SP101 Double action revolver

[customf1]

Hi I am a new member here and also a new gun owner. I have been to gun instruction class and have been practicing at the range for 6 months with my 1st gun which is P95 semiautomatic. I really enjoy this gun and find my shooting is steadly improving with the weekly practice. I just purchased a SP101 357 Magnum double action only revolver with laser for home defense and plan on taking to the range to get used to it. I would like find out what you all think of this gun. Thought I would start out practicing using 38's or 38+p then move on to the 357 loads. I'm not sure what is the best practice ammo to use for this gun. I did pick up a couple boxes of Hornaday self defense JHP both in 38 and 357. Any feedback from you all is greatly apprciated!! Glad I found this site!!

 

[Flint Ridge]

Wonderful gun, on my short list of must have's.

I'd go with some cheaper .38 Spl just to start, 125 gr.

Don't really think you can shoot much that tank won't handle.

What barrel length did you get?

Magnum loads might be a little overkill for home defense purposes, noise is extreme and muzzle flash depending upon the loads you get, but Buffalo Bore and some others make low flash rounds.

Shoot and enjoy. I was looking for a 3" today they just are harder to bump into.

 

[customf1]

2.25 length hammerless with laser

 

[wwb]

For practice, shoot the cheapest .38 Spl you can find - but scrub the chambers thoroughly when you're finished (a .40 cal bronze brush works well). Shooting .38 Spl loads will leave a ring of powder residue in the chambers which, if not cleaned, will make it difficult (or maybe impossible) to chamber a .357 cartridge.

Enjoy your SP..... next step is to get a wheelgun with a hammer so you can shoot it single action and discover what a real trigger pull is like.

 

[customf1]

WWB thanks for the response and infomation. I did shoot a DA/SA wheelgun at the range it was S&W 386 357 with a 6 inch barrel, very cool, got to check out something similar in Ruger any thoughts? I really do enjoy the single action pull. The Sp101 I have is basically a house gun for my wife and I that I will also be practicing with at the range. It seems the double action pull tension weight is a little heavy for my wifes small hand but she can still pull it if needed. I didn't want to get an ultra lite because I heard it was havoc on the hand, especially since I plan on shooting 100's of practice rounds through it on a weekly basis.

 

[Smokngun]

Dry fire the heck out of it. This will significantly smooth up the action. .38 special is the way to go for practice. I recommend different grips, but everyone is different on this. I love the badger boot grips. They sure do feel good in the hand and conceal well. Clothes don't snag on the smooth wood. I have Federal SD that is 157 grain. Man do those puppies kick. It is fun to see what they do to my steal plates.

 

[Phil In Idaho]

Love my SP-101!! I've had it since like 1994. I shoot mainly .38+p with some 357. Do your research on short barrel ammo. Like others have said .357 rounds indoors wil be like the 4th of July. Not to mention it's harder to control and you will be undwer extreame stress. You are responsible for every round expecially the ones that fly through walls. Think about that.

Last thing. Pratice regularly. Shooting is a perishable skill.

 

[wwb]

......... It seems the double action pull tension weight is a little heavy for my wifes small hand but she can still pull it if needed........

Check into Wolff gun springs.... install a mainspring that's just a bit lighter, and a trigger return spring that's substantially lighter, and the trigger pull will be a whole bunch lighter.

Also, as mentioned, a whole bunch of dry firing will help to make it smoother. A drop of "Gunslick" on the sear will help as well.

 

[Terry T]

I keep some electronic ear muffs with the home defense piece - letting off 357s in the house will do nasty things to your hearing - the electronic muffs still let you hear the small sounds, the 'bump in the night'.
Terry T

 

[Rob72]

The Sp101 I have is basically a house gun for my wife and I that I will also be practicing with at the range.

Did she shoot it first? Not to be a downer, but a heavy DA with Mag loads is not conducive to good shooting for a novice/beginner. If it is a house gun for her, you'll need to get some ammo she feels comfortable throwing. Plain ol' .38 Spl lead works fine, if you dose them adequately. 3-5 rounds is usually good for altering bad attitude in a permanent way. 8)

If the shooter isn't comfortable with the +P/mag loads, they may keep shooting, but most probably just slinging the lead w/o direction. can be dangerous to neighbors, depending on where/what you live.

 

[recumbent]

It's hard to beat a 12 gauge for a house gun...........

 

[Merlinspop]

Just my opinion, but a snub nose revolver is not a good choice for a house gun. They are for portability and concealment. I have one, sans laser, that goes almost everywhere I go. But if a window breaks in the dark of night, the gun in the drawer next to my bed is a GP100. Next to that is a Beretta 92. Next to that is a 1911. My wife is most comfortable with the 92.

Having said that, both of you dry fire the SP a lot. Practice with cheap .38spl until your very comfortable with it, then try the +Ps. If that's comfortable, stick with them. I wouldn't bother even asking your wife to try the .357 unless she really wants to. Even then, the regular .38spl or +p will be adequate for the job.

 

[mr surveyor]

I agree with the suggestion for the .38 spl standard loads for practice, and especially agreee with the need for extra maintenence on the chambers to keep the carbon/lead rings from forming. I've been giving some serious thought to finally succombing to the re-loading bug, particularly for .357. My thought is to not only load full house .357 mag loads, but also to reload .357 cases at .38 spl target levels for extended sessions, or for mrs surv that is pretty sensitive to recoil. Seems to me that would eliminate one fly in the ointment.


surv

 

[Raspy]

I have the same gun except for the laser. I really like it!

I changed the trigger springs and used lapping compound with dry firing to smooth up the trigger. Now it works well and has a bit of a step just before firing. Makes it easy to be accurate. The hammerless design and fixed sights lets it slide right out of my pocket. I also like the simple design. This might be the overall most reliable gun there is for all around use. You could drop it in water or mud or run over it or whatever and expect it to be fine.

I agree with the others to shoot some cheap 38 spl for target and practice. For home defense you might like Winchester Supreme Elite +P hollow points.


John

 

[Just One Shot]

I have one...... errr...... I mean my wife has one with the 2.25" barrel. She likes it with the new grip inserts I put on it.

She has carpal tunnel and can't take the .357 loads so I keep it packed with some good 38 Special SD ammo for the times she's home alone.

I just picked up a GP100 Stainless with the 4.20" barrel for myself and I'm considering getting a spring kit for both my shiney Rugers to lighten up the triggers.

I plan on installing the 10# hammer and the 8# trigger springs. You might want to look into doing the same so your wife can handle the little dynamo a little better.