Ruger SP101 .357 Magnum: A 1000 Round Review 

Great jersey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Carry my SP 3 inch every day, don't even no it's there and I'm 75 years old.

I like that, "it's a birthday gift to myself ". I have been doing that lately also.

I love my SP101. Yes it's a little heavy for concealed carry. In the city I typically carry a little Beretta 380. When Im on my camping land I always have the Ruger on me. Recoil is not bad at all. It's powerful and always goes bang. Even if you were in a situation where you couldn't clean it for hundreds or rounds? It will still work. For accuracy use single action mode.

I miss guns that had wood grips I there something beautiful about old style wood grips

Picked up the Ruger sp101 3”….as a NYPD retiree from the 80s, we all started out with off-duty revolvers, either a S/W Chief.38 5-rd or the one I picked up and carried for backup was the Colt Det Special 6-rd, in the 90s we all moved on to 9mm and it was a game changer… revolvers were never declassified as a active firearm until well into the late 90s, when the whole dept went to 9mm (all the dinosaurs that maintained the revolvers were all retired) but revolvers were always classic looking guns… fast forward to today, the reason I picked up the 3” SP101, was because I like the classic look, plus it’s a 357 magnum, quite powerful for edc….but when you start carrying, and guys like to compare guns… I like the fact that I could show my classic contemporary 357 magnum revolver…old school mentality..

The 3" version of this gun is the best in my experience. They're all great, but the 3" is optimal for ccw. Sight radius, velocity, and better recoil management are worth an inch to me

Great review! I have the same pistol. I’m going to do the upgrades you suggested. Found your video while researching spring kits. Thanks!

"IT WAS A BIRTHDAY GIFT TO MYSELF" EPIC

It's not that heavy. Aside from the shitty finish it comes with, it's an awesome highly concealable 357.

I'm an advocate of spring jobs for revolvers; I did them for my GP-100, an SW 642, and, my latest, a Taurus 856. I think the most improvement was to the 856. Haven't had a light hammer strike in any of these. The SP-101 is a sweet gun, but I thought it was a little big for only five rounds.

I have one, carrying all day in a shield holster I don't even notice it's there.

This gun is a beast. She'll take down any animal on 4 legs. I have the Wolf spring kit with the lightest ones installed.

Thank you for mentioning the ejector rod wobble I just bought one and this worried me thinking something was wrong !

I have the 4 inch sp101 I had it for about a year now and to me it seems the trigger pull is starting to ease up. I put plenty of 180 grain buffalo bore cast thrugh it and yeah it hurts after 15 shots lol. But I choose to punish myself trying to get accurate shots with it. I do a lot of night fishing and camping and night hiking in the woods. Never know bigfoot might be real lol😀

Great review, I really like my SP101 and have to other friends that have bought one after seeing mine. Thanks for sharing!

great review... never had an issue w/ ejecting rounds on my engraved.

it's nice to just shoot normal .38's out of it, as it is heavy and keeps the kick down so this lower recoil is why I was thinking about it for my wife or other women. Yeah, the trigger was really "heavy" but I didn't know at the time how to change that. I LOVED THIS GUN! Thanks

Great Jersy..... Great pistol, 3" and same Hoge grips my version. Obtained shorty after Ruger introduced them. Allot of rounds later, still works like new.

I have the same model, and grip makes a world of difference. No problem here. Thanks for video. You’re 100% right on.🇺🇸

Hi is one awesome gun. I own one. But I'm more a S&W guy, I collect S&W revolvers, Ruger I only own one is the SP101. But to me Ruger is the second best brand of revolvers. The brands I never buy again in my life is Taurus and chiappa! Of course and others that don't deserve be mentioned!

i have 2 of these i gave one to my friend a great little pistol and very well made i agree with you about the Ejector rod it seems a little wobbly but other than that its a great gun richard in the tropics

For the weight and size, the GP 100 is a better pick. Best way to carry it is shoulder holster. Ruger makes a masterpiece! I used to have a Service Six with a 4 inch barrel and I truly loved that gun.

I got the 4 inch sp101. I take it with me when I'm fishing n camping. I carry 2 buffalo bore cast and 2 cci snake shot shells and 1 reg 158 grain jhp. Like a Swiss army knife of a revolver lol ☺👍👍

I have had a SP 101 2.25" barrel in .357 since right after it came out. It has been my primary carry weapon since that time, particularly around home. And often on the road. It also makes a good ankle holstered boot gun. I did have a trigger job done on it, as I do all my handguns, for a uniform 2.5 lb single action pull on all of them. I hand load, not a max load, but sufficient for anything I want to tackle with it. I have never found the recoil to be objectionable, but that is just me. I used to compete on steel silhouettes with a .44 Mag, And the SP 101 isn't in that league.

