I was browsing the Ruger website this evening and saw a listing under new models for an SP101 in 9mm. The model number is 5783. It is 5-shots, fixed sights, with 2.25 inch barrel. I found only two listed on GunBroker.com, however, Davidson's Gallery of Guns has 49 in stock. The price is around $600.

I did a search on the Ruger forum and found no mention, nor on GunBlast.com or anywhere else. I know Ruger had it out a few years ago and then dropped it.

Oh man I may have to pick one of these up.

At 25 ounces, the SP101 should allow for the use of 124 grain ammunition and +P loads. The Ruger LCR in 9mm is a 8 ounces lighter than the SP101 and Ruger recommends 115 grain ammunition only in the LCR due to the possibility of inertial pulling of bullets. I'm not certain, but you might get away with using 147 grain loads in the SP101.

I've got a Speed Six in 9x19 and it's pleasant to shoot.

I have an older 3 inch Sp101 in 9mm. Halfway between a 38 and 357 in recoil. I put a big dot night sight on the front and it's a wonderful shooting revolver. I bought it when I was fulfilling my "need" for a pistol, revolver and carbine in each major caliber! Not a target gun, but more than adequate at fighting distances.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
At 25 ounces, the SP101 should allow for the use of 124 grain ammunition and +P loads. The Ruger LCR in 9mm is a 8 ounces lighter than the SP101 and Ruger recommends 115 grain ammunition only in the LCR due to the possibility of inertial pulling of bullets.

There are some 124+P cartridges that are crimped sufficiently that they can be used in the LCR. The HST offering is very resistant to jumping crimp, as is the Critical Defense 135gr.

I owned one of the original Rugers, but could not find a reason to keep it and sold it on this forum. It was LNIB. The front sight was not correctly calibrated for the 9mm, I spoke with the factory about this and they admitted that all SP101 front sights were the same (at that time), regardless of caliber. I chrono-ed several loads thru it, including Treasury 147 grain +P+, and eventually got rid out it in favor of my Smith J frames, which included a 940-1.

Glad to see it, and may have to have one myself. I've owned other 9MM revolvers, and still have a 3" SP-101, and a 2" S&W 940. Chronographed velocities of some 9MM in these little guns are higher than many might expect.

BTW, I'd read of bullet pull with 9MM ammunition in these light 9MM revolvers. I decided to do some informal testing with my lightest 9MM revolver, the S&W 940. After 8 rounds fired, the Federal 124 +p HST pulled .050". The same test with Winchester and IMI 124 grain NATO ammo showed only approx. .002" of bullet pull.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
At 25 ounces, the SP101 should allow for the use of 124 grain ammunition and +P loads. The Ruger LCR in 9mm is a 8 ounces lighter than the SP101 and Ruger recommends 115 grain ammunition only in the LCR due to the possibility of inertial pulling of bullets. I'm not certain, but you might get away with using 147 grain loads in the SP101.

I've got a Speed Six in 9x19 and it's pleasant to shoot.

Thanks for sharing that. I did not know that.

quote:

Originally posted by rock185:
BTW, I'd read of bullet pull with 9MM ammunition in these light 9MM revolvers. I decided to do some informal testing with my lightest 9MM revolver, the S&W 940. After 8 rounds fired, the Federal 124 +p HST pulled .050". The same test with Winchester and IMI 124 grain NATO ammo showed only approx. .002" of bullet pull.

I wonder if this is due to the case mouth sealant used in NATO ammunition. I don't know about the IMI, but Winchester Q4318 is nice and warm, in the range of the 124 grain +P HST, so recoil would be about the same.

Para, I suspect the case mouth sealant is at least part of the reason the NATO bullets moved so little. I've chronographed both the Winchester and IMI NATO in a number of guns. The IMI tends to be a bit warmer than the Winchester NATO.

I was really glad to see this announcement - I missed out on the earlier runs of the SP in 9mm. I'm a little disappointed that they brought out only the 2-inch - but maybe they'll bring the 3-inch back too. This is my .357 101 - they're heavy but (as you all know) built to last three lifetimes!

Had the barrel address removed, did you?

No sir - these newer ones have all the warning crapola on the bottom of the barrel - the other side has roll-markings but they're smaller and lower-key than before. This one went back to Ruger after I bought it used - they re-polished it (especially the trigger guard) and it looks great now. It's not a Model 60 but I paid $400 for it...

Have one on order! Been waiting.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
The Ruger LCR in 9mm is a 8 ounces lighter than the SP101 and Ruger recommends 115 grain ammunition only in the LCR due to the possibility of inertial pulling of bullets.

We (the V-Tail household) had a 9mm LCR. I was never able to find ammunition, neither handload nor store-bought, with which the fifth round (unfired, after firing the first four) did not have bullet migration anywhere between .020" and .050". With one commercial load, the 115 gr. Federal stuff that was in the 100-round Value Pack, I fired four rounds, opened the cylinder to remove the fifth round with the intention of measuring OAL, and the bullet just fell out of the case and hit the ground. !!!

I do not recall the manual recommending 115 gr. bullets. They did advise against the use of lead (unjacketed) bullets.

I passed on one of the originals some years back. I wish I hadn't.

This is very exciting.
The availability and cost of various jackets rounds is just so much better than .38. (I hate scrubbing up after lead .38's.)

(I wonder if a Kimber 6-9 will be coming.)

Who does the SF Braintrust recommend for SP101 trigger work?

TIA,
Scott

Gemini Customs does good work, albeit expensive.

Magnaport still does action and other work from forcing cones to crowning, cylinder numbering, etc, in addition to magnaports. They'll do whatever you want, and the prices aren't bad.

Need to weigh in on the venerable SP101 in 9mm.
I owned one of the earlier revolvers made in 1995. While it was not a gun I shot very often, it was never dropped or abused.
Worked well for many years - than it did not. Problem with the cylinder and timing. Sent it back to Ruger for repair, since Ruger has a lifetime warranty. Told that since it was no longer in production - parts were not available. But Ruger offered me either a replacement SP101, in another caliber, or a "credit" in the amount of the current Wholesale price of a SP101 - towards any other gun in their catalogue. I ended up picking out a stainless Blackhawk Convertible. The Blackhawk has been a Great Gun!
Just wondering whether Ruger has "fixed" or redesigned the cylinder mechanism in the current 9mm version?

astraight, my SP-101 9mm 3" was made around '91/'92. Couple things I like about the gun is that the timing is rock solid and easy extraction with even the most energetic 9MM ammo. I don't know if Ruger has changed anything about the cylinder mechanism on later production, but if they work as well as mine, they are good to go....