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sp101 questions

tido4570
I bought a used ruger sp101 on an auction and I am very happy with it. I have a couple of Questions.

1. I don't know the proper term but the metal rod that you push to eject the spent cartridges is loose and will rattle if you shake the gun side to side. Is that normal?

2.It is chambered for .357 magnum but .38 +P are alot more fun to shoot. What is the best bullet weight and type for personal protection for .38+p and/or .357? Will practicing with .38+p and carrying .357 for protection throw off your accuracy by not being used to the recoil?

3.The trigger pull is very long. Is it possible to change the length of the trigger pull or is that impossible?

4.Would Ruger do a "tune up" of a used revolver and approximately what would it cost?

Try to answer as many as you can and I appreciate it, you guys are really an asset to the gun community.

Thanks.
Thanks
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Comments

5 comments

Date Votes
  • rufe-snow
    If none of our folks can answer your questions, you might consider posting to the Ruger collectors forum. SP 101's are a popular subject over there. Some guys have gone into great detail about reworking the trigger for a better trigger pull. I'm sure they could answer your other questions also.
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  • 11b6r
    You can contact Ruger Customer Service through their website. Most makers will do "tune ups" or repairs on guns THAT ARE STILL IN PRODUCTION. Re: Ammo, I shoot a lot of .38 Spec Wadcutter, much MUCH lighter than 357. Easier on the gun, easier on the wallet. For defense, the 125 JHP .357 Magnum is rated about as high on the "one shot stop" scale as any handgun that does not require wheels to move it. LOOONG trigger pull is a characteristic of a double action revolver (notice they don't have a safety?) Don't screw with the trigger. In theory, a shorter travel is possible, with a resulting increase in force to pull it.
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  • RCrosby
    tido,
    I'm far from an expert, but am familiar with the Ruger double action design and may be able to help a bit until others (inevitably) come along with more complete answers.
    With the Ruger design, unlike the S & W, the ejector rod does not play a roll in locking up the cylinder and the looseness you mention should not be a problem.
    A set of Wolfe springs will improve the trigger pull tremendously for less than $20.00. I'd try that before paying a competent gunsmith to actually work on the trigger. Lighter and smoother is do-able; shorter? No. I suppose, in theory, the action might be modified to shorten the actual pull, but the cost would prohibitive.
    I don't think that Ruger would do what most consider a "tune-up", but they are real good about servicing used revolvers, replacing worn parts, etc.
    As for ammo choice, I'm sure you'll get many responses from those more knowledgable in that area than I, though I wouldn't expect consensus. Some will say you should practice with the ammo you will carry. At self defense ranges I don't think any diffence in point of impact would be a problem, but you certainly want to be comfortable shooting your defense rounds.
    Excellent revolver you have, by the way. Shoot it lots, and enjoy.
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  • beantownshootah
    quote:Originally posted by tido4570
    I bought a used ruger sp101 on an auction and I am very happy with it. I have a couple of Questions.

    1. I don't know the proper term but the metal rod that you push to eject the spent cartridges is loose and will rattle if you shake the gun side to side. Is that normal?

    That's called (suprise!) the "ejector rod" and I think with Rugers its OK if they rattle a little.

    quote:
    2.It is chambered for .357 magnum but .38 +P are alot more fun to shoot. What is the best bullet weight and type for personal protection for .38+p and/or .357?

    That's debatable. Its hard to say exactly what the "best" round is (eg how do you do the "experiment" to test this?), but I think most authorities would agree that what you want is a .38+P or .357 magnum round using a hollowpoint bullet that is intended for "personal protection" in weights of either 125 or 158 grains.

    Stick to premium "personal defense" ammunition from a major manufacturer (eg Federal, Winchester, Corbon, etc), and you should be OK.

    .357 is more effective than .38+P in terms of pure ballistic effectiveness. . .but there is a trade off there in terms of more noise, more muzzle flash, more recoil (meaning slower followup shots), and more expense.

    Edit: My take on this is that if I've got a gun that can handle .357s, and I've only got five rounds, I might as well load the thing with .357s! I don't think any individual on the receiving end would be able to tell the difference, frankly, but given the choice, I'd probably pick 125 grainers for the .357 (but 158 grains for the .38+P).

    I would also strongly advise you NOT to expend too much mental energy and time worrying/wondering about which rounds are the "best". There is no possible way to know that. Just pick one of the better ammo makers "personal protection" types, and feel comfortable that the round will do its job if you do your job and put it in the right place

    quote:Will practicing with .38+p and carrying .357 for protection throw off your accuracy by not being used to the recoil?
    Debatable, but my opinion is not much, if at all.

    While the usual mantra is "practice like you play" (ie practice with the actual ammo you're going to shoot, I don't think in a life or death situation you're really going to notice the recoil too much.

    Most defensive shootings also occur at fairly close range. At a distance of 5 feet pinpoint accuracy isn't necessary. Also, at any distance where you might legitimately claim self defense in shooting someone (ie inside of 10 yards), point of impact difference between .38 and .357 will be negligible.

    I'd say what you should do is practice often with .38s (they don't have to be .38+P, but they can be), and practice occasionally with .357s to familiarize yourself with them.

    quote:3.The trigger pull is very long. Is it possible to change the length of the trigger pull or is that impossible?
    Possible? Sure.

    Practical? No, because doing that would require a significant reworking of the guns internal parts, and that sort of major rebuild of the gun would be neither trivial nor cost-effective.

    If you want a short trigger pull, you can just cock the hammer of the gun before shooting it.

    With a double-action (long uncocked) pull, I think what you are after is not so much a SHORT pull, but rather a SMOOTH and LIGHT pull. Now SMOOTHNESS and trigger WEIGHT *can* be adjusted by polishing the guns internal working surfaces and swapping out the mainspring for a lighter one. While someone who knows what they are doing can do this (especially swapping the spring), any competent gunsmith should be able to do a "trigger job" for you for a reasonable fee, and that's the better way to go for a novice.

    quote:4.Would Ruger do a "tune up" of a used revolver and approximately what would it cost?
    You'd have to ask Ruger that question. They would certainly be happy to replace any worn or broken parts, and get the gun into working order at a reasonable fee (which might even be zero, depending on whats wrong with it).

    In terms of lightening a trigger pull. . .maybe they would. . .though I think for liability reasons they would NOT want to leave you with a gun that had a really light trigger pull, as it could contribute to a negligent discharge, and they wouldn't want to be blamed for it. They'd probably just check over your gun, make sure it was working fine, and if the trigger were in spec, tell you so.

    Cost for a gunsmith to do a trigger job will vary depending on their level of experience, geographic location, etc, but $75 is a reasonable place to start the price discussion.
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  • rong
    Hello, I've had an Sp101
    357 since '93 and it's a great
    gun.Shoots pretty much to point
    of aim, with all ammo I've tried.
    I've always carried with Winny
    125gr HP silvertips until I downed
    a deer with my 50cal bp and dispatched it
    with my Sp101 with the silver tips.
    while skinning the deer I found
    the round barely went thru the hide
    and mage a superficial bloody wound
    in it's neck.Now I shoot 357's.
    Anyway. nothing rattles when i shake it
    and when i first got it I dried fired it
    1000 times while watching tv and the action
    smoothed right out. The full loads 357
    are easy to control,as far as the length
    of the trigger pull? Never been a problem.
    Oh yea, if she loaded and you shake side to
    side, you'll hear 38's moving a bit.
    I honestly believe the Sp101 is the best
    Snubby on the market and most useful.
    Especially if you reload and cruise the woods.
    There isn't nothing you can't stop
    with a good 357 round in the Northeast
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