SP101 trigger ?

I've had myself convinced for some time now that I needed to check out an SP101. In all these years, I've never handled one ! I truly love my GP100, & just thought I might buy the SP too. I went to a couple shops last week, & may have changed my mind. All the ones I looked at had extremely heavy trigger pull, and what felt like an extra heavy hammer pull. I did the trigger job on my GP, although it was never "that bad", & now it is sweet. How much can be done to the SP to get it slicked up, but still 100% reliable ? I really love my Rugers, but the SP seems to have an unreasonably stiff action to me !!
My model 60 S&W feels like a custom shop job compared to the SP, & it has never been worked on !

I had my SP101 worked on by Teddy Jacobsen. It's crisp and even through the cycle.

I bet you can find someone to get it just the way you want it.

Bill McKay at Trail Boss gun shop in Sierra Vista, AZ is a very good gunsmith. Google Trail Boss.

I put a Wolfe spring kit in mine.

phonejack said:

I put a Wolfe spring kit in mine.

Click to expand...

That is by far the least expensive way to improve the trigger pull of any SP or GP. Just don't go too light with the hammer spring so you don't compromise reliability.

The trigger pull on the SP-101 will never be 'light'. You can get it smoother and you can lighten it somewhat with reduced power springs but because of the size and mechanics it will never be like a GP-100.

The LCR on the other hand has a different cam mechanism that as a result has a longer but lighter trigger pull.

After any spring changes be sure to test for light primer hits with a variety of ammo or primers. Federal ammo usually has the softest primers and CCI the hardest with Winchester and Remington in the middle. YRMV

http://www.sp101trigger.com/

As noted the SP will never be quite as light as the GP. When I have 9 lb mainsprings and 8 lb trigger return springs in my SP and GP the GP has a double action around 7.4 lbs and the SP about 8.4-8.6. Originally, the SP did have a hump in the DA pull but that can be removed and has been on mine. These pulls are after tuning and smoothing the action. One may need to play with firing pin protrusion on the SP to get a light pull that works without FTFs. Each gun also is different due to tolerances so what works on one SP may not on another. I found that because of the larger hammer arc of Rugers the SP could be made more reliable and lighter than a Colt Magnum Carry I once had. The reason the SP or any small frame will be a bit heavier than a medium frame such as the GP is due to leverage or mechanical advantage of the larger gun.

I recommend the "Poor Man's (or boy's) trigger job)", after which one can change to lighter springs. The trigger job requires NO tools or abrasives, and has worked on all my four Ruger revolvers. Here is a link:

http://www.gunblast.com/Poorboy.htm

woodsy said:

I recommend the "Poor Man's (or boy's) trigger job)", after which one can change to lighter springs. The trigger job requires NO tools or abrasives, and has worked on all my four Ruger revolvers. Here is a link:

http://www.gunblast.com/Poorboy.htm

Click to expand...

I would like to understand how that works with an SP-101... Frankly, I do not recommend on the Ruger SA's.

I recommend just leaving a firearm as it comes from the manufacturer and learning to shoot it as it is. With a little time it smooths out if it is rough, and in a crisis the factory trigger settings are the best to have.

Boxhead said:

woodsy said:

I recommend the "Poor Man's (or boy's) trigger job)", after which one can change to lighter springs. The trigger job requires NO tools or abrasives, and has worked on all my four Ruger revolvers. Here is a link:

http://www.gunblast.com/Poorboy.htm

Click to expand...

I would like to understand how that works with an SP-101... Frankly, I do not recommend on the Ruger SA's.

Click to expand...

I guess one needs to actually read the article, to see that it works on virtually all revolvers, DA and SA. And it worked on my DA's (don't have any SA's).

While marrying the hammer and trigger will smooth up the single action I do not see how this will reduce the double action pull. Other areas will require smoothing and springs need replacing.

My SP101 had a very heavy trigger pull. I tried smoothing internal surfaces myself and dry firing, but it was still unsatisfactory. Then I sent it to Ruger, which is what I should have done in the first place. It was returned within a week, and the difference is amazing. Best of all, there was no charge!

Got one for the wife a year or so ago. We had been looking at the SP's but the triggers were always so bad we would look elsewhere, GP trigger reach was too long for her. I really like the SP guns but are too small for me but my wife loves the grip and it fits her smaller hand. It seems some of the newer ones have more attention to the trigger components, GP's too. Her 4" SP101 had a heavy trigger so I ordered a Wolff spring kit and measured for some shims. It was very clean inside and the parts were smooth. So smooth, I did not see the need to touch any mating parts not even to lightly polish. This gun has a very nice trigger and with the 9# and 8# springs is light enough for the wife to shoot comfortably and pops all primers. It does not have but maybe 100 trigger pulls on it and has a tiny bit of grain/texture to the feel but this should smooth out with use.

I have a 2005 GP100 that needed a lot of polishing/shims and has a pretty nice trigger but seems a bit clunky when the hammer falls. It has 12# and 10# springs in it. My 2015 GP100 Match Champion was silky from the first trigger pull and will not be touched. One of the best DA triggers I have felt. (Maybe the MIM parts are a good thing after all.)

Sorry for the long post but I have noticed better/lighter revolver triggers from Ruger in the past few years and I have been impressed. The SP101's have come a long way from my experience handling them in shops over the years.

I had a 2.25" DAO SP quite awhile ago. It had a heavy trigger that needed some smoothing out. I never got around to fixing that and eventually sold it. I kinda have the itch to look at another SP, but it would be the 3" with the spur hammer.

Never had a Ruger DA, but lots of Smiths and Ruger SA respond nicely to a tiny strip of 1000 grit wet/dry paper slipped between the hammer and trigger. Insert, pull, a few times then reverse so the fine abrasive is on the other piece. If I break them apart, sometimes the sides of triggers, hammers, etc get a little polish ( only) as do the mating inside of the frame at matching locations.

Jack

Mine also went off to Teddy.
Before be did his thing, trigger pull was over 14# as measured by my gauge. (DAO model)
After getting it back, it was low 8#, with a noticeable reduction in stacking pre break.

It has smoothed out even more after several range trips.