Ruger KGP100 22LR report and question

[berettaprofessor]

Test fired my new Ruger KGP100 22lr today. I had debated the purchase for awhile and read all the threads on the weak firing pin strikes, weight, triggers, etc, but I took the plunge because I got a deal I couldn't refuse. I shot 50 rounds of CCI Quiet out of the thing. Why CCI Quiet? Because I bought a brick when 22LR was scarce and then realized I can only fire it in revolvers or single-action "semi-autos", so I'm trying to use it up every time I fire a 22 revolver.

The good: Fit and quality looked great. I was very pleased with the trigger; single-action has a clean break at a decent pull, double action was not too long and broke pretty nicely. The 5.5" barrel was very accurate; I fired 5, 5 round groups at 7 and 10 yards offhand purely to assess accuracy and 2 of the 5 groups (2 of the 3 at 7 yards) grouped within one inch, which is all I can ask offhand. I loved the 10 round "star" and how easy and fast the gun loads. I had no real issues with the rumored weak firing strikes or small pin footprint; had one FTF out of 50 rounds and that one fired on the second pull of the trigger (without rotating the rim of the round). I chalked that single FTF up to a typical rimfire misfire.

Two bads: First, the green fiberoptic front sight is as large as the 1" target dot at 10 yards...completely covers the dot, so it makes aiming a bit difficult. Second, a total of 5 times, or about once a cylinder on average, the gun would lock up; couldn't pull the trigger back into single action or pull it in double-action without jiggling the cylinder a tiny bit...at least I think that's what helped. That's a timing issue, right? It is definitely not at the same round each time on the cylinder, I checked. I also couldn't repeat it later while dryfiring on those small yellow wall anchors. Will it smooth out after some wear?

 

[beag_nut]

I won't comment about the 'timing" question, but I was taught to place the target above the front sight, not behind it. That's how it's been for more than 60 years, and I still believe that's the correct target picture, and it's worked on every firearm I've had in my history (except for the reticle of a scope).

 

[C0untZer0]

I originally purchased 22 Quite because my daughter didn't have enough ammo to do an Appleseed Shoot, but we discovered it wouldn't cycle her Marlin 795. So when we go to the range with her S&W Model 63 we use the 22 Quiet.

 

[MikeJackmin]

It might be a timing issue, or just a bit of debris working its way into the wrong place.

GP100s are easy to take apart. Break it down following the instructions in the manual, and hose it out with your favorite aerosol gun juice (I like RemOil). That might fix it for you.

 

[herkyguy]

Thanks for sharing, I've been eyeing them for a while. was the lockup issue towards the end of the session? Was it just getting dirty?

Also, was the quiet ammo really that quiet? I've read mixed reviews of it.

 

[berettaprofessor]

The "quiet" is not that quiet....not quiet enough that I'd want to shoot it without ear protection, certainly. And it won't cycle semi-auto pistols as near as I can tell.

It really seemed to be random and happened almost with each cylinder....3rd shot, 6th shot, 4th shot, etc. Had little or nothing to do with getting dirty because I had the first one before the first cylinder was done.

 

[berettaprofessor]

Herky, I'm pretty sure the new Gun's and Ammo reviews the new 617 and says it is a 6 shot capacity. I'll check tonight. The S&W website says it is a 10 shot.

 

[berettaprofessor]

The new G&A reviews the new S&W 17 Masterpiece, and yes, it's listed as a 6 shot. Who would make that big a gun in 22LR and make it a 6 shot in this day and age?

I guess that was a rhetorical question....S&W obviously.

 

[BLB68]

Wikipedia says it was designed in 1947. It's part of their classics line up. So, not quite this day and age.

 

[IWAC]

I ran some .22 Quiet through my 10-22 last week, just to see. Fed and cycled perfectly! YMMV It even ran well with CCI .22 Short!

 

[roaddog28]

Test fired my new Ruger KGP100 22lr today. I had debated the purchase for awhile and read all the threads on the weak firing pin strikes, weight, triggers, etc, but I took the plunge because I got a deal I couldn't refuse. I shot 50 rounds of CCI Quiet out of the thing. Why CCI Quiet? Because I bought a brick when 22LR was scarce and then realized I can only fire it in revolvers or single-action "semi-autos", so I'm trying to use it up every time I fire a 22 revolver.

The good: Fit and quality looked great. I was very pleased with the trigger; single-action has a clean break at a decent pull, double action was not too long and broke pretty nicely. The 5.5" barrel was very accurate; I fired 5, 5 round groups at 7 and 10 yards offhand purely to assess accuracy and 2 of the 5 groups (2 of the 3 at 7 yards) grouped within one inch, which is all I can ask offhand. I loved the 10 round "star" and how easy and fast the gun loads. I had no real issues with the rumored weak firing strikes or small pin footprint; had one FTF out of 50 rounds and that one fired on the second pull of the trigger (without rotating the rim of the round). I chalked that single FTF up to a typical rimfire misfire.