Great gun. Reliable. Good choice

Ive had my SP101 (I have the 3.06" 27oz) since about Feb also.. Im at 910 rounds so far.. I actually like the original grip and really like how it handles the recoil. Im gonna finish up my 1000 rounds with Buffalo Bore 180 grain. This is my carry gun, I do have an M&P 9c and a few others but Ill be honest the sp101 IS my favorite gun period. I would recommend it for anyone who wants to carry 357 mag.. Its not for everyone but if you're a wheel man like me, this is the gun to have. A+ in my book.

I love mine. Have had it for 14 yrs or so. It was my main off duty gun for a few yrs, in a fanny pack (oops) or a Galco Concealable. I always carried magnums, mostly Federal 125's because i had a case. A little white paint on the front sight can help. Thanks for the tip on the XS Big Dot- it looked large to me too. But for close range, just put the dot over the notch. I haven't gotten around to changing springs, but i will probably go with the 12 lb. I may try the Hogue grip. One small criticism- some chrono info would have been very helpful. Good review, and great points made. Thank you

great review... never had an issue w/ ejecting rounds on my engraved.

2:11 what the......somebody dosed me!

Great video , thanks

i really like this gun. I have a few but to name one i have the ruger lcr . 38 special. Its my back up but recently i been turned to the sp101 i perfer hammerless but i appreciate this video. And most likely change the hammer spring to 10 lbs cant wait to find one. have a happy new year stay safe

I always wanted a sp101

I'm a revolver guy but not a big fan of .357 ammo in snubbies. If I was going hiking in bear or big cat country I'd opt for the GP100. or one of S&W's K frames. For concealed carry where the threat is more likely to come from animals of the two legged variety I tend to favor .38 spl. My edc is an early 1980's vintage Colt Detective Special which is still(!) completely stock, right down to the old fashioned wooden drips. Five or six rounds of .38 spl in an all steel revolver is almost always going to be perfectly adequate. In an SP101 (I don't have one but I have shot one owned by a friend) even the hottest +P 38 rounds are fairly easy on the recoil. Ruger's SP and GP revolvers are like tanks which while adding some weight and bulk, really does help with recoil management.

i hate the packers because they beat my team in 2011. Great review! they have a used spurless ruger sp101 at my gun shop for 500

Great revolver there man ruger 101 sp is of my favorite revolvers besides s&w revolvers🔫.

That is an awesome concealed carry setup. i got my SP101 about 2 yrs. ago, i have the Hogue monogrip and the exact same Wilson 10 lb. trigger also, the only difference between yours and mine is my spurless hammer. excellent review

Yeah....I know this is 5 years old, but still may be an option for some..... The mono grip was almost the only way to go to upgrade the factory grip. But another grip came to market in my opinion is even better. I replaced my mono grip with it (on my SP101 3 inch). Awesome feel in the hands giving some more and a little softer real estate to grab onto to control recoil. The Pachmayr Diamond Pro grip for the SP101: shopruger.com/SP101-Pachmayr-Diamond-Pro-Grips/productinfo/19995/ Just sharing another grip option. Good vid. Love my SP101.

Despite the weight, the SP101 is still very painful when you shoot 357's out of the short barrel. I recommend loading 38 +P.

Love the 29 man it's my go-to mountain/ ccw gun, I'm strongly considering the sp 101 I like the idea of having .357 mag power in my pocket. Good review man.

i have this gun for many years and i agree with you on the ejector rod but its a minor issue

would you recommend the 2.25" or 3"?

I disagree with most of what this guy says...love the sp101

I have the same in rare target grey, same hogue grip as well. Great Gun!

I kept the same factory grips but switched to Altimont grips due to the snake scale pattern for a better grip and replaced the plastic panels with wood. I did a trigger job and replaced the main spring with a 10 lb spring....no misfires in over 1000 rounds. Other than that, this is my primary carry every day. It is no problem carrying this type of weapon as long as you have a good Holster and gun belt.

