraction?
I don't have any issues with my 357, but I have a 44 that's kinda picky about ammo that way.

 

[Ben B.]

I find the recoil unremarkable but the concussion/blast is unpleasant with .327 from my SP101.

 

[CountryGent]

Did you have any sticky cases on extraction?
I don't have any issues with my 357, but I have a 44 that's kinda picky about ammo that way.

No sticky cases on the little I've shot it. They just popped right out. (I did have massive stickiness with .32 H&Rs in the 632 UC after shooting a bunch of Longs, but I suppose that is to be expected.)

 

[CountryGent]

I've been doing more shooting this one the last couple of days. (Well, that and a little with the tiny revolver acquired not long ago.)


So far, really digging the wheelgun from Ruger. The variety of loads is nice; from mouse-fart .32 S&Ws to .327 Federal blasters, and points in between. On that note, the points in between — .32 S&W Long and .32 H&R — is what I've been shooting the most. The wadcutters with the former are very accurate and the magnum loads aren't bad either in that department and provide enough thump for social purposes. Recoil on all of them is a big nothing , particularly compared to the revolvers I've been shooting a lot of in recent years.

(More mixed on the little NAA. I'm actually pleasantly surprised at the accuracy on that one, because I figured anything beyond bad breath range would be a crap shoot. Loading is nice, while unloading not as much.)

Anywho, the little S&W 632 UC I picked up for light carry got me started on thirty-two wheelguns in earnest and it has been fun trying different revolvers and loads in said.

 

[thorborg]

My sp101's were older, can't speak to the new. I thought they were solid well built guns.
1 1/2 to 3" best for carry, 4-6" best for shooting any distance. My experience / opine.
Unless a reflex or holographic sight is used, then all is even, sight wise.
I carried a 1 1/2 .375 CC for over a decade, but if I wanted to hit anything out to 50 yards or so. 4" in the woods (both iron sight) 4" was fine but 6" would be better, but never had one in that caliber.