ruger tune-up ?

[454c]

I'm going to give my sp 101 a little workover and I've got a few questions before I start.It's a 357 hammerless if that makes any difference.

1)With the cylinder open and the gun pointed up,the cylinder drags on the frame when you turn it.Any harm in knocking down the frame edge where the cylinder is dragging?

2)Has anyone had a FTF with a 12# hammerspring?

3)When smoothing up the parts inside,is there any spots to stay away from or to pay extra attention ?

I like this little ruger,but my S&W model 27 spoiled me with it's action.

 

[Jim March]

1) As long as you're just blunting an edge a bit with a fine file or knife sharpening stone, go for it. Just don't take lots of metal off and I would avoid Dremels at all cost.

2) Not sure. This will vary between guns.

3) The "do not touch without REALLY knowing what you're doing" area is the sear engagement surfaces on hammer and trigger. Screw that up and the gun is way unsafe.

The safest areas to fine-polish are the sides of the hammer/trigger and the frame surfaces those rub against...SO LONG as you polish versus seriously changing tolerances. Adding about .001" or so of "horizontal slop" won't hurt but more will. This is why "jeweling" the hammer and trigger is such a classically popular mod: it "slicks things up" but in my opinion a mirror-finish is maybe less pretty but even slicker.

Such a slicker (polished, low-friction) action requires less mainspring pressure to set off primers than a stock gun.

 

[JohnKSa]

The cylinder is SUPPOSED to drag on the frame when it is swung out and the muzzle is up. You won't be able to remove enough metal to stop this from happening, nor should you try. Unlike the GP100, the SP101 cylinder is not retained on the crane. With the muzzle up, it's going to drift back until something (the frame) stops it. As long as it doesn't drag with the muzzle down, I would leave it alone.

Most of the slicking up that is needed for these triggers is down in the trigger group, not so much with the hammer/sear engagement. When you get the gun apart, you will note that a lot of the grittiness is still there even when the trigger can't touch the hammer.

One of the biggest improvements you can make, particularly if your gun has been shot a lot is to thoroughly clean the cylinder and the crane extension & bushing that it pivots on.

Be careful polishing the upper surface on the trigger that engages the double-action "arm" on the hammer. If you get it too slick, the arm will slide off before the hammer is back far enough. Also be careful with the trigger--the rear extension can be razor sharp.

 

[RON in PA]

Is this a new gun? If it is leave it alone except to dry fire the snot out of it.

What JohnKSasaid.

 

[Erich]

I love it when I click on a short thread and find that others have already offered all the sage advice I would have. Good crew hereabouts!

 

[Brad Johnson]

ruger tune-up ?

I'm going to give my sp 101 a little workover and I've got a few questions before I start.It's a 357 hammerless if that makes any difference.

1)With the cylinder open and the gun pointed up,the cylinder drags on the frame when you turn it.Any harm in knocking down the frame edge where the cylinder is dragging?

2)Has anyone had a FTF with a 12# hammerspring?

3)When smoothing up the parts inside,is there any spots to stay away from or to pay extra attention ?

I like this little ruger,but my S&W model 27 spoiled me with it's action.

1. As posted above, the cylinder is supposed to drag. There is a small flare in the frame that retains the cylinder when it's open. Removal of the flare will result in the cylinder falling off.

2. No. I have a 10# mainspring in my 101 with zero failures to date. I tried a 9#, but would get an occasional light strike.

3. The sear mating surfaces. The factory surface is pretty good and only needs the lightest of polishes to make it almost perfect.

Before going to a ton of trouble polishing up the innards of your 101, try a Wolff spring kit first. It's only $12 and will do wonders to the feel of your 101.

You will quickly find that most of the "weight" on the trigger is not the mainspring, it's the trigger return spring. Putting in the reduced power return spring will lighten the trigger pull considerably. You will need to lightly polish the camming surface of the cylinder catch (inside the frame, not the exterior tip) or you may have problems with an inconsistant trigger reset.

Brad

 

[454c]

I bought it new and have put about 150 rounds through it and countless dry fire episodes.I'm glad I asked about the cylinder dragging.I thought it was bad machinework .Am I correct in thinking that once I pull the crane out of the frame,the cylinder will slide off for an easy clean and lube?

Are the Wilson Combat springs as good as Wolff?The reason I ask is they are just a little ways down the road from me.

Thanks for the help!

 

[TonyB]

When taking mine apart to clean,the cylinder came right off......I cleaned and lubed it....it made a ton of difference...the cylinder spins free and easy...as for trigger work,I had mine done by a gun smith for about $30....my DA is about 9lbs and SA is about 2.5lbs
I love these little guns.....