Liked and subbed, videos are awesome. Thanks for sharing

I agree on the springs, to that I added a shim kit to the hammer, makes it much smoother and predictable, I kept the original grips which look somewhat like the ones you showed, however, my 101 is a talo and it had some nice sticky rubber panels and is both perfect for my hand size, is more concealable and I get a really good grip on it If you want the more concealable option the smaller grip provides, Altamont has some similar to mine at a very reasonable cost. I now have about 400 rounds through mine, no issues with failure to fire at all and all of my ammo for the range is my own handloads. For self defense, I carry and have verified both corbon 115 +P 38 special all copper and Federal LE HST 147gr std speed and no failures there either. good video thanks

great gun, recommend not going with the hogue grips on this one, Ruger makes a similar gtip, but its just a little smaller (yet still has the pinky slot), overall it makes the gun look better, and the feel is Excellent (P.S. dont get me wrong I love these hogue grips and have them on all my larger 686 / 66 revolvers, they just look too big on these smaller guns)

Do you feel the hogue grips interfere with conceal ability? I have had mine for about 25 years. Love it. Heavy trigger but very accurate. I too have a CCP and mostly carry either this gun or my glock 43. Great vid.

I bought one in 1999 and carried it primarily for 10 years in this same configuration except with the standard plastic/ rubber grip. What a blast shooting full house magnums. Needless to say it was a real attention getter at the range using those. Concussion and flash city. I got mine at a large retailer for $369.00 new. Like all Ruger revolvers, they've gone up in price dramatically in really the last 7 or so years.

Had to pull mine off my hip and check the ejection, mine works fine. Excellent video review

🇺🇸🔝🇺🇸RUGER🇺🇸🔝MADE USA🔝🇺🇸

Really appreciate the honesty here. I have seen so much love for this gun all over RU-vid, and I believe it deserves a lot. Ruger does make very solid and nice guns at better prices than their competition. I especially appreciate you pointing out that ejector rod. Wow, I think I would have to do something about that, if anything can be done about that. The frame blocking the cases from ejecting is also very good to know about. I don't know if it is okay to perhaps grind down that area of the frame a tad to allow the clearance needed? Definitely something to be VERY certain of before doing, and there may be a better solution. I'm still on the fence between the SP101 and a J-frame S&W, in a steel frame variant.

They are a tank, I've got one...

Do your speed loaders work with the houge grip. I have an sp101 3". I have been hesitant to get new grips because of issues I read about speed loaders not working with replacement grips.

Bear protection - LOL. Okay, I don't live very far from you (just south a bit) and I "carry" in desolate woods as well, so I'm laughing more with you than at you, even if my concerns are less about bears and more about coming across the wrong people. Enjoyed the vid - thanks for posting.

I have the 3" SP101. My reasoning is it's not that much harder to carry or conceal, and it gives you more of what separates the .357 from the .38 - velocity.

Love the Pack jersey. Have quite a few here in Kalyfornya. Best team we never had. GO PACK! Love the sp 101 as well!

Hope U get to try a Kimber K6s ,that’s what I have ... trigger out of the box seems pretty smooth /6 rnds & lighter🔫

On mine the cylinder locked up after 4 shots every time when heated up sent it back to ruger they fixed it shoots 6 inches high at 15 yards totally disappointed with this gun

I love mine , pillow gun , and carry gun , it's a bytche , loud , evil , and ruthless , yuppers that's her. And with a couple speed loaders , 15 years my carry gun , and counting. She will do things to your gut's when she screams , best have a back up plan for "dirty undies " And I ain't playing. When she freaks out and hollers , you'll know you left something in the oven . And you got to be gone fast . I love mine . Peace.

Best review I've seen of this platform - thanks!

i bought the lcr 357 , recoil is stout but manageable for a few rounds of heavy 357 like buffalo,after that it kicks your butt. the gun is light though and concealable.

Have you ever had a problem with the spent casings getting stuck in the cylinder? I've had to use a stick to knock out the spent brass out.....

Thanks for a fine video. Appreciate your honest assessment. My 101 arrives next week. I'm completely stoked.

I have been planning to buy one of these for a while, and hope to get it in a month or two. I'm considering replacing the hammer spring. If I go with the 10 lb. spring, what ammo do you recommend so as to avoid any light strikes? (This will be my primary carry weapon.)

I bought my 2.25 SP101 about 2 months ago. It looked like it needed a home just sitting there in that display case. In that time I've put the Hogue Monogrips on and a 10 pound trigger (great minds)spring and we've become the best of friends. I have other pistols that might conceal better, but I can't think of one I'd rather have with me in a fight.

You could CC a super redhawk Alaskan.

my wife and I both have the three inch. Have the Hogue grips and wolf spring job. Talk about fun guns to shoot... and great home protection. I use S&W Shield 9mm for CC.

