My Dad has a 3" GP100 that occasionally completely locks up- can't pull the trigger or cock the hammer. The first time taking it to the range my Mom and Dad shot the gun and the gun locked up on them a few times. I thought maybe they were doing something to make it lock up so I offered to examine it and shoot it myself. I took it apart and examined and thoroughly cleaned everything then took it to the range and shot it. After about 25-30 rds of 38spl (Georgia Arms canned heat, the same ammo my Dad was using) the gun locked up. The only thing I could do was open the cylinder- the trigger and hammer wouldn't move. After manually rotating the cylinder I was able to get the rounds to fire. I examined the casings and primers but couldn't find anything abnormal about them. Anyone have an idea what might be wrong with the gun? Do I need to send it back to Ruger? My Dad wants to sell it, but I told him he can't sell it until it gets fixed. It's possible it's the ammo, I haven't tried it with any other 38 spl's yet. I'm hoping maybe to fix it before going to the range again. So, what do you guys think I should do?
3" GP100 locking up
- Thread starter Greg F.
- Start date
surveyor47
Single-Sixer
Take several loaded rounds and place them on a glass surface. See if they tip. It seems possible that primers aer not fully seated.
With an EMPTY cylinder, pull the trigger and hold the trigger down. Pull the cylinder forward and see if there is still a gap between the cylinder face and the barrel forcing cone. Could be ain insufficent barrel cylinder gap.
Try shooting it with another barnd of ammo. If it still locks up, send it back to Ruger with a letter explaining the problem.
With an EMPTY cylinder, pull the trigger and hold the trigger down. Pull the cylinder forward and see if there is still a gap between the cylinder face and the barrel forcing cone. Could be ain insufficent barrel cylinder gap.
Try shooting it with another barnd of ammo. If it still locks up, send it back to Ruger with a letter explaining the problem.
Tommy Kelly
Buckeye
I would suggest another takedown and examination maybe the problem has surfaced to where you can find it. I bought a new gp100 the other day when I took it down there was a small peice of stainless steel inside the trigger group that was'nt supposed to be in there. I removed it and lubed up the parts that needed lube and put it back together. I couldn't see anywhere where the part could have came from this gun. It must have lying on the trigger group when it was installed. Also have you dry fired the gun to see if it will lock without firing. I don't like to dry fire my guns but a lot of people reccomend it.
I checked the cylinder gap and I really can't see any gap at all. Pulling and holding the trigger and looking at it with the sun behind it there was an almost imperceptible amount of light showing between the cylinder throat and cylinder face. I examined the empty cases as well as the unfired cartridges and could find nothing wrong with any of the primers.
I also took the gun apart again and I still didn't see anything that didn't belong there. I dry fired the gun a couple hundred times before I took it to the range last time.
I may have to take the gun over to my gunsmith and have him check the cylinder gap properly. I should be going to the range next week so I'll try it again with some different ammo.
I also took the gun apart again and I still didn't see anything that didn't belong there. I dry fired the gun a couple hundred times before I took it to the range last time.
I may have to take the gun over to my gunsmith and have him check the cylinder gap properly. I should be going to the range next week so I'll try it again with some different ammo.
opos
Buckeye
I had a similar issue with some 38 special handloads in a GP 100 that were really light...almost squib loads which I started with working up a nice shooting but fairly gentle load...in my case it was unburned powder getting into everything including the little movable nub that locks the cylinder in place (on the ejector "spyder") (heck I don'tknow all the proper names for things)....when I cleaned everything very well and lubed things properly and got away from the "sissy loads" it shot just fine and has never been a problem since...Im convinced that the carbon just fouled everything up....my GP is also very tight.
I have a GP100 4" that is 3 weeks old that does the same thing as your dads Greg. I was doing some research on the internet and came across this and other Ruger forums. There was someone talking about a cylinder problem on some new GP100's. Has anyone heard anything about this. I can't find where I saw the post.
Hopefully it'll turn out to be bad ammo. I noticed when I shot the gun there seemed to be a lot of unburned powder left in the empty cases. I forgot to mention that I fired about 20-25 rounds of 357mag through it as well and those all fired fine. Although they stung my hand pretty bad. I was using an old style full size Lett grip and it really hurt my hand, alot more than my old 4" GP100 with the Hogue grip did. I'm not sure if it's because the 4" is several ounces heavier than the 3" or if the Hogue's dissipate the recoil better. Shooting magnums in the 3" felt like shooting them in the 3" SP101 I used to have. The 4" with the Hogues wasn't nearly as painful. I replaced the Lett's with the factory Hogue grip to try at the range next time, hopefully it'll help tame the magnums.
dockerd- Welcome to the forum. I found this thread over on the other forum it might be the one you saw. http://www.rugerforum.net/ruger-double-action/24734-gp100-hammer-cylinder-problem.html It sounds like the same problem I'm having.
Tony_The_Liger
Bearcat
If you send it in to Ruger I know they will fix it and return it with the full power of awesomeness restored.
If you call them and tell them the firearm is less than a year old and that the cylinder is binding, they will send UPS to your house to pick it up and it will cost you $0.00.
If you call them and tell them the firearm is less than a year old and that the cylinder is binding, they will send UPS to your house to pick it up and it will cost you $0.00.
