I'm having problems with my new SP101

[PinnedAndRecessed]

It's a Ruger SP101 DA only (i.e., spurless hammer).

I bought if for my wife. The original grips were much too small so I put some Hogue fingergrooved grips on it.

But when I took her to the range today, she literally could not pull the trigger back. And I'll admit, it wasn't all that easy for me. And I'm 6'6" tall and 227 pounds. I'm pretty strong.

What are the options for lightening the trigger pull without the risk of light primer stikes?

I'm not familiar with the innards of the double action Rugers. I took one apart once (my GP 100) and I remember that it took me a month to get it back together. (Not really, but it was difficult.)

A Wolff replacement? What poundage?

Remove some coils from the spring?

I know it hasn't been broken in yet, but as stiff as it is, that could take a really long time for not very good results.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

I would shoot or dry fire it a bunch first (make sure it is well lubricated) and if not satisfied, the wolf 8lb. trigger return spring along with a 10 lb. hammer spring should make it as soft as needed without any misfire issues. The Wolf kit is less than $10.
http://www.gunsprings.com/Revolvers/RUGER/SP-101/cID3/mID52/dID234

 

[lfpiii]

Ruger's are known for hard trigger pulls. First take the gun apart and clean and lube everything. You could have some junk. They dry fire the gun a couple of hundred times. The trigger pull will improve unless it came with an issue from the factory. I recently got one back from the factory which had to have all the internals including the hammer replaced.

 

[6gun]

Everyone always wants to blame the gun, if I remember correctly the SP101 has about 15lbs. of trigger pull, if a big stong man or even a woman can't pull that they must be out of seriously out of shape, work those arm mustles lift some weights hit the gym. :lol: I know thats not much help but 15lbs. is not much to pull, lots of dry firing for both of you till you can both master pulling the trigger than go back to the range.

 

[Jim Puke]

If this is the model 5720, I have never seen one with a bad pull.

If it is the 5720 and the pull is bad, I would send it back to Ruger for them to make it right as it is supposed to have the lighter trigger.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

The SP-101 does have a heavy trigger pull out of the box. It is the geometry off cocking the main spring with the small trigger parts enough to have the hammer set off the primers. A set of reduced power springs can reduce the trigger pull at the risk of light primer strikes. You could try the next lower weight springs and see how they work. That is what I did with my SP and I have been completely satisfied. OR, you might consider trading for a LCR, a revolver that definitely has a much lighter trigger pull, or a larger GP-100. In your case I would say the LCR is just what you and your wife need.

 

[silverback]

I would shoot or dry fire it a bunch first (make sure it is well lubricated) and if not satisfied, the wolf 8lb. trigger return spring along with a 10 lb. hammer spring should make it as soft as needed without any misfire issues. The Wolf kit is less than $10.
http://www.gunsprings.com/Revolvers/RUGER/SP-101/cID3/mID52/dID234

My redhawk new was a beast. I cleaned it lightly lubed and it was better. Next i polished internals and got the reduced springs as stated above. the sp101 has same trigger assembly internal design. Now it is one sweet shooter. you will be happy camper. I used dremel, felt tip, flitz polish and remember your just polishing.

decent tutorial:

http://www.teslamap.com/public/sp101_trigger_job/index.html

 

[mr surveyor]

.........................I bought if for my wife. The original grips were much too small so I put some Hogue fingergrooved grips on it.

you didn't say anything about how the trigger was before installing the aftermarket grip. That could possibly be a starting point into figuring out the trigger dilemma

 

[patcannon]

I bought a Wilson spring kit for my SP101. ((I kinda flipped a coin between that and the Wolff; AFAIK they're comparable.) I installed the lightest set of springs and the improvement was noticeable. I was happy for a month or two, then I bought some brand of ammo (don't remember what, sorry) that gave me a few light strikes. I changed to the next-to-the-lightest spring from the set, and all has been fine for years since.

