KSP-321X Ruger SP101 357 Magnum 2 1/4"

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Ruger 10/22

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 23, 2022
Messages
57
Location
Clarksville Indiana
Picked up that 2 1/4" 357 Magnum Ruger SP101 Today KSP-321X
WOW what a beautiful revolver!
Still in the Grey case down in the basement
Photos to come later when I get back home

Seller had a 3" 7 shot GP100 but said it wasn't for sale & put it away
Had $899.99 marked on it WOW! $900 for a GP100, It was very nice BTW
Now I want it Too!! + an Alaskan SRH~~~
 

Ruger 10/22

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 23, 2022
Messages
57
Location
Clarksville Indiana
Got around to looking at the SP101 & opened her up for inspection, cleaning & spring change
The raceway for the trigger return plunger was the worst I ever came across, I didn't do as some suggest & use a drill bit but rolled a piece of 220 grit sandpaper up & turned it a few times & got it smooth enough for now so the parts will fit in or out
Installed the #10 hammer spring & the #8 trigger return spring & cleaned the chambers & barrel & left it for the evening till tomorrow
Need to measure & shim the parts & reassemble
Didn't plan on polishing the thing inside till later on
Here's is where I am on it currently
Ruger really went with rubbish cases after the yellow cardboard boxes & even the newest ones are trash, this grey case is no different, only good to keep the owners manual in
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contender

Ruger Guru
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
25,023
Location
Lake Lure NC USA
We have one of those models here. Great guns for sure. Often enjoyed & appreciated by many ladies in our instructional clinics. Miss Penny enjoys hers!
 

Ruger 10/22

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 23, 2022
Messages
57
Location
Clarksville Indiana
They sure are sweet.
Seems like the first one I bought back in 1989 had some magic & so did the SPNY I got a bit later
This newer one is razor sharp on the rear face of the trigger itself & needs to be worked over to be what I want
Fit seems tighter than the older ones, in fact I can't see any play in the trigger at all = No room for even one shim
Installed the #10 hammer & #8 trigger springs & it made the revolver work a bit smoother + smoothed the raceway of the trigger return plunger some
Hogue grip gives my pinky a place to grab & also keeps the trigger guard away from my middle fingers knuckle
More to Come, really hard to get a photo of a stainless handgun with my camera
 

Ruger 10/22

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 23, 2022
Messages
57
Location
Clarksville Indiana
First off, I will have to just say something
I always thought that the MIM Parts made the newer made guns cheaper & easier to assemble & were IMO Rubbish
I WAS WRONG!
On this Ruger SP101 anyway it required .014" of shims to shim the hammer dog on the older DAO hammer
On the newer spurred MIM hammer it required .004" of shims
The trigger required .002" of shims total
End shake is .003" & Barrel to cylinder gap is .006"
The MIM parts are made to closer standards than the older ones were

For now, I just left the SA/DA hammer in the revolver & will change it later if I wish
I always have the option to do so easily

Lovin the New Ruger SP101
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Ruger 10/22

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 23, 2022
Messages
57
Location
Clarksville Indiana
I don't care for the looks of the MIM skeletonized hammer & trigger...BUT...
The DAO hammer I purchased is the older machined style & didn't even try putting it in but did shim the hammer dog being I had extra shims
I also have a machined trigger group I bought but didn't try and use these parts
The frame HAD a sharp burr near the screw that holds the release button for the cylinder release, I took a micro file & deburred that tiny little sharp edge, it would have cut you easily... See Orange Arrow...
That made it more user friendly as this little Tank is going to be with me a lot & will be making my Glock 43X & S&W Shield 2.0 be left behind
I also took the trigger & mounted it in the padded vise & removed al the sharp edges at the rear of the trigger & smoothed & rounded the trigger face with crocus cloth & the shoe shine technique, polished it some with mothers polish to remove my sanding scratches, This also made it much more user friendly along with shimming the parts & adding the Wolff Springs
Won't get around to shooting it for a week or two but found some 38spl Speer Gold Dots 135gr & some Winchester Silver Tip 145gr 357mag in my ammo stash + a couple HKS 36 speed loaders & Bianchi speed strips & have a GR8 Don Hume JIT holster
Don't know the specs for end shake but would assume that the .003" is just fine or I would have shimmed it if it was excessive... I used No-No Go feeler gauges to check it, The cylinder gap is .006"
Really Happy with this SP101
Now to get my FFL to sell me the 3" GP100 7 Shot
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JStacy

Blackhawk
Joined
May 6, 2016
Messages
503
Location
south Texas
I has a 2.25" and a 3.12" Sp101 357 and I sold, cheap, my 2.25" to my daughter and kept my 3" because it was much smoother right out of the grey plastic case then the 2.25 and shot closer to POA with my preferred carry load . The 3" was smooth and light enough new that I did not do the spring exchange on it . I did the same 10# hammer and 8# return spring on my 2.25 but the 3" was still smoother . Lots of variations on factory guns. I bought an early Match Champion , Mod 1754, and it's DA/SA pull was no better than standard GP100 so I did the same Wilson springs on it and now it is smooth and reliable. I love the SP101 , I have several of them in 4.25" also and they make a fine trail , walk around gun. My 327 is scary accurate , maybe a little loud, and a fun plinker and small to medium size game gun!.
 

Ruger 10/22

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 23, 2022
Messages
57
Location
Clarksville Indiana
Hope to get to the range very soon with the Ruger SP101

My Youngest son wants to go look at AR-15s tomorrow morning = OH MY~~
He wants to pick one up while the getting is good
Local gun shops inventory is listed online & the closest one shows a M&P15 @ $599 & the DPMS A-15 is $699 & Ruger AR-556 is $ 799 & Diamondback DB-15 is $679 & Daniels Defense DDM4 is $1500 & Anderson A-15 is $525
JFYI He is 30 years old & it's His Money & He works full time + saves his money + He's a Good Boy & this will be his 1st AR-15
Think He wants the M&P15 @ $600 just up the street 1/2 mile away, Why pay $100 more for the Ruger~~~
I have built so many of those things 20+ years ago when I assembled @ Knob Creek for Panther Arms during the Machine Gun Shoot at KCR
Currently I don't even own one or any magazines or have any .223/5.56 in my ammo stash, but we can change that easy enough

Maybe He should buy a lower receiver for $59 & build what he wants but the $600 sounds good to me too
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