Sp101 Spring Kit

[bigchinner]

So, I have heard about the notoriously heavy double action trigger on sp101 and it is true. Now what? Wolf kit with 4 springs looks good, has good reviews and a great reputation. Tell me more anyone. Thanks.

[redhemi]

I have a GP100 and used Wolff springs. They do work great but don't go to light it's nice for the double action but makes the single action to light (hair trigger). Besides changing the springs polish the contact points to smooth out the grittiness of the trigger.

[RocketRider]

This isn't exactly an answer to your question, but could help a little. My GP100 DA trigger pull wasn't great out of the box, so I bought some snap caps and literally dry fired it several hundred times. It really did smooth out the DA trigger pull. Snap caps don't cost much (try Amazon), so I'd suggest giving it a try with your SP101.

[ojisan]

Rim fire or center fire?

Rim fire needs a heavier hammer spring to fire reliably.

I would consider the trigger return spring weight carefully.
A lighter return spring will lessen the pull weight but also make the trigger much slower in returning to the fire position.
This is OK for a range gun, for HD don't go too light.
Note that Miculek uses stock springs in his Smiths.

[Maconga]

Here's some info, http://www.sp101trigger.com/index.html

[caliberetta]

The Wolff Springs, along with polishing the internals and a shim kit will significantly transform the feel of your trigger. The whole things costs about $30 and there are lots of good instructional videos on YouTube. Don't go too light, as you can get light primer strikes.

[AKexpat]

So, I have heard about the notoriously heavy double action trigger on sp101 and it is true. Now what? Wolf kit with 4 springs looks good, has good reviews and a great reputation. Tell me more anyone. Thanks.

I have a Ruger SP101 3" .38 Special manufactured in 1989-1990. I have owned it for 25 years and until 5 years ago I just put up with the atrociously heavy DA trigger pull. Then I found out about the Wolff Spring kit.

https://www.gunsprings.com/Revolvers/RUGER/SP-101/cID3/mID52/dID234

Unless your pistol is a .22 manufactured after 2010, you want this kit.

Since mine is a .38, I used the 8# trigger return spring and the 9# hammer spring. The trigger reset is just fine with the 8# return spring. (If you have a .357 model firing loads with tougher magnum primers, you might want to go with the 10# hammer spring.)

After I did the spring replacement, I test-fired 3 cylinders worth (15 rounds) of .38 +P hollow point ammo (Federal) and had no misfires and the firing pin indent on the spent cartridges was very good.

I used 1500 grit sandpaper to clean up any sharp edges of internal parts after disassembly of the pistol (this pistol had very many sharp edges internally, and I even slightly cut a finger during disassembly but I did not touch any sear/hammer engagement surfaces), and found I needed no hammer side shims as some owners have found the need to use. After a couple decades of shooting it, there were no abrasions or wear marks on the sides of the hammer.

As a result, mine is a completely different pistol and I love it. Soft as butter.

And the single action trigger is great if you have cleaned up all the razor sharp edges.

I have replaced the miniscule factory grips with Hogue grips as I have medium sized hand with long fingers. IMO the SP101 is not much of a CC gun because of the weight, and I use it as a HD pistol, so enlarging the grip size was a no-brainer for me. Others may feel differently.

I would rather use a 1911 .45 5" as a CC because it is so much slimmer and easier to conceal. But the SP101 is such a great, stout pistol.

I am including some YouTube links that may or may not help you, depending upon your expertise with the SP101. You can watch them or disregard them. Your call on your end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA9Q_j3KLXg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5rtA20uWaE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA8pM5u24S4

I sincerely hope your trigger job works out for you as it did for me.

If you do it, let us know on this thread what the results are.

Good luck, sir!

Regards,

Jim

[WMG]

I am with AKexpat on this ....I have a lot of snub guns ..even smaller than the sp101... shoot them well each and every one and the double action wheelgun is my zone .....but my sp101 was always that White Elephant and double action shooting was horrible.
I went with Wolff springs .... and it was a little better.
Switched out to Hogue grips ..... not thinking they would help as I use plenty of grips the size and shape of the sp's ....... but that did actually help more..
Not really sure why that Ruger is so different than all the rest but it is.

