Couple targets from today's trip to the range

**JoeWilliams** · July 5th, 2009, 06:14 PM

Took my re-acquired SP101 out to the range today, sort of a "welcome home" celebration

Put a couple hundred rounds of a widely mixed assortment of ammo through her, had a ball. Tried out some new Trausch grips, and Speer 135 grain .357 Magnum Gold Dot Short Barrel ammo. I'll post separate reports on my impressions of those two items, as well as some chrono results of some handloads and factory ammo.

Seems I haven't entirely forgotten how to shoot the little gun. By the time I was done with the chronograph I was pretty well back in the groove with her. Here are a couple targets using Hornady's 158 grain XTP-HP .357 Magnum handload, though they are really loaded to more .38 Special +P velocities of about 945 fps. A very pleasant to shoot load from this gun, easily controllable, no muzzle flash, and plenty accurate. I wonder how well the XTP hollow point would expand at these velocities, and how good penetration would be. All the arguments about carrying/never carrying handloads for defensive purposes aside, if I find a cast hollowpoint bullet that I trust to expand at this velocity, I'm going to load and carry this as my defensive load, especially since it's one I practice with routinely and know exactly how it performs in my gun. It's a little hotter than most .38 Special +Ps out of my gun, but not hard to control like more heavily loaded .357s.

I am kind of curious why I'm shooting better groups double action than single action.

Anyway, here are a couple targets I shot today, and a very dirty little Ruger.

**GTI19403** · July 5th, 2009, 06:41 PM

i love the sp101 wish i never got rid of mine. what distance were u shooting from?

**JoeWilliams** · July 5th, 2009, 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by GTI19403

i love the sp101 wish i never got rid of mine. what distance were u shooting from?

15 yards.

_________

**Perkascene** · July 5th, 2009, 11:20 PM

Congrats on getting that pistol back. Looks like a good shooter.

**JoeyBones** · July 6th, 2009, 05:29 PM

"I am kind of curious why I'm shooting better groups double action than single action."

Surprise trigger break, maybe? I sometimes notice this same phenomenon when I'm shooting DA/SA pistols (decocking between shots) or wheel guns in DA mode exclusively...

I think it's because instead of my mind being able to subconsciously anticipate the trigger break, I'm focused on the front sight exclusively, and making sure it's not bouncing around through the course of the trigger pull... The result... Sometimes (and sometimes not.. lol) - I shoot somewhat better groups in DA than SA... First time I noticed it at the range, I was very confused!

Enjoy that SP... They're little tanks, huh?

Regards,

Bones