Ruger SP101 Failure

Hello to all...
I'm suspicious there's something else broken and stuck, as
I'm unable to pull out the trigger assembly, as per the manuals
instructions on how to do so...So I've concentrated on inspecting
the broken off transfer bar, and have the following observations.
* It appears to be easily mallible metal, soft, the kind a person
could polish simply by using their fingers. It has a nice impact
dent from the firing pin, and some smooth polished edges.
* It appears to be semi pitted but without any sign of rust.
Crude metal quality by comparison to the outside of the gun.
* From looking at the broken end with a magnifying glass, it looks
like it was formed from powdered metal. ( I think it's called MIM?)

Perhaps the softness of the metal is to cushion the blow to the firing
pin? Considering the quality of the outside of the gun, the part looks
downright cheap,crude, and actually looks recycled. As I bought the
gun NIB, I'd expect more in a new part.
One idea is that the part came from a parts collection box, gathered
from disassembling other guns, hence the recycled look. Just a thought.
It certainly doesn't look like quality stainless steel. It's almost like
it contains some lead. A dirty look to it.

Anyone ever bought a Quality Shirt, only to have several of the buttons
fall off due to really cheap thread on the buttons, and wondered:
What Were They Thinking? and Why would they cut corners on something
as important to the shirt as the buttons?
That's how I feel about this gun.

Time to put it all back together and get it sent off.
Thank you all. TFL's the best.
 
The trigger assembly is a bit hard to get out the first time. It will come out as in the instructions, but you'll have to be persistant.
It has a nice impact dent from the firing pin, and some smooth polished edges.
Click to expand...
Normal
It appears to be semi pitted but without any sign of rust.
Crude metal quality by comparison to the outside of the gun.
Click to expand...
Also normal. Internal parts are not typically finished to the same level as the exterior. Metal quality is good regardless.
From looking at the broken end with a magnifying glass, it looks like it was formed from powdered metal.
Click to expand...
No, it is an investment casting. Ruger is probably the foremost investment casting company in the world at the moment. They do a good bit of this type of work for other companies (including turbines for some jet engines.)

You were unfortunate to get a revolver with a manufacturing defect. It is not an indictment of the entire revolver nor of the entire company. If they had to magnaflux all the parts of all the firearms they sold, we would not be able to afford them. It's not pleasant to purchase a product with a defect, but it's not realistic to believe that there is any company in existence that has absolutely perfect quality control.

Call Ruger and they will send you a new transfer bar for free, or you can send them the entire revolver and have them check it over and replace the broken part. They will service it and return it for free. If it is determined that the part was defective (as it obviously was) then you can write them a letter referencing the service and they will almost certainly refund what it cost you to ship the gun to them.
 
Back in 81 I bought a super black hawk ,and the transfer bar broke 3 times ruger fixed it 3 times when I got it back the last time I sold it and bought a S&W 29 and never looked back .the S&W 29 has had over 1500 magnum rounds through it with out a hicup .it is very nice to have a weapon that goes bang everytime you pull the trigger.
 
Ruger service

Ruger's service is exceptional, and that's another reason why I would continue buying their products. I once bought a Ruger MKII 22 with a front sight that was slightly off. After a call to Ruger I received a new front sight within days, without even being asked to return the original. I would send them the gun and to repair the transfer bar as well as give it general inspection. I think this would inspire more confidence in the gun rather than asking them to send you the part. Good Luck
 
Teh quality of the new SP 101 (22lr) I just bought was WELL below anything I've ever seen out of Ruger. wonder if tehy are makig "Monday guns" as Tausus does.
 
I am starting to form an opinion that Ruger is starting to slip in terms of quality. Besides the above mentioned story, my brother had a defective rotary magazine that came with his new .22 Hornet. A coworker bought a 10/22 with the barrelled action that wiggled noticeably in the stock, and recently Gun Tests magazine had to send a Ruger Vaquero back that would not function. This all just recently, I can't ever remember anyone with a problem with a Ruger bought several years ago. So buy a Ruger after giving it a REAL close look.

