New 3" GP, sight anomaly? What do you think?**updated*

[Snake45]

I don't think I own a gun that doesn't have an annoying tool mark, odd countour, misaligned stamping, or other such cosmetic blemish if you look hard enough. I learned long ago to stop being anal about little stuff like that and judge the gun on how reliably it functions and how accurately it shoots.

 

[Snobal]

I totally agree with the folks that have recommended that you shoot the gun prior to being upset about cosmetic stuff...

Having said that, the 4" GP100 I got last fall was totally FUBAR (totally screwed up to you non-military folks) and after a chat with the nice folks at the Ruger Rehab Center, they picked it up and rebuilt it....

...the cylinder and barrel now align when the hammer falls...

...and now I can shoot wadcutter bullets at 25 yards and they hit straight rather than sideways....

...of course, the nice Ruger Rehab Center folks put a new barrel on it and a bunch of other new parts....

...and it only took them a few months to return the gun.... :roll:

I should also add that they did not charge me for this service --- and that I have an SP101 with a barrel that is offset like your gun.

The SP101 shoots great and has no other problems (except that it hits so far to the right that the sights are worthless....)

JMHO YRMV

 

[Russell420]

I had a Redhawk 7.5" with the exact same problem in 1985 (my first revolver). The gun shot OK, but seemed to spit lead badly to the sides, so I sent it back to Ruger for repair. They fixed it to my complete satisfaction. I just couldn't stand looking at the gun and seeing that defect every time. My vote is to send it in for repair.

Russell420

 

[smoke-eater]

You'll never be totally happy with it unless you send it back and have Ruger correct the problem. I know of what I speak.

Jeff

 

[Crashbox]

Interesting- I just took a close look at my new GP100, 4" barrel and it also appears to have a similar anomaly but not to this degree... hmmm...

 

[raw6464]

By G. Freeman

I have checked the timing of the gun and bore/cylinder alignment (visually) is perfect. Also when looking down the bore from the muzzle end, the firing pin appears well-centered in the cylinder chamber.

If the barrel was offset would not the bore/cylinder/firing pin be out of alignment?

 

[Snake45]

By G. Freeman

I have checked the timing of the gun and bore/cylinder alignment (visually) is perfect. Also when looking down the bore from the muzzle end, the firing pin appears well-centered in the cylinder chamber.

If the barrel was offset would not the bore/cylinder/firing pin be out of alignment?

The barrel being offset wouldn't have any effect on the relationship between the firing pin and the chambers, which might or might not be correct. It would probably (almost certainly) have some effect on the concentricity of the barrel and the chambers (unless the cylinder were offset for some reason, too, and in the right direction).

 

[c.r.]

I have a 4" GP with the barrel cock-eyed like yours. I'm not sure mine is that far off center. coul be.......I don't have it in front of me.

does it shoot fine? it shoots as good as I can.

does it "irk" me? YES!

why do i still have the gun? because it shoots fine. I do have to use the rear sigt to compensate for the the cockeyed barrel.

~c.r.

 

[sharpblade7777]

I recently bought a new 4 inch redhawk and it was the same way. I shot it from the bench and had to run the rear sight way to far to the right to group on target. I sent it back to ruger and they put the barrel on right but I won't mention all the other cosmetic damage they did to the gun.

 

[Anonymous]

My 3" is like that and it is my best shooter. I think it is the way the frame is formed. JMO

 

[raw6464]

By G. Freeman

I have checked the timing of the gun and bore/cylinder alignment (visually) is perfect. Also when looking down the bore from the muzzle end, the firing pin appears well-centered in the cylinder chamber.

If the barrel was offset would not the bore/cylinder/firing pin be out of alignment?

The barrel being offset wouldn't have any effect on the relationship between the firing pin and the chambers, which might or might not be correct. It would probably (almost certainly) have some effect on the concentricity of the barrel and the chambers (unless the cylinder were offset for some reason, too, and in the right direction).

Yes I know the firing pin to chambers relationship would not be affected because they are in the frame. But if the barrel is offset it would NOT be in alignment with the cylinder/firing pin as Freeman describes. So I don't see how the issue as a barrel offset? So where back to the under torque as the problem.

