Why No New SP101 3" inch .327 Federal?

[Plan2Live]

We all know Ruger used to offer the SP101 with a 3 inch barrel chambered in .327 Federal. We also know that Ruger discontinued this model. We further know that when these discontinued revolvers come up for sale on GunBroker they are fetching north of $800. A search of Ruger's website confirms Ruger is offering the SP101 with a 3 inch barrel but not chambered in .327 Federal. Further scrutiny of that website confirms Ruger offers the SP101 chambered in .327 Federal but only with a 4 inch barrel. So we know they are making cylinders for the SP101 chambered in .327 Federal and we know they are making barrels that accommodate .327 Federal. So given the apparently popularity of the 3 inch model on the used market, why won't Ruger re-release the SP101, chambered in .327 Federal, with a 3 inch barrel? What am I missing?

 

[Kleanbore]

We all know Ruger used to offer the SP101 with a 3 inch barrel chambered in .327 Federal. We also know that Ruger discontinued this model. We further know that when these discontinued revolvers come up for sale on GunBroker they are fetching north of $800. A search of Ruger's website confirms Ruger is offering the SP101 with a 3 inch barrel but not chambered in .327 Federal. Further scrutiny of that website confirms Ruger offers the SP101 chambered in .327 Federal but only with a 4 inch barrel. So we know they are making cylinders for the SP101 chambered in .327 Federal and we know they are making barrels that accommodate .327 Federal. So given the apparently popularity of the 3 inch model on the used market, why won't Ruger re-release the SP101, chambered in .327 Federal, with a 3 inch barrel? What am I missing?

Info regarding projected marginal cost, marginal revenue, and turnover.

 

[Plan2Live]

Kleanbore - I know that's the official answer but; 1) I find it hard to believe that the marksman/hunter market for the 4 inch would produce more buyers than the self defense market for the 3 inch. and 2) how much extra cost are we talking about considering they are already making all of the other components and would just need to make a batch of shorter barrels?

 

[bannockburn]

Plan2Live

Why not go straight to the horse's mouth, so to speak? On Ruger's website there's a heading called "Tell the CEO" where you can write to Chris Killoy (the new CEO), with your SP101 question. Who knows, you might even hear back from him about it!

 

[SteadyD]

It wouldn't surprise me to see them do another run at some point. I certainly wouldn't mind seeing another 7 shot GP100 in 327 either.

 

[RPZ]

A lot of folk like 3" defensive revolvers, and I would be surprised if they were not selling well. Three inch anything are tough to find and seem to demand a small premium over 2" and 4" revolvers.

 

[Kleanbore]

I know that's the official answer but

Nothing "official" about it. That's the way the world works.

 

[C0untZer0]

Before rolling out a new product a company usually analyzes their product portfolio, most companies periodically analyze their product portfolio anyway... but one of the constraints is product line cannibalization -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannibalization_(marketing)

If their analysis shows that introducing a 3" SP101 in 327 Federal Magnum would result in lower sales for their 4" SP101 and lower sales for the .327 LCR and the net effect is lower profits overall... they wouldn't create a 3" SP101 in 327 Federal Magnum - even though the 3" models are fetching $800.00 and appear to be a no-brainer for profitability.

Besides just lower overall profits, cannibalization also presents risk to other product lines - for instance if sales for the .327 of the other lines fell below the minimum ROI or return on sales / operating profit margin, then Ruger would be looking at incurring costs of shutting down a line that was previously profitable.

 

[khari]

It wouldn't surprise me to see them do another run at some point. I certainly wouldn't mind seeing another 7 shot GP100 in 327 either.

Agreed. I kinda expect to see a 3" LCRX in .327 FM before we see a 3" SP101 though.

 

[cfullgraf]

32 caliber revolvers seem to have a strange relationship between the manufacturers and the buying public these days.

When a 32 caliber revolver is in production, few folks buy them so the manufacturers discontinue them.

Then the used price goes through the roof.

Ever priced an S&W Model 16, particularly a -1, -2, or -3?

 

[Panzerschwein]

The round never caught on en masse.

 

[Plan2Live]

The round never caught on en masse.

Which is why Ruger introduced the .327 Federal in a four inch variant and added that caliber to the LCR line and exactly why Henry has released a lever action rifle chambered in that round.

 

[Alte Schule]

Agreed. I kinda expect to see a 3" LCRX in .327 FM before we see a 3" SP101 though.

One can only hope for a "3 inch LCRx in .327. Have the LCR in that caliber and they appear to be a popular item as they are usually sold out or sell out fairly quickly. Also have a "3 LCRx in .38 Special +P and it's one of my go to EDC's. 20 oz's when loaded.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I would really like a 3" in 327, though I don't really know that it will offer me anything over my 3" 357 mag.

I agree though that the product makes a lot of sense. I'm guessing they are gauging the market for the kit gun crowd to see if the cartridge picks up in popularity before producing a 2" or 3" SP101. They also probably have done their research and if the LCR is outselling the SP101 as a CC gun, which I'm guessing it is, they probably think it makes more sense to stick with the LCR platform.

 

[fastbolt]

Hard to fault Ruger for thinking that a lightweight, short barreled LCR and a heavier 4" barreled SP101 "field revolver" will probably cover more of their bases than looking to appeal to the smaller group of potential buyers who want a medium-barreled but heavy revolver in that caliber. More bang for their manufacturing buck and effort.

The .327 is still a niche caliber, albeit a popular one among aficionados of .32's.

