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Rick
05-08-2009, 10:07 AM
I'm looking for a handgun that my wife can carry and one I can use when we canoe. That sort of limits me to stainless. At least in my mind. Primary use is self defense.

I've done some research and I'm looking at the Ruger SP101 Stainless 357 magnum 2.25" revolver. I'm looking at the hammerless version so I'll feel better if my wife drops it in her purse. No hammer to hang up. She can also shoot the lighter .38 loads while I carry the 357. It weighs in at 25 oz. so it's pretty light weight yet all the reviews I've read talk about what a joy it is to shoot.

MSRP is $589 for the one without laser sights. That's a bit less than the competitors as near as I can tell.

Anyone have one of the little guys? What do you think of it? I have several Rugers and I've always been please with them. No reason to think this one would be any different but thought I'd ask.

Pict
05-08-2009, 12:56 PM
3 inch revolvers are the bomb. Mac

chiye tanka
05-08-2009, 01:00 PM
I've got one with the 2.25" barrel, love it. Mine's customized by Jack Weigand. He stopped doing it though.
One suggestion, put a spring kit in it for the trigger. It's a bit stiff with the factory one in it.

lucznik
05-08-2009, 01:39 PM
3 inch revolvers are the bomb. Mac

Agreed.

I had a 3" S&W m60 .357 Mag with adjustable sights that was fantastic. I traded it to my dad for a different gun and he promptly had it stolen from him. He has a replacement on order, but has been told tha he may have a long, long wait ahead of him. I would love to pick up another one of those...

I believe the 3" Ruger also comes with adjustable (at least for windage) sights - which is a very good feature to have.

crashdive123
05-08-2009, 01:48 PM
I have fired the 3" barreled model and like it. I never used the sights on it, as it was intended for up close and personal use - point shooting was all I ever did with it.

Chris
05-08-2009, 03:05 PM
I have a S&W pretty much what you want, shrouded hammer too even (their bodyguard model) ( "http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=11101&storeId=10001&productId=14773&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=15704&isFirearm=Y"). I got it for concealed carry. I think I paid like $620.

Not having shot a lot of handguns in my day I can't give you any real comparative review on it, but I like it. I did see a bunch of people reviewing it here when I was just now looking for a page with a picture.

http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-15807.html

chiye tanka
05-08-2009, 03:13 PM
You could try Charter Arms. They're great guns, S.S, and you can get them hammerless.
And they're cheaper!

chiye tanka
05-08-2009, 03:20 PM
Rick, do you have any pistols in 9mm or .40? If so, Charter arms has come out with revolvers chambered in these. You'd be able to use the same ammo.
Just a thought.

Rick
05-08-2009, 03:27 PM
I have a Kel-Tec PF9 that 9mm and is my carry weapon. No .40s

I think the .357 will work well for what I need. My wife doesn't do firearms and .38 will be at the top of what she'll put up with for recoil. I'm know I'm going to get dirty looks even from a .38. Yet the .357 would make a good carry for the canoe. No bears and cats around here. Just stupid folks to watch out for.

Ken
05-08-2009, 06:18 PM
I'm the wrong guy to ask. I'm dead on with a pistol, but I couldn't hit a wall with a revolver if I was sitting in my livingroom. :innocent:

Ole WV Coot
05-08-2009, 07:06 PM
S&W Mod. 60 reg. 38 spl loads, semi-wadcutter. Or S&W Ladysmith same load and no sights, don't need em. Simple, light, point shoot to 7 yds or so is good enough. It's plenty gun for center mass, just don't quit at one shot. I was taught to use 3 shots but the 3rd would not be looked kindly by LEOs. Never owned a Charter or Tarus so I don't know about them.

DOGMAN
05-08-2009, 07:31 PM
Use a parachord bracelet and wrap it around your Mora knife afixxing it to your canoe paddle. You will then have a weapon similar to a spear to fight off bad people and those rascal black bears that are the plague of the Boundary waters. Guns are for wimps. real tough guys fight with sticks, knives, rocks and fists.

Schleprok
05-08-2009, 08:30 PM
Charter Arms makes an excellent firearm. Last one I had was a Bulldog Pug in .44 special. Great wheelgun.
Rick, might want to look into getting your wife a purse with a concealed holster. Or, for the trekking a fanny pack with concealed holster. I have seen pistols removed from purses with a hairbrush handle through the trigger guard.

Rick
05-08-2009, 08:45 PM
real tough guys fight with sticks, knives, rocks and fists.

