Sp101 and getting wet

[Sgtwillys]

Greetings everyone.
New guy here.

I would like to ask a question about care for my SP101

I am planning on taking it Trout fishing with me using a belt holster. I have been wondering what should should be done if for some chance I slip and it gets drenched in the water.

I am thinking give it a good spray down with some WD-40 or some other water displacing fluid then give it a good cleaning when I get home.

Thoughts, comments or ideas?

Thanks
Tom

 

[contender]

Welcome to the Forum!
A SP-101 is an excellent gun for packing around while fishing or just bumming around. I'd first have a secure holster so that if you do happen to slip & fall in,, it won't get lost. Next,, a LIGHT coat of good gun oil inside & out will help prevent rust issues. (Yes,, even the stainless guns can rust.) And if by chance you do happen to get wet,,, then a good disassembly and cleaning will be in order. It should be fine.

 

[Hugh]

Greetings, and welcome to the Ruger Forum. I'm with Contender. I would not give it a "good spray down with some WD-40". Among other things WD-40 is a penetrant, and is not a friend of fixed ammunition. It can make it's way into the cartridge case and damage the powder, and perhaps render it useless. I learned this thing about WD-40 during another part of my life and career.

In addition, once I pulled my dripping person back out of the water, I believe I'd dry my ammunition, and continue fishing. Clean SP-101 and wipe down with oil cloth later.

 

[Sgtwillys]

Great thanks

I never thought about the ammo and WD-40. I just worry about getting all the water out of the trigger group.

I just get so obsessed with having a clean gun. I blame that on the USMC!

I will also need to find a good holster that will retain it well since it is the DAO model

Thanks for the info guys.

 

[captainjack]

If you "dunk" any firearm, stainless or blue it's a good idea to follow all the previous posts. Also if mud, dirty water or saltwater are an issue I would flush out the unloaded gun with clean water first and lube it with my favorite product ,CLP. If WD-40 was all that was available it would be OK but other products are better. A complete cleaning and lube should follow asap.

I'm going to keep a small cleaning kit in my truck from now on just in case something like this happens to me.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[jimbo1096]

Bring along a can of spray brake cleaner. If it gets wet, don't worry about it until you get a chance to do a little maintenance. Remove grips and drop trigger group, shake out as much water as you can and spray liberally with the brake cleaner. Allow a few minuted to dry. Then lightly oil the working parts, reassenble, reload and back in business.

 

[harrydog]

I'd apply a coat of Eezox to the entire gun before you take it trout fishing. With Eezox you apply a VERY light coat and after it dries it is dry to the touch, not oily. It's extremely good at corrosion protection. There are several informal corrosion tests on the internet that compare gun lubes and Eezox always seems to come out on top.

 

[harley]

Don't worry so much. Its a revolver. Get up, wipe it down, have some spare ammo in the tackel box for good measure. Clean it when you get home. no big deal.

USMC should have taught you to deal with a stressfull situation. this is not one of them. you are fishing, enjoy it. Everyone these days is so worried about something. if bullets are flying at you then your training should kick in. just dont go fishing in the middle east.

 

[harrydog]

I didn't take it that he was worried or that he considered this a stressful situation. I think he just that he wants to take care of his gear. Nothing wrong with that in my book.

 

[louiethelump]

As a side note, you should stay away from WD40 on guns. Especially on the inner works. The carrier evaporates and leaves a varnish like sludge behind that gums up small moving parts. I cannot even estimate how many "gun repairs" I was asked to do that turned out to be nothing but everything gummed up by dried WD40. And it is STICKY. You have to take out every pin and plunger and spring and clean it with solvent (Hoppes works for this) and put it all back together.

I am with the other guys. A bit of fresh water in a SP101 is not a big deal and can wait until you get home. Salt water is different. A flush with Gun scrubber or similary drying spray, and then a re-lube with gun oil in a can; not a spray and you are good to go..... After a gunscrubber flush, which removes all the oil, "if it moves, put a drop of oil on it".

Just my two cents....

 

[Sgtwillys]

Thanks for all the reply's!!

