Got my new SP101, BUT.....

S

Sisco

New member
I'm having problems with the cylinder closing. Sometimes it works fine, most times the latch pin at the rear of they cylinder hangs up and won't activate the latch at the front of the cylider. The extractor rod feels "gritty"
If one works the extractor rod back & forth enough time it'll free up and let the cylinder close.
I haven't even fired this gun yet, just took it out of the box and cleaned it.
One more thing, the grip locator pin won't come out. According to the instructions it's supposed to be removed before sliding the grip off the frame. I have a GP100 but replaced the stock grips with a Hogue when I bought it so I don't rember if it slides out easially or not.
 
SK, I bought a SP101 earlier this year (and also have two GP100s) and may be able to help.

First, the grip locator pin may be a little tight the first couple of times you remove/reinstall it, but it should become easier over time. Just make sure there are no burrs on the aluminum pin.

Second, after I disassembled my SP101 the first time, I also had some problems with it properly locking up after I reassembled it. I found the key is to make sure when you are reinserting the cylinder crane/pin into the frame, make sure you push it all the way into the frame, and then close the cylinder. You may even need to push back on the crane a little as you close the cylinder to make sure it stays all the way in. Once you install the trigger group, the cylinder should release and lock easily.

Hope this helps. Unfortunately, I've found the workmanship on my SP101 is not nearly as good as my GP100s (which I bought about 8 years ago). Rugers quality control has obviously declined. I've loved Rugers for the past 30 years, but if this trend continues, I won't buy another new one. Good luck and stay safe!
 
I took it apart and reassembled it a couple of times, the crane was in tight. It's almost like it's bent or has a burr that's causing it to hang up. Also, for lack of a better word to describe it, the 'bushing' at the front of the cylinder has a cut in it, like someone took a hacksaw to it. Not all the way through but I'm sure it's not supposed to be there.
Took it back to the dealer this morning and he's shipping it back to Ruger, owned lots of Rugers but never had to use their customer service until now. I'll follow up with a post on how that went.
 
Mine also has the "cut" on the bushing. It may(?) be there to prevent gases from the cylinder/barrel gap from eroding the bushing?

I also forgot to mention that the first SP101 I bought shot way left and low with a variety of ammo. I immediately brought it back to the dealer. He test fired it and confirmed the POI, so he replaced it. The replacement still shoots a little left of POA, but is acceptable for ranges typical for a 2.25" barrel.
 
I simply will not buy another Ruger unless I have calipers, feeler guages, etc., and plenty of time to look over every detail. Ruger designs are great, but recent experience with a new SP101 has taught me to presume the as built product is a POS until proven otherwise. I concurr with the observation that quality control at Ruger is not what it used to be.

Good luck with customer service too. I didn't find much difference between quality of manufacture and quality of service.
 
22shooter, what problems did you have with your gun? Tell us about your customer service experience.
I own several Rugers and this is the first time I've encountered any major problem. The only time I contacted customer service was about my P95 shooting low, they sent me a taller front sight.
I chose an SP after reading this board and others and finding lots of posts with people speaking highly of them
Hope I'm not disappointed.
 
I don't know if Ruger has different manufacturing divisions for different models or different quality control standards. As I stated earlier, the quality of my new SP101 is not as good as two GP100s I bought about 8 years ago. However, I also recently purchased a Ruger Bisley in .357Mag and am very pleased with the quality of it (so far).

Since CHLs have become more available (in many states) and CCWs are in more demand........ I'm wondering if Ruger didn't speed up production (and lowered quality control) of the SP101s to get quantity up. Whatever the reason, I wouldn't buy another SP101 until quality improves.
 
Went to the dealer today, mostly to give him a hard time about when would my gun would be back, really didn't expect it for a couple of weeks.
As soon as I walked in he pulled a case out and said "Here ya go". He called Ruger last Monday and explained the problem, they shipped a new gun.
This one is a world of difference from the other one, the trigger is smoother, the grip pin falls right out (had to beat the first one out). I think the one I sent back had a bad cast frame or something. I'll get it to the range tomorrow.
 
SK,
Glad to hear you were taken care of and got a replacement revolver. I almost hesitate to share my experience because in spite of it I'm sure you've got a fine revolver. It would be incredibly bad luck to get two "lemons" in a row, and properly made the SP is a great revolver. You made a good choice.

My SP started out with the barrel rotated too far into the frame (sight was so far off vertical it shot inches to the side at a few yards after I got it to the range). It was very obvious. Mea culpa! I should have noticed it before I bought it NIB at a gun show from an out of town dealer.

Sent in to Ruger and it was returned to me with the barrel unscrewed to fix that problem (the repair slip said the barrel had been "repaired"), but the barrel cylinder gap opened up to 11-12 mils as a result (6 of which was end shake). I expect some flash out the gap, but this one got to be a bit much and I wasn't excited about the velocity loss either.

To Ruger and back again with a replaced cylinder and no improvement in gap or end shake. Ruger insisted it was returned with a 6 mil gap. I went shopping and looked at a couple other SP101's closely-all had nice tight gaps. I also noticed their hammers didn't swim around in the hammer well. The hammer well on mine was machined too wide, almost down to the end of the hammers travel, i.e. a lip was left on one side of the frame where the hammer face strikes the frame.

I sent it in the third time with a peice of my feeler guage cut off and resting in the gap. It came back with the barrel replaced, the gap down below 6 mils where it should be, and the remaining lip in the hammer well machined down.

The replacement cylinder from trip number 2 was no beauty-the primer ends of the chambers are very roughly ovaled out in an attempt to flange up the chambers with similiarly misshapen ejection star openings. But it seems to shoot OK, rounds slide in real easy even if they do rattel around a bit in the cylinder, and I'm worn out dealing with it. The revolver is at least at the point where I would not feel guilty selling it used to somone, and I may hold onto it.

I've seen SP101's with fine workmanship, and then there's the one I carelessly purchased NIB without looking closely at it first. As I said before, I'll never purchase another without a very thorough going over.
 
The replacement they sent looks and feels good, haven't shot it yet, going to the range tomorrow.
I was at the dealers today just hangin' around and he said the deal was unusual in that Ruger usually has him send the guns in for repair but when he described the problem they just said they'd send a new one and he could return the other.
Makes one wonder if they've seen several with the same problem and perhaps it wasn't repairable at all.
 
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