Centerfire has a 38 Special 3" SP101

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Centerfire has a 38 Special 3" SP101

Posted: 5/26/2020 9:15:48 AM EDT

They have a bunch of police trade in 38 Special Rugers with a 3" barrel.

I never knew they made a 38 only SP101. These seems like a fun range or farm gun.

SP101

Posted: 5/26/2020 10:27:07 AM EDT

[#1]

Appear to have French Trausch grips. Interesting. Price is a bit stiff.

Posted: 5/26/2020 12:20:10 PM EDT

[#2]

A batch must have just come in. Noticed one other dealer on GB has them.

Posted: 5/26/2020 5:16:51 PM EDT

[#3]

Interesting......

Posted: 5/26/2020 11:03:12 PM EDT

[#4]

Quote History

Price is a bit stiff.

View Quote

Not really.

Posted: 5/26/2020 11:31:20 PM EDT

[#5]

I need a 3" bbl on my 9x19mm SP101.

Posted: 5/27/2020 10:46:24 AM EDT

[#6]

Depending on condition, $399 is not a bad price. I have noticed, for whatever reason, revolver prices have been increasing lately compared to semi-auto pistols.

Posted: 5/28/2020 12:38:14 PM EDT

[#7]

Picked my Ruger up yesterday. It was very clean and had very few exterior wear marks. The holster was a monster duty holster that is usable but will be pitched in my unused holster box for sure.
The trigger was pretty smooth and the single action pull was reasonably light but creepy.

I will take it out and shoot it Sat then likely tear it down, polish all the moving parts, and replace the springs.

I am not sure that the price is high, low, or just right but it is reasonable for what I received.

Edit: Oh I was told these were imported from Portugal.

Posted: 5/28/2020 2:30:23 PM EDT

[#8]

Portugal? Hmm, interesting. I was guessing French municipal police.

I'm weakening.

Posted: 5/29/2020 2:56:15 PM EDT

[#9]

Been researching these a bit. Several places seem to have them. Serial numbers put them in the year 2000 range. It appears they have French proof marks so they were at least imported via France. I can find no record of Portuguese Police using revolvers, they've had Glock 19s for a long time.

Still trying to resist. I think the three inch barrel is the perfect length for a revolver.

Posted: 5/29/2020 3:16:02 PM EDT

[#10]

Well there is always the chance I was told incorrectly or I misremembered...

Posted: 5/29/2020 3:57:34 PM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:
Well there is always the chance I was told incorrectly or I misremembered...

View Quote

Tracking down where police trade ins come from is usually a fool's errand, especially with imports. Unless they have a recognizable stamp it's usually just guess work. Entirely possible they did come from Portugal.

Posted: 5/29/2020 4:35:17 PM EDT

[#12]

I see a Diamond proof mark on the bottom left of the cylinder window.

That may be a clue to their origin.

As far as price. I agree revolvers have really taken off the past few years.

I think as the younger generations who grew up with the Glock and other fantastic plastic grow out of that phase, they are discovering how much fun and how accurate a good steel framed revolver can be.

I have been all but priced out of the revolver market and will just enjoy what I have.

The days of PD trade in revolvers for $99 are long gone. (Even before my time actually).

I bought every model 10 and 64 smith I could find for under $250 for years until the supply of them dried up.

I'm not paying $400 for a fix sighted PD trade, and definitely not $700 plus most adjustable sighted Smith's and Rugers fetch nowadays!

Posted: 5/29/2020 4:43:22 PM EDT

[#13]

Quote History

Quoted:

Not really.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Price is a bit stiff.

Not really.

I got my wife 3" SP101 for something like $285 new.

Posted: 5/29/2020 7:27:23 PM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:

I got my wife 3" SP101 for something like $285 new.

View Quote

When and where?

Posted: 5/29/2020 8:56:27 PM EDT

[#15]

Quote History

Quoted:

When and where?