Actually it really doesnt matter in either case... the gun should have never left the factory. Shame on Ruger... considering the number of people (me too) have various revolvers with a similar issue.

 

[JWhitmore44]

But if the barrel is offset it would NOT be in alignment with the cylinder/firing pin as Freeman describes. So I don't see how the issue as a barrel offset? So where back to the under torque as the problem.

Actually it really doesnt matter in either case... the gun should have never left the factory. Shame on Ruger... considering the number of people (me too) have various revolvers with a similar issue.

It was a little hard to tell from the picture, but I think what they were trying to get at is that the barrel or bore, and the threads are off set from the rest of the machining of the exterior of the barrel. I really don't know their process for making barrels, but if we assume the barrel as a whole is cast. The bore then drilled and rifled, and the threads cut based on the center of the bore. You could end up with the outside of the barrel slightly off set from the bore and the threading. This would cause the whole barrel to look offset to one side but yet the bore, cylinder, and firing pin all line up.

As far as leaving the factory that way. I'm sure they have built in tolerances, and as long as things line up so that it shoots it meets those tolerances. A minuscule amount of offset probably isn't a big concern as most would probably not notice it. I'm not talking about the barrel not being clocked right, as this causes sight misalignment. But if the front sight. bore, cylinder all line up they way they should, a slight offset look to the barrel is probably tolerable ans some what unnoticeable to most.

 

[WyoGunner]

I just checked my 6" Gp100 and the barrel is not completely screwed on. It looks like it could go a couple more degrees. I guess this explains why the I had to crank the sight so far to the right. Even so, the gun is pretty accurate. Another question, I have a ton of leading that builds up around the barrel where it meets the cylinder. It is a SOB to get off. I have yet to completely remove it. You think this is related to the barrel not being completely screwed on?

 

[WyoGunner]

After further examination, my barrel was not mounted completely centered either. The gun has been really accurate though, so I don't think it is that big of a deal.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I really don't know their process for making barrels, but if we assume the barrel as a whole is cast. The bore then drilled and rifled, and the threads cut based on the center of the bore. You could end up with the outside of the barrel slightly off set from the bore and the threading. This would cause the whole barrel to look offset to one side but yet the bore, cylinder, and firing pin all line up.

10-4 on that. Everything should line up even if the bore is a little off-center. Sometimes at the muzzle you can see a little off-center bore. Won't effect the shooting very much.

...Jimbo

 

[G. Freeman]

I just want to thank all of you for your input. Well, finally shot it a couple of days ago but before I show pics of the target this is a summary of my visual observations for this gun:

1. Right side of the frame appears to have been buffed more than the left side. Also, the barrel may be undertorqued. In fact, it even looks as if the barrel is pointing to the right. Whether this is an optical illusion, I just couldn't tell. But it really looks as if the barrel is pointing to the right.

2. You would think that the front sight would be leaning to the right (since the barrel is undertorqued). But the front sight is actually staked in pointing to the left (when looking from the rear sight end)

Otherwise the gun was beautifully finished. I did have to install a couple of endshake bearings because the face of the cylinder was rubbing on the forcing cone. B/C gap is .004", endshake probably .001".

So...here are the shots I made...

At 20 feet.

At ~25 feet.

Groups got a little larger. I have not shot a snubby in a long time (~10-15 years). Was using medium power 357 reloads using 125 gr JSP's.

At ~35-40 feet.

Head shots were single-action.
Torso shots were a combination of single-action and double-action.

All in all, the performance of the gun impressed me. Yeah, the cosmetics of the gun was kinda funky. Was it a comedy of errors that eventually made the gun shoot straight? Maybe, but all in all I'm very happy. The gun shot poa, no kentucky windage used. However I don't know how ammo will really print when shooting from a rest at 25 yards. But for what I'll use it for and for the distance I'll shoot it at-- 20-50 feet. It should suffice.

Again, I appreciate all you time and input. Happy shooting!

 

[Snake45]

What'd we tell you (some of us)--shoot it and see; might be okay.

"Pretty is as pretty shoots." :wink:

Glad to hear you're satisfied with it. I love happy endings.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

Nice shooting, good outcome, funky pictures.

-- Sam

 

[WyoGunner]

Although it might be an irritation, it still has it where it counts.