I have the exact revolver. Use it as a pack gun, back-up while hunting and out-of-state "Vacation EDC". Agree with the Author, not for everyone BUT I LOVE IT and specifically for those previously mentioned applications. As a note, I've carried a semi on duty for many years now & EDC "in-State" a like semi. I do practice with my revolvers as well though, to include IDPA (for fun) about twice a month with a GP100 4" and full, "OLD SCHOOL", duty rig (it's a blast!!!, blast from the past as I cut my teeth for about my 1st 3yrs on the street in the mid 80's w/ a S&W Mod 66 w/ full duty mag-loads...actually miss those days...now!). My point, regardless of application, a revolver is NOT an understatement so long as one learns and regularly practices (perfects) the manual of arms and handling tactics (I can still reload my full size revolvers faster than MOST can their auto and can tac-load & operate in darkness and... just learn to efficiently use your revolver).

I have the 3” version and while it is not my only carry option, it is my favorite and what I carry most often. The only changes I made to mine were to swap out the OEM black blade front sight for a Meprolight tritium sight, and to replace the original black polymer grip inserts with a set of nice looking rosewood ones. Other than that I left it stock. A lighter spring might be nice but I’ve chosen to adapt to the installed spring to ensure reliable primer detonation for any ammo; I’ve had a few disconcerting experiences with light primer strikes on other revolvers so with this one I am happy to have a strong spring that addresses this. A Hogue monogrip would probably help with recoil mitigation, but it would increase the bulk of the revolver. With the standard grip, it is JUST small enough for pocket carry, which is what I prefer. So, I have adapted to the standard grip as well. The SP-101 isn’t for everybody, but for me, I consider it a practically perfect carry gun. The recoil was surprisingly spicy at first to me, but I am getting used to it and now I shoot it reasonably well. The 3” barrel takes better advantage of the .357 cartridge than a 2” barrel would, and I like having that kind of power in my pocket. I am not a fan of the “spray and pray” mentality. If, G-d forbid, I’d have to employ deadly force, I’d rather resolve the situation with as few rounds as possible, and the .357 is about the best choice for that philosophy. Plus, I like the quality and rock solid reliability of the SP-101 in particular. Finally, I’m 62 now and can handle the recoil of the SP-101 in .357 for now, but maybe if I’m still around fifteen years from now, my wrists may no longer be up to that. With the SP-101, no big deal, I can switch to .38 Special +Ps and out of its 3” barrel still get decent performance, while the 27 oz empty weight will turn that bucking bronco of a revolver in .357 into a pussycat with .38s. I really think Ruger hit it out of the park with their SP-101; a lot of people must agree with me since it has been in continuous production for over thirty years.

Great video!!!

I wouldn't throw away the factory springs pal

Regarding the Packers, it certainly isn’t our year. I picked up the 2in sp101 .357 from my lgs and added the hogue grip too. I’m glad your ejector rod is wobbly because it was a worry of mine but it’s been excellent shooting wise.

A B? What do you give an A too? Great video, I'm just curious to what you give an A. I have had 2 sp 101s 3 or 4 Taurus 85s and a charter arms in snub nosed pistols. I do like a model 85 Taurus but I liked my first 101 better. I switched to a shield 9mm back in 2016 and have carried an auto since. I carried a Glock 19 for awhile and it was probably my favorite but I gained some weight and it became uncomfortable so I went back to my Glock 26. The 101 I have now is a blued finished but I noticed that it would begin to develop some surface rust in the summer. I live in the southeast and humidity is horrible. I didn't think it would, I kept a lite coat of oil on it but it still developed a little bit of corrosion. I can't have that so I went back to my 26. I gain anymore weight I'll be on the lookout for another shield I guess 😂

Something tells me this man watches alot of Paul Harrel...; Good review. Thanks for the hammer spring comparison. Also thanks for pointing out the ejector rod..kid of dissapointing of Rugar of which I am a big fan.

I wouldn't do a 2 1/4" barrel either. Stick to the 3". Question though. Would anyone absolutely recommend 38 +P with hollow point ammo if using the slight longer barrel?

GOPACKGo.. I'll be getting my Ruger sp101 .357 magnum in few days..it will be my first revolver :)

I have the 3inch version of this gun. A little easier to shoot with heavy loads. Still plenty easy to conceal.

