Detailed: How to do a GP100 trigger job

[Ex]

I have two GPs. 4" blued and 6" SS. Both have DIY trigger jobs. I knew I had gotten the triggers very nice but didn't know how nice until I got to shoot a tuned S&W 686 last week.
Even the 686 owner was amazed that my GP trigger was at least as nice as his!

So I have collected 4 videos that will take you all the way through the process.

All are listed below if anyone gets a hankerin' to do a GP100! I'd recommend watching all 4 before starting. Ask before starting if you have questions
These videos will show yo everything you need to know including sections where springs can disapear into the carpet in the darkest corner of your house. If you don't
have carpet, they can go clear into your neighbors carpet. Watch these vids before starting.

As always, THR and it's staff, nor I will be responsible if you make a mistake. I'm quite sure though that you will recieve whatever help you need if you get in trouble... that's the nature of The High Road!

The first two are the Ruger factory vids on trigger group removal and re-installation and apply to several models. This whole tuneup applys to a couple models.

The third one is from Yoda (Terry G, master gunsmith at Impact Guns), has less parts detail but ]lot's of knowledge on technique

The fourth shows intricate detail on taking apart and putting back together the trigger mechanism itself.

Even if you don't have one of these, watch the Yoda vid. Very good.

Factory disassembly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkyRDM7md9A

Factory re-assembly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiWkxSgi4IA

Yoda
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuqticFg9q8

Intricate detail vid
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0jFwUq_-VU

 

[Sunray]

Did mine exactly how a 1911's trigger is done. Polish all mating trigger/hammer parts, the sides on them and clip a bit off the main spring. Emery cloth is good for polishing small SS parts. For SA only. Needs another spring for the DA to be civilised. Don't use the DA much.
A Smith is a different beast inside. More parts, but not hideously so like a Colt PP.
Should still make it a sticky.

 

[pblanc]

A few comments:

If you watch the fourth video, make very sure that you also watch this video by the same youtube author:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNHWN_2R9T4

neutered10mm incorrectly identified the location of the GP100 single action hammer sear surfaces in the prior video but correctly identifies them in this one.

Although using fine wet or dry sandpaper backed up with something thin like a utility knife blade will work, I think better results can be obtained using a fine ceramic stone and clamping the hammer and trigger in a small vise when stoning the sear surfaces to insure that the correct angles are maintained. Altering the angles or taking off too much metal can render the revolver extremely unsafe. After reassembling the revolver, always test the single action sear surfaces for step off by cocking the hammer and putting firm forward pressure on it. If the sear breaks ("steps off") the gun has been rendered unsafe.

Be cautious when working on the trigger, the hammer, and the hammer dog. These are Ruger factory fitted parts. You cannot obtain replacements from Ruger or Brownells and if you mess any of these up, you are probably going to have to send the gun back to Ruger, unless you can find a replacement on ebay, or elsewhere.

This is a worthwhile reference for DIY trigger jobs for either the Ruger GP100 or the SP101:

http://www.sp101trigger.com/

The description of the SP101 parts also applies to the GP100. The SP101 trigger job guide shows the removal and installation of the old style Lett grip as opposed to the newer Hogue grip shown in the neutered10mm video.

I found significant additional benefit gained from shimming the hammer, hammer dog, trigger, and trigger plunger. Lance Shively of triggershims dot com is very responsive and a pleasure to work with, and his prices are very reasonable. If you go to Lance's site, you can find a video showing how to make a very simple tool for securing the hammer strut using a small block of wood if you want to swap out the mainspring (hammer spring) instead of having to clamp the strut in a vise.

And yes, the Ruger GP100 trigger can be made as good or better than that of a Smith 686 or Colt Python.

 

[Ccctennis]

Does anyone know of the Wiley clapp gp100 3 inch includes a trigger job from factory or Wiley clapp? I have one and the trigger is butter? Wanted to ask before breaking it down to look at it!

 

[Ex]

I "believe" the Clapp version has some refinements. Not sure exactly the degree.

Pull it down and look at it. Use your thumb or fingernail on the mating surfaces to check
for any roughness.

Ideally, mating surfaces should almost look like a mirrror.

And, it it's been awhile and you've shot it much could probably use a fresh clean anyway.

I think for the most part (machineing aside) every gun owner should know how to do a complete teardown and re-assembly on their guns anyway. You will learn a lot about it's function through a complete teardown... seeing how all the parts work together as a unit.
The vids will help all through the process and you can pause/backup at any point for clarity.

It will also give you the chance to spot anything that can be improved!

Ex

 

[Ex]

Got the GP100 on a trigger tester today. Knew it was much smoother and that the pull was greatly reduced as a result of the polish job... no springs changed.

Was very pleased to see 7.5 lbs on DA, 2.3 lbs SA. Though I much enjoy the reduced pull, the greatest improvement was the consistency though the DA. No
"stacking" feeling on the spring any more. Had it out in the desert this Wed past... SA will sneak up on you!

 

[Master Blaster]

That is incredible Ex a 7.5 DA Pull on GP 100 using the stock 12lb spring. Is it 100% reliable with CCI magnum primers as well?

Thanks

 

[Ex]

I have about 350 rounds through it since it's polishing. Primers have been Sellior and Belliot, some Wins, and 50 CCI. Only because I was testing different loads on batches.

All lit perfectly.

First ~60 of them was my first try with 4227 powder at 18.2 grn under a Zero 125 gn SJHP.
Did not like those at all. Very low in the recipe range, unburnt powder, wildly in-accurate.
Hard to hit 8.5X11 paper at 21 ft wild! And this through a 6" barrel!

I know I need to bump them up in the range and re test. But, got some 296 which I like much better.

Anyway, back to the gun. Polishing gave me 80% of that result. Took another 1 lb off by leaving the mainspring pinned/compressed all the way for a couple days before I put it back in. Had re-assembled right after polishing and done some dry fires, so I got to appreciate the immediate result. Took it back apart to remove cylinder for drag line buffing is why the spring came back out and sat compressed. Not sure what the spring weight is right now, but it's a tad less than what it was, and has worked 100%

 

[hoghunting]

I found significant additional benefit gained from shimming the hammer, hammer dog, trigger, and trigger plunger. Lance Shively of triggershims dot com is very responsive and a pleasure to work with, and his prices are very reasonable

I use the shims too and it makes a significant difference, and seeing the rub marks on the hammer in the Yoda video, that hammer would benefit with shims also.

 

[Ex]

Shims. Yep. Was watching some more tuning stuff that got into shims. i have some mild marks on the side of my hammer. Bet shims would fix that. But, it's rolling head on into summer here and as soon as it gets HOT here, there comes a 4 month period were I don't shoot as I won't go to ranges. Too many episodes where some guy is teaching his girlfriend to shoot and she's got her booger picker on the trigger with one in the pipe... giggling and waving the thing around.

I know RMs are pretty good about spotting stuff like that and taking corrective action. But I just don't feel like even taking the chance. Only go to the desert in our little "private" canyon. So the flies and gnats are already buzzin' round here. I may get one more trip out.
We'll see.
But shims are likely in the future for my GPs, at least the one I shoot. They are an in-expensive addition and not difficult to do.

 

[MrBorland]

We left this open after it was "stickied" so additional helpful info could be added. Enough time's gone by so anything that could be added likely has been, so I tidied it up, and will close it.