Forcing Cone Wear and other anomolies GP100

[JB111]

Was browsing gun pictures today and found a thread on another forum about forcing cone wear on the owners newish GP100 that did not have a ton of rounds put through it. So being the paranoid person I am, got my GP100 out and took a look at it. Then I took some pictures. Then I got out a few other revolvers, some new some not so new and looked at those. My GP100 does have a different look, even compared to my other Rugers. A lot of what appears to be cut marks, maybe some tool chatter, a little wear? Any opinions? Or am I just being paranoid.

 

[ontarget]

Looks like tool marks to me.
Does it shoot well?
If it ain't broke don't worry about it.

 

[J-Bar]

My compliments on your photos.

I second Ontarget's opinion.

 

[JB111]

It shoots pretty good. Admittedly some of my other revolvers seem more accurate (from milk jug sized targets at 25 yards with this vs down to a soda can with my 686) but that could be chalked up to a rear sight that walks to the left slightly and I just get tired of adjusting it. Maybe I will readjust the sights and run some decent target ammo through it and see if it is just me although I am satisfied with hitting milk jugs at 25 yards with it as this is my night stand gun and if I did ever have to use it to save myself the distance would be no greater than 5 yards.

 

[5-SHOTS]

Fantastic pics.
No forcing cone wear , just tool marks.

I had some forcing cone erosion on my ex Ruger SP101 DAO after shooting a box of Fiocchi Black Mamba 110gr. FMJ-TC, very hot, very fast load. So, I'd avoid light and fast loads.

 

[Pat Riot]

Those marks look just like my GP100’s. I just figured that was the way Ruger made ‘em.

 

[Tallball]

They didn't bother to go back and polish the metal.

 

[chicharrones]

Your GP100 looks like it has a long way to go before you need to worry about it, @JB111 .

Here's a pic of my GP100 I bought new in the early '90s. Too many full power 125 grain JHPs down the tube before I knew it was bad for the gun in the long term.

View attachment 1148552

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I do suggest cleaning the carbon and rust off. Other than that your good to go.

 

[dannyd]

Please don't talk badly of the family. Well over 100,000 rounds an basically no problems.

 

[243winxb]

forcing cone wear

The forcing cone diameter is larger then the bullet diameter. I dont see a problem. I dont see any wear worth worrying about.

Chicharrones shows some honest wear, but nothing near becoming a problem. When the interpart is gone, the barrelt can be set back & forcing cone recut, or a new barrel can be installed.

 

[JB111]

I do suggest cleaning the carbon and rust off. Other than that your good to go.

What rust are you referring to? There is a little carbon on it but no rust. I think you are seeing the incandescent light reflecting off of it.

Your GP100 looks like it has a long way to go before you need to worry about it, @JB111 .

Here's a pic of my GP100 I bought new in the early '90s. Too many full power 125 grain JHPs down the tube before I knew it was bad for the gun in the long term.

View attachment 1148552

Thanks for the reply and the picture for reference. I've never really been into shooting 125gr out of any of my 357s. I've always stuck to standard loaded 158gr factory ammo. Sometimes I run some underwood through them, but that's a rarity for me.

Please don't talk badly of the family. Well over 100,000 rounds an basically no problems.

View attachment 1148554

That's a nice collection you have there. I like Ruger revolvers, I have several of them. This one is just the roughest looking one out of my bunch. I'm going to readjust the sights on it in just awhile and see if the accuracy improves.

 

[Kookla]

The forcing cone diameter is larger then the bullet diameter. I dont see a problem. I dont see any wear worth worrying about.

Chicharrones shows some honest wear, but nothing near becoming a problem. When the interpart is gone, the barrelt can be set back & forcing cone recut, or a new barrel can be installed. View attachment 1148566

Is that a trick of the light? Looks like a small crack at about 10 o'clock (little bit past the red drawn line)

 

[UncleEd]

Uh oh!

Recently watched Katherine Bigelow's
cop movie "Blue Steel" with Jamie Lee Curtis, made in
1989. In the title sequence Jamie's S&W Model 10 gets
an extreme closeup look. Oh gosh, the guy at Smith
left the same forcing cone rings that he executed on
Chicharrones' Ruger GP100 forcing cone (Posting #8)!!!!!

 

[JB111]

Is that a trick of the light? Looks like a small crack at about 10 o'clock (little bit past the red drawn line)

Just a trick of the light as I have spent the last 30 minutes examining it. Went outside to take some new pictures with better lighting to see if the effect could be recreated. No crack that I can see. I even used a toothpick feeling around to see if I could perceive anything unusual to no avail. Also, a little earlier, I shot a few cylinders worth of fiocchi 158gr fmj and played with the sights a little. I am satisfied with it. Here are the new pictures of the forcing cone.

 

[JB111]

Here are a couple of pictures from shooting. Pay no heed to my ghetto washing machine lid target. It still hits a little left of point of aim but I am good with this. These were done at 50 feet. Not as tight as my 686 but as I said before, this gun stays at arms reach inside my house. Other than target shooting, it will never be used at distances over 20 feet or so.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Dumped appliances make great targets. Nice shooting too.

 

[Mike in Western Oregon]

JB111,
My Ruger GP100s all have similar “starts” to the barrel near the forcing cone entrance as yours. There is a few mm before the rifling starts in earnest. Mine all shoot better that I do, so I’d just use yours in good health.

 

[dannyd]

GP100's work there is no doubt about that. 100 rounds 25 yards double action weak hand, but using both hands.

With a Red Dot love the Red Dot; always glad I didn't Old Due the kid that showed me what one could do.

 

[JCooperfan1911]

Just get a Glock 20 and stop worrying about these wheelgun issues.

 

[Mike in Western Oregon]

Just get a Glock 20 and stop worrying about these wheelgun issues.

 

[Onty]

JB111 , pictures are just awesome!

As for forcing cone, looks to me that tool made chattering marks. I would ask a good gunsmith for opinion, but just a touch with a good tool should clean those marks.

Regarding eventual wear of the barrel face, looks normal to me. Years back a gentleman was shooting from FA 353 loads that some describe as 357 Nuclear. Anyhow, after a while he noticed clear signs of erosion on barrel aft face. Than he quit using double base powder, switched to a single base IMR 4227, and despite continuous usage of just top loads, no further erosion occurred.

 

[UncleEd]

Just get a Glock 20 and stop worrying about these wheelgun issues.

Prayers sent but doubtful any number will be enough
to save you from Perdition.

 

[dannyd]

Prayers sent but doubtful any number will be enough
to save you from Perdition.

I have fun with the Black Gun guy's because whatever takes them 16 rounds to do only takes me 6 rounds.

 

[JB111]

Just get a Glock 20 and stop worrying about these wheelgun issues.

Ahh, but I already have one of those, and a Glock 40 mos.