Rugar SP 101, 357, 3 inch snub

[126coupe]

Took my daughter to the range today, she's 23 and has not shot since she was 10.
She was very accurate w my Colt 357 Magnum, my Glock 17 9MM, and the Seacamp 32.

She's loved the 357 Revolver and is interested in the above Ruger.

Any experiences with Rugar?

[fred cook]

I have owned several Ruger firearms, all of which were extremely well made and always functioned properly. I don't think there is a better made .357 revolver available than the Ruger line including the SP101. You might need to consider different grips depending on the size of your daughter's hand. All in all, a very good choice. The only thing that I would consider over the Ruger is possibly a Colt Detective Special. Of course the Colt would be used and would likely cost more than the Ruger. Congratulations on helping your daughter to be self reliant and safe!!

Hope this helps.

[fred cook]

One other thought...... the SP101 is available in the .327 mag caliber. It offers less recoil, good ballistics and an extra round (7 vs 6). Something to consider.

[Jeff Higgins]

I don't think you can buy a bad Ruger of any description. I own, and have owned... um, let's say "several" Rugers over the years. I would highly recommend anything that says "Ruger" on it.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Ruger makes great revolvers. And single shot rifles. And .22LR pistols. I'm still a little skittish about anything polymer or "modern" from them, but that's just me.

Honestly I'm not sold on the .327 mag caibre. It seems like a solution to a non-existent problem. If your daughter could handle the .357 mag with no problems I see no reason to avoid it. It's not like the SP101 is a Scandium-framed Airweight.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyJaunte

Honestly I'm not sold on the .327 mag caibre. It seems like a solution to a non-existent problem. If your daughter could handle the .357 mag with no problems I see no reason to avoid it. It's not like the SP101 is a Scandium-framed Airweight.

I'm with you on that. I just don't see any use for it. Granted, the Blackhawk holds eight, but I have never "needed" all five from my Peacemaker. Maybe a seven shot GP100 has some appeal to the self defense crowd, but being a full size revolver, not many will carry it. Isn't the SP101 version a six shot, as opposed to five in .357?

Anyway, .32's have always been appealing as small game and plinking revolvers. Hot-rodding one up to be a mini .357 wannabe just seems like wasted effort. The .357 already fills the bill as a hot mid bore revolver round quite nicely.

I guess the thing that concerns me the most is how some are touting the .327 as a "deer round". Deer round my ass - I wouldn't shoot anything bigger than a coyote with a hot loaded .357 as it is, much less a little .32. I don't care how hot it is loaded, or how much "energy' it has on paper. That is not what kills animals in the realm of handgun hunting. They should not be encouraging such silly ideas.

[tomphot]

I just picked up a S&W 44 Mag - Model 29
What a blast to shoot - the PO was an old guy who had a huge collection - this one was hardly used at all. As he got older, he wasn't shooting anymore but was into reloading. I ended up buying the gun ($350) and was given close to 700 rounds in the deal - he was very meticulous in his loading procedure - all the boxes are marked with the ingredients, grain info, ft/sec etc.
There's something about a revolver that I really like.

[jyl]

I've not held/fired a SP101, so this is just a "theoretical" comment - what is the intended use of a 5-shot, snub-barrel 357 that is weighs around 2 pounds loaded? It seems rather heavy to carry concealed. For a bedside gun, wouldn't an extra round and another couple inches of barrel be better? At the range, the extra weight would be nice, but is a snub-nose the best range gun? My less than two cents is, maybe she should try one of the lighter alloy-framed snubbies before deciding.

[tabs]

Originally Posted by tomphot

I just picked up a S&W 44 Mag - Model 29
What a blast to shoot - the PO was an old guy who had a huge collection - this one was hardly used at all. As he got older, he wasn't shooting anymore but was into reloading. I ended up buying the gun ($350) and was given close to 700 rounds in the deal - he was very meticulous in his loading procedure - all the boxes are marked with the ingredients, grain info, ft/sec etc.
There's something about a revolver that I really like.

Can you give the serial number including prefix or at least the first 3 digits....for example N645XXX...and I can date the thing for ya...Barrel length, blue finish or Nickle?

[tomphot]

Originally Posted by tabs

Can you give the serial number including prefix or at least the first 3 digits....for example N645XXX...and I can date the thing for ya...Barrel length, blue finish or Nickle?

AEY8xxx
Model 29-3

It's Blued
4"

Thanks

[tabs]

Ruger has always built a solid no frills guns that are workhorses..they are also quite a bit cheaper tha a Smith or Colt.

