:?: Does Ruger offer different height rear blades or front sights for 6 shot .22 LR SP 101s? I’m thinking of getting a .22 LR SP101 someday but 8 chambers in a “6 shooter” is a little too modern for my taste. Other than a file is there an easy way to change the elevation of an older one?
6 shot .22 SP101 different sight heights?
- Thread starter k22fan
- Start date
NewportNewsMike
Single-Sixer
This is talking about the older SP-101's - where the 22's used a windage-only adjustable rear sight and a regular (not fiber optic) front sight blade. These SP-101's used different front sight blades, based on which caliber it is.
A SP-101 parts list shows three different part numbers for the front sight blade for 22, 32, and 38/357/9mm - so this tells me they are different heights. Sorry I cannot you the height differences, just that they are different.
SP101 Front Sight W03602 - .357 cal., .38 Special, 9mm
SP101 Front Sight W03603 - .22 cal.
SP101 Front Sight W03604 - .32 H&R, .327 Fed. Mag.
(Info comes from the Illustrated Parts Breakdown in the back of a SP-101 Instruction Manual, which you can view on line at Ruger.com)
A SP-101 parts list shows three different part numbers for the front sight blade for 22, 32, and 38/357/9mm - so this tells me they are different heights. Sorry I cannot you the height differences, just that they are different.
SP101 Front Sight W03602 - .357 cal., .38 Special, 9mm
SP101 Front Sight W03603 - .22 cal.
SP101 Front Sight W03604 - .32 H&R, .327 Fed. Mag.
(Info comes from the Illustrated Parts Breakdown in the back of a SP-101 Instruction Manual, which you can view on line at Ruger.com)
Thanks for the info Mike.
There are or at least used to different height rear blades for Redhawks. I know because I ordered a couple taller ones some years ago. I wonder if SP101 rear blades interchange with larger revolvers.
I’m tempted by a 6 shot FL .22 SP101 in a LGS but hesitating for two reasons. One is its elevation might not match my eyes. Kentucky windage makes precise shooting a lot harder. The other is it has end shake and a tight BC gap with its cylinder held back. It doesn’t rub but surly will drag when leaded.
That leads to my next question. How is SP101 end shake corrected and is it likely Ruger would do it for free?
There are or at least used to different height rear blades for Redhawks. I know because I ordered a couple taller ones some years ago. I wonder if SP101 rear blades interchange with larger revolvers.
I’m tempted by a 6 shot FL .22 SP101 in a LGS but hesitating for two reasons. One is its elevation might not match my eyes. Kentucky windage makes precise shooting a lot harder. The other is it has end shake and a tight BC gap with its cylinder held back. It doesn’t rub but surly will drag when leaded.
That leads to my next question. How is SP101 end shake corrected and is it likely Ruger would do it for free?
NewportNewsMike
Single-Sixer
Ruger Customer Service is said to be top notch. My only experience is having the safety conversion (transfer bar) done to an Old Model Blackhawk. In that case, I would have to agree - it was fast and they replaced a number of small items that were "buggered up" or missing. The cost of returning the gun to Ruger was not overly cheap ($45 through my local FFL / LGS), but all-in-all, it was a good experience.
My only experience with the older style "six shot" SP-101's was a number of years ago. I picked up one from a fellow, who had had it several months. He said he had never warmed up to it because it had sticky extraction on two chambers. Since it was a gun I had been looking for a while, I ended up with it.
I tried several different polishing methods to see if I could get the two chambers to extract better. I never succeeded - it came to me with two sticky chambers, and after a while, it left me with two sticky chambers. The two chambers in question would accept 22LR just fine (so they were not under-sized), but trying to extract the spent cases was a bear of a job. I finally came to the conclusion that the two chambers were probably tapered (with the bigger end in the front).
I feel sure Ruger would have fixed the problem had I returned it to them, but by that time I had decided that the SP-101 in 22LR was not for me. Too big and heavy for a 22 - the same reason I had abandoned a lovely five-screw S&W K22 years before.
All my SP-101's these days are in 357.
My only experience with the older style "six shot" SP-101's was a number of years ago. I picked up one from a fellow, who had had it several months. He said he had never warmed up to it because it had sticky extraction on two chambers. Since it was a gun I had been looking for a while, I ended up with it.
I tried several different polishing methods to see if I could get the two chambers to extract better. I never succeeded - it came to me with two sticky chambers, and after a while, it left me with two sticky chambers. The two chambers in question would accept 22LR just fine (so they were not under-sized), but trying to extract the spent cases was a bear of a job. I finally came to the conclusion that the two chambers were probably tapered (with the bigger end in the front).
I feel sure Ruger would have fixed the problem had I returned it to them, but by that time I had decided that the SP-101 in 22LR was not for me. Too big and heavy for a 22 - the same reason I had abandoned a lovely five-screw S&W K22 years before.
All my SP-101's these days are in 357.
NewportNewsMike
Single-Sixer
For shims see http://triggershims.com/cylinder_shims.html
Thank-you for responding. Unfortunately a family emergency has drawn me away for a week. I expect the .22 SP101 has sold by now. It wound up being a classic case of “you snooze you lose”.
Mike,
There was a S&W kit gun in the store for comparison. I was surprised at how much heavier the SP101 felt but the extra heft doesn’t detract from the SP101 for my use. However, for the same price I’d prefer a half lug .22 SP101 just because it’s better looking.
Mike,
There was a S&W kit gun in the store for comparison. I was surprised at how much heavier the SP101 felt but the extra heft doesn’t detract from the SP101 for my use. However, for the same price I’d prefer a half lug .22 SP101 just because it’s better looking.
