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Ruger just anounced a SP101 Match Champion........ I don't get it.

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Alte Schule said:
Good looking revolver that's for sure. I don't mind five shot cylinders on J frames and other snubs but a revolver that size with a 4 inch plus barrel needs at least a six or maybe a seven shot cylinder. The $860 MSRP, in my opinion, is a little high. If I was going to spend that much on another Ruger it would be a Redhawk in .44 Mag or .44 LC.
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I'm thinking that SP101 would make a great 6 shot in .327 magnum.
 
Actually it is strictly for the Canadian market and it's an easy requirement to meet. It costs Ruger next to nothing to add that .2" to the barrel.
 
chicharrones said:
I'm thinking that SP101 would make a great 6 shot in .327 magnum.
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Yes, a 327 Fed Mag version would be interesting but I might consider the 357 mag 5 shot version. The 4.2" barrel peaks my interest.

A seven or eight shot GP100 327 Fed Mag would be interesting as well.
 
460Shooter said:
http://www.ruger-firearms.com/products/sp101MatchChampion/models.html

I'm looking for a little insight here. As near as I can tell, this model includes an Altamont grip, that still looks smaller than optimal to me, an improved muzzle crown, and polished internals.

I can understand marketing an improved and more refined version of the SP101, but I see nothing here that would make me want to use this gun for competition.

Perhaps I lack an understanding of the different classes and categories of competition. Is there a small frame revolver class? I thought most revolver competitions were restricted to 6 rounds, so why you would want a 5 shooter eludes me.

What am I missing here? I have a 3" SP101 and like the gun for what it is, a smallish defensive revolver, but I have never understood the point of a longer barrel on a small revolver. If I was going to compete, I'd want the recoil mitigation that a heftier gun provides, and probably a 5 or 6" barrel for increased sight radius.

I'm really asking, not bashing a new product.
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I'm not a big guy and a full-size handgun (whether you're talking GP100 or 1911) is simply too big to fit my hands properly. An SP101 fits me perfectly. Same with my wife. While it might be rare for a guy to be a size where an SP101 fits better than a larger revolver, I doubt it's that rare with women.

I'm not saying I'm going to line up to buy this on day one, but I'm interested. Not for competition, just for range fun.
 
I am going to compare this to the 5" S&W model 60 357 vs the 3". I had one of each. The 5 inch gave over 1600 fps with loads the 3 inch gave 1300 fps with. This is about a 50% increase in muzzle energy. My 5 inch although heavier had siginificantly more felt recoil than the 3 inch because of the increases velocity. The 5 inch was much less convienient due to the excess barrel length. Traded off the 5 inch and haven't missed it, love the 3 inch.
 
460Shooter said:
I can understand marketing an improved and more refined version of the SP101, but I see nothing here that would make me want to use this gun for competition. ...
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The marketing thrust is to sell more, not sell more for use in competition. Everyone has (at least) some little, assorted bits of Elitist in them and Ruger Marketing is appealing to those ...

... y'know, the guys that would Pride Puff when announcing to friends that they are carrying an SP101 Match Champion. :)

That is my best guess ...
 
It's just packaging and merchandising. Everything has to have a cute little name to roll off one's tongue when they speak of it. Similar to "Range Officer" and "Delta Elite". If it has "Champion" in the name, it must be a champion, right? Name recognition is highly desired in a capitalistic society, as in, I ride a "Road King" and drive a "Jeep". Look at the new Craft Beer craze. Every little craft brewery has to have a catch phrase name and the names of the beers they produce hilarious. Stop at a bar and what are your going to drink? A "High Life" or "Moose Drool"?
 
Ratshooter said:
I don't care what they call it. It should make an excellent trail gun with the adjustable sights.

Maybe Ruger should have called it the "Trail Blazer Special".
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I agree that the Match Champion name is something of a misnomer, but it would be an excellent trail gun. Even better with a lighter contour barrel.

Ruger has something of a history of making a good gun and giving it a misleading name, e.g. the Gunsite Scout Rifle.
 
I do not know what, if any, match/competition class would be suited for this little revolver, but folks with small hands might well be well-served by this configuration of the SP101, for general-purpose use. Women who have handled my SP101 revolvers have often offered to buy them. A 4" barrel, and high-profile sights, are beneficial for accurate shooting, regardless of the frame size of the weapon.

My hands are big enough to absolutely love the original, pre-Hogue OEM GP100 square-but grip, but I do have an affinity for the SP101, and because of my skinny fingers, can effectively wrap my pinky around the rubber SP101 grip, making the SP101 behave more like a service/duty revolver, than a mere back-up/hide-out gun. I just might get one of these SP101 Match Champions, and, probably, swap the potentially-slippery wood grip for the original-style OEMs.
 
I've got 3 sp101's and despite being a s&w guy all my life I've come to the conclusion the little Rugers fit me better and I shoot better with them.
 
They've had a 4" Sp101 out for a while. I had one and really liked the concept. Felt like you were carrying a large knife in the woods and was very accurate.

However, their execution was horrible. Chatter marks in rifling, cylinder gap too tight and would bind etc... ended up going back to the factory for repair then was promptly sold. I don't think I'll buy a new Ruger again but if executed properly the concept is great.

HB
 
I personally think a 4" pipe is a little much for that frame.

I think I'd rather pack an almost equally svelte K frame, with a better trigger and an extra round for not much more weight.

The SP01 is an excellent gun in a slightly smaller 2-3" package I feel. I'd personally like a 3" model with that options list of the match champion. Just call it the "Carry Champion" or some other useless marketing punchline and send me one for testing!
 
gotboostvr said:
I personally think a 4" pipe is a little much for that frame.

I think I'd rather pack an almost equally svelte K frame, with a better trigger and an extra round for not much more weight.

The SP01 is an excellent gun in a slightly smaller 2-3" package I feel. I'd personally like a 3" model with that options list of the match champion. Just call it the "Carry Champion" or some other useless marketing punchline and send me one for testing!
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Agree on all points with the exception that I'd like a set of decent, non-fiber optic sights (red ramp front) and chambered in 327 magnum.
 
With that length barrel I would want a 6 shooter, which I have in 327 Fed Mag SP101. This MC model then would be a premium version to go with my 357 MC.
 
460Shooter said:
http://www.ruger-firearms.com/products/sp101MatchChampion/models.html

I'm looking for a little insight here. As near as I can tell, this model includes an Altamont grip, that still looks smaller than optimal to me, an improved muzzle crown, and polished internals.


What am I missing here?

I'm really asking, not bashing a new product.
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The 4.2-inch target barrel and adjustable sights make it legal for sale in Canada. That's the ONLY reason Ruger puts out these "oddball" guns. And now I see that previous posts noted something to the same effect.
 
The barrel length was never the question. I think we are all aware that the 4.2" barrel is for Canadian sales. What makes no sense to me is why someone would choose this gun with that barrel length when a GP100 or S&W 686+ can be had with an equivalent barrel length, holds more ammo, and will handle recoil slightly better.

If you have really small hands, ok, I get it.

The bigger question is why call it the "Match Champion"? This gun makes no sense for competition. It's a nice offering, just mislabeled.
 
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