View Quote

Exactly. A quick look around online shows prices averaging $550-600 for new SP101 .38 Special revolvers.

Posted: 5/30/2020 2:04:10 PM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:Price is a bit stiff.

View Quote

Agreed. A man can get a used S&W Model 10 for that, or less.

Posted: 5/30/2020 6:22:01 PM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:

Agreed. A man can get a used S&W Model 10 for that, or less.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:Price is a bit stiff.

Agreed. A man can get a used S&W Model 10 for that, or less.

Not a very nice one. I collect Tens. Decent ones have been north of 400 for a while. There’s still a few trade ins turning up from time to time but man are they rough.

Posted: 5/31/2020 12:02:59 AM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:

Agreed. A man can get a used S&W Model 10 for that, or less.

View Quote

The last K frame .38 I bought was a few months ago from AIM Surplus. Model 64 4inch for $349. That was a pretty good price, if it had been a 3inch it would have added $100. 3inch anything costs as it is considered the perfect length for a carry revolver. Long enough for a full length ejector rod and short enough to easily conceal.

Posted: 6/1/2020 11:14:13 AM EDT

[#19]

Ordered one.

Posted: 6/1/2020 11:20:34 AM EDT

[#20]

Any reason you couldn't stick a chambering reamer in it and make a .357?

Posted: 6/1/2020 11:46:37 AM EDT

[#21]

Quote History

Quoted:
Any reason you couldn't stick a chambering reamer in it and make a .357?

View Quote

In the short barrelled guns I'm not sure you would gain much. Other than more noise and recoil. My two inch SP is in 357 and I'm not sure I've ever shot a magnum out of it.

Posted: 6/2/2020 9:32:51 AM EDT

[#22]

Quote History

Quoted:
Any reason you couldn't stick a chambering reamer in it and make a .357?

View Quote

Had that same thought myself. Just for giggles I did drop a 357 in it. It stopped short so a chamber reamer would be required. When holding a 357 up to the length of the cylinder, it looked like a Hornady Critical Duty would just barely be completely contained in the cylinder.

Oh I also shot it saturday. Fired 50 of my 158 RN reloads, 10 of my 148 WC reloads, and 5 Federal +P I had laying around. It was nothing to write home about. Everything went boom. Every round was a little high and somewhat right.

I had no issue firing the entire cylinder in a 8" circle at 10 yards in under 2 seconds . It does what it was made to do... self defense. It would not be a great Bullseye gun.

Posted: 6/4/2020 5:23:47 AM EDT

[#23]

Quote History

Quoted:

In the short barrelled guns I'm not sure you would gain much. Other than more noise and recoil. My two inch SP is in 357 and I'm not sure I've ever shot a magnum out of it.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Any reason you couldn't stick a chambering reamer in it and make a .357?

In the short barrelled guns I'm not sure you would gain much. Other than more noise and recoil. My two inch SP is in 357 and I'm not sure I've ever shot a magnum out of it.

You still get a pretty big boost in velocity over .38s.

Posted: 6/6/2020 3:34:45 PM EDT

[#24]

3 inch is right for a 38 Special.

If you need more power, the 38 Special loads from Buffalo Bore would be what you want. No need to rechamber to 357 Magnum.

Posted: 6/16/2020 7:55:03 PM EDT

[#25]

Picked mine up today. Metal is very good to excellent. Import stamp fairly discrete. Holster in excellent condition. Grips have some wear but not bad.

Posted: 6/17/2020 8:35:31 AM EDT

[#26]

Glad yours sounds as clean as mine.

Posted: 6/17/2020 2:17:27 PM EDT

[#27]

Mine definitely has French proof marks. Three to be exact. Trausch grips are (or were) obviously French and the holster is as well. I've found photographic evidence of the French National Railway Police carrying this exact rig. I can find anecdotal evidence that the Police Nationale have used them or perhaps still are.

Mine is a 2006 edition, the year the French Railway Police were begun.