by Last Friday I picked up a used Ruger SP101 .357 revolver with a 3 inch barrel. The 2.25 inch barrel version is easily found but finding a used 3 inch SP101 is not so easy. So what does Ruger do today but announce that they are coming out with a 4.2 inch version of the SP101 with much better sights.
Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE: RGR) is pleased to announce a new Ruger® SP101® five-shot revolver chambered in the venerable .357 Magnum cartridge and featuring a 4.2″ barrel with improved sights.
“The SP101 has been an extremely popular small frame revolver since its inception in 1988, but it has always featured a short barrel and minimal sights,” said Chris Killoy, Ruger Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “This new version is a quality .357 Magnum small frame revolver with a longer, full shroud barrel and improved sights that offers the shooter a better sight picture, longer sight radius, and additional weight to better control recoil. I am confident enthusiasts will find that this 4.2″ .357 Magnum is a great all around centerfire revolver that remains true to classic SP101 styling,” he concluded.
The newest Ruger SP101 is constructed of weather-resistant stainless steel with a satin finish, and wears checkered and engraved walnut grip panels inset in the one-piece rubber grip. The 29.5-ounce double/single-action revolver features a fully adjustable square notch blade rear sight and green HiViz® front sight. The 4.2″ barrel features a full shroud covering the ejector rod.
Comparing this model with the Wiley Clapp-designed Talo exclusive GP-100, the similarities are evident. Both have similar wood-checkered inserts in the rubber grips, both have the green fiber optic front sight, and both have an adjustable rear sight. They differ on barrel length and, of course, on frame size. I would guess the sales of the Wiley Clapp GP-100 must have caught the attention of Ruger and led them to consider this new model of the SP101.
I've been thinking hard about getting a 4" GP-100 recently. Compared to that, I guess this would be a bit less bulky and a five shot cylinder instead of six?
@Pyrotek85: That would be my conclusion as well. I have the Wiley Clapp GP-100 mentioned above on order but don't have any idea when it will be delivered.