jim quist Loc: Missouri

I bought a Ruger .357 2 1/4” barrel model SP101 yesterday. Stopped at the range on the way home and shot about 100 rounds. It took that many to get somewhat used to the trigger and sights. Here are the results from the last 25 rounds at 10 yards. Shooting the .38 the recoil is comfortable. Shooting the .357 is a stinger. About 10 rounds was enough.

The first four groupings were with .38 Fiocche 158 gr fmj 730 fps
The last grouping (5) was with .357 Fiocchi 158 gr jhp 1220 fps

I have a holster from a 9mm I used to own and fits ok, conceals nicely. It is very comfortable to carry compared to the Colt 45 5" I have been using.

A nice early birthday gift for myself.

10 yards indoor range

Amouk Photo

Nice spread, have a Colt Anaconda Stainless Steel, 44 Magnum, 1 round is enough.

jederick Loc: Northern Utah

Your results look good and the SP 101 looks like a sturdy handgun!!

Country Boy Loc: Beckley, WV

Nice looking gun, I like a wheel gun but don't want to give up my Glock with 17 rounds.

Harry0 Loc: Gardena, Cal

Leaving brass around is like leaving your signature.
Make sure your loves are on and they get wiped before loading.

whatdat Loc: Del Valle, Tx.

Revolver for primary; Glock for backup.

Denny45acp Loc: Sparta,Michigan

Practice and your groups will tighten up also get some help holding the gun so you are hitting center mass all the time. Good luck

pendennis

My only problem with any .357 Magnum of less than 4", is that they're "flame throwers"; the muzzle flash is awful. That said, the Ruger frame is stout enough for any .357 round.

You might also consider the .38 +P round. Still a lot of stopping power with less flash.

That's a really nice specimen! Enjoy!

ELNikkor

Only went to a range once. The 9mm they let me shoot was all over the place, the 22LR was right on target. I'd rather shoot with a small bullet with accuracy than a big one that won't hit what I aim at.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Very nice.

My preference is a MAC 10. I prefer accuracy through volume.
--Bob

FredCM Loc: Central Illinois

I believe "spray and pray" originated with the infantry, not photographers with burst mode.

lbrande

We have a GP-100 by Ruger. It's a beast. I prefer the wheel guns Colt manufactures. When it comes to CC, I prefer the H&K. Never had a problem in either 9mm or .45.

WFG286 Loc: Herrin, IL

I prefer 9mm for CCW. Most law enforcement agencies use this caliber as well. In this day in society, I believe all that can carry should carry. It get crazier each and every day. Never thought the USA would look like it does now. Anarchy is a growing problem.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

The Ruger SP101 is a real workhorse and it will last forever and ever. I'm a fan of Ruger Arms and they make great firearms at a reasonable price. The SP101 has enough heft that it is manageable with the .357 load and of course it will shoot .38 Specials as well.

I had a S&W Scandium .357 snub-nose from their custom shop that was a light as a feather which I thought was excellent.....until I shot it. It was like having a stick of dynamite going off in my hand and it stung so bad that I couldn't bare to shoot the box of rounds so I took it back.

I choose not to carry .357 rounds for when I would deer hunt (which I no longer do) I'd carry a .357 and the rounds would go right through them every time. From those experiences I became concerned with over penetration and the round continuing on to an unintended target or through my house into my neighbors.

I've switched my CCW rounds to Corbon Glaser Safety Slugs https://www.corbon.com/glaser/safety-slug which do not ricochet and do not over penetrate yet they will stop the threat.

Here's what I hope to be a constructive word of advice: Do not load your CCW firearm with 'man-killer' type ammo. Should you ever have an event it can...and will...be used against you as though you intended to do great bodily harm as though you were hunting for the opportunity. Again, heaven forbid that you hit an unintended target with a frangible man-killer like a 'Black Talon'.

pendennis

Practice, practice, practice. Most newbies have problems with recoil on larger-than-.22 caliber handguns. The dreaded flinch is a bear to overcome sometimes. However, with practice you can learn to deal with recoil, which is strictly after-the-fact. There's still a non-voluntary physical reaction, but that too, can be tamed. Also consider good hearing protection. Wear earmuffs and plugs; safety glasses are a must, but you already know that.

There are also centerfire pistols which are very tame - .380, .32, for example.

Unless extremely you're an extremely skilled shooter, a .22 is not the best choice for defense.

Give it another go, and maybe even take some lessons. A fee for a good instructor is money well spent.