SP101 Trigger Pull

[sspen003]

So I bought my GF an Ruger Sp101 and she loves it, but she can only shoot it in single action because the double action is too hard for her to pull.

She doesnt like shooting it in single action because the trigger always surprises her. I try to convince her just to practice with it so that she knows when it will fire. To no avail...

So I recently bought a Wolf spring set for her and changed the mainspring to 9 pounds... so this is where I need some input...

Kit came with a 12, 10, 9 and the stock 14 pound one. Installed the 9 pound one and she likes it, but I'm worried about the gun not firing WWB .38 cal ammo. I know the gun wont be as reliable with all kinds of ammo, but will it work reliably for range use? Maybe home defense use?

[SCMA-1]

This is why revolvers IMO are POOR choices for women as defensive pistols. Revolvers should only be fired in the double action mode for defense, the single action pull is way too short and light and there is a very good chance for an ND when one's adrenalin is flowing under stress. As your girlfriend has discovered, the 14lb double action pull on that SP is too heavy for her and in fact too heavy for most men to become reasonably proficient with; the spring kit may alleviate the problem but make sure the ammo she is to keep for HD is well proven with the 9lb spring. There should be NO failures to fire (light strike) while firing double action through several hundred rounds of the exact ammo she will keep chambered for defense. Single action is not so important; it should only be used for target shooting and you may get an occasional misfire.

A modern striker fired semi-auto pistol (such as Glock, Springfield XD, etc.)is a far better choice for self defense; they are almost as simple to operate as revolvers and their reliability is for all practical purposes on par with them using suitable high quality ammunition. They also have vastly better trigger properties than virtually all double action revolvers.

[cal3gunner]

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[tankerman]

This is why revolvers IMO are POOR choices for women as defensive pistols.

This is absolutely wrong.

There are several things you can do to fix the trigger pull. If she can't pull the trigger double action, she probably won't be able to handle the slide on a semi-auto, which is not adjustable.

[ojisan]

My experience has been that non-mechanically-minded people prefer the revolver as it is easier to understand and use.
Perhaps it is not truly the best choice, but if they are comfortable with it, can remember how it works and how to use it, and can use it safely, this is fine.

I have played with the various spring kits for revolvers over the years and generally I do not like them. Soft trigger rebound springs that make for sloppy and slow trigger returns, leading to short-stroking; and too soft hammer springs that give a nice trigger pull but fail to fire ammo.
More important is a smooth trigger action.
A good trigger job will smooth the pull a lot.
I would start with the 12 lb spring and see if she can pull it, then the 10.

If you get a chance, try a S&W Performance Center revolver in DA.
100% reliable, easy to pull and butter smooth.
Maybe for the wife, a 3" Smith J frame in steel with a good trigger job (and close to full power springs in it) is better.

The problem for novices with the autoloaders seems to be that the ammunition is not visible, and the workings of the inner parts is a mystery.
Safeties and other levers may not be understood.
A "safety" should never be on the trigger face or automatically turn off when the gun is picked up IMHO.

The presently popular polymer pistols positively petrify me when purchased by plebes.

[sspen003]

The reason I went with Ruger is because they are well priced, it shot .357, my mom has one, and my girlfriend loved it.

I have autos but she doesnt like to use them because they "have too many button" - In her words. She has a Marlin 60 and she wont clean that, I can barely get her to clean her SP. Theres no way she would clean an auto. I'm big on people knowing how to use clean and operate their firearm

I have an XD and a 1911 but she has a hard time pulling the slide back on them, and my guess under stress she wont be able to/not quick enough.


Thanks for the input guys, I think I am just going to start with the highest spring weight and work my way down to 9 pounds when we go shooting again.

Hopefully I can get a spring weight she will be comfortable with.

[nn3453]

This is absolutely wrong.

There are several things you can do to fix the trigger pull. If she can't pull the trigger double action, she probably won't be able to handle the slide on a semi-auto, which is not adjustable.

^^^

In my experience, new shooters are way more competent with a broken in revolver. But then again I only own Smiths and a few Colts so I don't know anything about Rugers.

[sspen003]

^^^

In my experience, new shooters are way more competent with a broken in revolver. But then again I only own Smiths and a few Colts so I don't know anything about Rugers.

Trigger pull sucks supposedly, I like them. They are built like Tanks

[SCMA-1]

This is absolutely wrong.

There are several things you can do to fix the trigger pull. If she can't pull the trigger double action, she probably won't be able to handle the slide on a semi-auto, which is not adjustable.