Smith has always been of better quality with regards to fit, finish and even function..smoother actions. the S&W N Frame mdl 27 was the FIRST revolver chambered in 357 back in 1935 and in that 1935-1941 configuration is arguably the BEST 357 ever made (I have 2 pre WW2's and 3 early 1950's mdl 27's). You can actually buy a 911SC for the amount one of those prewars can set ya back.. Also I have become very fond of the S&W 686 especially the early ones made in the 1980's..(I have an 8 3/8 and a 4 inch barrel in the 686). I do think that the 686 is about the best all around 357 out there. SIX SHOOTERS THANK YOU

Colt is marginally better than S&W...their Python is the Cadillac of 357's but is not suitble for heavy 357 loads...that S&W or Ruger will handle.

If ya really wana get esoteric on a 357 try and find a German Korth..they have been made since 1954 and each pistol takes from 4 to 6 months to build. They are all hand built out of a single billet of special steel. Korth builds 100 or less guns a year. Prices range form $4000 to $12000..very nice revolvers but not that much nicer than a Python.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Originally Posted by tomphot

AEY8xxx
Model 29-3

It's Blued
4"

Thanks

Well the 29-3 is the first model for which S&W disco'd the desirable (collectible) pinned barrels and counterbored (recessed) cylinders.

Go out and shoot it.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

I guess the thing that concerns me the most is how some are touting the .327 as a "deer round". Deer round my ass - I wouldn't shoot anything bigger than a coyote with a hot loaded .357 as it is, much less a little .32. I don't care how hot it is loaded, or how much "energy' it has on paper. That is not what kills animals in the realm of handgun hunting. They should not be encouraging such silly ideas.

I haven't seen this as I pretty much stopped paying attention to the .327 as soon as it came out. But billing the .327 as a deer hunting round? Sounds utterly irresponsible to me. Many factory 9x19 loads have more oomph.

[m21sniper]

Originally Posted by 126coupe

Took my daughter to the range today, she's 23 and has not shot since she was 10.
She was very accurate w my Colt 357 Magnum, my Glock 17 9MM, and the Seacamp 32.

She's loved the 357 Revolver and is interested in the above Ruger.

Any experiences with Rugar?

I bought a Ruger .357 magnum SP101 3" many moons ago for my mom. She still has it and loves it.

[tomphot]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyJaunte

Well the 29-3 is the first model for which S&W disco'd the desirable (collectible) pinned barrels and counterbored (recessed) cylinders.

Go out and shoot it.

Been shooting it - with 700 rounds free - I'm not going to let it just sit there.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyJaunte

I haven't seen this as I pretty much stopped paying attention to the .327 as soon as it came out. But billing the .327 as a deer hunting round? Sounds utterly irresponsible to me. Many factory 9x19 loads have more oomph.

It caught my eye until I saw it was going in the full sized Blackhawk. No reason for that, other than it's too long to fit in traditional .32 sized guns. Stretching the little .32 like that was merely an effort to impress those who are impressed by "muzzle energy" as some measure of worth. Too bad Ruger didn't just bring the Single Six back out in the .32 H&R; that was a proper .32 that knew its place.

The first article I read about the .327 was in the American Rifleman, where it was touted as a deer hunting round on a par with the .357. All that says to me is that it is not a deer hunting round. Other magazines have since suggested the same, when teamed with the 6" barreled adjustable sight Blackhawk.

I suppose all of this is meant to appeal to the crowd who seems to think handguns are like rifles; i.e. that they kill in the same manner. They simply do not, and handguns can't (at least real ones, like revolvers and pistols). They simply cannot match the velocity and energy of rifles, even relatively "underpowered" rifles, so compromises have to be made. It boils down to an either/or choice: expansion or penetration. Rifles are capable of both, handguns are not. At least not in hunting terms.

Hunting handguns kill by driving bullets all the way though the animal and out the other side. They won't do that with an expanding bullet; they simply do not carry the energy (or more accurately, momentum) to do so. So we look for bullets that cut a full diameter wound channel all the way through, removing tissue as they go, so that wound channel cannot close up on itself. Round noses won't do that; expanding bullets won't do that. Flat nosed semi wadcutters will. Think paper punch vs. sticking a pencil through a sheet of paper. Both leave a hole, but the latter can be closed back on itself.

When used with proper hunting semi wadcutters, the .32's just leave too small of a hole in big game. Switching to the nifty looking jacketed soft and hollow points shown in all the ads stymies penetration too much with such a small caliber. Those beautiful mushroomed bullets shown in the ads will only penetrate a few inches - not nearly enough for deer hunting. We're looking for several feet, like stem to stern. No .32 will ever do that, even on its best day. It's just not a deer hunting round.