If sales of their existing model options don't lag, I'd not be surprised to see Ruger make a sprint run of 3" LCR's and/or SP101's, just to throw a bone to the small subset group of enthusiasts for that caliber who like the "mid size" barrels. Maybe one of the major distributors might think to work with Ruger to test the waters, too.

 

[SwampWolf]

One can only hope for a "3 inch LCRx in .327.

I'd prefer a "regular" (concealed hammer) LCR revolver with a 3" barrel, chambered in .327 Magnum.

 

[SwampWolf]

I would really like a 3" in 327, though I don't really know that it will offer me anything over my 3" 357 mag.

It does offer 20% more ammunition with the sixth round in the same size and weight revolver.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

It does offer 20% more ammunition with the sixth round in the same size and weight revolver.

If I was in the market for my first small frame revolver as a CC gun, that would interest me, and yes, it is an advantage. However, I just don't think one extra round is enough for me to worry about. I don't really carry my SP101 concealed any more, I just carry it on light hikes. If I want more ammo, I bring one of my other guns.

Plus, I'm an advocate for heavy bullets that penetrate deeply. If you are looking for a CC gun in an urban environment, I think the 327 in a small gun really shines. For thick hides, fur, dense muscle, and bone, I want a 158 grain bullet or heavier.

 

[paulsj]

Info regarding projected marginal cost, marginal revenue, and turnover.

Frankly I am surprised they still make the 101 when people are willing to pay > $500 for the ones with some plastic parts.

 

[Kendal Black]

A lot of folk like 3" defensive revolvers, and I would be surprised if they were not selling well. Three inch anything are tough to find and seem to demand a small premium over 2" and 4" revolvers.

I've often wondered about that. I like 3" revolvers, and so did the last-century FBI. 3" seems like a perfect compromise between snubnose and belt-sized revolver. Yet I see far more 2" and 4" revolvers. Presumably, that is what marketplace demand dictated. This may be a case where everybody's out of step but me.

 

[fastbolt]

Well, aside from offering that slight added barrel length of 1/2" or 1/4" over the common medium-frame snubs (2 1/2" S&W & Colt, and then the oft overlooked Ruger Speed-Six at 2 3/4"), the 3" barrels offered a longer extraction stroke, too.

Sometimes that little bit of added barrel in the 3" models could be felt in the heft and lively balance of a wheelie, too.

 

[Madcap_Magician]

Kleanbore - I know that's the official answer but; 1) I find it hard to believe that the marksman/hunter market for the 4 inch would produce more buyers than the self defense market for the 3 inch. and 2) how much extra cost are we talking about considering they are already making all of the other components and would just need to make a batch of shorter barrels?

Probably because the 4.2" variant is still an experiment, and they ran the 3" experiment long enough to determine it wasn't worth it.

Which is a shame because I'd very much like a 3" SP101 in .327 Federal with fixed sights just like the .357 Magnum 3" one.

 

[WhoPutTheirSturmInMyRuger]

Not to resurrect a zombie thread, but this one isn't THAT old...lol. However, this thread provides an interesting perspective since about 4 months after the last post, Ruger DID announce the come back of the 3" SP101! They made a few slight changes, opting for much nicer looking wooden grip inserts (instead of those fugly black plastic inserts) and a fixed notch rear sight, as opposed to the adjustable sight on the first production model.

I think the choice of rear sight is an indicator that it's aimed towards the carry market and it fills the nitch between the very small 327 LCR or LCRx and the trail/kit gun market for the 4" model with adjustable sights.

I personally think that magnum loads such as the 327 and 357 are wasted in a 2" barrel...just not quite enough tube to let most of the powder burn and get the projectile up to a decent velocity. 3" barrels seem to hit that sweet spot where there's enough velocity to justify a magnum load. I hope this one stays on the market for awhile.

The fact that Ruger just announced that they are also going to produce the LCRx in 327 shows that they are committed to the cartridge and see sales potential. Maybe the 327 was just slow to catch on. Ruger brought the first ones out and then Taurus and Charter followed suit, but then everyone just suddenly dropped the 327 models, only Ruger keeping at least one in the line.

With Henry now producing a 327 lever gun and 2 new Ruger wheelguns, maybe this second round will vault the cartridge into the public consciousness. A few full page ads touting the advantages of the 327 round over the 357 in small frame revolvers for carry and self-defense (extra round, lower recoil, slightly better penetration) would go a long way just to make folks aware of the round. It could be "the wheelgun cartridge for the 21st century", or something. I also always thought it would be interesting to see the ammo manufacturers selling the merits of the cartridge as opposed to the guns selling the round. Anyway, I'm crossing my fingers that the "new wave" of 327 offerings will breathe some new life into one of my favorite calibers.

 

[lincen]

I shot my new 327 three inch barrel SP101 over the weekend. Glad they brought them back to the market. Great shooting handgun.

Ruger has three or four fairly new offerings in the 327,

the LCRx 2" barrel,
SP101 3" barrel,
Single Seven Birdshead with 3.75" barrel,
and just saw the other day a Single Seven Bisley (blued) with a 5.5" barrel.

They also recently re-released a Single Six Bisley with a 6.5" barrel chambered in 32 H&R magnum.

It sure seems that Ruger does respond to consumer demands more than most other gun manufacturers .

 

[Hasaf]

I know my daughter has been trying to put the bug in my ear that she needs a .327 (Hey! I might get my Makarov back). She liked the S&W airweight form; but she is interested in the .327 for its qualities. The LCRx might be something to look at.

I am glad to see more offerings in the 32 Mag and .327. I think it is just a matter time before one comes home with me.