Sp101 2 or 3 inch?

[Nicksterdemus]

Maybe you need to invest in a pair of overalls.

My Old CA, 3" tapered brl, .44 Bulldog disapears in my front pocket.

Speakin' of double tap; a bottom feeder slips right in a front or back pocket and a spare magazine rides in the bib 'round the clock.

Leaves me room for totin' a scattergun...
----------------------
Every wondered why a lot of service revolvers were 4", the old 44spl was 5.5" and 18-20" makes for a good pistol cartridge brl length?

http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/results.html

 

[pete950]

Landric,
You have the same set up I have but for 1 thing were did you get the factory bobed hammer for the 3inch?

Pete

 

[maxpress]

...aim for the head....

Oh, damn, and you were doing SO well right up to that point.

well said

 

[GaryA]

I have owned and still own a number of SP101s and am not saying my choice is the best but I've noticed a trend. A number of years ago, hardly anyone touted the 3 inch and they were quite hard to find. I have always had one version or another of 2.25 inch SPs and I tried the 3 inch. It's a great gun and I can see why they have become popular, at least among those who frequent these forums. That said, as I began to somewhat pare down my incessant and obsessive accumulation of things I like, I decided in favor of the 2.25 inch over the 3 inch because I felt it did more things well and, uh, fit in more places than the 3 inch. The 3 inch is a superb firearm and is probably at least as strong as a K-frame and smaller while giving up one round. Further, for me, although I have a couple of DAO versions of the SP101, I have also come to favor the 2.25 inch hammered version the best. Again, this is because it does more things well, IMO, than any other version, even though it doesn't do everything as well as either the DAO 2.25 inch or the hammered 3 inch. The best all-purpose for me is the hammered 2.25 inch. I sure wouldn't criticize other choices.

 

[CanonLyles]

...aim for the head....

Oh, damn, and you were doing SO well right up to that point.

well said

You two are entitled to your own opinion. But, I've known several LE and military firearms instructors through out my life and for CQB/home defense, they all had the same opinion. Head shots, if possible. So, I think I'm going to listen to the people who have 20-30 years experience with that sort of thing. That's my opinion.

 

[Snake45]

...aim for the head....

Oh, damn, and you were doing SO well right up to that point.

well said

You two are entitled to your own opinion. But, I've known several LE and military firearms instructors through out my life and for CQB/home defense, they all had the same opinion. Head shots, if possible. So, I think I'm going to listen to the people who have 20-30 years experience with that sort of thing. That's my opinion.

Okay, how many of your mentors had actually shot someone in the head in a gunfight during their 20-30 years of "experience"? Did you ever ask them? :roll:

 

[CanonLyles]

Yes I did. 3 between 2 of them.

 

[WAYNO]

Gee, if my SP had just a little longer barrel. And, if it just had a little bigger grip. But then, one more shot, and it would be a Speed Six. The best of ALL worlds.

Can ya even tell there's a Speed Six under the Sp101?

My point being. If ya want a 2" small framed revolver, that's great. But, if ya decide a 2" barrel is not quite long enough, then maybe ya don't want a little-bitty revolver, anyway, and the choices in a 2-3/4' to 3" revolver will open a whole 'nother world.

 

[Snake45]

Yes I did. 3 between 2 of them.

Well good for them. And if you can make such a shot and convince your local DA and grand jury that you shouldn't then be indicted for murder, then good for you.

"Shoot for the head" or "shoot for the eye sockets" used to be common advice (seen it from Jeff Cooper and Chick Gaylord, among others) for those carrying smaller guns than they should be, such as .22s, .25s, and .32s. This was 30 or 40 or 50 years ago, before people realized that somebody's head would be about the most difficult part of them to hit in a gunfight.

Can you name for me any US law enforcement agency at any level that trains its people to shoot for the head as a primary technique today? I'll wait....

 

[JB696]

Lots of perps nowdays wear vests. Especially for home invasion robberies and other types of crimes where the victim is targeted. They also prefer to wear vests if they suspect that they may become involved in a confrontation with law enforcement personnel during the commission of their crime. If, heaven forbid, I had to shoot an armed criminal, the head shot would surely be completely accidental. Just the result of the adrenaline or a hurried shot. Or filing down that front sight just a little too much.