I think it is time for me to surf around this forum because I have a feeling I can learn a good bit about my little pocket rocket.
I must say I have already learned a few things just from looking around a bit.

So that's what I will do, strap it on, hit the N Ga. streams and enjoy.

Thanks everyone

 

[Heliman]

+1 on the WD-40 nix. A hell of a mess when the solvents evaporate.

 

[pisgah]

>As a side note, you should stay away from WD40 on guns. Especially on the inner works. The carrier evaporates and leaves a varnish like sludge behind that gums up small moving parts.

I have guns that I know for a fact have never had anything but WD-40 in/on them for 40+ years, and have never seen this phenomenon. During that time, I have heard such stuff thousands of times -- but never from someone who could actually show me a gun that this has happened to.

It ain't the greatest lube or protectant in the world, but it is dandy at water displacement, which is what the WD stands for, and perfectly fine for aftter-dunking emergency treatment.

 

[louiethelump]

do you take your guns apart and look inside? Do you use them regularly? Do you oil them with other oils that would serve as solvents to keep the gumming to a minimum?

It is your gun, do as you please. Your use of WD 40 is GREAT for the gun repair industry. I only offered my experience for those that may benefit from it. Was not intending to start an argument. Frankly, I DON"T CARE what you use on your guns. Whoever gets your guns when you die will pay someone to take them apart and clean them out, and that is OK with me.

 

[Heliman]

I work in the aviation industry and know for a fact that long term storage of parts "preserved" with WD40 are a PIA to clean. IF the parts are sealed so the evaporatives stay intact, then it is okay. The internals of the firearm is what suffers the most. JMO.

Dave

 

[pisgah]

Gentlemen, I am not interested in starting a WD war. You have your opinion; I have mine. I do not recommed the stuff as the best, but my personal experience for decades -- and, yes, I have disassembled, or built from parts, and maintained all of my guns -- has been that while it is not the best all-around product for guns, it is not the bugaboo that so many claim it to be. And when it comes to emergency situations requiring a quick flushing-out of water-soaked actions, it works just fine, with absolutely no ill effects short-or-longterm.

 

[Heliman]

Gentlemen, I am not interested in starting a WD war. You have your opinion; I have mine. I do not recommed the stuff as the best, but my personal experience for decades -- and, yes, I have disassembled, or built from parts, and maintained all of my guns -- has been that while it is not the best all-around product for guns, it is not the bugaboo that so many claim it to be. And when it comes to emergency situations requiring a quick flushing-out of water-soaked actions, it works just fine, with absolutely no ill effects short-or-longterm.

I agree, for short term use..........

Dave

 

[Coop]

I've been shooting Blackpowder Cap and Ball revolvers for years now, both Piettas and Ruger Old Armies. After every match, I immerse them into a hot, soapy water bath (sans grip panels), scrub them out with bristle brushes, rinse with hot water, blow them out with compressed gas (air or otherwise), wipe them down with dry towels, lightly oil the action, Bore Butter lube the chambers and barrel on the blued models, then put them away until my next CAS match. That's about 150 dunkings in the last 10 years or so.

I don't think you need to worry at all about an occansional dunk for your stainless steel SP101. Unload the revolver, shake out the excess water, blow out the internals, wipe it down with a dry towel, then lightly oil the action. You might want to keep a can of compressed gas in you vehicle to blow it out.

Coop

 

[Pa]

Take along some 90% isopropyl alcohol. It's a lot less toxic & cheaper than brake/parts cleaner. If your pistol gets wet, just dunk it, unloaded, & let dry. The IA absorbs the water & evaporates quickly. Use your normal lube when dry.

 

[Sgtwillys]

WOW
Those are ideas I would have never thought of.

I also have a S&W 642 that I would like to take to the stream but will take the SP for this reason. If I dunk it, it takes me 3 minutes to have it apart then get it dry. This just isn't going to happen with a S&W. plus, it's a .357.

I enjoy the SP so much I find myself carrying it more than my Glock 27. OMG, how can that be!!

I still worry about the 5 rounds cap vs 9-10. But that is an entire different ball of wax.

