Ruger SP101 8 shot .22lr

[vancelw]

http://www.facebook.com/notes/ruger/jus ... 8959400234

The new Guns and Ammo mag has a write-up on Ruger's new SP101 8-shot in .22 LR.
Ruger says it's not going to hit the market till after August 1.

I'll buy one if the street price is right

I tried to find a picture to post, but no luck.

[Rusty]

Sounds like a winner to me. Might have to convert one to .22 Mag. or will they take care of that for us?

[Old Ironsights]

I'd buy one if I had the $$$.

[jdad]

It's going to be in the 450-$75 range just like the Single 10, but whole lot more practical.

[InTheWoods]

Ruger has denounced the Guns and Ammo story, indicating the gun isn't going into production. Who knows? Maybe it is a 'concept gun,' put together with the idea of production in some distant year? Or maybe it was a purposeful 'leak' to see what public demand there is.

Anyway, I kind of like it. It corrects the severe rear sight problem the previous 101 had, and fits right between the SW J-Frame and K-Frames in size and weight.

[Jeff H]

I like the idea.

I have an SP101 in .357 and I love the gun. It's sort of like my old Security Sixes, but more compact.

I always felt that the Single Six was a lot of gun for six rounds of .22 LR. In my case (mine was an Old Model), it was an awful lot of gun nfor FIVE .22 LRs. A couple, three more holes in that cylinder would not reduce the weight much, but that would be OK too. And don't get me wrong - I MUCH prefer the OM to the NM in terms of familiarity, but I did finally "cross over" and get a couple NMs in '09.

My answer was the Bearcat. I am lucky that the grip is not too small for me and it's pretty much perfect in size/weight for half a dozen .22 LRs.

I know there are folks that will argue that "if you're any good, you would only need ONE .22 LR," but I still like the idea. The SP101 is a great little gun.

[Old Ironsights]

Ruger has denounced the Guns and Ammo story, indicating the gun isn't going into production. Who knows? Maybe it is a 'concept gun,' put together with the idea of production in some distant year? Or maybe it was a purposeful 'leak' to see what public demand there is....

Well, I'm demanding...

[Terry Murbach]

THERE IS A PREDECESSOR TO THE SP101 RUGER 8-SHOT AND THAT WOULD BE THE S&W M63-4 5" HB 8-SHOT REVOLVER INTRODUCED A FEW YEARS. IT IS NOT---NOT !!!---AN 8-SHOT KITGUN PERSE' BUT IS REALLY SORT OF AN 8-SHOT JUNIOR K22. IT HANDLES AND SHOOTS LIKE A DREAM. IT IS NOT TOO LIGHT AS WE THINK OF THE 4" M34 KITGUN AND IT IS A TACKDRIVER WITH THE WONDERFUL S&W SA TRIGGER AND A DA TRIGGER PULL THAT IS MOST EASY TO USE. I NEVER BOTHER TO SHOOT IT ANYWAY BUT DA. MY WIFE REALLY TOOK A SHINE TO THIS GUN [ AFTER GIVING IT TO ME FOR MY BIRTHDAY A FEW YEARS AGO ] AND SHE CAN PICK THE BUTTONS OFF YOUR SHIRT WITH IT AT 50 YARDS SLICK AS YOU PLEASE.
IN MY HANDS THOSE RUGER SP101 GUNS ALL FEEL SORT OF CLUNKY AND I THINK IT IS BECAUSE OF THE FUNKY STOCKS ON THAT REVOLVER. ALL THE SAME, THE SP101 GUNS I'VE SHOT IN 22LR, AND 32MAG HAVE SHOT VERY WELL. BUT I WOULD NOT TAKE TWO OF 'EM FOR THE S&W M63-4 5" HEAVY BARREL 8-SHOT REVOLVER. NOPE !!

[Rusty]

I love a good .22 revolver. The one I favor now is a 617. It's a great shooter but heavy as all get out. Mine is a 4", but I read somewhere that the only gun S&W had that was heavier than the 6" 617 was the 8 3/8" M29. But them that was before they had all those hand cannons in .500 S&W and such.
Maybe a Bearcat??? I read all the stuff on Gunblast about them but I don't know??

[jazman]

I got a S&W 617 4 inch 10 shot years back, it is one of the most fun wheel guns I have. It is a tad heavy with the fully lugged barrel, but it is worth it. Great gun.

[vancelw]

http://ruger.com/resources/videos.html?vidID=017019

Ruger announced today that the new SP101 in .22 is available. Now I don't know if I want one of those first or an SR1911 first

Need to work some OT

[DPris]

Get the .22 SP.
I'm liking mine.
Denis

[Jeff H]

.................Need to work some OT

Aw, maaaaan! I don't get OT! Well,..... I get plenty of OT - I just don't get paid for it.

