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Grimbold
Junior Member
USA
199 Posts |
 Posted - 05/27/2012 : 19:43:05
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Boy oh boy did we shoot that sucker! By sucker I mean Ruger SP101 .357 mag. Man was it fun! See pictures below. However a heads up, we don't live near a range and this is basically a hill/dune that is used by the locals to shoot at the targets they bring with a dirt stop in the back. So this is very primitive and we basically just shot the gun to get a feel for it w/o really aiming.
Then we started to see what we could do and lo and behold...
I wish I could say I shot this grouping, however I am still proud to say this is what my wife shot. I used my hand next to the board for size comparison. And one thing is sure, if there is anyone that is coming after us or breaking into our house etc. My wife is gonna be the one shooting him down while I'm backing her up!
Since my wife was placing her shots so well, I challenged her for fun to see if she could hit this gatorade cap which was about 1 1/2" in diameter. She surprised herself by hitting it dead center on her fifth and last shot.
Both of these pics were shot from 20 ft. Yes you read it right 20! I'm so proud of her and now I have something to work forward to! As I'm still trying to get the hang of double action and aiming of the gun.
By the way if shooting from 20 feet wasn't impressive enough, this is the 2nd time she's ever shot a revolver. The first time was in our class and that was over 6 months ago!
I think she has found her carry and all around primary gun! |
Gun: What gun? Oh that one? My dog ate it, Sorry officer.
He decided to go out with a BANG! |
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samuelrp
Senior Member
USA
1935 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2012 : 20:05:33
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| She's a natural ! |
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JBARRETT
Average Member
USA
992 Posts |
Posted - 05/28/2012 : 00:11:28
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| Grats! Now you have to find you a EDC. :) |
USN Veteran "Hooya"
"This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it or their revolutionary right to dismember it or overthrow it."
Abraham Lincoln, 4 April 1861
"If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace."~ Thomas Paine
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Tigershack
Junior Member
329 Posts |
Posted - 05/28/2012 : 04:43:49
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Just think what your wife could do with a 6" barrel! 
I love my snubbie, but I'd like to add a long barreled wheelie someday.  |
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Grimbold
Junior Member
USA
199 Posts |
Posted - 05/28/2012 : 06:44:05
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I know exactly Tiger! And I am definitely in the process of looking for my EDC since I am more than happy to let her keep this beautiful gun as her own. I still want to stick with revolver due to ease of use etc. But I have a few questions if you gentlemen (and ladies) don't mind).
I was less than happy with my results of shooting the Ruger, yet I loved how it felt. The grip was almost perfect, I could technically go a bit bigger but it worked. I also found that the DA was making me either anticipate and therefore move the gun slightly, or I couldn't find that limbo area where the trigger settles into right before it went bang.
1) Should I get a Single action instead or stick with DA and get a gun that has a hammer to where I can cock it allowing better ease of aiming etc?
2) I'm contemplating on a 4" barrel but am unsure of the ease of concealment in a IWB holster. Is this something I should look into or should I practice on the Ruger more and stick with shorter barrel.
3) I held a Charter Arms .38 undercover, and the grip was fantastic, but I was told by the dealer that it was one of the more "sub par" brands of guns, however I've heard good results from folks in this forum and other places. Should I stay away from this brand?
4) I am hoping to get this job that I'm interviewing for this week that involves working with animals as a Animal health inspector for the state and I want a gun that has stopping power for an animal should it decide that I am on the menu. So I need to stay with a caliber that would put an attacking animal down should I need to do so. I was told .357 would do the job and I've seen where some folks hunt deer with .357, is this a good choice. (Animals would be dogs, deer, cattle, horses. Nothing exotic like zoo animals or such)
I hate the fact that I am still shopping, but I also love it cause I get to look at more guns. It's a love-hate relationship still at this point. *grins*
The guns I have been looking at are:
Ruger GP100 http://ruger.com/products/gp100/models.html
Charter Arms Target Mag Pug http://www.charterfirearms.com/products/Charter_Mag_Pug_73540.asp
S&W 686 Plus http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product4_750001_750051_764606_-1_757767_757751_757751_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y
And just for fun though it is a bit out of my budget and I'm not sure I like alloy frame. But it has 8 rounds and a picatinny rail. Which I've never seen on a revolver.
S&W M&P R8 http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product4_750001_750051_765757_-1_757783_757781_757781_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y
Any other suggestions are welcome as I'm still new to the gun world. |
Gun: What gun? Oh that one? My dog ate it, Sorry officer.
