SP101

[Petrol & Powder]

In another thread a member spoke about a Ruger SP101 chambered in 327 Magnum and that reminded me of Ruger’s little brickhouse SP101 revolver.

Back in the days of the Ruger DA “Six” series (Security-Six, Service-Six and Speed-Six), Ruger didn’t offer a small DA revolver. About the smallest DA Ruger you could get in those days was the Speed-Six with a 2.75” barrel. Now the 2 ¾” Speed-Six is a great gun but it’s about the size of a 3” S&W K-frame. (It competes directly with the 3” S&W Models 13/65).

In 1988 the last of the Ruger DA Six series guns left the factory and in 1989 the SP101 appeared (there may have been a few in 1988). Those of us that loved the DA Six’s were sad to see them go but Ruger now had the GP-100 and the SP101 to fill that market segment. The GP-100 was introduced in 1985 and I’ll leave that discussion for another day.

The SP101 became Ruger’s small-ish?, smaller??? , DA revolver circa 1989. I’ve always had great respect for the strength of the SP101 and I’ve always held a little grudge against its weight and size. But since 1989 I’ve also always owned at least one example of the SP101. There is something endearing about that little anvil that can spit out bullets. They are incredibly durable and reliable.

The SP101 is STRONG. If you break a SP101 you were doing something stupid. That strength comes at the cost of weight and a little bulk. Such is life. In terms of size, when fitted with the 2.25” barrel, the SP101 lands squarely between a snubnose S&W J-frame and a snubnose K-frame. The SP101 is just a little too big/heavy to fit in the same category as a 1 7/8” S&W J-frame.

The vast majority of SP101’s have been chambered in 38 Special or 357 Mag. but they have been made in .22LR, 9mm Luger and 327 Federal magnum. Barrel lengths run from 2.25” to 4.20” (106.68 mm or slightly longer than 105mm for our Canadian friends). The SP101 is pretty much stainless steel throughout except the springs and sights. It is a tough little puppy.

The early SP101 revolvers had slightly shorter cylinders than the current models. When chambered in 357 magnum the early models were limited to 125 grain bullets and the barrels were inscribed accordingly. Early on, Ruger redesigned the gun and lengthened the frame and cylinder so that the gun could take all factory 357 magnum ammunition. The early guns became known as short frame models. My two SP101 revolvers are both 38 Special early “short frame” models and have serial numbers that fall within 700 digits of each other.

For front pocket carry, the SP101 is probably not the first choice for most folks and if you carry one in an ankle holster it will make you run in circles. But in a coat pocket or a holster, the SP101 is solid choice.

The SP101 has been offered in dozens of configurations so there is no standard model, but I would venture a guess that the 38 Special and 357 Magnum models with a 2.25” barrel and fixed sights, are the most common variants. The factory grips are an amazingly universal fit. I’ve seen more than one owner of an SP101 replace the factory grips with some aftermarket grip only to turn around and put the factory grip back on the gun. The factory grips don’t fit everyone, but they sure seem to fit a lot of people.

SP101 revolvers are not known to leave the factory with super slick actions but they respond beautifully to a little bit of attention. Some judicious polishing, maybe some shims and maybe a slightly lighter spring or two, yields excellent results.

The SP101 has been with us since the later 1980’s and it continues to prove its worth.

 

[Jeff H]

Great write-up, @Petrol & Powder !

My sentiments are almost exact, down to the resentment of the SP101, which I have long since gotten over. I still resent the GP100.

I personally think the SP101 is probably the perfect format for today's 357 Mag. I can't imagine a sturdier trail gun at the bulk/mass level, though the Speed Six is kind of close. I let my 90s SP101 go several years ago, thinking I'd focus on all large primers for rifle and pistol. Then, I couldn't imagine a fella not owning a 223. Then, I started thinking about powder and lead in the 45s and 44s EVERY time I wanted to shoot, and THEN, I got this 357 Carbine bug, so I'm back to the 357 for something over ten years now.