I own three Rugers, have owned another six, so I am no Ruger basher, I just advance this information as a caveat. Working in design manufacturing, I know it is VERY important to get the whole gun back to Ruger, usually in the state when the malfunction / defect was first noticed (as in don't disassemble and perform your own autopsy) so they can do some detective work.
 
My advice on this is that no matter which manufacturer the gun is, and no matter what the manual says, it is still better to use snap caps if you are going to be doing a whole bunch of dry firing. It sure doesn't hurt, and it just may prevent the sort of malfunction you had. A few dry fires won't usually hurt anything, but for extended dry fire sessions I'd still reccomend snap caps.
 
i guess i just don't understand how dry firing a gun could possibly generate more force on internal parts then the explosive forces of an exploding .357 magnum round when it explodes :confused:

send the gun back to ruger and if it still does not meet your satisfaction, get rid of it and get something that does meet your satisfaction.

it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks if you are not happy with your gun
 
You guys fail to remember a few things:

1) humans are not perfect
2) anything that is mass produced, will have a bad LOT here and there
3) Rugers are just as good now as they have ever been

P.S
All 10/22's are loose in the stock, mine is, and a friend of mine who has one of the first production runs also has wiggles a bit, doesnt hurt the gun any.
 
I've purchased a lot of guns over the years, and have yet to find a company that's defect free. If the criteria for having my business was a totally defect-free product, every time, my gun safe would be empty (instead of woefully overloaded).

S&W, Ruger, Kahr, Kimber and many others have always given me outstanding support when something went "click" instead of "bang".
 
just got a 4 inch 32 and havent shot it yet but stripped it down stoned a few parts and have probably dry fired it a couple thousand times in the last week. Ive never seen a gun failure caused by dry firing and all my guns have seen lots of it. The only ones i try to limit the dry firing on are the smiths with hammer mounted firing pins.
 
call ruger tell them the problem send it back they will fix it.

Its clearly a defect, tell them you want them to issue a fedex call tag, since shippers in you r area dont like to take handguns over the counter. FEDEX will come to your house or business and pick the gun up.

then when it comes back repaired keep it or sell it.

BTW thats quite a story about the super blackhawk breaking a transer bar three times. Ruger would have given you a whole new gun after the second time.
 
Metal that is to hard breaks. Too soft makes it springy. Thats why a good sword blade is flexible, not stiff, to absorb impact.

I had a friend who bought a brand new Chief a few years ago before they began switching with the innards and the hammer block or whatever got stuck. turns out there was a bur inside the channel it rides up and down in.
This sort of thing can happen to ANY gun made by ANY manufacturer.
You can't judge the whole company by one lemon that got turned loose out of thousands of guns that year.
 
Even wooden baseball bats break...

If you can't trust any gun mfg. to produce 100% infallible guns, and a wooden bat can break, then self-defense is hopeless. ;)

Seriously, Ruger WILL find out what is amiss with that gun and it will be repaired free of charge.
If you run of to buy another brand, you can have the same kind of doubts about their product and start all over again when it fails you, because they won't give you the mythical 100% either.

Your call.
I would keep the Ruger and MAKE it work.
That's the American Hot-Rod mentality! :D

Good Luck. Do what makes you feel best.
 
Ruger

Ruger is normally the company that makes gun smiths go broke cause they just dont break! If you bought it at a store I'd say you got unlucky and got the 1 in 10,000 bad ones. Since you bought it at a gun show I'd say more likely someone was messing with it, broke it, and took it to a gun show to unload. Beware the internet trollers I checked with everyone I know that shoots rugers and no one has ever even heard of a broken transfer bar. Get the low down on this by calling Rob Dierden (sp?) he's the head armorer at Ruger. He'll fix it regardless of who broke it!
 
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