[bigchinner]

The sp101 seems so different. It has the same or similar cylinder latch but it doesn't operate anywhere as smooth as the GP's. Maybe mine is just a lemon?

[skippsterr]

I have the trigger option and replaced the hammer spring (didn't do the trigger spring), but there is an AWESOME video on youtube where they guy takes you step by step. (dont blast please), but i believe the standard pull is 16lbs and I swapped it out for the 12 or 14. Takes about 10 minutes or less to change out and that mod is beyond perfect. its beyond smooth pull and feels great; at lest for me.
hope this helps.

[rogervzv]

I have the .357 SP101 and the Wolff Spring Kit definitely helps the trigger. It will always be pretty stiff, but the kit helps a lot.

[sixoclockhold]

My trigger to me is like butter. 1,000 rounds, sp101 .357 DAO

Wolff 8# return trigger, 10# trigger
with .007 hammer shims because the play was excessive imo

I worked the inside with sandpaper as videos showed on new and the trigger assembly likes lube, at least mine does.

In 40 yrs. my wife has never fired a weapon although this weapon she has dry fired and likes it, even with arthritic hands. Everything else is a difficult evil black handgun so to speak.

[deguello]

.357 SP101 Ruger original owner, bought in 1992. Hogue grip and Wolff gunsprings (both). I absolutely recommend both as they dramatically IMPROVE this revolver!! Btw, I waited way too long to do these mods.

[Denver Dick]

In late 2006, I purchased an 3" SP-101 .38 +P from a local indoor range/gun store. The gun was sold as new, but I noticed the little envelope that contained a spent casing fired at the factory was dated 11/10/2000. I knew the owner and asked him where the "new" revolver had been for approximately 6 years. He said it had been in his massive gun safe and he was cleaning out miscellaneous firearms that had accumulated over the years.

Before I my pick up date rolled around, I ordered rosewood grip inserts from Ruger to replace the black plastic ones on the gun. Later in March of 2007, I ordered the Wolff spring kit. I used the 8# return spring and 10# hammer spring. What a difference. It shot great. And, like others have said, it was like a different revolver.

Unfortunately, because it was so smooth and easy, I lost possession of it for almost 8 years. When my father-in-law was 60 years old, I helped him pick out a nice S&W Model 64 for his nightstand. He never shot it after our initial outing, but kept it loaded in the nightstand. I would bring it home every 5 or 10 years to clean the dust off and lubricate it. When he got to be around 87 years old, the double action on the S&W became too much for him. He called me one evening and complained about have great difficulty pulling the trigger. This was after I had fired about 200 rounds through the SP-101 with the new Wolff springs. Well, I took the Ruger over to the old WWII veteran and said try this. After pulling the trigger a few times he looked up with a big old smile on his face. Well, what could I do? I left it with him and took the S&W home to keep safe for his granddaughter to inherit.

Well, in January of 2016, at the age of 94, he was not able to live without assistance at home. He was in bad shape and becoming depressed. While he was chatting with my wife, I slipped into his bedroom and retrieved the SP-101 from the nightstand. I didn't think that he needed it around right then. He went downhill fast after that and passed away in September that year, a month after celebrating his 95th birthday.

I saw to it that his granddaughter received the S&W Model 64 and I 'm happy to have my lovely Sp-101 with the Wolff springs back home. But, I would race over to his house and put it right back in that nightstand if that old U.S. Navy Machinist Mate 2nd Class who gave me that big old smile was still there to receive it.

[AKexpat]

Denver Dick,

That was a great post! A salute to any WWII vet! A salute to you, also sir!

(I am just a lowly USAF Viet Nam era non-combat vet, Sgt. E-4, 1971-1974.)

I am glad to see that most all folks using the Wolff springs have had the same pleasant experience as I have had and your FIL had. Best bang for the buck I ever had.

Thanks again very much for your story, sir.

Jim