I Gave Up on Waiting for an SP-101 in .22

Congratulations - by all accounts the 617 is top-notch. I'm sure you'll love it! Sure won't wear it out...

I've been keeping an eye open for the new SP, too. I don't want to get gouged if I find one though, and I can wait if I have to. Disappointing to hear they are so hard to come by right now.


Maybe you'll end up getting it anyway down the road. That happens to me sometimes.

The 617 is certainly no slouch. But overall it's a bigger and heavier gun than the smaller frame of the SP101-22 since it's built on the S&W K frame.

You did not do too bad by buying the 617 however I think the internets is filled with SP-101 22s.

When I worked in the gun biz I would routinely by guns off GB for customers who were looking for something out of production or harder to come by in the wild.

I guess I could do that, but I have always found my stuff "in the wild" and prefer it that way.

I like to see it in person if I can and also avoid any fees.


The 617 has always been a little more overbuilt than I wanted, but I know it's good stuff. It's only 9.5 more ounces, but it sure seems beefier than the SP. I have seen a 617 in person, have not seen the SP.

The 617 is a great 22 revolver and I'm sure you will enjoy it. I like the weight of the 617 as it approximates the weight of my other larger caliber S&Ws.

That's really strange you can't find an SP-101 in .22, I visited 2 local shops today and they both had them on the shelf. I puchased one last fall and really like the gun.

I am in north Mississippi (Memphis area) and I also saw one in 2 different stores. One was a local shop and the other a chain, Sportsman's Warehouse. I have seen it on the rack everytime I have been in Sportman's Warehouse for the last 3 or so months. I looked at it a while back and it does seem to be a great gun. I do not know what price they had on it currently.

I know it might be too late, but if you have a Sportman's Warehouse in your area they should be able to get you one. Also contrary to most chain gun stores, their prices are usually very good

I took a look at a 4” 101 in .357. I like it, but the .22 hasn’t made it to MD yet. The 617 is a great gun, but I put it in a different category. My 4” weighs about 39 oz. My 3” 63 weighs about 27 oz. For carry in the field there is no comparison. For use on the range, it doesn’t matter. Now that you have a 617 you can begin breaking it in. I find the stainless bores tend to be a little rougher than the bores of blued guns. Just shoot it a lot with copper wash ammo. Any excuse is a good excuse. Later you can pick up the 101.

I haven't seen a SP-101 in 22 yet either. I also prefer the 3" S&W M63 or the 4" M617 over it depending on what you are going to use it for. Both are very good. Hope you enjoy your new M617.

I love Ruger revolvers, especially the SP101, but I make no mistakes thinking that an SP101 is in the same league as a S&W617. The Smith is the cadilac of 22 revolvers. Only slightly modified, and they could serve as target pistols at the highest levels of competition. A good, though I imagine pricey, buy.

I also wanted a SP in .22 when they decided to reintroduce them...I ended up with this:

Funny ColtPythonElite... I like the Trooper Mark III also. In fact, I think it is every bit as well as the S&W M617. But years back, I wanted to really shoot the M17 and M18 to see how they compare to my Colts. Most of my Colts have become safe queens, but my 357 mag Trooper Mark III is my preferred 357 unless I want a shorter barrel length for easier carry.

bergman,

You've bought the rimfire revolver to last a lifetime. Believe me, the new SP-101 is a giant step below the 617. I had the good fortune of being able to A-B the new SP-101 offering with my then year-old 3" 63 last fall. There was no comparison, trigger-wise, in DA or SA - but that was as expected - the unmodified 63 had sent a bunch of lead downrange in it's first year - it is a common range bag rider. The SP-101 was better than I expected in both the trigger force needed and smoothness - a welcome change from my new 4" .32 H&RM SP-101 years ago. It improved - after complete dissection and cleanup. This new one may just ease up a bit in it's roughness through use. It's accuracy wasn't astounding - the 3" 63 was more repeatable. The DS-10 8-shot speedloader for my 3" & 5" 63's wouldn't quite mate up to the new Ruger, although I hear there now is a suitable model made for it.

I love my 3" 63 - very portable. However - for pure plinking fun - you cannot beat my original 'leap of faith'... the revolver I sold my ten year old KMK-678GC .22 rimfire target gun to fund... my 4" 617 9/08. It is unquestionably the best buy I have ever made in a firearm - fun-wise. No, they will never be inexpensive - but when you consider the fun factor - the frugal shooting - they cannot be beat. My only regret... I had turned sixty before I bought mine. Congratulations on a great revolver purchase!

I dressed mine up a bit - Ahrends retro target grips in cocobolo, HiViz #SW617 front sight, DS-10 Speedloader & 6x10 loading baseplate. It likes el-cheapo 550 pack 36gr plate HP Federals from Wally World... and AutoMatch. Fun shooter.



Not seen... both a Wolff reduced effort trigger return coil spring and a regular power hammer 'Power Rib' leaf spring with an adjustable strain screw - a hardened SS Allen head set screw adjusted for no ftf's - added a quarter turn in - and blue Loctited. One ftf since 10/08 - a true dud. I've made folks mad by refusing to do the same to their new 617's... but I am not a gunsmith! That OEM strain screw intrudes into the 'Power Rib' and lessens the pre-load - great DA trigger - lots of ftf's!

Again, congratulations! Is there a ten day wait for rimfires out there in CA? Of course here, in C.A. (Central Alabama), the call to the State for a background check from your 4473 form is generally completed before I can write the check! A 'proceed' all I've ever gotten, means you can buy anything, too. Of course, we have the best government money can buy - witness the ex-mayors, county commissioners, and even a Governor as guests of 'Club Fed'. Enjoy your new 617!

Stainz

tubeshooter said:

Congratulations - by all accounts the 617 is top-notch. I'm sure you'll love it! Sure won't wear it out...

I've been keeping an eye open for the new SP, too. I don't want to get gouged if I find one though, and I can wait if I have to. Disappointing to hear they are so hard to come by right now.


Maybe you'll end up getting it anyway down the road. That happens to me sometimes.

Click to expand...

Oh, he can wear it out easily by using uncoated aluminum rod from the front w/o crown protector. It is pretty much impossible to wear that out by shooting rounds through it alone.
You should have waited I have seen 3" or 4" stainless Ruger revolver at LGS for $500. It is less expensive and more portable revolver then what you ended up with.

funny how things work out sometimes...a fella gets fed up with searching/waiting and buys a better firearm. congrats

The S&W 617 (6" bbl - 6 shot cylinder) was my first handgun 15 years ago - the one I cut my teeth on. I still have it.

When I suddenly had to evacuate Galveston a few days before Ike it was left on the floor of my place, and wound up under water for a week. After I finally retrieved it and cleaned it up it shot like nothing had happened.

Everyone might brag about how tough Rugers might be but this one from S&W is a keeper - until I pass on to the great range in the sky!



Surprised the i4s pic came out so crappy - I'll try a better one later.

Slightly better pic

Go to HTTP://ds10speed.wordpress.com for info on the loader and baseplate. My grip was ordered from Ahrends unfinished - and I used a homebrew oil finish, which darkened the wood considerably over what their regular finish would have. The front sight has to be very short - thus the HiViz model #SW617 - ordered via Brownell's.

I'll be sixty-four this summer. My older son hates revolvers... I'll try to wear my 617 out - so he won't inherit much, ha!

Stainz