Two bads: First, the green fiberoptic front sight is as large as the 1" target dot at 10 yards...completely covers the dot, so it makes aiming a bit difficult. Second, a total of 5 times, or about once a cylinder on average, the gun would lock up; couldn't pull the trigger back into single action or pull it in double-action without jiggling the cylinder a tiny bit...at least I think that's what helped. That's a timing issue, right? It is definitely not at the same round each time on the cylinder, I checked. I also couldn't repeat it later while dryfiring on those small yellow wall anchors. Will it smooth out after some wear?
berettaprofessor is online now

Berettaprofessor: I had the same problem with a GP100 4 inch 357. About every fifth round the revolver would lock up and not fire in single or double action. It was not all the time but it was enough that I did not trust the revolver for home defense. Since you bought your GP100 new, I would call Ruger. Mostly likely they will tell you to ship the revolver back. This issue has happened to Ruger revolvers. I have own many Rugers and S&W revolvers and never had the issue with S&W.
Just some advice.

 

[CraigC]

The "quiet" is not that quiet....not quiet enough that I'd want to shoot it without ear protection, certainly. And it won't cycle semi-auto pistols as near as I can tell.

Nothing is going to be quiet out of a pistol but the CCI Quiet is very low noise out of a rifle. Comparable to a CB. I wouldn't expect it to cycle a semi-auto.

Who would make that big a gun in 22LR and make it a 6 shot in this day and age?

While I'll take all the capacity I can get, I'm not about to run out and trade my six-shot K-22's for new ten-shot 617's. I wish they'd leave them unfluted because IMHO, ten or twelve flutes looks goofy.

 

[Master Blaster]

OAs for the misfires, first hammer blow is seating the round. The second fires it. Could be because the charge holes are a bit undersized or the .22 ammo is a bit out of spec. Plated ammo may be more reliable than the wax coated cci.

 

[JohnFLand]

I won't comment about the 'timing" question, but I was taught to place the target above the front sight, not behind it. That's how it's been for more than 60 years, and I still believe that's the correct target picture, and it's worked on every firearm I've had in my history (except for the reticle of a scope).

A number of handguns, SIG Sauer's in particular, are intentionally set up at the factory with a "combat" sight picture that requires placing the front sight dot on top of the point of aim, rather than underneath for a "pumpkin on a post" sight picture.

 

[berettaprofessor]

Roaddog, I'm considering sending it in. First, though, I'll probably try some other ammo this weekend as well, give it a little more workout to see if it abates or I can link it to a specific chamber.

Do any of you mark chambers so you can count them and how do I do it?

 

[roaddog28]

Do any of you mark chambers so you can count them and how do I do it?

I would do it since you are having issues. While I did not mark my cylinders when I had the problem you might use a black marker and start marking them by first one dot then two dots on the next cylinder and so on. It might help isolate the area of the lockup. Anybody else have any idea?
Good luck

 

[CajunBass]

Before I worried about sending it back I'd give a GOOD flush with Gunscrubber or something similar. You don't really even have to disassemble the gun (although that would be best I suppose), just take the grips off and spray it in any hole you can find. Then oil as normal.

I do that with every gun I buy. Even with a new gun you never know what kind of "stuff" got inside during manufacture that might be floating around just waiting to play gremlin. Even the old packing/shipping grease can do it. Make sure you clean each chamber. A little crub can go a long way.

Also when you load a rimfire, give each cartridge a push to make sure it fully seated. That can cause a hangup too.

 

[berettaprofessor]

Marked cylinders, used CCI Standard, and had another go. The "lock-up" only happened 3 times in a hundred rounds, not on the same cylinder, and only when I was using my left thumb to cock into single action (I'm a lefty). Didn't happen at all in double action shooting or when I used my off hand to cock. I will say this cylinder has the tightest tolerances/fit I've ever seen in my brief experience with revolvers.

I had found the thread below, which suggests (post #11) it's a common problem with S&W revolvers after cocking with the left thumb, so I'm maybe not as worried it's a specific defect. This gun still had no FTFs in those hundred rounds, the most common issue I've read about with the new Rugers.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/lounge/183678-what-real-test-revolver-timing.html

 

[Master Blaster]

It's a new revolver. The lockwork in a ruger is different from a S&W. If its not an ammo issue I would call Ruger and get it fixed under warranty.