I've been thinking I'd like to just walk up to a bear and give it a big slap across the jowls. Then I'd whip out my survival knife and threaten it real mean like just to show him who's boss. But I thought I'd like to train on that first. Crazy part is there are no bear slapping training schools on google. Who knew?

DOGMAN
05-08-2009, 11:17 PM
I've been thinking I'd like to just walk up to a bear and give it a big slap across the jowls. Then I'd whip out my survival knife and threaten it real mean like just to show him who's boss. But I thought I'd like to train on that first. Crazy part is there are no bear slapping training schools on google. Who knew?

I've been thinking about adding a "pimp slap" component to my businesses offerings. Possibly you could sign up for that, and after a good session you might be able to transfer some of the things I teach in that course into a practical application for dealing with bruins. I figure the course will cost about as much as a S&W Mountain Gun (my revolver of choice)

sgtdraino
05-09-2009, 07:41 AM
You could try Charter Arms. They're great guns, S.S, and you can get them hammerless.
And they're cheaper!

I can't recommend the Charter Arms .357. I initially wanted one of those myself, but read many mixed reviews on it. I ordered one anyway after being assured they are quality. The gun arrived, and it was broken right out of the box. Cylinder would not open. Ended up getting a Ruger GP100 instead, and feel very lucky to have done so.

I do hear that Charter Arms' .44 is a good gun, though. But not the .357.


I have a Kel-Tec PF9 that 9mm and is my carry weapon. No .40s

I like my Kel-Tec P3AT, and my Chief is looking for a good concealable off duty weapon, but something larger than the P3AT for his hands. I suggested the PF9 might be for him. I think I initially heard they had some reliability problems, but that was when the model was new. I take it you like yours? No problems with it?

Rick
05-09-2009, 07:51 AM
You need to cycle 250 rounds through it according to the company. That bothered me because I don't understand why you need to do that but I've been pretty pleased with it. First 50 or so had some jams but I shot 100 rounds yesterday with one jam. The cause might have been me. The small frame has a bit of recoil so I might have limp wristed it. I ran three different types of 9mm through it and it ate them all. It does have a long trigger pull that takes some getting use to.

On the up side, it's really light. I forget I have it my pocket for the most part. It's pretty accurate, too. It would probably be even better if I were a better shot but I keep them on the target. Shoot, if all else fails I can throw the dang thing at them.

aflineman
05-09-2009, 04:29 PM
I like my old Charter Bulldog .44
It is lighter than the SP101, even loaded.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/AFLineman/20051105143742.jpg
Mine is the older one though. I couldn't recomend one of the newer ones.

SARKY
05-09-2009, 07:59 PM
I have a 3inch model of the sp101, I like it and the wife likes it too. She especially likes the Taurus Total Titanium Tracker 4 inch barrel. The Trackers from Taurus are great guns for the field, They are available in stainless and the cylinder holds 7 rounds of 38/.357.

Chris
05-09-2009, 08:00 PM
I have a Kel-Tec PF9 that 9mm and is my carry weapon. No .40s

I think the .357 will work well for what I need. My wife doesn't do firearms and .38 will be at the top of what she'll put up with for recoil. I'm know I'm going to get dirty looks even from a .38. Yet the .357 would make a good carry for the canoe. No bears and cats around here. Just stupid folks to watch out for.
I went out with my snubnose and shot both rounds today, and let me tell you. I had a hard time controlling the recoil on the 357 rounds. I've got big hands and couple that with the small grip and it being wet it wasn't pretty. So I would definitely recommend the .38 rounds for it.

Rick
05-10-2009, 07:07 AM
Taurus does offer a neat handgun, the Judge (model 4510). It shoots .45 and .410. I've never seen that in a handgun before. Of course, there are a lot of things I haven't seen before.

@ Sarky - The Total Titanium has been discontinued according to their web site.

http://www.taurususa.com/products/product-details.cfm?id=263&category=Revolver

aflineman
05-10-2009, 11:27 AM
Taurus does offer a neat handgun, the Judge (model 4510). It shoots .45 and .410. I've never seen that in a handgun before. Of course, there are a lot of things I haven't seen before.

@ Sarky - The Total Titanium has been discontinued according to their web site.

http://www.taurususa.com/products/product-details.cfm?id=263&category=Revolver

They are kind of cool. I had a friend who got one after he was elected, just because. :)
They throw a decent pattern at 15 feet, really spread after that though. It would be great for snakes.

