Disappointing SP101 9mm

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Joined
Dec 1, 2007
Messages
2,703
Location
Texas
I went by my LGS to pick up my new SP101 9mm this afternoon. What a let-down.
The grip rocks to and fro on the frame stub 1/16 of an inch or more.
The entire gun appears to have been "polished" with coarse Scotch-Brite. The chamber mouths are ground so thin at the circumference of the cylinder from the "polish" job, I wonder if the gun is safe to shoot.

C8164276-C48-E-4-A2-E-9-BD0-5-C90512-F870-C.jpg


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The trigger pull exceeds the capacity of my trigger pull gauge.

I have several SP101s. They are all nicely finished revolvers. Except for this one.
 

48flyer

Single-Sixer
Joined
Oct 29, 2013
Messages
483
Location
North of Minneapolis
The tapered cylinder is a feature that eases holstering the gun. It started with the Match champion GP-100 and has since migrated to the SP-101.
It is perfectly safe to shoot.
 

Thel

Blackhawk
Joined
Jun 22, 2010
Messages
639
Location
Pacific Northwest
As noted above the taper is evident on newer SP101's. The view from the front shows plenty of meat between the cylinder mouth and outside of the cylinder. The trigger pull sounds about par for the course. I have an 18 year old SP101 that had a 14 lb double action pull. With an action job and some tinkering around the double action is now around 8 lbs. But then again most of my Rugers needed tinkering to get decent triggers.
 
Joined
Dec 1, 2007
Messages
2,703
Location
Texas
48flyer said:
The tapered cylinder is a feature that eases holstering the gun. It started with the Match champion GP-100 and has since migrated to the SP-101.
It is perfectly safe to shoot.

:roll: Hmmm. Sounds like a solution in search of a problem. I'd rather have the evidently hopelessly old fashioned revolver with a CYLINDER (not a truncated cone) that incorporates the full strength and durability that was engineered when the gun was designed, not altered in an apparently random manner by a marginally skilled hourly employee running a grinder. If they really want to market "ease of holstering" as a feature, design the cylinder to be a truncated cone as cast, instead of doing this crude looking grinding job on the cylinder.

Or do a chamfer of the sharp edge on the front of the cylinder.

The workmanship on every area of this revolver is below the standard of Taurus, Rossi, and Charter Arms. I even have a cheap 1980s H&R .22 revolver that is considerably better finished than this. Trying to excuse this amateur quality work as a "feature" ain't gonna cut it, AFAIC.
Take a look at the frame at the bottom of the cylinder window. Is this another "feature"?

]
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Ruger can still do better than this. The Ruger American Rimfire rifles are beautifully polished. Even the cylinders on the LCR are nicely finished and full dimension.


Somehow it never occurred to me that my other conventionally manufactured, nicely finished Colt, S&W and Ruger revolvers were difficult to holster.
 

48flyer

Single-Sixer
Joined
Oct 29, 2013
Messages
483
Location
North of Minneapolis
Yikes!
Sorry, not trying to normalize the quality at all. In fact, I completely agree with your decision to not buy the gun, because of quality of workmanship.
I was just pointing out that the cylinder was in fact, intended to be "tapered" like that.
I am not a fan of that design myself. I would much rather see a black powder chamfer on the cylinder

Take a look at the frame at the bottom of the cylinder window. Is this another "feature"?

]
4-F2-CC824-EC78-4619-A7-F7-7-DAC63-FD10-A6.jpg
[/url]

Ruger can still do better than this. The Ruger American Rimfire rifles are beautifully polished. Even the cylinders on the LCR are nicely finished and full dimension.


Somehow it never occurred to me that my other conventionally manufactured, nicely finished Colt, S&W and Ruger revolvers were difficult to holster.[/quote]
 

dleong

Bearcat
Joined
Feb 16, 2009
Messages
48
Looks like you got a Monday or a Friday gun.

Have you contacted Ruger yet?
 

Erich

Single-Sixer
Joined
Mar 28, 2001
Messages
180
Location
Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
Mine (also post-2017 production) went on a walk in the foothills today - it's a great gun that shoots really well for me. I appear to have had better luck than my friend arfmel. :(

 
Joined
Dec 1, 2007
Messages
2,703
Location
Texas
Beautiful pic, Erich.

Mine actually shoots pretty accurately as well. I put a Hogue monogrip on it, which solved the "rocking grip" problem, and shot a couple boxes of ammo through it. It hasn't "blowed up" in spite of the ridiculously thin chamber mouths.

I've ordered a Wolff spring kit and when I have it apart to install that, I will take a close look at the innards to see if anything needs to be smoothed or polished a little.
And I'm gonna try not to look at the crudely finished areas of the gun.

I decided not to send it back to Ruger after you guys convinced me that the tapered cylinder is the best thing since sex and Wheaties. I've always wanted to be cutting edge, and now I am.
 

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