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So, after I thought about the issues I had with my SP101 in 327 Federal, I asked my father to call Ruger to ask if it might be an ammo issue, or handgun issue. (I recently PCS'd, so have limited Phone Service).....

The issue was very sticky extraction, and case bases that expanded well beyond normal....It seemed to me because of evidence of carbon on the side of the case, and the fact that some cases in different chambers flared more than others, that it was an issue with Ruger making some of the chambers too big, and some close to the right size...Based on Ruger's Response, there might be more to it...

If you do not have the sticky extraction, powder burns on the side of the case, and extremely expanded cases near the base, then you should be fine....


Here is what my Father told me about the conversation with Ruger....

The lady said there are issues with that revolver. She said that there are no cylinders in stock now. She said I could wait and call back every now and then to see when a new cylinder might be available. This may be a long time.

She also said we can send the revolver back and get a refund for what you paid, or we can send the revolver back and get another revolver in a different caliber.

She said that the sticky extraction indicated that the revolver is dangerous.


Charlie

WOW !! I don't think I've ever heard of Ruger doing that before ... they must really want those guns back. I'd jump all over that deal ASAP if I was having problems with mine. It might not last long.

REV

From the grapevine...they have done a similar deal with people calling in about problems with their 10/22magnum guns.

I would take them up on their offer...if you are not a reloader who has bought all the dies and stuff for the .327 you have nothing to lose.

Leucoandro:
So was your issue with all ammo, by that I mean .32 S&W and .32 H&R as well?

I'd guess it was just the hot stuff ... 327 Fed

revhigh:
I suppose, I had trouble getting the fired .327 cases out once; but, that was after I had shot a bunch or .32S&W long LRN. After cleaning the lead out of the chambers and using other ammo it has not been a problem.

I'd find out if the refund they are offering is for MSRP or what you actually paid for it. If MSRP, I'd take it. If it was just a refund of the street price you paid, I'd just have them send me one in .357 Magnum.

I have only shot factory Federal 110gr 327 bullets through the revolver.

Based on what the revolver is doing, it seems that Ruger did not size all of the chambers the same...It appears that 1 chamber is sized correctly, 2 chambers are slightly oversized, and 3 chambers are grossly oversized.

This is evident by the sticky extraction (there is no carbon fowling from shorter rounds like 32 S&W Long or 32 H&R), and the carbon indicating blowback to the buldge.

I have not tried 32 H&R in the revolver, but I would suspect that as long as it generates enough pressure to expand the case wall, that it will have the same problem.

I can tell that some are oversized and others are not, because some cases will fit back into the chambers they came out of, while others will not....Some of the cases have a large buldge at the bottom third of the case, and will not go back into the chamber they had just come out of....

I could exchange the 327 for a 357, but I already have one in 357, so that really does me no good....If they offered to exchange it for a GP100, then I would be tempted.

It just amazes me that Ruger let so many of these revolvers out on the market that, in the words of the Ruger Rep., are dangerous, without so much as an announcement to the public about the issue.

I am also amazed that Ruger did not take my fathers information, for a recall, so they could mail him a container to return the revovler, when they produced more cylinders (hopefully in spec this time).

Anyways, I posted this because based on what Ruger said, (and the fact that they have no 327 cylinders, and it could be a very long time before they make more), it appears to be a common problem with the 327 Chambered SP101's.

I just wanted to let anyone else out there with SP101's in 327 Federal know that Ruger said these revolvers are dangerous to shoot if they have sticky extraction.


Charlie

'Actual price on the receipt' in my experience- which is only fair.

I can guarantee you that they won't pay a penny more than what you paid. Anything else wouldn't make sense, would it ?? I second the idea of a 357 SP, or if you don't already have one, a 4 inch SS GP. I wonder how they'd figure out the difference if you wanted to get a different gun, like a GP, BH, RH, etc. Maybe what you paid + the difference of MSRP's ?? That wouldn't really be a good deal, though, because you'd be losing the discount on the difference.

REV

I would think they'll only offer an exchange for another SP-101 in a different chambering.

But, some things I'm thinking about here...

If they didn't offer to exchange it for another SP-101 in .327 Federal, does that mean they're not making them any more?

If they said it could be a long time before they have a new cylinder for that gun, does that mean they aren't making those any more, too?

This could indicate a serious hit to those who already own guns thus chambered, and are expecting ammo (and eventually empty brass) to be offered in the future at a reasonable cost, or at all if there isn't enough demand for it for those firearms already produced.

They could always shoot the shorter cartridges, but that'd be like owning a .357 mag and only being able to buy ammo in .38 special.

Daryl

For those machinists on the forum ... How the hell do you NOT drill/machine the six chambers on a brand new gun's cylinder the same ??? Did they use different sized bits to drill the holes (if done at the same time) ?? If they're drilled/machined one at a time, then it would be the SAME bit doing the machining, so how would they not be the SAME ??

REV

I would not put to much stock in what the Ruger rep had to say about the sticky extraction. I would think that any ruger representative when asked about a defect in a gun and then asked is it okay to shoot will automatically default to the phrase "Dont shoot it". The fact that there are no cylinders available tells me that Ruger is probably out because of increased demand for the pistol as a whole.. I think it is great that Ruger offers to replace your gun. Take them up on it and get a caliber you like. My father has the sp101 in 327 magnum and loves to shoot it and has probably over 1500 rounds through it by now. I know this because I reloaded most of them. Not one problem with the gun. this is the first time I have read a post that someone had problems with the gun. Maybe I missed one though. My point is that up till recently you can't hardly find this gun. Most everyone who owns one loves them. And the gun is mass manufactured so someone occasionally will get one with defects. Good luck on your new pistol.

My question still stands though ... How is it POSSIBLE for that to happen ?

REV

In another topic posted today someone asked if ruger investment casts or uses barstock on thier cylinders in certain models of ruger pistols. Someone more in the know like flatgate will have to answer that question but if you had a void in an investment cast cylinder then it might explain the bulged cases. Just a thought and probably wrong but without pictures of the cases or the cylinder its hard to diagnose the problem.