The proof is in the pudding, as they say. The ability to press the trigger consistently and steadily with one's right hand and trigger finger has nothing to do with charging a semi-auto slide with the left hand. Charging a slide on a semi-auto is also largely dependent upon proper technique and not necessarily physical strength. I'm relating my experience as an instructor who has trained many dozens of women over a couple of decades (and corroborated by most other experienced instructors), most of them have difficulty with the double action revolvers very long and heavy trigger press which makes shooting with any type of precision elusive yet a few minutes of instruction on charging a slide with a common semi-auto such as a Glock makes it a non issue.

Even with a modified 9lb trigger on a revolver, you are still left with a 9lb press with a long 1"+ break compared to a typical 5lb (stock) press and 1/8" break on a Glock (used just for example). It's obvious which one will be generally easier to shoot more precisely with and that has been my experience with many dozens of students, both male and female. I have a custom 681 that was worked over for me by Action Works; it sports a smooth combat 4.5lb DA trigger press but the cost to have this done to a revolver is not trivial unless one is an enthusiast and can justify the cost.

SCMA-1

[SCMA-1]

The presently popular polymer pistols positively petrify me when purchased by plebes.

That's nice sounding........

[B Strong]

This is why revolvers IMO are POOR choices for women as defensive pistols. Revolvers should only be fired in the double action mode for defense, the single action pull is way too short and light and there is a very good chance for an ND when one's adrenalin is flowing under stress. As your girlfriend has discovered, the 14lb double action pull on that SP is too heavy for her and in fact too heavy for most men to become reasonably proficient with; the spring kit may alleviate the problem but make sure the ammo she is to keep for HD is well proven with the 9lb spring. There should be NO failures to fire (light strike) while firing double action through several hundred rounds of the exact ammo she will keep chambered for defense. Single action is not so important; it should only be used for target shooting and you may get an occasional misfire.

A modern striker fired semi-auto pistol (such as Glock, Springfield XD, etc.)is a far better choice for self defense; they are almost as simple to operate as revolvers and their reliability is for all practical purposes on par with them using suitable high quality ammunition. They also have vastly better trigger properties than virtually all double action revolvers.

I agree.

I'm leery of any drop-in springs for wheel guns, especially if it's intended as a defense piece.

I played with different Wolf springs in 'Smiths just for general interest, and found that the springs that made the pull smoother also gave light primer hits.

I agree that a semi-auto would be a better general choice for a woman's self defense, as long as she's strong enough to rack the slide and trains for malfunction clearance.

[liketoshoot]

So I bought my GF an Ruger Sp101 and she loves it, but she can only shoot it in single action because the double action is too hard for her to pull.

She doesnt like shooting it in single action because the trigger always surprises her. I try to convince her just to practice with it so that she knows when it will fire. To no avail...

So I recently bought a Wolf spring set for her and changed the mainspring to 9 pounds... so this is where I need some input...

Kit came with a 12, 10, 9 and the stock 14 pound one. Installed the 9 pound one and she likes it, but I'm worried about the gun not firing WWB .38 cal ammo. I know the gun wont be as reliable with all kinds of ammo, but will it work reliably for range use? Maybe home defense use?

I have 2 SP101's and have changed both springs in them to the lightest one (9 and 7 IIRC) and have not had a miss-fire yet with about 400 trys.
My daughter a 90lb soaking wet little girl loves this setup, she had trouble with the stock 14lb spring but now has no problem and it feels smoother too. I did stone the edges of the trigger and that helps too.
Also get some snap caps and let her just sit and pull the trigger that to wil help.

[JTROKS]

Try shooting S&B factory ammo and the final test is handloads of 357 using magnum or small rifle primers, if your revolver has the lightest spring from the kit installed and it fires 100%, inspect the primer strikes for variations in depth you want them deep enough to be reliable in any condition. I played around with Wolf springs with my GP100s and the lightest spring wasn't reliable with hard primers. Have an action job done before relying on that 9lb hammer spring you'll be surprise how smoother is better than lighter.

[RobG]

I run the 10lb in mine with no issue at all. The 9lb to me, was too light in feel. I also had no issue with it shooting factory 357 loads. I would have a 'smith work the trigger. It will smooth the entire trigger action as well as drop the weight.

[bombadillo]

IMO there's too much to go wrong for a person man or woman who is not trained well in using their gun. More often than not i've seen a woman put 50-100 rounds through a little .38sp snub nose smith or taurus, throw it in the purse and think they're set. Semi-auto to the mix is just going to add potential jams, stovepiped round, FTF, FTE, and others that they're not going to have a clear enough mind to figure out whats going on in a life or death situation. Revolvers are much more practical for MOST defense situations for mostly untrained persons. Again IMO