Hammer Shim kits UPDATE COMPLETED!!!! Final Report 4-1-2015

Keep us posted. I haven't done the spring thing yet. I'm kinda on the reliability side with you.

OldePhart said:

LOL. I probably have a set of feeler gages sitting around somewhere but I'd have to go through a half-dozen toolboxes to find them...and then they'd probably be rusted shut as I haven't used them in years.

I've had the SP-101 apart enough times now that I'm getting pretty good at it...takes me about three or four minutes to strip down to having the trigger assembly in parts and about twice that to get it all put back together and ready to shoot...and I've only had the pawl spring launch into orbit once (first time...learned my lesson after that).

The springs and shims arrived today so hopefully tomorrow evening I'll have time to find the right shims and the first trial on the springs. Going for an 8lb trigger spring and 12lb hammer spring. If that resets and fires reliably I won't go any lighter since it is a carry gun. If it isn't absolutely reliable I'll go back to stock on the springs as needed.

Click to expand...

ginzo said:

Keep us posted. I haven't done the spring thing yet. I'm kinda on the reliability side with you.

Click to expand...

SP-101 - new and current manufacture ("born on" Mar 5, 2015), direct from Ruger factory (via FFL to me). I had already slicked up the action quite a bit with stone and felt wheel with Flitz.

Put in some of the shims and tried the 8lb trigger return spring.

Did not need (as in no space to fit even the thinnest) shims on the trigger. It doesn't seem to bind but it's really close to the trigger chassis on both sides...I'd actually feel better with some slop and shims as that reduces the potential contact area significantly. In fact, if I had a thin enough stone I'd make a little slop as the inside of the chassis is a bit rough.

I've got the shims though and if it ever wears in to the point it needs them (or if I find a thin enough hard stone) I'll have them.

The hammer was another story. Put .003 shims in and it could maybe go .005 but I don't think it will make much difference so I'm content for now.
I also found a tiny but really sharp bur on the outside flat part of the pawl - I don't know how I missed it previously. Anyway, I stoned that down and the pull seems even smoother now. I also very lightly stoned the business part of the transfer bar as I noticed it was quite rough and had distinct drag marks after a couple hundred dry firings and thirty rounds or so at the range.

I had to put the stock trigger return spring back in, though. Even with all the slicking I've done the 8lb spring simply wouldn't return the trigger reliably. (Before the action work the stock 10lb spring wouldn't return the trigger reliably...at least that one works now.) I even chucked a bore mop of the right diameter into a Dremel and Flitzed the inside of the trigger return spring channel - the plunger moves more smoothly now but still no go on the reset with the light spring.

I haven't tried the reduced hammer springs; coming off two pounds on a hammer spring is only going to make about a pound difference in the trigger pull and I decided I'd rather have the reliability that comes with hitting a primer with lots of authority...especially since the primer strikes are not dead center. The strikes are deep, and not far off center, and they're very consistent, and I'm sure they're "in tolerance", but I'm not going to weaken the hammer's clout when they aren't dead center - not on a defensive weapon.

The action is tolerable now (the DA pull frankly wasn't tolerable OoB and it started failing to reset after dry firing a hundred times or so). It's not as sweet as my Model 19 but I set that up for gun games and would never use such light springs, etc., in a carry gun.

The SA pull has always been good, though (of course the reset problems affected SA as well as DA). Single action is a touch heavy for a target gun but not for a carry, and very crisp and if there is any over travel it's not enough that I have noticed it.

At this point the gun is probably capable of better groups than I am, so I'm happy enough with it.

John

Range coming up Sunday (I hope). Report to follow! Gonna bring both.

I made it to the range today (this past Sunday) and shot both pistols. Various ranges from 7 to 15 yards.

I used .357, 158g JHP in the security six, and .38sp, 130g FMJ in both the security and speed sixes. Here are the results. I would say the shims are a "HIT". As is the polishing the internals. This is an 8" paper plate.

The guns are more accurate than I am. I think It's time to see the eye DR. I can't find the front sight clearly in my glasses any more. My sight picture is a real battle at this point.