They have made some definite improvements over the original, at least in the .22 LR format. Not sure if I like the glowing sights, but I like the idea that the sights are somewhat more "significant" on this one and that looks like a 4" barrel.

I have not seen a lot of new stuff that has actually made me WANT ONE in a long time, but I would consider looking over what's left of my meager collection and making some tough decisions about what might liquidable enough to bring one of these home.

[Chuck 100 yd]

I like that little Rugers looks a lot!

[Hobie]

Get the .22 SP.
I'm liking mine.
Denis

[Terry Murbach]

I SHOT THE NEW RUGER SP101 8-SHOT PISTOL LAST WEEK FOR QUITE A SPELL. IT HANDLED VERY WELL, WAS VERY ACCURATE, AND HAD A NEAT LOOK ABOUT IT.
ON THE OTHER HAND THE PISTOL WAS TOO DANGED HEAVY. IT BORDERS UPON CLUNKERHOOD AS FAR AS WEIGHT IS CONCERNED
IT ALSO HAD THE MAINSPRING FROM HELL AND THE SERRATIONS ON THE HAMMER SPUR WERE SHARP AS ALL GITTOUT. I HAVE STRONG HANDS AND COCKING THAT PISTOL SA WAS A MAJOR EFFORT, I KID YOU NOT !!! I'VE NEVER FELT THE LIKES OF IT BEFORE.
AND THEN WE COME TO THE SINGLE 10 WE ALSO SHOT QUITE A BIT. OTHER THAN THE SILLYAZZED GREEN TUBE SIGHTS IT WAS A WONDERFULLY ACCURATE 22 SA PISTOL. ALSO, THE REAR SIGHT IS A NEW DESIGN AND FROM ALL I COULD TELL WAS A MOST SUPERIOR DESIGN TO THE PREVIOUS ONE. YOU CAN LOAD THE GUN TWO-AT-A-TIME AND THE EJECTOR ROD LINES UP AND KNOCKS OUT EMPTIES TO A FARETHEWELL AS FASTAS YOU CAN SLING IT BACK AND FORTH POPPOPPOPPOP ETC AND THEY'RE ALL ON THE GROUND FOR RECYCLING. THIS IS ONE NICE 22 SA REVOLVER, OH YEAH !!

[Hobie]

Want a photo? Here ya go...

SP101_22LR_AdjSight.jpg

[Ysabel Kid]

They did a full court press today. Facebook and e-mail announcements. Looks like a potential winner!

[BenT]

Terry , thanks for the report. I've handled the single 10 and seems like a dandy. But I wanted to wait for the Sp101 to compare. This next spring I'll be buying one or the other , if the funding doesn't get side tracked.

[Jeff H]

....THE PISTOL WAS TOO DANGED HEAVY.....

It would not surprise me if it weighed in a bit more than a 4" Speed Six.
My 'smith was razzing me about my .357 SP (he's the one who put the Smith M60 rear sight on it for me) when he weighed it and his Speed Six. He's got one more round and it only weighed an ounce more than my five-shooter.

Thanks for the details, Terry.
Makes me want one even more - even if the reason I use a Bearcat instead of a Single Six because of the weight difference.
Seems a bit hypocritical of me, but there's a lot of other things about the new SP that I like.

[DPris]

The beef doesn't bother me, it's not as svelte as a Smith 34 or 63, but the SP was never built to be a J-Frame.
It's strongly sprung, as noted. SPs tend to be. The hammer spurs on every Ruger DA I've acquired in the past 10 years needed de-horning, takes about five minutes.
Ruger should do it, but they don't. Not a deal killer, just a nuisance.

My four-inch Smith 34 with factory grips weighs 24.5 ounces.
My three-inch .357 SP (with a bit of underlug removed) weighs 28 ounces with Hogue wood on it.
My four-inch .22 SP weighs 31 ounces with an identical set of Hogues on it.

My 34 is too nice to ding up in carrying it, it's relegated to ceremonial shooting sessions where it can travel in a pistol rug.
My SP will be carried, I've got a Tanker holster rig to take it along on ATV excursions so it can ride above the regular belt artillery.
I plan to use the spit out of it & not worry about it showing age or miles. Kinda like me, very much like Terry.

May not appeal to everybody, but it sure does to me.

Terry,
You & I agree on many things, we'll just have to not agree on this one.
Denis

[vancelw]

Ever since Ruger first introduced the SP101, I have been drawn to them. But, they are quite heavy and the reason I would buy a snubbie is for concealment. Experience tells me that, if it's heavy, you won't actually carry it. Still, the guns are very appealing.

I will probably buy on of these new SP101s in .22LR. My favorite caliber and we all know why. It won't be for concealment, but most definitely for target shooting, plinking, maybe some hunting (if I don't have to carry it too far) and maybe as a truck gun.

It's funny-the 10-shot single action does not appeal to me in the least-but this 8-shot does. Can't explain why.