This is one of the better gun reviews i have seen. No sponsorship, no favorites. Simply what works for you and why you like it. I agree with the houge mono grip suggestion i saw, you would like it im sure
Glad to see you also enjoy firearms along with fly fishing as do I. Have been shooting for more than 50 years. You are right 357 from a small revolver is hard for a beginner. I always start new shooters with a 22 to get their technique down properly. Good luck with your progress.
Fellow flycaster here and I also CCW the SP101 in .357 with 3" barrel. I recommend switching to the Hogue monogrip. It will improve your groups and cushion your hand better and relieve a lot of your anticipation. And it gives your pinky a place to rest, unlike the stock Ruger grip. Great gun.
Same here, however, I’m just not sure about the Houge grips. They are definitely more comfortable to hold, fit the hand nicely, but they’re hard. Painful to shoot hot loads. I switched back to the factory grips. I prefer the smaller grip for concealment, and being realistic in a defensive situation those 5 shots are all you’re going to get off.
Hey Gunnar, longtime subscriber and tying fan here. Pleased to see that you have decided to take on the role of protecting yourself and your family. Being an American gives you that privilege as there are many places in this world that would deny that right to their people. Some people reject being responsible for themselves and choose to count on the government to protect them. We know how that can end up, and that's their choice. Keep on being that responsibly armed American my friend.
Dude! I dig this review - absolutely spot-on! Of course, I really like the tying tutorials, which is why I subscribed. But, this is needed from time-to-time 👍🏾
I think your control of the 357 is better than you're giving yourself credit for. I'm on the same journey, and carry a 365 xl but going to pick up that revolver cause it's good teaching. Nice vid
First video of yours I've seen. Great job. You mentioned weaving belts and other little things other big gun channels never mention, so i appreciated that and hope the people newer to guns pay attention. 👍
This is definitely a great 'Goldilocks' sized revolver. I agree with the power of .357 Magnum in a much lighter weight revolver; my second gun was a Ruger LCRx .38 Special - instead of the .357 Magnum version - because of this... However, I also own a 4" .357 Magnum Taurus Tracker - at a heavy 35 ounces - and it handles .357 very well (although a budget revolver). My third gun is an overpowered snub nose .44 Magnum - at about 30 ounces - but it's an outlier, lol (I'll mostly be shooting .44 Special in it). I'm a revolver guy; nice review!
In terms of pure enjoyment, firing a handgun for target practice is right up there with casting a fly rod. For those who haven't tried it yet, I would highly suggest it. More importantly, great choice on the Ruger in stainless. I like Smith & Wesson a little bit more but the frame on the SP is more robust and will serve you well.
Good stuff. I enjoy your open attitude about not liking a heavy recoil. I have a good leather gun belt and you are right, it makes a world of difference compared to a walmart style belt. I carry a G30s which is 45 auto, and it hides easy at 3 O'clock. Thanks for the video.
Maybe the best gun you could carry. Concealable, accurate enough for practical defense, reliable, easy maintenance, versatile for both two-legged and four-legged varmints. The shop I used to work at machined out the rear sight groove and installed S&W J-Frame adjustable sights on SP101s on the regular.
I've always been a fan of the .357 round and revolvers. Save your cases and start reloading to save some money. Right-handed shooters pull left because you tend to curl your wrist when you hand closes. Focus on moving only your trigger finger without tightening your grip to stop that tendency of pulling left.
Great review of an awesome revolver that I've been eyeing for a long time. I already have a Ruger GP100 in 4" (blued finish), but would love to own this exact model for it's compactness. That's one sweet revolver.
Enjoyed! Have had my .357 SP101 4.2 inch barrel for maybe 5-6 years now. It's a beast! .38 specials, it's a pussycat. But as you know, .357 ups the ante big time. Put on some pachmyre 3 finger grips to get better control, but went back to the original grips for nostalgia - keep it stock, b/c it's so cool. Great review!
Gunnar becomes a gunner! 😉 Revolvers are tough to learn on, and .357 is a big cartridge to learn on too. A full size 9mm auto would be a good choice, and if you want a hammer maybe go with a 1911 or M92. I have a Springfield XD-e that I've enjoyed as well, and just got a hellcat with a red dot which is awesome too.
Great video! Ive been conceal carrying since 2018 and can tell you that a purpose made belt and holster surely make all the difference in comfort. I carry full size handguns at the apendix position and rarely have any qualms about it. Only time I really feel uncomfortable is on long drives. Been looking at getting a little sp101 for a year now, they seem pretty practical for an every day carry. Again, great video!
I own a Ruger 4 inch GPNY Spurless and a 2 inch SP101 Spurless. Both NYPD issued in 1993 and 1995. I carried both on Patrol for 4 years in Bronx before moving on to Glock 19, Gen 1.. I still have all three antiques... 😅
I have one of these and it's a great gun but I still opted for the gp100 as my ccw revolver. Most days I carry my p229, but when I carry a revolver (camping, hiking, fishing) I carry my big revolver.
Just when I thought I couldn’t love your channel more you go and do this yessss. Glad to see you EDC I’m hoping there are still a few cops left in Minnesota but you gotta be ready. Throw us trout guys a bone a few times a year, firearms are a plus, still my favorite fly tyer on the internet congrats on hooking up with Rio👍
I was looking at the 357cal, 3” for awhile, whether it be Ruger, Taurus, s/w..still haven’t decided, but, I do know it’s a classic looking revolver…the 3” is great because it’s not like a 2” snub nose, or a 4” paper weight, like the ones I carried on the job for an off duty jammy back in the 80s…I moved away from revolvers after retiring and picked up a few nice edc, Kimber micro-9 (beautiful micro 1911, with modifications by Kimber, no jamming or misfires), cz 75D, also a beautiful automatic edc…BUT..I’ve been window shopping and the 3” 357 looks so classic and sweet…double action will put a strain, which I never did, but with a 357, single action is something I have to train at…but, the 3” 357 looks promising, but, which model is the question…
Gunnar, you may find that firing some of the Ruger’s groups in single action instead of double action like you have been will yield improved groups due to the SA’s lighter and shorter trigger pull. Walk before you run; get that first one in the imaginary boiler room consistently before you jump up to multiple shot strings.
A little behind in my youtube watching. Fly tyer. Fly fisher. Gun owner. I'm with you Gunnar. New York is a little more restrictive. We'll keep it small and concealed.
To hell with the 9mm brother you're doin good with the wheel gun & beins your a fisherman you'll want it for snake shot! Snake shot loads in autos don't cycle well. Just keep practicing you'll be fine as long as you can afford it someone mentioned reloading not sure if it would save you any money at this point in time or not everything is expensive right now but the 38s are a little cheaper
For the bulk and weight of the sp 101 id rather get a kimber 6 shot or a colt king cobra 6 shot...thats bieng said ruger always makes durable and quality revolvers
By anticipation, I thought you meant you were anticipating you're attacker was moving that way. Most people and animals tend to move when they hear that first boom or see a gun pointed at them.
The Double Action is heavy, but smooth. And you can definitely feel the wall before it breaks so its easy to reset and stage the trigger...but its heavy. I don't know enough about gunsmithing to know what kind of Trigger work would go into reducing the pull weight. It is an easy gun to disassemble - you can find the video on Ruger.com and their TH-cam video, if you wanted to get into the guts and change out some springs.
@@misssassycompany9950 you're most welcome. I took the time to polish the contact surfaces with the included polish. It's as good a trigger as my Smih and Wesson now.
For mine I just put oil on it with some snap caps, then did a bunch of dry fire practice and after a couple of days it smoothed out nicely. I don’t like to change springs but that’s also an option.
I would suggest that you not practice with your self defense revolver in single action ever. This could put you in Legal Jeopardy if you ever find yourself defending your life. I am not a lawyer. But there are a number of Seemingly Credible TH-cam videos on this subject. Or Better yet, Consult an Attorney Best Wishes from Montana M.H. P.S. that is a Watch pocket in your Jean's.
Cmon . I never shit 44 magnum till about a month ago . First time at the range shot 100 rounds and nothing hurt . If I had 500 rounds I could shot all day long and other than the loud blast you feel nothing . Pain is some-one taking a hammer 🔨 and smashing it at full force in your hand .
Sad to see you doing this. Hope you do not end up a part of the statistick. If you want to protect your family, move to scandinavia..... Guns should only be for hunting. Look up some facts when it comes to guns in the home and gunnlaws in the western world. Your flytying is fantastic, but this is just dire.... best wishes form a concerned Norwegian.
From that distance and that shooting speed, that's an excellent result.
yes, interesting - 2 years, fast tempo and that group .... interesting
Absolutely. Not bad at all. Try a Hogue grip on it. Much more comfortable.
