SP101 Double Action Issues

[War Eagle]

Took the SP101 to a local indoor range tonight. This was the first time shooting this brand new revolver. It is a 3" .357mag. I only had some 148 wadcutters loaded pretty light in .38spl cases so that is what went with.

Playing around with it at the house, I noticed a slight catch midway through the double action pull while dry firing. I didn't think much of it and figured it would polish out with wear through use. Got to the range, loaded up, thumbed the hammer back and all went well. Proceeded to fire the next round in DA and midway through the pull, the gun locked up. It caught me off guard and I relieved my finger from the trigger. Wondering what it was, I thumbed the hammer back again and pulled the trigger again. It fired as expected. I tried DA again and again the gun locked up.

This went on for about 15 or so rounds--about enough for me to get disgusted and move on to other guns.

I got home and tore it down to look at the hammer and sear. I was hoping to spot an obvious burr or something but nothing looked suspect.

Playing with it at home, even dry firing on dummy rounds, failed to reproduce the jam. Although the hitch midway through the DA pull is still there. Evidently there is something specific to the DA pull after firing that causes the jam.

Does anybody have any clue about this that they could offer solutions prior to me shipping this back to the factory?

[subsonic]

Check the transfer bar, if it has one. It's been a while since I was inside an SP101. I do know there is a plunger that returns the trigger. Usually the hole for this plunger needs deburred with a drill bit inside.

[Wheeler]

Is it only doing it while there is ammo in the gun? Did you notice any hesitation or dragging while thumb cocking?

[War Eagle]

There is a slight catch when doing the DA pull. That catch isn't present thumbing the hammer back in SA. I took the mainspring out, removed the transfer bar, cylinder rotation lever (don't know the actual term), and cylinder lock. I put the trigger group and hammer back in and while using my opposite hand thumb as resistance (mimicking the mainspring) I cycled it through a few DA pulls. The catch is there midway through the pull. IMO that eliminates most of the lockwork in the trigger group and focuses the attention on the hammer and trigger sear.

With that said, I don't know why it locks up with ammo in it. And it only happened after firing. Loaded with dummies and cycling through DA pulls failed to lock the gun up at home.

[subsonic]

High primers or loose chambers. Check for those.

[War Eagle]

If it were high primers, repeated firing in single action probably wouldn't have worked either.

[cabezaverde]

I downloaded the ebook from the Ruger forum on tuning these a few years ago. If you would like it, drop me a PM with your email address.

[War Eagle]

PM sent. Thanks!