I was saving for another SP101, but didn't like what I was seeing in current production - that "sheep-nosed" cylinder (???) and the prices! Holy cow! Ended up with one of the Australian Police Service Sixes (first since 1989) and am not letting go, but I'd have my old SP101 back in a heartbeat, even if it meant trading the Service Six, but there's NOTHING else I'd trade that Service Six for.

Thanks for the effort on your post - a nice read.

I had a J-Frame rear sight installed on mine. The front sight had not been changed out yet for a taller one in this photo. The Service Six below it is definitely bigger and heavier enough to make you appreciate the difference.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

I have great respect for the old DA Six series guns. They were rather under-appreciated when they were in production. The old saying, “you’re going to miss me when I’m gone” has never been more apropos. Fortunately, Ruger made a lot of them between 1972 and 1988. I replaced the ones I had sold or traded off and know enough now to hang onto the ones I have.

I had mixed emotions* when the SP101 was introduced. When I saw the attributes of the SP101 in person, I quickly warmed up to it.

I’ve owned a small pile of SP101 revolvers over the years and many have come and gone from the herd. The remaining ones will stay.


Top - A former French Police SP101 with a 3" barrel, Trausch grips and CIP proofmarks
Bottom - SPNY

*Mixed emotions are the feelings you get when you watch your obnoxious mother-in-law drive your brand-new car off a 1000’ cliff.

 

[Tom]

My ex had an sp101 in 357. Nice revolver!
We were at the range one day next to a deputy (who obviously wasn't a gun guy) that was practicing for his qualifications that day. My ex was practicing shooting from the hip at 7 yards. (She was good!)
All 5 rounds on a sheet of paper. You should've seen the look on the deputy's face as he watched that. From the hip her group was comparable to his aimed fire with two hands.
I still have my very smooth 6" stainless security six. I've turned down quite a few offers to buy it.

 

[JustJim]

I've been gradually working toward replacing my Models 65 and 13 with SP-101s. DA only, or modified to such, and the SP-101 in the right configuration would be close to ideal for me.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

JustJim, I have a lot of revolvers that are DAO, including the SPNY pictured above, but I don't think I would ever let go of a Model 13 or a Model 65 - even for a nice SP101.

As much as I like the SP101, and as much as I like DAO revolvers, I'm not sure I would consider a SP101 as a replacement for a Model 65.

The 3" RB Model 13 was the last revolver the FBI issued and one of the very few good ideas the FBI ever had. It was (and still is) an excellent combination of size/weight/capacity/accuracy. Probably one of the best combat revolvers for plain clothes carry.

If you can hang onto your S&W Models 13 & 65 and ADD a SP101 of your choosing - that would be the route I would recommend.

 

[RicinYakima]

"The 3" RB Model 13 was the last revolver the FBI issued and one of the very few good ideas the FBI ever had. It was (and still is) an excellent combination of size/weight/capacity/accuracy. Probably one of the best combat revolvers for plain clothes carry."

I have looked for one I could afford for over 20 years and never found one. So ended up with a 60-10 three inch instead.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

"The 3" RB Model 13 was the last revolver the FBI issued and one of the very few good ideas the FBI ever had. It was (and still is) an excellent combination of size/weight/capacity/accuracy. Probably one of the best combat revolvers for plain clothes carry."

I have looked for one I could afford for over 20 years and never found one. So ended up with a 60-10 three inch instead.

Roger That. I'm with you.

The 3" model 13 revolvers are hard to find. The Model 65 is the stainless version of the model 13, so that's another route. The 2.75" Speed-Six was Ruger's answer to the same requirement. In the new category there is the Kimber K6S.

 

[JustJim]

P&P, don't get me wrong--I love my Smiths. But over the years with frequent usage, I've seen too many problems with high-round-count Smiths . . . and if I'm going to carry a gun, it will get shot a lot, and with the carry load or a handloaded equivalent. Today, and for years, that load is the Buffalo Bore+P LSWCHP.

