GP-100 misfire

[4x5]

I was out shooting my GP-100 today, and in the middle of a cylinder, I pulled the trigger and nothing happened. I pulled the trigger again, and the next round fired. After all 6 went around, I looked at the unfired round, and there was no mark on the primer, meaning the firing pin never made contact. Any ideas what could have happened? I bought this gun new last year, and have only put about 50 rounds through it. Today was my second range trip with it.

 

[coach]

My first thought would be that there's a little piece of metal floating around inside. I've never opened up a GP so I don't know what's involved to check.

 

[Luckyducker]

Being that you were shooting a revolver cartridge overall case length is moot. If you were shooting semi-auto pistol I would think that one case was too short, but alas...... I was shooting 38Spec in my 357 revolver some years ago with my wife and she fired one that didn't go off, but that was a squib load I had forgot to charge with powder, but the primer didn't build enough pressure to unseat the bullet. The only thought I have about your scenario is that your revolver may have glitch, but I don't know why one certain cartridge would cause evidence of it. That's a real poser.

 

[Luckyducker]

I had another thought and question, did you try to fire that cartridge again with the same lack of ignition? I might have made a wrong assumption before.

 

[4x5]

I had another thought and question, did you try to fire that cartridge again with the same lack of ignition? I might have made a wrong assumption before.

No, after examining the round, I put it back in the cylinder and it fired without issue.

 

[vulcannut]

OP if the firing pin didn't make any indent in the primer then all I can think in the transfer bar didn't move up. If it happens again, or maybe not, I would give Ruger a call. See what they say.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Do all the rest of the fired cases have a good hammer strike?

Check the firing pin, the transfer bar and the hammer. Clean the gun thoroughly and look for a piece of crap that might have stopped the process.

 

[Magnum Force]

I think there is a way you can "Short Stroke" a double action revolver, maybe by hesitating while pulling the trigger, you don't reset the action, the fired cylinder doesn't rotate forward and the hammer drops on the fired cartridge. I have done this with Smith & Wesson revolvers while shooting IDPA matches, shooting under pressure, maybe I'm not sure I want to shoot that target, trigger finger relaxes, revolver doesn't fire, confusion reigns....

I don't know if I could duplicate this scenario if I wanted to, but I recall it has happened to me. I'd put 50-100 rounds through the revolver in question and if doesn't happen again, the revolver is probably fine.

 

[RoninPA]

Also, if you release the trigger too quickly/too soon after pulling it, the transfer bar will not stay in position to strike the firing pin when the hammer goes forward. I have seen this happen when people were both trying to fire fast double action or not holding the trigger back correctly when shooting single action.

 

[4x5]

Also, if you release the trigger too quickly/too soon after pulling it, the transfer bar will not stay in position to strike the firing pin when the hammer goes forward. I have seen this happen when people were both trying to fire fast double action or not holding the trigger back correctly when shooting single action.

Thank you. I suspect that may be the issue.

 

[woodsy]

Also, if you release the trigger too quickly/too soon after pulling it, the transfer bar will not stay in position to strike the firing pin when the hammer goes forward. I have seen this happen when people were both trying to fire fast double action or not holding the trigger back correctly when shooting single action.

Thank you. I suspect that may be the issue.

Mechanically impossible on a properly functioning/built GP.

 

[4x5]

Also, if you release the trigger too quickly/too soon after pulling it, the transfer bar will not stay in position to strike the firing pin when the hammer goes forward. I have seen this happen when people were both trying to fire fast double action or not holding the trigger back correctly when shooting single action.

Thank you. I suspect that may be the issue.

Mechanically impossible on a properly functioning/built GP.

What I think happened was I pulled the trigger enough to rotate the cylinder, but I didn't pull it enough to move the hammer

 

[David Bradshaw]

I was out shooting my GP-100 today, and in the middle of a cylinder, I pulled the trigger and nothing happened. I pulled the trigger again, and the next round fired. After all 6 went around, I looked at the unfired round, and there was no mark on the primer, meaning the firing pin never made contact. Any ideas what could have happened? I bought this gun new last year, and have only put about 50 rounds through it. Today was my second range trip with it.

*****

Once again, we face a poverty of information. Were you shooting double action? I rather doubt, leastwise for the pull which left no PRIMER INDENT. Single action, with monkeyed "trigger job," may result in the trigger kicking forward at hammer fall. The sequence includes the transfer bar dropping below the firing pin as the trigger kicks. On a double action revolver, the trigger intercepts the DOUBLE ACTION FLY (double action sear) as the hammer falls, preventing discharge.

Some folks mix DA and SA fire in the same cylinder full of bullets. Providing you sort this out, we may be onto a diagnosis.
David Bradshaw

 

[PriseDeFer]

You did not let the trigger reset. Pull the trigger all the way back to fire, let the trigger move all the way forward to reset for the next shot.