Ruger Spring Replacements

[Poygan]

I recently ordered Wolff spring kits for my Redhawk and SP101. Before replacement, the Redhawk single action trigger pull was about 7 lbs. (RCBS trigger pull device). I replaced the factory spring rated at 17 lbs with the 12 lb Wolff spring. Trigger pull is now around 5 lbs. HOWEVER, I experienced a 30% failure to fire with Winchester primers (they did go off with a second strike). I then exchanged out the 12 lb spring with the 14 lb spring (no separate trigger spring in the Redhawk). Trigger pull now up to 6 lbs but had a 100% fire rate with the harder CCI primers.

For the SP101, before replacement, the single action pull was 4 lbs. I installed the 10 lb hammer return spring, replacing the 14 lb factory spring. The trigger pull is now 2.75 lbs. 100% fire rate with CCI primers. The trigger return spring only comes in 8 lb rating versus the 10 lb factory spring.

I ordered the Redhawk spring kit (stock # 17108) with 12, 13 and 14 lb springs. For the SP101, I ordered kit # 17113 which comes with 9, 10 and 12 lb hammer return springs and the 8 lb trigger return spring. Individual springs are available from Wolff. While your experience may be different, its a lot easier to install a spring once than to have to replace it again. HTH

[monadnock#5]

Some time ago I replaced the hammer and trigger return springs in a .357 SP-101 with the lightest springs in the Wolff kit. The trigger pull is much lighter (although I can't quantify the amount), and no misfires using Win and CCI primers. I liked the results so much that I bought the Wolff kit for a GP-100.

Starting off with the lightest springs again, trigger pull was reduced. There were no misfires, but at the shot, the trigger return plunger would retract enough that the trigger group as a whole would try to jump out of the frame. Not good!

Back at home again I installed the next step up (10LB) spring, and while I was at it I took the trigger group to pieces and coated all the friction parts with:

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/sid=4100/sku/Action_Magic_II

To say I'm impressed with the results would be an understatement. The trigger group stays in place, and the action is now smoother than my S&W 686. It sure wasn't before. My best group of the day at 50' was 60-5X, fired double action (trigger staging), off hand.

I don't know if the target work will be repeatable in the future, but I'm confident enough that I have more spring kits on the way.

If there's any draw back to coating the parts with the AMII (Molybdenum Disulphide) like there is with moly coating bores, I'm ready to be informed.

[TCLouis]

I replaced the hammer spring with The lightest one from the Wolfe kit in my SRH. Improved the feel/pull

Worked 100% during summer early fall. Cold weather and I got about 50% failure to fire on first strike. Took a day of two to fully diagnose and then I just put back factory hammer spring.

[Poygan]

Update. My SP101 was working well with the reduced power hammer spring UNTIL the weather dropped to around 40 - 50 degrees. Then I started having FTF in about one in five rounds, with CCI primers. I replaced the Wolff spring with the factory spring and doubt I will have any more failures. However, the trigger pull is harder. I left the Wolff trigger return spring in place unless/until I experience problems. YMMV.

[Daryl]

Interesting info. I have the DAO SP101 in 357 Mag. and usually shoot 38 Spec. In July, I put in the Wolff 8 lb trigger return spring (only one in the kit as mentioned earlier) and the middle hammer spring (10 lb.). All has worked fine since with no misfires. I'm probably at 300-400 rounds since then. I usually use Winchester primers. I'll be curious to see what happens in the cold weather here and will definitely check it out then.

In all honesty, I did not really notice a difference in smoothness or shooting - but I don't have a trigger pull gauge.

[bhn22]

I always start with the middle weight springs, then shoot the guns for a few months like that. It's been my experience that some judicious stoning is usually required to use the light springs. As an aside, my normal routine is to disassemble everything down to the last pin, clean every piece, stone the appropriate areas, then lube the pieces as I reassemble. It is often necessary to experiment a bit to get the best combination. For example, my Super Redhawk & GP100 both work fine with the light hammer spring, but I have medium hammer springs in both of them, but the trigger return springs are the light ones. Both revolvers go hunting with me, and require complete reliability. My 686 "game gun" has the lightest springs I could get.

[Char-Gar]

If Wolfe and other aftermarket spring makers depending on guys like me to make a living, they would have starved out long ago. Fractory springs will lighten up with use and as the internal lockworks wears in and mates.

More often than not, these lighter springs cause problems up front or down the line when they have lost some of their ommpf. One day, a fellow will pull the trigger on the lighter spring and get a click. I just hope it is not during a personal confrontation.

"Back in the day", I chopped off coils, ground leaf springs and replaced springs with lighter version of the same. I don't do that anymore, due to some bad experiences.

When reflecting on the experience, the last line of Coolidge's poem, Rhyme of The Ancient Mariner come to mind. .."A sadder but a wiser man, he awoke the morrow morn!"

"Some folks learn by listening. Some folks learn by reading. Some folks learn by watching. The rest have to pee on the electric fence." Will Rogers

[44man]

Lighter primer strikes are death to extreme accuracy even if all fire.
This is a big problem with the RH. That one spring is just wrong.

[jblee10]

I would rather have reliability then a hair trigger. As long as it is a decent weight and creep free. It's really the creep that I can't stand. If it is crisp, at least it is consistent.