That was fine back when it was relatively easy to get a Smith worked on, but things are different today. I just don't have the time or patience to listen to a 'smith lecture me about why I should carry an automatic, before he gets around to telling me he can't work on them and will just send it off to S&W. Yeah, Cylinder and Slide is only 90 minutes away, but their focus is on custom guns (and their backlog is 18+ months). My Model 13 has ~7-8,000 rounds down the pipe. No problems so far. The 65 I recently parted with was developing timing problems at around 13k rounds; it replaced a 65 that cracked at the forcing cone.

The Rugers. . . eh, they're decent guns, if not up to the Smiths. I think of SP101s as tools: Smiths bring me more enjoyment, but today I'm not sure they are a better tool. SP101s are a hair smaller than the K-frames (not a bad thing), and while they only have 5 shots, they have a bit more weight than a J-frame. I like the added weight. If/when I get around to getting my hands on a couple of SP101s, set up the way I want them, my Model 13 will go into semi-retirement.

 

[CZ93X62]

The SP-101, a compact 357 you can actually enjoy while shooting--rather than endure.

My first handshake with the SP-101 was a 2-3/4" 357 owned by my sister in MT. I worked a couple summers in 1999 and 2000 around Bozeman, and spent some time with Sis. She wanted to go shooting one day, so we adjourned to a spot west of the Madison River she liked. I had a couple hundred rounds of 357 along, including some factory service rounds from work (W-W Super-X 158 JHP. That little SP-101 wasn't bad with the factory 158s, I gave a box to Sis for carry ammo and we shot up about 150 reloads that duped the W-W loads (#358156 atop 13.5 x 2400). Sis could handle the 357s just fine, she had been running 38 Specials for a couple years. I didn't consider buying an SP-101 or a GP-100 (I've still never fired one) because my shop did away with Ruger wheelguns entirely when autopistols came on stream in 1987. Once Colt went hors de combat on D/A revolvers, Ruger came back into acceptance a few years after I retired, basically out of necessity because deputies REALLY LIKED the SP-101/357 Magnum combo for off duty/back-up guns. And still do.

I enjoy that SP-101 in 327 Federal, as I wrote elsewhere.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

JustJim, You bring up some good points and I may have made some assumptions I shouldn’t have. Please allow me to elaborate.

I admire S&W K-frames but the magnum K-frames (models 13, 19, 65, 66) are probably not the best choice for high round counts of magnum rounds. Stretched frames and cracked forcing cones are real things and I’ve seen them – enough said there.

The Ruger DA revolvers seem to be far better suited to high round counts of the hotter loads. In a nutshell, the Rugers are strong.

The old Ruger DA Six series guns (Security, Service & Speed-Six) were basically the size of a K-frame but built from their inception as magnum revolvers. When the Six series was discontinued, those models were replaced with the SP101 and GP-100. The SP101 and GP-100 were also very strong and continued Ruger’s theme of strength and durability.

When the 2.75” Speed-Six was discontinued, the 3” SP101 stepped up to fill that role.

3" Model 65 (left) and 2.75" Speed-Six (right)


3" Speed-Six and 3" SP101


Model 65 (top) Speed-Six (center) SP101 (bottom)


One of the advantages of the SP101 as a carry gun is the thinner cylinder. While it does give up one round (which I don't see as a big deal) it is much easier to pack and conceal.

 

[Jeff H]

I'm on board - across the board - with the Smith comments. As I was passively searching for a nineties SP101 (3", 357), I kept an eye out for a Smith, especially the 3" K-Frame, but knew it was a long-shot.

Way back when, I COULD HAVE shot a Smith loose, but I don't shoot that way anymore, either in volume or velocity. I was going to make a name for myself at one point by wearing out a Security Six, and boy, I tried. That stupid thing was fully as good t he day I traded it off as it was when I bought it, after several years of using several thousand bulk 125 JHPs and many pounds of H110 and WC820.

