GP100 Cylinder Binding

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Dillon Justice

Bearcat
Joined
May 5, 2022
Messages
73
Location
Florida
I recently purchased a 5" GP100 Davidson special. I carried it to the range and shot a box of 38spl. When I got home and cleaned the gun, I noticed daylight through the cylinder gap. Grabbed my feeler gauges and I have a 0.011 gap. I called Ruger and they said it was within factory specs. Second trip to the range I stated shooting my second cylinder of 357's and the cylinder started binding both in S/A and D/A and only with the cylinder closed. Called Ruger CS and they had me ship in back. A week or two later I got it back with a note that said that they replaced the hammer and spring, adjusted end shake which also closed the cylinder gap to a more respectable 0.008 ( I'm guessing that's what closed up the gap as the note didn't mention them fixing the gap), and did some internal polishing. Man oh man what a difference. I was totally shocked at what a nice trigger I now have. It is buttery smooth and has a very crisp break. I have never shot a Match Champion but I imagine they can't be better than this. I did add a reduced power hammer spring and trigger return spring to finish off my factory trigger job. Kudos to Ruger Customer service. I have always heard that Ruger's Customer Service is 2nd to none.
 

contender

Ruger Guru
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
25,142
Location
Lake Lure NC USA
The manufacturing methods used by Ruger now,, (assembly line type,) work great. However,, occasionally there are little things that build up causing an issue. If the gun reaches the end of the assy line, and fires it's 1-3 rounds,, it gets shipped. It's considered "good to go." However,, when a customer gets it,, and extended firing causes the issues to create a problem,, they can & will quickly fix things. Sounds like what happened here.

Glad you are enjoying your new gun,,,, now! :D
 

JStacy

Blackhawk
Joined
May 6, 2016
Messages
503
Location
south Texas
I recently purchased a 5" GP100 Davidson special. I carried it to the range and shot a box of 38spl. When I got home and cleaned the gun, I noticed daylight through the cylinder gap. Grabbed my feeler gauges and I have a 0.011 gap. I called Ruger and they said it was within factory specs. Second trip to the range I stated shooting my second cylinder of 357's and the cylinder started binding both in S/A and D/A and only with the cylinder closed. Called Ruger CS and they had me ship in back. A week or two later I got it back with a note that said that they replaced the hammer and spring, adjusted end shake which also closed the cylinder gap to a more respectable 0.008 ( I'm guessing that's what closed up the gap as the note didn't mention them fixing the gap), and did some internal polishing. Man oh man what a difference. I was totally shocked at what a nice trigger I now have. It is buttery smooth and has a very crisp break. I have never shot a Match Champion but I imagine they can't be better than this. I did add a reduced power hammer spring and trigger return spring to finish off my factory trigger job. Kudos to Ruger Customer service. I have always heard that Ruger's Customer Service is 2nd to none.
I have a 1754 Match Champion and while it is very smooth and very well timed the DA pull was 12#+ so I added a Wilson reduced hammer spring and it did reduce the trigger pull, but not a nice as my GP100 4" that go the same treatment ,except the trigger return spring in the GP100 was also replaced. That will be my next project to replace the trigger return spring. I have a 10MM Match champion that came from the factory with a trigger pull like you described. Like contender said assembly line. Some turn out good and some not so good !
 

wproct

Single-Sixer
Joined
Nov 7, 2006
Messages
428
Location
Ia
Over the years I have owned a number of different GP100 revolvers, and as stated above they will vary one from the other as far as trigger pull and action are concerned. The one that I now own I bought new in 2010, a 5 inch bbl stainless steel model that came with the smoothest action out of the box of any that I owned. I did add reduced power hammer and trigger return springs and hammer shims to make it even nicer. Through all this time I still remain a huge fan of the GP100 Ruger revolver.
 

Dillon Justice

Bearcat
Joined
May 5, 2022
Messages
73
Location
Florida
I've considered the hammer shims, but the new hammer Ruger installed seems to be hand fitted and polished. So happy with this new setup, that I'm reluctant to do anything else. I installed shims on my SP101, but if it's not broke, don't fix it.
 

wproct

Single-Sixer
Joined
Nov 7, 2006
Messages
428
Location
Ia
I've considered the hammer shims, but the new hammer Ruger installed seems to be hand fitted and polished. So happy with this new setup, that I'm reluctant to do anything else. I installed shims on my SP101, but if it's not broke, don't fix it.
I certainly understand that. Actually, one of the primary reasons that I installed the hammer shims is that it prevents getting the scuff marks on the sides of the hammer from rubbing against the frame. Now I know that's being kind of being picky to the extreme, but that's just me.:giggle:
 
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