Ruger SP101 9MM

[JStacy]

I have a new Ruger 9MM SP101 . It was been less than impressive when I got it. The SA pull was heavier than the DA pull? First gun I have ever had that on. I put a Wilson combat spring kit in it and the trigger problems were fixed , smooth SA & DA and only half the pull weight. BTW the gun is 100% with all of the factory loads and reloads but it shoots everything I have tried low and left except the WW 115, good windage and only 2" low.
I sent a message to the Ruger customer service asking about the accuracy and POA issues. I got a response to call customer service and discuss the issues and see if a RMA should be sent. Customer service person was quite nice and knowledgeable about the SP 101 9MM.
I told him of the accuracy issues and POA issues and he said the gun was made to be a 7 yard gun shooting 124 grain ammo and when it left the factory it was test fired to shoot POA at 7 yards with 124 grain factory ammo. He offered to send me an extra front sight and cross pin so I could experiment with my current sight and if I removed "too much" front sight I would have an extra to put on the gun. Found the person to be quite helpful.
I think some work with hand loads and 124 grain bullets may bring the gun around. I still wish it would group better but it is considered accurate enough for self defense.

 

[woodsy]

Try some heavier bullets (about 158 grain) if you do your own handloads. They may impact at POA. I had to make a new front sight because mine shot to the right. Now, it is perfect, in every respect.

 

[woodsy]

Whoops! Just noticed that 158 grain is not a 9mm load. Try 147 grain, instead.

 

[JStacy]

wood tell me about your new front sight ? Thinned it to one side ?

 

[woodsy]

JStacy, no, I did not thin one side. Rather, I made a new front sight from black Delrin plastic, made it about .020" thicker overall, then trimmed down the right side of the new sight (only where it sinks into the recess), so that it would drop into the barrel, thus ending with a new sight which is thicker on the right side by about .020". Shoots fine, now. (My milling machine was a great help.)

 

[Pistolero]

Gents,
I have enjoyed your posts about the front sights for your SP101 9mms. I have an older SP101 9mm with a 3 inch barrel and a pinned front sight. I am thinking of installing an XS Big Dot front sight. I shoot 124 grain ball ammo through it most of the time. Your thoughts on the Big Dot sight?
Thank you,

 

[Tom W]

If you want a 158 gr. load it used to be in the old Lyman books. As soon as I send my barrel off to get it throated I'll try some.
Look over at Handloads.com....

 

[JStacy]

Pistolero. 3" SP101 9 MM ! That is a rare bird I never knew Ruger made a 3" 9MM. Does your pistol shoot POA with the 124 loads ?
Have you shot hand loads or just factory in your gun.
Tom be very careful using longer bullets in the 9MM case. Pressures jump pretty quickly if you compress the powder charge.

 

[Pistolero]

Pistolero. 3" SP101 9 MM ! That is a rare bird I never knew Ruger made a 3" 9MM. Does your pistol shoot POA with the 124 loads ?
Have you shot hand loads or just factory in your gun.
Tom be very careful using longer bullets in the 9MM case. Pressures jump pretty quickly if you compress the powder charge.

This particular revolver is one of the 50 that were made and distributed to various law enforcement agencies in the late 1990s for evaluation as a back up gun to their new "Wondernine" semi-autos. After the evaluation period they were returned to Ruger, cleaned up, stamped with an asterisk before the serial number and then sent to distributors. I bought mine "as like new" in the original box. It shoots 124 grn ball at POA and still looks like a new gun.

Regards,

Mike

 

[JStacy]

Mike , excellent, never knew they did that , thanks for sharing ! Jim

 

[JStacy]

Range report . Well found a 124grain reload that shoots correct left and right. 5.8 Long shot 124 grain Berry bullet. NOW ----- If you push the Berry bullets any they will fail for you. After the first three round of 5.8LS /124B the bullets started key holing !! 7.5 BD,7.7BD 8.0HS7 , all loads from the #26 Hodgdon's reloading manual except for the Long Shot and that was from the Hodgdon's web site. The BD and HS7 loads also all shot above and to the right of POA also There was a significant amount of fouling in the bore of the pistol . I guess the Berry bullets , says they will stand 1250 FPS , will be relegated to light plinking loads for my 9 MM semi auto. All future loads with 124 grain bullets will be with 124 XTP's .
After careful cleaning and measurements I found that the fouling in the barrel came out when scrubbing with a bronze bristle wrapped with big 45 cleaner.
The lands and grooves are relatively wide lands and shallow grooves approx. 2 thousands . The land and groove diameter on my gun measured .354 groove diameter and .352 land diameter. The cylinder chamber mouths all measured .356. Obviously the barrel is set up for jacketed bullets and as evidenced by shooting cast bullets, from a previous session, poorly. It is my belief that the Berry plated bullets were being stripped of their plating when they entered the .354 bore forcing cone from the .356 chamber mouths.