I don't even load to the "old-time" 357 levels these days, preferring plain-base, "soft," cast 158s and 180s at about 1kfps and down. I also don't get to shoot a hundred at a time either, so I could have EASILY "settled for" a Smith if I'd found one of those elusive 3" models for what I could afford and I would have.

To drag this even further off track, what ended up happening was Charter came out with a stainless, 3", 5-shot 357 on the Bulldog frame, and I love those guns, so I jumped on that. They just seem to fit me. I had immense headaches getting that one tuned-up and even got some help from Nick Ecker, but I dislike the adjustable sights (theirs in particular) and it refuses to shoot plain-based lead in spite of pulling out all the stops and doing everything "right." And no, PC didn't help at all. It's precisely-sized, gas-checked bullets with gooey old Alox/Beeswax or nothing. Still, it's such a handy little gun.

The annoyance here is that, so far, it's out-shooting the new Service Six at twenty yards with 1.5" groups, while the 'Six is still barely doing TWO.

The ultimate plan is to cut the 4" Service Six to 3", but I can't do that without a Smith to recut the front sight groove - and we have no such tradesman anywhere close. May have to go it alone and dovetail a front sight on. I've already round-butted it and put on Pachmayr Compac Professional grips with the exposed back strap. That will get me very close to the SP101, but with the extra round the Smith would have given me.

This isn't how it was all planned, as my "plan" had some fluidity, but I think the compromise will suit me from here on out.

 

[Glaciers]

I have a blue model Security Six 4" that I like a lot. Fits my hand, accurate, and fits my back pocket for carry around the homestead. But the 3" SP 101 fits my hand and my back pocket even better. Much easier to carry for reasons stated by others above. For town trips I use the Lady Smith 2". It fits anywhere, back pocket, jacket. These little 357's are trick for keeping close. But, I still want a 4" model 19. Everytime I have the cash, only a 6" shows up. When things get lean, one pops up.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

My father and I both bought one of these when the offered the 32 H&R Mag. He bought a 38 and me the 32.
He still has his my 32 fell short. I liked it in the Single six but was heavy and just NOTa magnum by my definition. (Why I was so pleased with the 327 when it was offered years later)

Good gun no doubt but in 32 is was pretty heavy. No doubt I coulda loaded it up hotter but I didnt.
CW

 

[Petrol & Powder]

Good input ! THANKS to All.

The SP101 has been with us for 32 years and even though it is an excellent revolver; I think it sometimes gets overlooked.

The basic layout is nothing extraordinary; it’s a swing out cylinder, double action revolver, chambered for popular cartridges.
But Ruger incorporated a lot of excellent traits into that little steel anvil.

Starting with the material itself – SP101 revolvers are all stainless steel. While not lightweight, they sure are tough.

The lockwork, also predominantly stainless steel, is rather beefy. All of the springs are coil springs, and the parts are generally larger than they need to be. You may need to clean up the action of a SP101 when it’s new but you very seldom need to repair one.

Like the DA Six series and the GP-100, there are no side plates. The frame is cast as one piece and the trigger group is inserted as a unified module.

The crane locks to the frame and the non-rotating ejector rod is not part of the locking system, A La’ GP-100.

The locking notches in the cylinder are offset so they do not weaken the cylinder over the chambers.

The barrel incorporates an ejector rod shroud and on the models with longer barrels, that shroud is sometimes extended as an under-barrel lug.

The SP101 uses a peg style grip frame like the GP-100, this allows for a wide variety of grip styles and reduces weight.

The amount of the barrel shank that protrudes through the frame is minimal, therefore increasing the strength of the forcing cone (it reminds me of the J-frame Smith’s in that area).

The front sight is pinned in place and on the fixed sight models, it’s black. That may seem like a small thing but if you’ve ever tried to find a stainless front sight blade on top of a stainless barrel; you know the little things matter.

At first glance the SP101 may appear to be just another small to mid-size DA revolver but there’s a lot of engineering in that gun. In many ways, the SP101 is a miniature GP-100.

The SP101 has been with us for 32 years, I hope it stays around for many more years.