The first thing my wife says when she walks in the room, "What's Gunnar doing shooting?" We love you and any content you wanna share with us.
This is one of the better gun reviews i have seen. No sponsorship, no favorites. Simply what works for you and why you like it. I agree with the houge mono grip suggestion i saw, you would like it im sure
Glad to see you also enjoy firearms along with fly fishing as do I. Have been shooting for more than 50 years. You are right 357 from a small revolver is hard for a beginner. I always start new shooters with a 22 to get their technique down properly. Good luck with your progress.
Fellow flycaster here and I also CCW the SP101 in .357 with 3" barrel. I recommend switching to the Hogue monogrip. It will improve your groups and cushion your hand better and relieve a lot of your anticipation. And it gives your pinky a place to rest, unlike the stock Ruger grip. Great gun.
Same here, however, I’m just not sure about the Houge grips. They are definitely more comfortable to hold, fit the hand nicely, but they’re hard. Painful to shoot hot loads. I switched back to the factory grips. I prefer the smaller grip for concealment, and being realistic in a defensive situation those 5 shots are all you’re going to get off.
@@michaelolin2219 sounds like you have found your solution. And you're spot on with the five rounds only point.
Nice shooting! I have a semi-automatic, but, there's something special about a beautiful revolver! I have the exact same SP101 and absolutely love it!
Hey Gunnar, longtime subscriber and tying fan here. Pleased to see that you have decided to take on the role of protecting yourself and your family. Being an American gives you that privilege as there are many places in this world that would deny that right to their people. Some people reject being responsible for themselves and choose to count on the government to protect them. We know how that can end up, and that's their choice. Keep on being that responsibly armed American my friend.
Dude! I dig this review - absolutely spot-on! Of course, I really like the tying tutorials, which is why I subscribed. But, this is needed from time-to-time 👍🏾
I think your control of the 357 is better than you're giving yourself credit for. I'm on the same journey, and carry a 365 xl but going to pick up that revolver cause it's good teaching. Nice vid
First video of yours I've seen. Great job. You mentioned weaving belts and other little things other big gun channels never mention, so i appreciated that and hope the people newer to guns pay attention. 👍
You made me laugh, I like that you are a real guy and not a know it all. Too many of those around:)
Thanks for your input on the Sp101, Great job!
I own an SP101 3 inch. I love it so much.
How's the recoil
great choice, esp 3” barrel. 👍👍👍🤠
@@mrfazzy3137 Even with the REAL 357 loads, underwood 158 hp and buffalo bore 180 hardcast it feels just fine. It doesn't hurt at all.
Great choice! I really like the perspective of ‘regular guy’ instead of high-speed tactical guy. Keep up the practice and stay safe!
This is definitely a great 'Goldilocks' sized revolver. I agree with the power of .357 Magnum in a much lighter weight revolver; my second gun was a Ruger LCRx .38 Special - instead of the .357 Magnum version - because of this... However, I also own a 4" .357 Magnum Taurus Tracker - at a heavy 35 ounces - and it handles .357 very well (although a budget revolver). My third gun is an overpowered snub nose .44 Magnum - at about 30 ounces - but it's an outlier, lol (I'll mostly be shooting .44 Special in it). I'm a revolver guy; nice review!
In terms of pure enjoyment, firing a handgun for target practice is right up there with casting a fly rod. For those who haven't tried it yet, I would highly suggest it. More importantly, great choice on the Ruger in stainless. I like Smith & Wesson a little bit more but the frame on the SP is more robust and will serve you well.
Good stuff. I enjoy your open attitude about not liking a heavy recoil. I have a good leather gun belt and you are right, it makes a world of difference compared to a walmart style belt. I carry a G30s which is 45 auto, and it hides easy at 3 O'clock. Thanks for the video.
Tripped and fell over this video, you sold me on the sp101. Great video and you fish!?!? I subscribed.
Brother, you are an amazing shot ! Your skills are next level. Excellent review
Way to go! I enjoy your fly fishing, tying videos and look forward to following your namesake!
Maybe the best gun you could carry. Concealable, accurate enough for practical defense, reliable, easy maintenance, versatile for both two-legged and four-legged varmints. The shop I used to work at machined out the rear sight groove and installed S&W J-Frame adjustable sights on SP101s on the regular.
This is a very insightful review for handgun beginners. Many of them would benefit from you taking them on the shooting and carrying journey with you.