 

[maxpress]

cannon, im not trying to get down on ya at all. i just think that as a primary target aquisition the head is difficult at best. if its a good target of opprotunity then by all means take it. if i was peeking around a door frame with a shotgun and someone with ill intent stuck there head out of my kitchen then it would be gone.

my only point is that the kill shot (brain hit) from a facing targets head is from the tip of the nose to the crest of the forehead and from the outer edge of the eyebrows. this is a 4" square that moves more than anything else on the body. kinda like puting a 4" plate on a kids fiberglass bike flag rod and giving it a good flip and trying to hit it at 15yrds.

on the otherhand the chest is 1'x1' and moves the slowest.

my units job (most of the time) was clearing buildings and im not ashamed to admit that i never got a first shot headshot on a moving target. in fact i dont think anyone in my unit did. not to say there wasnt head shots on unaware stable targets.

anyhow JMHO didnt mean to stir any animosity. and if the head presents itself as a viable target then by all means take it

 

[CanonLyles]

Snake, if your waiting on me... You got better luck betting on a snail in a 5k race. LOL

Any CQB trained team (SAS [not US], many SWAT, and the like) train double taps. That's 2 in the chest and 1 in the head.

Back in 1989, my cousin's apartment was brolen into; she was raped, murdered, her body was tossed in a dumpster, then he set her apartment on fire by a crackhead she went to school with. So, damn right I'm going for a kill shot. It's called the "Make My Day Law." OK still has it. It's inside my residence, it's not murder. It's self defense.

In all honesty, after they were down, I would probably reload and finish them off. I truly don't want to kill anyone. But, when it comes to the safety of me and my loved ones; there is no too far. You can call anything you want, it won't change my beliefs or my outlook on home invasion.

 

[Snake45]

Any CQB trained team (SAS [not US], many SWAT, and the like) train double taps. That's 2 in the chest and 1 in the head.

That is NOT a "double tap." That is a failure drill called the "Mozambique," and it's used (theoretically) when a guy you've shot isn't going down. That is quite a different thing from teaching someone to start shooting for the head as the primary technique, both legally and in reality.

A variant is one or two in the chest and then start shooting for the pelvis, the idea being "break the chassis and it's going down."

In reality, most people including most LE officers are lucky to hit anywhere while aiming for the center of mass, the largest part of the body, in an actual gunfight. Check out LE hit statistics sometime if you don't believe me.

 

[WAYNO]

Well, stashu, now that the point of your thread is detoured, have you handled them all, and decided on a particular variation of revolver?

WAYNO.

 

[CanonLyles]

Snake, I think you need do some research and quit forcing your bull-headed opinions on everybody in every forum. Just because you think your right about everything, does not mean you are.

BTW, what makes you the all-knowing guru of everything? What are credentials? How meny years did you spend in the military? What about law enforcement? You can talk statistics all you want. Anybody can look up or make up statistics.

Also, I never said anybody ever taught head shots as a primary way of gunfighting. You did. But, every single LE organization teaches headshots along with body shots. So, there you are. Everybody teaches headshots. That would make me right. Thank you, and unless you have something constructive to say about something, I'm pretty sure nobody wants to hear it.

 

[Snake45]

Also, I never said anybody ever taught head shots as a primary way of gunfighting. You did.

Excuse me, then, it must have been some other CanonLyles here who said:

Just 2 pieces of advice: 1) use good hollow points 2) like in zombie movies, aim for the head.

and

I've known several LE and military firearms instructors through out my life and for CQB/home defense, they all had the same opinion. Head shots, if possible. So, I think I'm going to listen to the people who have 20-30 years experience with that sort of thing.

My mistake, I'm sorry. I'll try to stay out of your way from now on so you can post more stuff like this on the internet:

So, damn right I'm going for a kill shot. It's called the "Make My Day Law." OK still has it. It's inside my residence, it's not murder. It's self defense.

In all honesty, after they were down, I would probably reload and finish them off.

:shock: :roll:

 

[JB696]

Lot of information here to sort out. So as to the original posters question, if you think you may be going for mostly body shots, then the short barrel will be alright. But if you prefer going for mainly head shots, with the smaller target zone, the three inch barrel would be better because of the longer sight radius and all? :?

 

[Snake45]

Lot of information here to sort out. So as to the original posters question, if you think you may be going for mostly body shots, then the short barrel will be alright. But if you prefer going for mainly head shots, with the smaller target zone, the three inch barrel would be better because of the longer sight radius and all? :?

If you are going for head shots, you definitely want the 3" barrel. After you've missed your assailant's bobbing, ducking, fast-moving head five times, and he's about to beat the crap out of you or perhaps filet you, you'll find that the 3" gun makes a much better club or sap than the 2" gun--more weight, better leverage, more contact area, it'll just all-around do a better job of cracking or denting his skull.

 

[CanonLyles]

Snake, you even highlighted it for me, if possible. BTW, I'm still waiting on your credentials. And, last I checked I have freedom of speech and opinion. If time ever comes that I do have to defend myself in my own home, we'll see what happens. I bet I come out better than the other guy.

 

[ray1970]

Not meaning to get back on the original subject matter.... but my vote goes for 3".