SP101 question about shooting

[pzlehr]

Hi,
I just bought a Ruger SP101 357,2". I took it out to shoot with some Magtech 38spl and Speer Lawman 357 HP. I am not sure now what bullet weights they were. Anyway I fired from 10yds off hand. It was the worst shooting I had ever done. I have J-Frames and a Taurus651 I shoot fine at the saame distance. Does this gun just need a break in period? If so how much of a one? I'm also an old fart of 55 and the sights were hard to see which I know does not help. Has anyone the same problem? Can XS sights be put on by a gunsmith or would some bright glow paint be good enough?

Thanks!
Chuck

 

[Hugh]

How well do you shoot with other 2-1/4" revolvers? The SP-101 2-1/4" does weigh more than some, and the grip/trigger distance is different. I have a 2-1/4" SP-101 .357 and really like it, and shoot well with it. Of course it is my first snub nose revolver. After a few hundred rounds I did change to Trausch grips; made some difference. Work with it; I believe you'll come to really like it.

 

[bronco45]

Get a Meprolight night sight. Great sight day or night easy to see in the day and bright at night.

 

[pzlehr]

I shoot my J-Frames pretty good, at 10yds I can get 5 shots into a orange to grapefruit size circle. One thing I did forget is I have new glasses and shooting has always been harder as time goes on. The SP has sights hard for me to pick up. My S&W J-Frame has a white dot front sight that I see great and am good with it. Does Meprolight make sights for an SP101...do they have to installed by a gunsmith? I used to look over my glasses since I could see the front sight well and the target was blurry,but was able to do well. Thanks for the advice! Any more info is appreciated!!

Chuck

 

[jazzman]

I have a fiber optic sight on mine which is great for daylight shooting. I purchased it from Gemini Customs on the internet. The sp101 is a pinned in front sight which you have to tap out with a small punch. The new sight did not have a hole drilled in and you have to drill the hole to line up with the pin, or you can do as I did and pay them extra and they will drill the new sight for you, then it is an easy installation. I have that setup on my 3 inch gun, on the carry gun which is 2 inch I am thinking about installing a Meprolight night sight, still researching that option,
good luch with whatever you choose,

Jim

 

[Ferdinand]

I don't own an SP101 yet, but a 3" is on my short list of guns to buy. I've shot two specimens of the shorter version. They took a few rounds for me to get used to them, but once I understood where POA was relative to POI, I could shoot them with great consistency. I'd suggest starting even closer, and perhaps try some different ammo selections. I think that mechanically, these revolvers have the potential for great accuracy when matched with the right ammo.

 

[Knuckles]

I don't own an SP101 yet, but a 3" is on my short list of guns to buy. I've shot two specimens of the shorter version. They took a few rounds for me to get used to them, but once I understood where POA was relative to POI, I could shoot them with great consistency. I'd suggest starting even closer, and perhaps try some different ammo selections. I think that mechanically, these revolvers have the potential for great accuracy when matched with the right ammo.

Factory uses 158grain ammo... I have even tried 200gr Cor-Bons (oooch!)... these guns will shoot 'em though.

Help me out gang, but isn't it --- the lighter the round... the lower she'll hit?

 

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

Hey Chuck! You might want to have a few other folks see how it shoots for them (obviously folks that shoot well). You also might want to try it from a rest and try a few more types of ammo. Mine shot well right out of the box, but they all have their own personalities. The main break in would be the trigger. If the trigger stinks, you might do an Iowegan buff job (if you feel comfortable with that). Otherwise, you might try dryfiring about 1000 times (seriously). As for sights, you could always put a Crimson Trace on it. Good luck.

 

[Merlinspop]

I'm not a fan of changing too many things at once. You'll never know whether each individual change helped or hurt; only the net effect.

Here' what I'd recommend:
1- Dry fire the snot out of it. Get totally used to the feel of it. Feel when the lock pops into the cylinder and know exactly how much pull you have left.
2- Mask off the sides and top of the front sight and paint on the brightest fingernail polish your wife or any other female you know has. Glow in the dark polish and modeling paint is out there.
3- You didn't say whether yours has the hammer spur or not. If it does, fire it in SA mode to establish you POA/POA relationship for whatever ammo you're using. And stick with the same ammo for this, otherwise you're introducing another variable.
4- If 1-3 don't produce improved results, then look into changing sights, a trigger job, etc.

Good luck!