SP101 - machining differences between 1993 & 2017 production

[Armybrat]

What's up with this?

The machining below the recoil shield/cylinder release button on my new .327 looks different than on older SPs gun....

my old 1993 .357....

Did someone on the machine turn away for a few seconds to sneeze and forgot to make the rest of the cut?

 

[NikA]

I've not seen one like that. My newer production ones (2013+) have a continuous raised area from where the latch pin hole is drilled down to the cylinder retention bump, but nothing on the back side of the latch pin hole.

 

[arfmel]

The yoke and cylinder flutes look subtly different as well. Think I like the older gun better.

 

[roylt]

When I got my new SP in 9mm I about crapped. First brand new gun I have bought in a long time. Ruger has gone way down in quality in my opinion. Your new gun is just what Ruger thinks is OK now a days. Save some machining and cost and push out the numbers.

 

[Boatbuilder]

Your new one doesn't look like the picture on the Ruger website, either. Most of the pictures on the SP-101 page are from the starboard side of the gun, but the photo at the top of the page shows the port side and it does not exhibit the same surface features as your gun. To me that's grounds for return to Ruger. I have a 20 year old 357 SP-101 and a nearly new 327 that I'll have to compare side by side tonight.

 

[Galaxiedan]

I have many many SP101s including that same model. thats no good, needs to go back.

 

[Enigma]

That's one reason that I won't buy a currently/recently produced Ruger. Not until they clean their act up.

 

[Captain America]

Call Ruger, explain the issue and they'll take care of it. It's always disconcerting when you have an problem but Ruger CS is second to none which is a big selling point.

 

[Armybrat]

Just sent Ruger CS an email explaining my concern - along with a link to this thread.
We'll see what they say.

 

[Acorn]

Member Orchemo has a 3" SP listed on the Classified Form. Click the link to the pic. It looks exactly the same as yours.

 

[cellar701]

Yes it appears they left out a line of programming in the CNC mill... mine is the same.

 

[Captain America]

That's interesting, now I'm very curious about the answer you get from Ruger.

 

[Boatbuilder]

Looked at mine last night and it's the same thing. I wonder now if anyone has one that's not like this. It's also a little embarrassing that I didn't notice it on mine until this thread came up.

 

[Armybrat]

That was quick - just got this reply from CS:

Thank you for contacting Ruger Customer Service.
Your Customer Service Issue # *********

This is normal by design. The design changed happened in 2017. Per your older model - Ruger stopped using the pressed in cylinder stop pin back in 2009.

Ruger Customer Service

 

[Captain America]

I definitely like the Match Champion style tapered cylinder.

 

[lark63]

Mine looks the same as your new one. Nov. 2017
Not impressed but.............
Gives us a quick ID on the year though.

 

[lolbell]

I have a 1996 Dodge Ram and a 2013 Dodge Ram. After reading this I got curious and parked them side by side and by golly there are differences in their design too. I called Dodge too complain but as of yet have not gotten a reply. We'll see how this goes. Maybe they will send a truck out here to pick up the new one to carry back to the factory and fix all of those horrible changes. I can not believe anyone would change anything like that. It's only been 20+ years.

 

[rjn]

I have a 1996 Dodge Ram and a 2013 Dodge Ram...

If both trucks are built with the same quality then I would not bother.

However, if Dodge decided, for example, to leave the tailpipe sticking out an extra 10 inches to save a manufacturing step, then I think you would have a reason to complain.

 

[5of7]

There are several differences between the 2; hammer is a different profile, the cut on the extractor shroud is different, no stamping on the barrel and probably more.

It is what it is, and if it is a good revolver, it is a good revolver. If it was mine, I would not worry about it. But it ain't mine, it is yours. 8)

 

[hittman]

I'm always curious to know how folks spend several hundred dollars and don't notice this stuff until they get the item home. :shock: