Ruger SP101 vs. GP100 for carry - comments?

[Yanus]

Guys,
I'm in the market for a 357mag revolver for
concealed carry and general use. Does anyone
have any experience with these two models?
The last Ruger 357 I owned was a speed six
back in '06. Any comments, as always, are
welcome and appreciated. Thanks.

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Never do an enemy a minor injury. Machiavelli
"Stay alive with a 45"

 

[SgtGunner]

I have a customized GP100 that I carry near exclusively. It is a bit heavy, but I prefer the extra weight and I like the piece of mind in knowing that my gun will not jam.....EVER. I also have a SP101 in .357 that I carry when I dont think I "need" to carry. Both have served me well and are made second to none as far as reliability and durability. The accuracy is there out of the box as well. You would probably be happier withthe SP101 based on the lower weight, but again thats relative. The extra weight of the 4" ss GP doesn't bother me at all. I guess it comes downto what you are comfortable with.

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Compromise is not an option

 

[VictorLouis]

One of the great benefits of revolver carry is this: The vast bulk of it can go down inside the pants. This leaves only a small grip exposed, vs. a larger handle for most any service pistol. I like the 3" barreled GP a lot. If the weight does not concern you, that'd be my preference. If not, the SP will provide great service in that roll. Both are built like a brick outhouse. The only way you could damage one would be throught the application of power tools.

[This message has been edited by VictorLouis (edited March 21, 2000).]

 

[samsonj]

The thing I like about the 357 is that you can target shoot with the 38 cal. rounds which is cheeper, and for poor folks like me that is a must.
Personaly I like the 45 cal. I don't want to have to worry about a law suit from a serviving criminal. A 357 is the next best thing though. A revolver is nice with less worry of jam-ups I think. That is my two cents, hope it helped.
What ever you get you had better hurry, one never knows when it will be too late these days.

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one shot one kill

 

[WESHOOT2]

Own matching pair 4" stainless GP100's (started in '76 with Security Sixes).

Best 357 gun available, 4" length is no burden (for ME) to carry, controllable with hot ammo, can deliver long 180g JHP's at 1200fps or 125g JHP's at 1500fps.

The SP101, while good, is just harder to hang on to (but really really nice in 9mm).

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"All my ammo is factory ammo"

 

[Yanus]

Call me strange, but I never liked the idea
of rimless cartridges in a revolver. The
half moon and full moon clips are just one
more item that gets lost. I really am looking at a GP-100 4" after talking to you
guys. I for one like the idea of 1,500 fps
125 JHP's.

------------------
Never do an enemy a minor injury. Machiavelli
"Stay alive with a 45"

 

[Gremlin]

I own a GP-100 fully lugged 4" ss revolver and love the gun. My job doesn't call for much concealed carry, however, I have carried the gun for an evening at a time and haven't found it to be a problem.

What I love about the gun is the accuracy. At the range Saturday, after an hour or so of two-handed target shooting, I switched to single hand, quick shots at the head of the silhouette target. I set the target out at the 20 yard mark and fired 24 shots in a similar fashion as to what you might see an old-fashioned "duel" being fought--body turned in profile, one arm fully extended and the other at rest beside me. Just clowning around... 22 of 24 shots found the "forehead" section of the silhouette and the other two hit "chin".

What a great gun...

 

[Robert Foote]

With all due respect, your Speed Six might have been better than either. I have a very smooth 4" GP, but it is a big gun for daily carry. I carried a M28 S&W concealed for a while years ago, which is about the same general size and weight--too much for me. Those big guns are best suited for either uniformed duty wear or out in the field, unconcealed. The SP is a little on the small side and I don't care for the action. I am a diehard Security Six user and have carried that concealed, both as an LEO and retired, for almost 20 years. Other possibilities would be one of the K frame S&Ws, 3-4" fixed/adjustable sights. Anything bigger is just too cumbersome for me. Just my opinion...

 

[Kent White]

Best CCW gun I ever owned was a 2 3/4" Service Six in .357. Fixed sights, bobbed hammer, roundbutt, and rendered DAO. Put somewhere around 8000-10,000 rounds through it before it was stolen 2 years ago. *sigh* I sure do miss it. I carried it all the time, shot 94% of possible in qualifying with it.

Great gun. Too bad they don't make them anymore.

 

[45King]

Keep in mind the the SP101 is set up from the factory to use loads with an OAL of the 125gr. If you go to a heavier bullet weight, the bullet may protrude from the front of the chambers, and that's a definite "no go."

 

[Yanus]

I hadn't thought about the short cylinder.
I played with a SP recently and if fell
really small in my hand. The GP has a larger
grip, plus it also is a six shooter instead
of five. If push comes to shove and I can't
find a 4" GP, I'll probably go with a 3"
fixed GP. That seems to be closer to the
old speed six which was a full size piece.
That extra wait comes in handy when using
357mags.

------------------
Never do an enemy a minor injury. Machiavelli
"Stay alive with a 45"

 

[Commygun]

SP101's made in recent years do not have the 125gr. restriction. I have both guns and
they're both jewels. Just my opinion, but
I think a stainless .357 GP100 with a 4"
barrel and adj. sights is the best all-around
revolver there is. Too big for regular concealed carry though. Get the SP-101-tough,
powerful, concealable, loads of quality, and
I've noticed they retain their resale value
well above the norm.

 

[LawDog]

My SP101 is one of the early ones with the "125 gr JHP ONLY" warnings on the barrel.

I've shot 110's, 125's, 150's, 158's and 180's through it and the only hung-up rounds I had were some PMC 125 JHP's in the orange-and-white box.

I settled on the Remington Medium-Velocity .357/125's and switched to the Remington 125 Golden Sabres when I couldn't get the Mediums anymore.

LawDog

 

[Yanus]

That SP101 is looking better all the time.
I have a distributor looking for a GP100,
but I may go with the SP101. I think
the Rem. 125 Golden Sabers would be "good
medecine" out of a 3" barrel.

------------------
Never do an enemy a minor injury. Machiavelli
"Stay alive with a 45"