SP101 with or without bobbed hammer

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just_asking

Bearcat
Joined
Jul 15, 2009
Messages
3
Location
New Orleans, LA
Hey everyone. I'm having trouble deciding between the SP101 2" .357 with or withought the bobbed hammer. I like the fact that it would be snag free with the bobbed hammer but I also like the SA/DA aspect of the one with the hammer. Which do you think is most important? This would not be an everyday carry for me just every now and then. Thanks.
 

NMCB3

Bearcat
Joined
Nov 6, 2005
Messages
54
Location
Wasilla Alaska
I`ve packed mine around every day for 11 years now, and from experience I`ll tell you the hammer will snag on clothing from time to time. My wife`s has the bobbed hammer and for CC carry I think its the better choice. Yea the single action feature is nice for taking pot shots at 100yds for fun but on a defensive CC weapon would this ever realistically be necessary? If I had it to do over I would have bought the bobbed hammer version although mine has served me well so far. As a matter of fact when I get my new LCR in the mail from Ruger I think I`ll send the old girl in for a new bobbed hammer. :wink:
 

ab4ka

Single-Sixer
Joined
Mar 22, 2009
Messages
255
Location
Lakeland, Florida
Although mine has the standard hammer, I'd suggest the bobbed hammer for carry. Not only will it not snag, but in a self-defense situation DA is the way to go (less chance of an a/d due to having thumb-cocked it)
 

garp007

Bearcat
Joined
Dec 27, 2008
Messages
11
I have the one with a hammer. But, If I had a chance I would swap it for a hammerless...Thinking of taking of the hammer myself..Is it difficult?
 

bronco45

Single-Sixer
Joined
Feb 17, 2003
Messages
173
Location
Mosocw,Idaho USA
I've had 5 SPs, 4 in 357 one in 38. 4 of the five have bobbed hammers.

For a defensive gun the hammerless is the way to go. IMHO
 

protoolman

Service-Sixer
Joined
Oct 15, 2001
Messages
2,553
Location
MN and MT
Never thought I'd like a bobbed hammer revolver. I got one at a price that was so cheap I figured I could have the hammer replaced. I tried it and was hooked. I now have 2 with regular hammers and one bobbed. The bobbed is my total favorite.
 

Jimbo357mag

Hawkeye
Joined
Feb 22, 2007
Messages
10,350
Location
So. Florida
garp007":v8s8qljz said:
I have the one with a hammer. But, If I had a chance I would swap it for a hammerless...Thinking of taking of the hammer myself..Is it difficult?

I'm thinking about doing it too. From what I've read because the hammers are so hard it is best done by scribing a line on the hammer and putting it in a padded vice and using a grinder and then a file to get it to the desired contour.

Here are a couple of threads on bobbed hammers. :D

http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=44681
http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=60363

...Jimbo
 

just_asking

Bearcat
Joined
Jul 15, 2009
Messages
3
Location
New Orleans, LA
so it looks like the bobbed hammer is winning. Now my only problem is that all of the local gun shops dont have any. We have a gun show coming next weekend. Hopefully they'll have some there. Anybody know where's the best place to get one online if I had to? My next question is grips. I like the Hougue hardwood grips but what do those feel like with the .357 recoil? Is it better to get the black rubber monogrips? Do your clothes get stuck on the rubber in an IWB and cause printing? THanks for all of your comments.
 

contender

Ruger Guru
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
25,138
Location
Lake Lure NC USA
Welcome to the Forum!
I'll offer more food for thought.
Granted,,, those that carry one a lot do prefer a bobbed hammer as it is less likely to snag on clothing. And if it's a self defense firearm,,, then a lot of regular practice (in DA only) will make it very effective.
HOWEVER, in the spirit of your original question you mentioned it would only occasionally be carried.
Now only YOU can truly decide what kind to get. We have 2 of the SP's here and both are NOT bobbed. We use ours for daily carry, casual target shooting AND as an instructional tool for new shooters. Starting with SA mode, it's much easier to teach a shooter about the DA revolvers with options. (Of course we do not start their shooting with the 38's we start with 22's & work up.)
A good quality holster for CCW and practice will allow you to keep the unbobbed hammer and give you options for your casual shooting sessions.
Remember, only YOU can decide what type of shooting and how much you will use, carry, plink, practice with it. A bobbed hammer gun only operates in DA mode,,, whereas an unbobbed one has 2 options,,,! Just some thoughts!
 

