Ruger SP 101 nice for big pockets likes cast!

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  • Last Post 01 August 2016
Eutectic posted this 22 May 2016

For some time I have been looking for a Ruger SP101 with a 3 inch barrel. I thought the 3 inch would be perfect for a hiking, woods roaming, or hunting back-up scenario where maximum concealability is not an issue. A 3 inch is a pocket revolver for big pockets, it seemed like a good idea. It would have been really simple if I wanted a 2 inch, Ruger must have made 500 2 inchers for every 3 inch. I wanted adjustable sights, many light revolvers do not shoot to the sights. I wanted a spur less hammer for pocket carry, which can be used single action with a little effort. There are other 3 inch compact revolvers, but the Ruger is heavy, which in my experience is a plus. A friend has a Smith model 350, a feather light 11 ounce 357 Magnum. It may be possible to make a pistol this light for a cartridge of this power, but Isaac Newton still rules! The 360 is exceedingly painful to shoot with 125 grain magnums, recoil is brutal, 110's are still at the painful level, and the blast will peel the ears off a brass Buddha. Even with plugs AND muffs it is unpleasant. I cannot imagine shooting it without ear protection. Shooting 158 grain magnum loads is unthinkable. He has decided on 38 Specials for carry, a wise man. I wanted the extra weight SP101 (27 ounces in 3 inch) for shooting comfort and the extra barrel length for acceptable field accuracy. So there it was, used but almost new. It was a chunky little revolver, plenty of heft. The single action trigger was regular factory ”€œ terrible, heavy and creepy, double action requires a strong finger, a lawyers dream trigger. This would change if it shot well. It has a regular hammer, maybe the spur could disappear later. It has nice fixed sights, but still fixed sights. Unwilling to wait another 2 years (or maybe longer) (or maybe forever) to get everything I wanted, I bought it.   The first range session showed heavy magnums were not in the future. 158 grain loads just plain HURT. 125's are unpleasant, the trigger guard gives the second finger a good whack. Better grips may help, we will see. Magnum 110's are loud but tolerable, however they shoot low. No cleaning, went to cast bullets, 125's are low, and no surprise. 148 wadcutters are almost on, 158 grain standard loads are right on at 15 yards and group nicely at the point of aim, and very pleasant to shoot. Great, I won't have to file the sights. The +P 158 grain loads are about all I want to consider for a 50 round plinking session, not needed to kill charging tin cans, where standard 38's will do fine. The only negative is the extraction will not clear 357's and almost clears 38's, you must keep the muzzle up when ejecting cases. The trigger needs work, which is easy on a Ruger. I think I will keep it.     

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358156hp posted this 22 May 2016

Your 3 incher should respond well to a spring kit and a little honing. If the weights not an issue for you, the SP should keep you happy. It's almost impossible to break one.

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Hamish posted this 22 May 2016

Eutectic,

Dead on point for point on the SP101, purchased one for the wife for purse carry. I've threatened to get the Dremel after it to melt some of the painfully square edges on it. Even with 148 gr. HBWC and a light charge of 700X it's still bites like a petulant child. It's really quite striking the difference between it and the wife's Smith snub.

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 23 May 2016

here we go ...

keep an eye out for a security six ....

mine does everything right .. not pretty as a peacemaker tho i guess.

ken

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Premod70 posted this 23 May 2016

Sure wish Ruger would reissue the SP 101 in 327 mag.

Forrest Gump is my smarter brother.

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358156hp posted this 24 May 2016

They did, last year. I seem to be the only one in my group who doesn't have one.

http://www.ruger.com/products/sp101/models.html

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Premod70 posted this 24 May 2016

358156hp wrote: They did, last year. I seem to be the only one in my group who doesn't have one.

http://www.ruger.com/products/sp101/models.html>http://www.ruger.com/products/sp101/models.htmlWell there goes this months mad money, thanks for the heads-up.

Forrest Gump is my smarter brother.

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Eutectic posted this 01 August 2016

First I cut off the hammer spur, a hack saw did not cut so a carbide blade made for cast iron worked - hard stuff. I removed as little as possible, not trying to imitate the Ruger spurless hammer Then a little polishing on the inside and on the action.  Now it was smooth, time to reduce the trigger pull. There are two springs which work on the trigger, the hammer spring and the trigger return spring. Wolff supplies an 8 pound return spring, but this slowed the trigger return and it felt really soft, the original went back in. The factory hammer spring is 14 pounds and Wolff supplies 9, 10 and 12 pound springs in the kit. How to decide?? I loaded up 100 rounds with small rifle primers, figuring 100% with SRP would provide a good safety margin. With 9 pound spring the first 50 shot fine, I thought I was golden.  But there was a misfire in the second 50 which fired on a second strike. All this was double action which is a shorter lighter hammer fall. So the 10 pound spring will be the one. The 9 is probably OK but I want a little more margin for function. Single action is still easy. A short pull on the trigger and catch the hammer with the thumb and pull it to full cock. It is a one hand operation.  

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