I've always been a fan of the .357 round and revolvers. Save your cases and start reloading to save some money. Right-handed shooters pull left because you tend to curl your wrist when you hand closes. Focus on moving only your trigger finger without tightening your grip to stop that tendency of pulling left.
Husband Father , you made a good choice. Great home defense firearm.
"trying to not anticipate .357 Magnum" I hear ya my friend! Nice shooting Bought the Hogue wood grips for mine and Love it.
Great review! Just found your channel. I’ve carried and shot the SP101 since the late 90’s. Still do, and THAT is some excellent shooting bud.
Great review of an awesome revolver that I've been eyeing for a long time. I already have a Ruger GP100 in 4" (blued finish), but would love to own this exact model for it's compactness. That's one sweet revolver.
Fly fishing, fly tying and guns my favorite TH-cam channel!
Enjoyed! Have had my .357 SP101 4.2 inch barrel for maybe 5-6 years now. It's a beast! .38 specials, it's a pussycat. But as you know, .357 ups the ante big time. Put on some pachmyre 3 finger grips to get better control, but went back to the original grips for nostalgia - keep it stock, b/c it's so cool. Great review!
Gunnar becomes a gunner! 😉 Revolvers are tough to learn on, and .357 is a big cartridge to learn on too. A full size 9mm auto would be a good choice, and if you want a hammer maybe go with a 1911 or M92. I have a Springfield XD-e that I've enjoyed as well, and just got a hellcat with a red dot which is awesome too.
Great video! Ive been conceal carrying since 2018 and can tell you that a purpose made belt and holster surely make all the difference in comfort. I carry full size handguns at the apendix position and rarely have any qualms about it. Only time I really feel uncomfortable is on long drives. Been looking at getting a little sp101 for a year now, they seem pretty practical for an every day carry. Again, great video!
Practice makes perfect
New tonthe channel as I just bought a sp101 but I'm also from MN so got a new sub here !! Great video thanks for sharing
You made a really good choice. I have one on my hip right now.
I own a Ruger 4 inch GPNY Spurless and a 2 inch SP101 Spurless. Both NYPD issued in 1993 and 1995. I carried both on Patrol for 4 years in Bronx before moving on to Glock 19, Gen 1.. I still have all three antiques... 😅
I have one of these and it's a great gun but I still opted for the gp100 as my ccw revolver. Most days I carry my p229, but when I carry a revolver (camping, hiking, fishing) I carry my big revolver.
I use a kore belt with my 2.25 inch sp101. The pocket is for a watch. A throw back to early days.
Just when I thought I couldn’t love your channel more you go and do this yessss. Glad to see you EDC I’m hoping there are still a few cops left in Minnesota but you gotta be ready. Throw us trout guys a bone a few times a year, firearms are a plus, still my favorite fly tyer on the internet congrats on hooking up with Rio👍
Fishing and guns perfect combination
I was looking at the 357cal, 3” for awhile, whether it be Ruger, Taurus, s/w..still haven’t decided, but, I do know it’s a classic looking revolver…the 3” is great because it’s not like a 2” snub nose, or a 4” paper weight, like the ones I carried on the job for an off duty jammy back in the 80s…I moved away from revolvers after retiring and picked up a few nice edc, Kimber micro-9 (beautiful micro 1911, with modifications by Kimber, no jamming or misfires), cz 75D, also a beautiful automatic edc…BUT..I’ve been window shopping and the 3” 357 looks so classic and sweet…double action will put a strain, which I never did, but with a 357, single action is something I have to train at…but, the 3” 357 looks promising, but, which model is the question…
just a couple of years..., double action, 357 mag., very good group at that speed, at that distance - that accuracy is interesting...
Gunnar, you may find that firing some of the Ruger’s groups in single action instead of double action like you have been will yield improved groups due to the SA’s lighter and shorter trigger pull. Walk before you run; get that first one in the imaginary boiler room consistently before you jump up to multiple shot strings.
A little behind in my youtube watching. Fly tyer. Fly fisher. Gun owner. I'm with you Gunnar. New York is a little more restrictive. We'll keep it small and concealed.
Try the pachmayr pro diamond grip on the sp101 made mine perfect for me
Very nice review
I like that belt soo much I bought a second one. Got odg, and grey.