Tommy Kelly

Buckeye
Joined
Apr 24, 2008
Messages
1,045
Location
MISSISSIPPI
I agree with contender. I have a sp 101 with the regular hanner and find that 99.9% of the shooting I do is with the single action mode for accuracy and its nice to have the option to use it either way. Everyone talks about the hammer spur hanging clothing on draw. When I pull my pistol out my thumb is on the hammer spur and my fingers around the grip it doesnt hang on anything that's the way I always draw mine. The only way it would hang up is if you had your thumb on one side of the grip and the index finger on the other and tried to get it out. I holster mine most of the time but will stick it in a jacket pocket occasionally.
 

just_asking

Bearcat
Joined
Jul 15, 2009
Messages
3
Location
New Orleans, LA
If I could buy one of each, we wouldn't be having this conversation. I really like the look and feel of the Sp101 and actually haven't even looked at the smith's. I've seen them online and just think the ruger looks more solid. Thanks contender for shedding some more light on the user of SA vs. DA, its a good point. And thanks Tommy Kelly for the tip with the thumb over the hammer. I dont currently own a revolver so I'm new to these spinner types. My gut is telling me to go with the hammer version. I'll probably do that. I saw one at a local sporting goods shop for about 459.00. I dont know if the gun show thats coming will have one any cheaper. We'll see. Thanks again.
 

Axehandle

Buckeye
Joined
Feb 5, 2008
Messages
1,427
Location
North Alabama
IMHO The double action only revolver is a skill set that takes a little time to get ingrained into our heads.... If you ever get it down pat, outside of long range shooting, you will never go back to a single action mode when you have a double action option...
 

SAWBONES

Bearcat
Joined
Oct 11, 2000
Messages
10
Location
The third dimension
I have both.
Hammerless (bobbed hammer spur) version gets carried for CCW, no exceptions.
Standard hammer version for practice.

If you only intend to have one, choose according to what you intend to do with it. If it's mostly for CCW, definitely get the bobbed hammer model.

JMNSHO.
 

Gutshot

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jun 14, 2006
Messages
121
Location
To close to town
Get the hammer version then cut and round the spur very short, to the point where it won't catch on anything but you can still cock it if you have the need. I bought a spured hammer bobbed it and replaced the DOA hammer on my SP101, it is about the easies hammer to switch out of all the rvolvers I have.

Jeff
 

bub

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jul 28, 2007
Messages
245
Location
NE Ohio
just_asking, if you permit, I'll offer my $0.02 worth.

If the SP will be carried for SD, even only occasionally, I'd go for the bobbed hammer. The first link that Jimbo357mag posted was a post I started about my SP. The hammer spur was catching on everything- pants waistbands, body armor and shirts when worn for a backup when I work at the PD, coats during the winter, you name it, the spur caught at least occasionally. Since removing the spur, I haven't had a single problem. Of course, my SP is carried all the time and is not just a range toy.

The issue brought up about shooting single action in a defensive scenario is also something to think about. Myself, I don't know of any cases where it's been an issue, but I'd bet that Massad Ayoob would if asked. Since he has, literally, YEARS of experience in the court battles that follow gun battles, I'd be inclined to take his word for it.

Axehandle also brought up a good point. While it does take some work and practice to become proficient in shooting revolvers DA, he is also right that, once you gain that proficiency, you'll likely never shoot SA again at "normal" distances. Since I started with DA revolvers, the vast majority of my revolver shooting is DA, even with my 4" GP100 that still has the spurred hammer. In fact, I've been considering bobbing my GP since I rarely, if ever, use the SA function, even at 25+ yards. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that I shoot better DA than I do SA with my revolvers.

What it all boils down to is that it is your decision, either based on your preferences or on what you can find to buy (DAO SPs seem hard to find). Either way, the SP is a GREAT gun and will serve you well for years to come.

Bub
 

garp007

Bearcat
Joined
Dec 27, 2008
Messages
11
Can I do it myself, just to cut off the "useless" part of the hammer to make hammerless? Is it possible to do it at home with just a rasper?
What shall I be careful about?Is it difficult?


Or shall I let a gun smith to do his job? :oops:
 
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