By the way, good choice on the double-action only, in my humble opinion. When I take mine to the range, I'm not tempted into practicing in single action, so my DA shooting has gotten pretty good. And defensive shooting is DA shooting.

 

[6gun]

.........................I bought if for my wife. The original grips were much too small so I put some Hogue fingergrooved grips on it.

you didn't say anything about how the trigger was before installing the aftermarket grip. That could possibly be a starting point into figuring out the trigger dilemma

She has such big hands the grip wasn't big enough but those big hands can't pull the trigger, does she expect pulling the trigger on a DA to be soft as dialng here cell phone or what? :lol: if she can't handle the trigger whats she going to do about recoil? :?

 

[PinnedAndRecessed]

Thanx for all the replies.

I put the original grips back on. Trigger pull is the same. It's ok for me, but too difficult for her. The trigger pull, I would compare to my DA/SA Sig 226 on a DA shot. Only, stiffer. That's what I was referring to in my OP.

She's just going to go back to using the GP100. She only needs something for in the car when she's traveling to her dad's house or her sister's house. Then she'll take it in the house.

Where she works is strictly no weapons. Their sign even has a picture of a knife. So they really mean, no weapons.

I actually wanted the SP101 for myself anyway.

And to the response that maybe we need to start weightlifting. Yeah, that's clever.

 

[6gun]

Thanx for all the replies.

I put the original grips back on. Trigger pull is the same. It's ok for me, but too difficult for her. The trigger pull, I would compare to my DA/SA Sig 226 on a DA shot. Only, stiffer. That's what I was referring to in my OP.

She's just going to go back to using the GP100. She only needs something for in the car when she's traveling to her dad's house or her sister's house. Then she'll take it in the house.

Where she works is strictly no weapons. Their sign even has a picture of a knife. So they really mean, no weapons.

I actually wanted the SP101 for myself anyway.

And to the response that maybe we need to start weightlifting. Yeah, that's clever.

Hey now you got the right idea buying a gun she can't shoot so it's just for you :lol: the trigger will break in and get easier the more you shoot it.

As for the sign with the picture of the knife I wouldn't take that to mean guns, to me that would be knifes, like a couple weeks ago went with the old lady to pick up her dad from the hospital they had a picture of a semi-auto gun with a red circle and line through it, she turned to me and says look no guns, I laughed and said it must mean no semi-auto's, good thing I'm carrying my revolver and walk on in :lol: :lol: :lol: unless they spell out what they really mean in words I'm going to intepret it to mean what they show, aint no laws that say I have to guess that their picture means more than it shows.

 

[patcannon]

There was a sign with the red circle-and-bar and a silhouette image where I used to work that clearly meant "No Berettas".

 

[Pal Val]

I once bought an SP101 and found the DA trigger heavy. So, I took it apart, cleaned it, polished the bearing surfaces (except the sear), and lubricated it. The trigger pull improved. I dry-fired it about 1,000 times, and more improvement. Next, I bought a Wolff spring set and changed the mainspring to the next lower. That's all I needed. But, them my wife tried it, and it has been "her gun" since then.

I guess I'll need to get another...

 

[BradB]

I had two ruger revolvers shipped so dry (un-lubed) I almost was going to write Ruger a letter. I'm not real fond of taking things apart and I'm very much not fond of altering, changing, polishing new factory parts. Just personal preference. No offense to those who tinker.

Whenever I buy new I just wet it down real good with Rem Oil, because its thin as water and gets into the mechanisms without dissassembly, the drag coefficient in both my revolvers eased up and smoothed out noticebly so that might be a good first shot versus the chore of taking it all apart. Good luck with however you go and I hope it improves.

 

[sfhogman]

For years now, whenever I purchase a new gun, I take it apart to see if there's and ca-ca left over from manufacture. I then overlube the heck out of it, go shooting, and strip, clean and relube. It's a start, for sure.

I'm indebted to Rick Courtright for the above advice.

Jeff