[tabs]

Originally Posted by tomphot

AEY8xxx
Model 29-3

It's Blued
4"

Thanks

Mid to late 1980's pistola...and yes it is a Shooter...about $500 to $550...in near new condition.

[fred cook]

I suggested the .327 mag round as an alternative to the 357 mag in case recoil might be an issue. Take a look at the following information that I lifted from another web site:"From a 3 1/16 inch revolver, the 100 grain soft point .327 magnum load develops 100 fps more velocity than a 125 grain .357 magnum from a four inch revolver and delivers only 35 ft/lbs less energy. The recoil of the .327 magnum 85 grain personal defense load is less than 1/2 of the recoil of a 125 grain .357 magnum.Subjected to the standard FBI protocol tests for effectiveness through barriers, the 115 grain .327 magnum load reaches 15 inches in bare gelatin, 16 inches through plywood, 14.5 inches through wallboard, 13 inches through auto glass and 20 inches through single layer vehicle body steel - all with substantial bullet upset ranging from .40 caliber (steel) to .60 caliber (auto glass). "All the above along with an additional round (6 vs 5) and an unloaded weight of 28 ozs. seems to make for a pretty good defensive choice. Now, with all that, do I own one? No, but then I am 6'-1" tall and weigh in at 220 lbs. The recoil of a .357 (or a .44 mag for that matter) is not an issue to me, but for someone that is perhaps 5' 2" or thereabouts and maybe 120 lbs, then the recoil of a stout .357 round would matter.* Just my 2 cents worth.

[Jeff Higgins]

Very strange evaluation. This guy uses three different .327 bullet weights to stack the deck in its favor regarding whichever performance parameter he is illustrating. 85 grain for his recoil claims, 100 for velocity/energy, and 125 for penetration.

This has gone on for as long as men have been evaluating guns. Industry (and other) pundits cherry pick particular bullet weights (and even constructions) to best favor whatever point they are trying to make.

Folks just need to understand that there is no "magic" to firearms and ballistics. Bore size, barrel length, and allowable pressures dictate performance. One can fiddle with bullet weights to tweak how that performance is delivered, and bullet constructions to determine what happens when it hits. The .327/.357/.41/.44 mag cartridges all operate at about the same maximum pressures and are all available in the same barrel lengths. Performance increases with caliber in this class of cartridge, as would recoil given equal weight guns.

[ODDJOB UNO]

this is a no brainer. .327 is a bastid spendy round. recoil?????


magna port the damn thing. use .38 specials or .38 special +P's. or go home.



i pumped my kid up saturday at the range while he was getting used to my model 60 1 7/8 barrel stainless .357 by starting him with .38 specials, then +P's and then.............HOT .357's. shooting the .357's didnt even faze him even when i mixed up a cylinder of multi different flavors. ie. yer classic "ya better HANG ON TIGHT" and it never bothered him. we put hogue combat grips on.


now a distinct advantage when ya shoot alot and yer a cheap ass like us(ya will figure that out when ya have (2) gunsafes full) is with a .357 you can shoot .38's and thats fairly cheap. and cabelas sells .38 reloads CHEAP! now the other advantage is with a .357 you can buy a LEVER ACTION RIFLE TO COMPLIMENT YER KAWBOY ENSEMBLE. and with the .357 thru iron sites we were beaning 200yd targets all damn day. what a HOOT!



now there is a real downside if yer uber cheap with .357's/.38's and shoot LEAD! .357's are HOT rounds in and of itself. shooting lead will fill yer barrel with lead and you will play hell cleaning it. always finish off a session with some jacketed to somewhat clean the lead out. when ya get home you will see what i mean when yer buried in SWABS UP TO YER NECK and a gallon of hoppes #9(numba 9-numba 9,numba 9) getting that crap lead out. ask me how i know.


we were totally STUNNED by the accuracy of the marlin 1894CSS stainless .357 lever action. unreal out of the box accuracy. that doesnt happen very often getting a real shooter out of the box.



completed 200 rds thru walther ppk/s test

200 rds thru model 60 .357 test completed

200 rds thru 1894CSS test completed before going to the doctor for the one finger lever action job.

and about 50 thru the hk usp compact tactical .45. need to get another 150 thru it before we really play with that.

and yes...........the 1st thang we did after our range session was to break all(4) spoons down and CLEAN THEM cuz thats how we roll(GOGARIZM).


the co yotes(trickster) the badgers/wolverines/foxezz/trouts will be AFEARED of us on the san carlos rez here in a few weeks.