Thanks

 

[rhatimi]

I know this is a bit off topic, but I always wondered if the LCR would be perfect in this role since it has a polymer gripframe, therefore no rust issues. Just something to think about.

 

[harrydog]

WOW
Those are ideas I would have never thought of.

I also have a S&W 642 that I would like to take to the stream but will take the SP for this reason. If I dunk it, it takes me 3 minutes to have it apart then get it dry. This just isn't going to happen with a S&W. plus, it's a .357.

I enjoy the SP so much I find myself carrying it more than my Glock 27. OMG, how can that be!!

I still worry about the 5 rounds cap vs 9-10. But that is an entire different ball of wax.

Thanks

The nice thing about treating the gun with Eezox is that if it does take a dunking, there would be no need to take it apart and dry it. Just continue fishing and enjoy the day. I'm surprised no one here uses it.

 

[Sgtwillys]

Harrydog
I have Eezox written on a post-it not right here so I can look into it.

 

[Gelder]

Sgtwillys

Fortunately the SPs and GP are very easy to field strip, if you have a good grade of lubricant some of the teflon lubricants are very good. If you have kept the lock works of your gun well lubricated, a dunking will probably not make the slightest difference.

Hugh

What class boats??

 

[Gelder]

pisgah

WD is convenient, but if you get enough of it where it should not be it will cause primer deterioration. I managed on one occasion to get s build up in the firing pin hole in my 1911, it ran down onto the chambered round an caused primer failure.

The caveat that goes along with this story is that these were reloads, and that most commercial ammo has a sealant on the primers that would have kept this from happening.

"Finegles Rule" applies if something bad can happen then it will...

WD is convenient, but not the best choice.

 

[pisgah]

>WD is convenient, but if you get enough of it where it should not be it will cause primer deterioration

It should go without saying, but just in case -- never spray ANY oil, WD40 or otherwise, on/in a loaded gun. Thin oils can migrate in to primers and/or powder and kill a load. After a dunking, ammo should be removed and dried off, the gun sprayed and then wiped down, outside and inside the bore/chambers. The real possibility of this happening with properly assembled ammo is small, but exists nonetheless.

 

[Hugh]

Sgtwillys

Fortunately the SPs and GP are very easy to field strip, if you have a good grade of lubricant some of the teflon lubricants are very good. If you have kept the lock works of your gun well lubricated, a dunking will probably not make the slightest difference.

Hugh

What class boats??

Hi Gelder,

USS SCULPIN (SSN 590) - SKIPJACK Class Attack Submarine
USS DRUM (SSN 677) - STURGEON Class Attack Submarine

 

[gramps]

Take along some 90% isopropyl alcohol. It's a lot less toxic & cheaper than brake/parts cleaner. If your pistol gets wet, just dunk it, unloaded, & let dry. The IA absorbs the water & evaporates quickly. Use your normal lube when dry.

I agree whole heartedly, may need to remove the rubber grips (I don't think alcohol is friendly to them?). I think a lanyard on the gun could be beneficial as well for retention. I used to take a Iver Johnson TP-22 fishing(blued semi-auto walther design). I carried it in a uncle mikes nylon holster with a nylon string attached to the pistol. Never lost it. Did go in the drink with it many times. Didn't worry with it til I got home. Yep I doused it with alcohol, and then wiped it down with WD-40. She still functions just fine, and no rust. I have a SP-101 with the 3 inch barrel and use a similar set up for it when woods bumming in the lower 48. Good luck and enjoy it.
gramps

 

[Knuckles]

I'd unload... shake it... blow on the internals as best as I could... wipe the ammo dry... reload and go back to fishing.

You could put it in a water-proof container of some kind :wink:

Bud (knuckles)

 

[Chukar hunter]

I'm also looking forward to using my newly acquired 2-1/4 " SP 101 for carry on trout streams and backpacking. I wade a lot so I'm getting a Grizzly Tuff holster rig for mine. It'll hold a bit of extra ammo also. I knew a guy that used to take the grips off of his SS speed six after going to the range, and put it in the dishwasher to clean it, he'd dry and lube it afterwards.