Gunnar awesome good for you mr. 👍👍🇺🇸🗽🇺🇸
Have gun will travel and fly Rod in hand THE Vermonter
Great review
To hell with the 9mm brother you're doin good with the wheel gun & beins your a fisherman you'll want it for snake shot! Snake shot loads in autos don't cycle well. Just keep practicing you'll be fine as long as you can afford it someone mentioned reloading not sure if it would save you any money at this point in time or not everything is expensive right now but the 38s are a little cheaper
What kind of holster do you use for it?
I actually pocket carry in a Mika pocket holster or a fat an iwb from Dinosaurized army store
Bonjour, vous auriez un lien pour le holster? Désolé je ne parle pas trop l'anglais ! Merci d'avance
Good shooting! Planning a trip to Alaska?
You want accuracy, Les Baer with 1 1/2 inch accuracy at 50 yards.
Great revolver. I own one. It is one you keep. Don't trade it. Give it to your kids....
..."minute of pie plate".. is fine for this type of shooting...hold a pie plate over your torso and see just how much vital area is covered...
For the bulk and weight of the sp 101 id rather get a kimber 6 shot or a colt king cobra 6 shot...thats bieng said ruger always makes durable and quality revolvers
Have you tried a Kore belt?
By anticipation, I thought you meant you were anticipating you're attacker was moving that way. Most people and animals tend to move when they hear that first boom or see a gun pointed at them.
Is the double action pull so heavy? Can you reduce it if so?
The Double Action is heavy, but smooth. And you can definitely feel the wall before it breaks so its easy to reset and stage the trigger...but its heavy. I don't know enough about gunsmithing to know what kind of Trigger work would go into reducing the pull weight. It is an easy gun to disassemble - you can find the video on Ruger.com and their TH-cam video, if you wanted to get into the guts and change out some springs.
The MCarbo spring/shim kit is an easy install and makes a large difference in my GP100 - I assume similarly in the SP101.
Highly recommend.
Cheers
@@daniellandry5815 thanks for the info
@@misssassycompany9950 you're most welcome. I took the time to polish the contact surfaces with the included polish. It's as good a trigger as my Smih and Wesson now.
For mine I just put oil on it with some snap caps, then did a bunch of dry fire practice and after a couple of days it smoothed out nicely.
I don’t like to change springs but that’s also an option.
For leather carry belt try hanks belts
Hey you look good to me! Shooting a revolver double action isn't the easiest.
I would suggest that you not practice with your self defense revolver in single action ever. This could put you in Legal Jeopardy if you ever find yourself defending your life.
I am not a lawyer. But there are a number of Seemingly Credible TH-cam videos on this subject. Or Better yet, Consult an Attorney
Best Wishes from Montana M.H.
P.S. that is a Watch pocket in your Jean's.
It's a watch pocket. Old timers used to carry pocket watches.
that's more than adequate for what I believe you looking for
Pocket watch pocket or zippo lighter lighter pocket.
And you don’t have to stage the trigger just pull it fast and there is no stagging and smooth pull
It’s clenching actually. You’re tensing up you’re entire hand instead of just the index finger .
Don't dump your empties into the palm of your off-hand, they should go to the ground for a faster reload (muscle memory). Good technique otherwise!
a lot of times shooting to the left can indicate you are putting too much finger on the trigger
Your draw looks fine. Mate your hands together higher. Other than that it looks fine.
dont forget in most states if u shoot farther then 21 feet,its 1st deg murder,ck ur laws
I don't understand why people complain that 25 ounces is heavy... Geeze go to the gym do some curls...
Bump
Spurless not hammerless
Algorithm
Loved all your videos till now. Sad to see you show this to protect your family.
???
Must be a troll comment. 😒 about any gun on the nightstand is better than a twig in a bad situation should you need a weapon.
😂 and go shoot two three more hours that'd be a lot of money I would not do that 😂
Cmon . I never shit 44 magnum till about a month ago . First time at the range shot 100 rounds and nothing hurt . If I had 500 rounds I could shot all day long and other than the loud blast you feel nothing . Pain is some-one taking a hammer 🔨 and smashing it at full force in your hand .
Sad to see you doing this. Hope you do not end up a part of the statistick. If you want to protect your family, move to scandinavia..... Guns should only be for hunting. Look up some facts when it comes to guns in the home and gunnlaws in the western world. Your flytying is fantastic, but this is just dire.... best wishes form a concerned Norwegian.
I'm sorry you feel that way about firearms. I hope you never need them.
You're right. The 2011 Norway attacks never happened. It was another one of those "conspiracies."
you must have nice criminals then !
It's not a "coin pocket" it's a watch pocket.