He decided to go out with a BANG! |
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1813Anschutz
Advanced Member
USA
2304 Posts |
Posted - 05/28/2012 : 08:00:47
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Of the guns you have listed...the Ruger is a fine revolver and is way over engineered for strength but is a very good value. The Charter Arms is very unimpressive....save your money and buy a quality revolver....S&W, Ruger, Colt and never look back. Don't overlook the used revolver market as there are some GREAT buys out there with so many wanting a bottom feeder instead.
The S&W 686 in either the standard 6 0r the plus in 7 round capacity is legendary in performance and in quality and is without question MY first choice especially in a 4" barrel which is NO PROBLEM to carry IWB IF you select a high quality holster and use a very sturdy belt. For many of the fellow members this means Milt Sparks VM-2, Kramer #3, Mitch Rosen, Alessi, etc.
Stay with a Double action revolver for what you have described as using it. .357 Magnum is a very potent round and will do all of what you are asking of it thus far.
Randy |
"The more I shoot,the LUCKIER I seem to get!" |
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Tigershack
Junior Member
329 Posts |
Posted - 05/28/2012 : 08:35:09
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Grimbold, my first thought now is you may want to decide exactly what you want the gun for.
Ie.....everyday concealed carry? Field carry? Range and plinking? Hunting?
ECC: your SP101 certainly fills this bill, however you have other options. First off, I'd keep the spurless hammer/shrouded hammer thing. And I'd stick with a short barrel....most self defense encounters will be within 3 feet. As both you and your wife need a pistol, consider a Ruger LCR for a second purchase. In either .38special or .357. (The .357mag version is specially constructed to dampen a lot of the recoil.) The LCR's are not pretty guns but are serious contenders for EDC or BUG. I know several people who have purchased these guns and have no complaints. NOT a range gun or plinker.....these are for self defense. There are also the Smith pistols....442, 642, etc.
Field carry: this is not concealed carry, so get a longer barrel for accuracy and a comfortable holster. Unless you plan to encounter grizzlies or mooses with attitudes, .357mag should be more than adequate. I personally want a Smith 686 with a 6" barrel.
Range and plinking: just use your field gun for this. Or a .22LR wheelie for cheap fun.
Hunting: long barrels. .357mag is ground zero here. Big guns for serious hunters and you're talking .41/.44mag or bigger. I'd get a rifle myself.
Have fun. |
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hkguy
Advanced Member
USA
2094 Posts |
Posted - 05/28/2012 : 12:01:40
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If you can find the 3 IN GP100, you should be able to make that work double duty for CC and SD.
I have seen S&W 642, 442, etc for sale used in my area for $300-$350 with accessories, not a bad way to go if your on a budget.
Here is a list of other revolvers you might consider, some are .38 spl only, while others are .357/.38:
S&W model 10, 19, 640, 642, 440, 442, etc
Ruger Security Six
Ruger Speed 6
Ruger GP100
S&W 686
Taurus snub nose revolvers (but i strongly encourage a trigger job)
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God created all men....
... Sam Colt made them equal |
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Glock26Dude
Average Member
USA
663 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2012 : 13:56:18
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Great shooting! My wife's targets look better than mine, but I'm usually practicing shooting fast doing doubles, chest/chest/head, whole mags, and such.
If you haven't, I highly recommend that you try a semiauto. Many semiautos, like Glocks, M&Ps, Kahrs, etc., are super easy to use. Just pull the trigger. Advantages include a wider array of defense calibers and sizes, higher capacity, quicker reloads, flatter profile,... Try one and see.
+1 for picking a weapon to match use and carry, and for no SA revolvers, except for plinking. |
Glock 26 with Truglo TFOs
Galco King Tuk or Don Hume H715M WC
147gr Federal Hydra-Shok JHP |
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CJW
Starting Member
USA
24 Posts |
Posted - 06/02/2012 : 09:18:56
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Ruger makes the .357 SP101 with a 4.2" barrel as well. It carries one less round than the GP100 so it's a little smaller, but I love it. I bought it primarily as a house/camp gun. It sounds as though you're both happy with the caliber, so by having another .357 revolver, you only have to worry about one ammo type (technically 2 but you know what I mean).
Has adjustable sights, but that's more to snag on if you choose to carry.
Here's a pic of the gun, with the stock grips:
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We Shot It!
