hi I need opinion I have my eyes on the SP101 but if somebory out there can help me to decide range prize 300 to 450$

I got a 4" S&W 686 for $375, used granted, but it truly is an awesome gun.

In the $300 to $450 range, there are many very good used revolvers in .357. I picked up a few Smith & Wesson Model 19 revolvers, pinned and recessed with 4 inch barrels in that price range. It depends what you like, can handle well and afford. All the best...
Gil

The SP101 is the strongest, small-frame 357 available; it’s built like a tank. If you don’t really need something small, a full size Ruger, Smith, or Taurus may suit you better. A full size revolver will give you adjustable sights, better handling, better recoil control, and a longer barrel, which will deliver higher velocity and better accuracy. It depends a good deal on what you plan to do with it.

Darrel

GP100 is built like a tank. If it suits you, great.

Don't overlook the Taurus .357s; up to my third one, personally :D

i have an sp101 and i really like like it. i use it for CCW and compact trail gun. plan on practicing with .38 Specials tho. (full power .357s won't hurt the gun, but yer hand is gonna feel it). Lasergrips from Crimson Trace are a nice addition if you got some cash left.

monty

I love my Taurus Model 627 Tracker, it has been a really good shooting reliable gun that didn't break the bank!

Simply compare the three basic (carried by all gun stores) good quality 357 revolvers side-by-side: S&W, Ruger and Taurus. You'll know which feels best.

I just bought a Taurus Tracker 6.5", 357 SS, new for $399. I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet, but will by the end of the week. Hopefully, it was a good buy. I wanted a SW, but it was way more money. I don't usualy buy a cheaper brand, but it felt right and we'll see how it shoots.

If it is for CCW, then the sp101 would work fine. I have one, but had to get a trigger and action job on it first. It was new. The other 2 brands may serve you better depending on your intended use.

I'd look for a 2 3/4" or 5" Security Six Ruger in stainless

hi I need opinion I have my eyes on the SP101 but if somebory out there can help me to decide range prize 300 to 450$
There is a brand new 686 4" for sale in CO for $415 + s/h and ffl. This is ~$100 less than the best price I saw it for new and below dealer cost. I just missed out on the 6" he had for sale, so I picked up a GP100.

http://ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=7&f=88&t=230766

Okay, I'm prejudiced, but I think the rock-bottom best .357 revolver out there is the stainless Ruger Blackhawk with 6-1/2 inch barrel. I've owned mine since 1979, and in that time frame, several (HAH!) other wheel-guns have come and gone, including three other .357s. The Ruger has stayed. Honestly, I wouldn't trade it straight across even for a Freedom Arms. I've done only minimal work on mine: the kind of smoothing/enhancement that any handy shooter can do himself with a minimum of tools and supplies.
The Blackhawk is all steel and incredibly tough. In good examples (mine is a good example) it's more accurate than ANY shooter can appreciate. A couple of weeks ago I shot a three-shot check group with mine that measured under a half inch at 25 yards, casual rest on top of the car. That's with HOT hunting loads: the kind that would stress many another .357. It was ready for the deer season.
In between times, it often sits in the nightstand, ready for 'bums in the night'. Rambos might disagree with this...they would be wrong. Lots of bad guys have said 'so long' to the world when a SA spoke to them. If you want a concealable defense carry piece, the BH wouldn't be the best choice, but for all other needs, it's about ideal. In the 25 years I've owned mine, it's just got slicker and smoother, and I could swear it shoots better than it did when it was new!
If I could have just one handgun...this one would be HIGH on the list. (Not that THAT is ever likely to happen!)

I have a Ruger GP 100 and love it, no problems with about 400 rounds thru it. It is really accurate with 38 spl loads for plinking and small game hunting and accurate with full house 357 mag rounds but the 38 spl loads are so light that it is as easy to shoot as my 22WMR AMT Auto-Mag II.

hi I need opinion I have my eyes on the SP101 but if somebory out there can help me to decide range prize 300 to 450$

I have a couple of SP101's........ one in the two inch barrel the other is the 3" barrel. Really like them both. I did put Hogue grips on them because the Hogue grips help protect my index finger from being slammed by the trigger guard when shooting full powered 125 grain .357 stuff.

Will you use the handgun for concealed carry?

Good luck

PS - I also have a couple of S&W 686's... one with a 6" barrel, the other in a 4" barrel...... Both are fine revolvers.

Sometimes you spot a nice Ruger Security Six, Service Six or Speed Six at gunshows at really good prices considering the quality of these revolvers

I have two, each purchased for 200 buckies! iin Stainless no less!

Let us kn0w what you end up with!

Well, I own myself a 4" GP-100 stainless.

I preferred the slightly larger grip
and the adjustable sight(comparing sp-101)
I'ts one made in the early days.. and still hanging
very tight...... (I fire lots of HOT loads with it.)

good luck with the decision!

I Gots Uh 357 Magnum. Colt King Cobra. 6 Inch Stainless. I Personally Do Not Consider Any 30 Caliber Round A "magnum" And Am Looking To Sell It. Gimme A Email If You Wanna Buy.

Your intended uses will matter as to the size of the gun you select, but if I was looking for a good all-purpose 357, it's hard to beat a four-inch Ruger or Smith & Wesson. They are NOT the same gun, the Ruger is overbuilt and sturdy as a bank vault, the Smith is a little less tough but the trigger is worlds better than most. I've had both, and my next 357 will be another SW 686 in four-inch trim. I also like the SP-101, but if I buy anything to conceal, it will likely be a SW 642. Just a personal thing. I've owned a bunch of Rugers, and they have never let me down.

Whatever you pick, make sure your hand likes it. If the factory grips don't feel right, check out the aftermarket grips available. Shooting is no fun if the gun bites the hand that feeds it! :eek:

Papajohn

I have a GP100 6" that I found for $250. Loaded with .38s its a pussycat but where it really shines is with 180 grain handloads. I guess I got a flukey one as it is as smooth as my M29 with an action job done by the local Smith smith (Just Right).

I wouldn't worry with the choice of the SP101. Great little guns. Rock solid and when you run it empty you are still better armed than the guy with the Smith. Whack the BG on the head and reload the SP. :D