Belt Auction

Is the Ruger SP-101 a good firearm for conceal carry?

It has 5 shots of 357 magnum and has a 3" barrel. http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=132478181 Or should I get something more powerful?

Public Comments

1. A .357 is about as much caliber as you can easily carry concealed. There are larger caliber handguns that are reasonably compact, but my preference is to stay with the .38 or .357. The SP-101 is a fine weapon, but you should also consider the S&W 642. I believe it's lighter in weight, and being "hammerless", there's much less chance it's going to get snagged on you clothing as you try to draw it in an emergency. I'm sure that there are lot's of opinions, but that's my 2¢ worth. Regards and good luck!
2. Imho, for a concealed, emergency handgun, this is as good as it gets, if you are bulky enough to hide a revolver. Plenty of power. Where do you plan to carry a wide-bodied gun?
3. The Ruger SP101 is a strong, reliable and durable piece of equipment. But, shooting .357 Magnums from it is still a harsh phenomena in my experience. That's why I prefer to use .38 Special cartridges in revolvers of that size. There are trade-offs in every concealed carry situation. You should get something that is powerful enough to be "just right" for you without being more powerful than you can handle. A larger pistol is more difficult to conceal, although it may chamber a more potent cartridge. A more potent cartridge from a smaller gun generates a more vigorous, and possibly painful, recoil phenomena. I own a Ruger SP101 chambered for .38 Special. I enjoy it thoroughly. But when I decide to carry a revolver concealed, it is usually my Smith & Wesson model 36 because it weighs less. Ruger is trying to address this situation by offering the Ruger LCR, although it isn't chambered for .357 Magnums. http://www.ruger.com/Firearms/FAFamily?type=Revolver&subtype=Double%20Action&famlst=65&variation=Alaskan%C2%AE Popular concealed carry cartridges are .380ACP, .38 Special, 9x19mmLuger, .45ACP, .40S&W and .357 Magnum. For concealed carry, the .357 Magnum is the least pleasant to shoot, in my experience. My first Ruger SP101 was chambered for .357 Magnums. After shooting it with .357's, I traded it in for a .38 Special version of the Ruger SP101. The .357 recoil was harsh and generated a lot of muzzle flash. Cleaning the last 1/8 inch of the .357 chambers after shooting .38 specials through them was an annoyance. That may not bother other people, though. Ruger makes great revolvers and the SP101 is a wonderful example of such. For concealed carry, a small-framed revolver with a shrouded hammer (so it doesn't get caught on clothing or stuck in a holster) is an attractive option. Other attractive options are available from Smith & Wesson or Taurus.
4. That is a good price and a good strong firearm. They are very strong firearms and made better than most guns. This model is a nice gun.
5. its too big...to heavy....i have a taurus 38 5 shot with 3 in bbl....it will not take long before you leave it home because of size/weight....and caliber doesn't matter if gun is at home ....go to a gun store...and handle some...because your not shooting hundreds of shots [except for some shooting to get used to gun lighter is better...pick up a S&W 38/357 scandiumium.....you'll see what i mean.....the 101 is a great gun...not for carry
6. The SP-101 from Ruger is a good rugged reliable firearm. The only big draw back of a Ruger over many other revolvers is the are heavy. For target shooting or plinking yes the .357 magnum can be a bit much, but one can always use .38 specials to shoot at paper.