Rick
05-10-2009, 03:36 PM
It would be great for snakes.

Wiggle snakes or walkin' snakes?

crashdive123
05-10-2009, 03:45 PM
Either I'm guessing.

SARKY
05-10-2009, 07:50 PM
I'm aware that the Titanium Trackers are discontinued... but the Tracker series of handguns is still in production and available in Stainless Steel. The 38/.357 is a 7 shot and the bigger bores are 5 shot.

lucznik
05-10-2009, 08:16 PM
I went out with my snubnose and shot both rounds today, and let me tell you. I had a hard time controlling the recoil on the 357 rounds. I've got big hands and couple that with the small grip and it being wet it wasn't pretty. So I would definitely recommend the .38 rounds for it.
It must just be an issue of what a person gets used to. I have personally never had any trouble managing .357 loads in a snub nosed (or other) revolver. For personal defensive purposes, I always choose hot .357 loads.

aflineman
05-11-2009, 01:36 AM
Wiggle snakes or walkin' snakes?

Whichever was being bad at the time.

Pict
05-11-2009, 08:04 AM
It must just be an issue of what a person gets used to. I have personally never had any trouble managing .357 loads in a snub nosed (or other) revolver. For personal defensive purposes, I always choose hot .357 loads.

I have a 2.5 inch S&W Model 19 that is very manageable with .357 loads. You know that you're shooting, it's stout, but it has never bothered me. I do notice I'm not as fast with follow-up shots when shooting magnums. When I carry this gun in the bush I load it with magnums but carry +P .38 in the speed loaders.

Things change drastically when you move to a 2 inch J-frame .357, especially in an airweight/ultralight type gun. The short little boot grips can be very punishing. Typically they have the short ejector rod that can be a liability when clearing the longer magnum cases. They are a dream to carry but sacrificing that much control for the added power has kept me from investing in one.

One thing that you can't get away from in the snub .357 is muzzle blast with magnum loads. My Model 19 could signal aircraft.

The 3 inch Ruger SP 101 in .357 avoids the worst of this. They are all steel with the typical Ruger bank vault construction. The 3 inch barrel means a full length ejector rod and enough barrel to tame both recoil and blast to a higher degree. That combined with a full size grip and you have a decent package especially when carried in a holster. Mac

lucznik
05-11-2009, 11:29 AM
I have a 2.5 inch S&W Model 19 that is very manageable with .357 loads. You know that you're shooting, it's stout, but it has never bothered me. I do notice I'm not as fast with follow-up shots when shooting magnums. When I carry this gun in the bush I load it with magnums but carry +P .38 in the speed loaders.

Things change drastically when you move to a 2 inch J-frame .357, especially in an airweight/ultralight type gun. The short little boot grips can be very punishing. Typically they have the short ejector rod that can be a liability when clearing the longer magnum cases. They are a dream to carry but sacrificing that much control for the added power has kept me from investing in one.

One thing that you can't get away from in the snub .357 is muzzle blast with magnum loads. My Model 19 could signal aircraft.

The 3 inch Ruger SP 101 in .357 avoids the worst of this. They are all steel with the typical Ruger bank vault construction. The 3 inch barrel means a full length ejector rod and enough barrel to tame both recoil and blast to a higher degree. That combined with a full size grip and you have a decent package especially when carried in a holster. Mac




I've traded or sold off a bunch of guns over the years. Most of them I don't miss at all. But there are a few that I would dearly love to replace.

I used to have a 2.5" S&W M19. Boy, do I wish I had never sold that gun! I think of all the guns I have traded or sold this one is among the ones I miss the most.

I also had a S&W 6904 that I wish I had kept. It was actually my first auto pistol ever. I traded it at the start of a long line of trying to find an auto that really "fit" me. In the end, I've realized that little 9mm had all I ever really wanted in an auto pistol.

I had a 3" S&W M60 that I traded to my dad that I was planning on eventually getting back from him. Then it was stolen from him so; now I'll not see that one again. That's too bad 'cause that was a great little handgun.

Finally, I used to have a 6" S&W M27 that I sometimes wish I had not sold. Man, was it ever a shooter. I sold it because I thought that it was just too big for convenient carrying. Ahh, the stupidity of youth.

There have been lots of others; Smiths, Rugers, Tauruses, Glocks, etc., but like I said, I don't ever really miss any of them much.

glockcop
06-22-2009, 11:34 AM
Got the Ruger sp101 and Smith model 60. Both in .357. Flip a coin. You can't go wrong.