Lake County Examiner: Lakeview, Oregon: Wednesday, March 24, 2021/Letters To The Editor Letter to the editor: Best general-purpose handgun For a general-purpose handgun consider Ruger’s SP-101 .357 Magnum revolver: “stainless steel”, 5 shot swing out cylinder (double-action), with 4.2” barrel and target sights for the citizen owning only one handgun. Versatile for "self-defense/house protection/concealed carry", as a kit and trail gun for the outdoorsman/ sportsman, and for urban metro vs. wilderness rural use. At 30 oz. unloaded lightweight (for the hiker, backpacker, trapper), yet heavy enough to handle the .357 Magnum. Loaded with .38 Special 148 grain lead target wad-cutter ammo (next to a .22 or .32) practical for hunting small game: rabbit, squirrel, and grouse (for the campfire skillet), for dispatching vermin such as raccoon, skunk, possum, etc. Even for butchering livestock such as cattle with a head shot. Loaded with CCI's classic .38 Special shot or snake load of No. 9 shot highly effective in killing rattlesnakes. Readily and instantly accessible in reach via a nightstand, dresser or bureau drawer, or next to a sleeping bag inside a tent is very comforting armed security to have, especially at night! This handgun would also be great for a long-haul trucker, or hay hauler, to carry. Even for the motorist traveling on a road trip. Yes, bear in mind being broken down, stranded, and having to spend the night alone in your vehicle. This .38/.357 revolver combination along with an Atomic Beam Flashlight, survival knife, fresh drinking water, food, toilet paper, shovel, matches, wool blanket, etc. could certainly take back the night. Even for a woman it's smaller frame and size would still fit her smaller hands. And firing.38 Special ammo in this .*357 Magnum could still be handled by a female. Double action revolvers can be improved with aftermarket combat rubber grips. I recommend reading, "Meet Ruger's SP-101 Revolver: The Ideal Gun For Self Defense", by Kyle Mizokan via the April 2019 issue of The National Interest. James A. Farmer Merrill, Oregon (Klamath County) Long Live The State of Jefferson! *.357 Magnum revolvers will chamber and fire .38 Special ammo, but not the reverse. Also...."SP-101 Like Physics, Only Practical" by Law Officer for January 3, 2009 is well worth reading. On the Net: Ruger Firearms at www. ruger.com.

Did you end up filing down the nub, or just living with having to rotate the cylinder to eject the spent casings? Thanks.

Just bought the same gun today, can’t wait to start feeding it.

I just got one with a same grip but it has no hammer spur. And it already came with a trigger job and it was great!

B+, I also changed out springs ; and put on hogue grip ( better control) ; I have the 3"

buffalo bore125 grain or hornedy 125 grain which is best for self defense?

Good job with this review on the SP101 - Don't know why I've never owned one all these years - probably because CA does not allow concealed carry...

do you shoot in Cove Camp ground in Gore Virginia? Its my favorite place to shoot explosive targets!

Make mine a .357 Charter Arms Professional.

Am I on an acid trip or is that picture frame changing sizes constantly???

I carry my ruger 357 magnum sp101 daily with 158 gr soft points

Fully steel revolvers are the best in the World..👍🇺🇸

I just got a 4 in version

Like your gun choice but the jersey? Not much. That aside, I had my trigger slicked up and I honed 4 cylinders to spec. The 5th was ok. I carry handloads, Hdy 125gr XTP, 38spl+P going just shy of 1100fps. The hang up you had closing the cylinder can be fixed easy. Dremel tool and slight grind on that sharp left side and hone post grinding. Flawless operation now. I carry 2 speedloaders and a S&W Airweight as backup in my front pocket. Yes, I know I can carry an auto loader but based off my out in the sticks location, my threat level is kind of low. I leave the ranch to go to town for supplies, food, church, and sometimes to visit family two counties over. If I ever have to go to the city for Dr. visits, I switch to the G19 and 3 mags extra and an AR15 in my truck backseat lock box.

What is the best grip for tbis. I have one w 3" brl. Trigger guard almost breaks my middle finger using 357. Tried a pachmayr and is a little better but want some input

Excellent choice for a smaller .357! Personally I opted for the S&W 640 Pro, definitely pretty much the equivalent of the 101 except the Pro comes with night sights and no hammer. Big pluses toward the 640 Pro in my opinion!

Love my sp101, I'm a way better shot then my buddy with a Glock 19 15 round magazines. But I do like the factory grip with .357 magnum I don't mind the recoil.

man I like your style. 357 mag and a 10mm on the table. my best friend is a top notch gun smith, so getting kinky with my guns is a habbit. had my sp101 2 1/4" ported and crowned at 15 degrees. had the hammer ground down smoooooth. had the rough edges smoothed. 12lb springs added, and a sweet USA made pocket holster. nice range u got. stay safe.

warp stabilizer much?

This is a better gun than the new Kimber K6, which sells for more than a grand! Kimber gives their customers everything but a good deal, and I'd never buy a .357 with a 2-inch barrel...especially for four figures! This would be a good camp gun.

Good review/revolver, Thanks for the info