GP 100 Spring

[MissouriCrowinMass]

I've been dry-firing a used GP100 that I bought in December a lot to smooth the trigger. I use snap caps. I've put about 200 rounds thru the revolver. I really like it - super pistol. I recently noticed that the action was getting a bit jerky? Today, it locked up in DA while dryfiring. Took it apart 1/2 dozen times trying to figure out why it was working great and then klunked out? Finally, noticed that it worked when pointed down......I said to myself, gravity is replacing something that normally pulls or pushes something? It has to be a spring!

This little hair-thin spring that pushes a plunger that pushes the pawl forward had broken and telescoped upon itself. The plunger was only out 1/2 way and had no power. Hard to spot this defect unless you were really looking hard. I was lucky to notice the gravity action and go looking. I stretched the spring getting it apart.

Figure I'll call Ruger Revolvers in New Hampshire on Monday and get a couple of new springs. Just sharing an interesting lesson learned.

 

[Drail]

While you have it torn down look very closely at any of the spring tunnels or any part that comes in contact with the spring itself. Most of the Rugers I have worked on had unbelievable machining burrs and casting boogers that interfere with the movement and cycling of the spring and could wear a groove in it causing it to develop a crack. Especially the spring tunnel for the trigger return spring. And replace all of the factory springs with good quality new ones.

 

[rmfnla]

This is why I always recommend having a good 'smith give a once-over to any gun that is being considered for defense work.

The factories do a decent job in QC but who wants to bet their life that they didn't miss something?

 

[MissouriCrowinMass]

This thread has a happy ending. Brownells shipped me the spring in 3 days. They have handy exploded firearms diagrams for many pistols. They were like $4 bucks each. I got a couple of extras. Hats off to Brownells for great service and speedy delivery.

Getting the pin & spring in the hole behind the pawl isn't real easy. I used a vice to hold the trigger mechanism. Wedged the triggger back to access the hole and I found if you put the pawl 7/8 in and snaked the pin & spring around it.......it goes together, somehow.

My GP100 works like a charm now. Thanks for the advice.

 

[8emem]

The really cruel thing about the GP100 disassembly procedure is that they tell you to take the trigger group out and if you do not handle it with great care there's no limit to the number of very small critical parts that could fly off of it. I once lost the pawl spring and plunger, which I did not realize was gone until I tried to do the reassembly and spin the cylinder with just the trigger group installed. Imagine my amazement when I found both parts still together on the concrete floor between my feet. Several attempts at getting these parts back into the trigger group resulted in the plunger flying off but I got smart and did the trick in a good-sized cardboard box.

 

[Drail]

Yup, I have found more pieces of the trigger group from GPs and SPs way back under my bench than any gun I've ever worked on. It is an ingenious design but a couple more fingers would sure help. It would also be nice if the factory could do a little more deburring on those castings. Ruger should get into the knife business. They know an awful lot about getting a piece of steel razor sharp. Keep some Band-aids on your bench.