Took my new (to me) Sp101 to the range yesterday to see how it shoots. It is a DOA with no hammer extention.  I have a GP 100 and have been wanting it's little brother for some time. Handles quite differently then the GP100 as expected but I have two problems. It shoot high to point of aim and left.  Now I think the shooting left is my double action shooting. Have not done nearly as much as all my other revolvers are da/sa and during range time I shoot single action.  The hitting high could be the front sight. It looks to have been filed down and truth be told I can not see it that well.  This gun has no rear sight just the grooved out top.  It's great for carrying but it is not a target gun, least not in my hands.  
Any help on maybe a different front sight, bit higher,move visable?  How about tricks for DA shooting? Just trigger time?  Maybe someone knows how to sweeten the trigger a little. Probably can not be shorten but maybe lighten some.
I have alway gotten great help on this site so thanks in advanc

I would call Ruger and purchase another front sight and roll pin. They are really cheap and if you think the front sight on your SP101 has been filed then this would be a simple step in making sure it's the pistol and not you.

Secondly, I would put more range time in with it and pay attention to the front sight while moving your finger around on the trigger to see if your finger placement is what may be placing the shots to the left. I owned an SP101 for sometime and it took me a while to put some solid groups on paper together. If I recall correctly my shots started out to the left and down, with many rounds later down range the groups got better but I think it was more my own inabilities vs the pistol.

I can't remember right off the top of my head but a good friend of mine purchased a trigger spring kit that came with 3 different springs for his SP101, after trying them all out 1 of the springs lightened up the trigger pull significantly. I will ask him again today who he bought this spring kit from and report back.

I also own a GP100 and can't miss with it, I know what you mean going from a GP100 to an SP101, big friggin difference.

As for sights there are a few fiber optic ones out there.





One of the Ruger forums has a write up by IBOK that will show you how to smooth out the trigger on an SP101.  You'll need to buy the Wolff spring kit and some Flitz polish.  I worked on mine until I got it right.





Buy some snap caps and practice dry firing.  I had to work on getting used to a DAO since all of my experience was with different actions.  Over time I improved as did the action of the revolver due to use.





http://www.geminicustoms.com/



ETA    http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=119751&sid=f77bbf0e4158f72fbed1bcc462e81a07



 

i just did the trigger job on my SP .. first ive ever done .. also did the springs .. swapped trigger, and 10lb hammer now ..

lets just say butter is its new nickname .. SOOOO smooth .. unbelievable difference

For the time being leave the sights alone-
1) it could be you yanking the trigger
2) short barrel guns are notorious in having different points of impact with different ammo. Change the power or weight of bullet and the short barrel recoils different and gives you different point of impact.


Get the spring kit,real easy to do and if you don't like the feel or your reliability goes south (it can happen if the spring is too light) you can swap the factory springs back in.

If the gun ever needs to return to Ruger you will want the factory springs in it .

Last and most important

DRY FIRE!  Don't worry about snap caps-you could dry fire the SP101 about a 1000 times a day for the next 30 years and it isn't going to wear anything except your finger.
As you dry fire concentrate on the sights and try to watch what exactly happens when the trigger releases. Is it diving down or snapping up? In a perfect world the sights should be right on your target


Somewhere down the line after you get your technique tuned up if the sights are still off you can mess with the front to tune it but there is not much point at this time.

well followed the advice and dry fired my Sp101 for the better part of four evenings.  Was able to hold sight picture pretty good at end.  Can feel the point at which the hammer is ready to fall.  Took it to the range yesterday with 30 reloads and a box of store bought ammo. All ammo was 38 special.  Reloads were 158gr sphp over 9.3 grs of unique.  Did a lot better shooting both types at sd distances.  Started getting a little cokky so I back up to 15yds.  Well that will humble you.  Will take a lot more practice with this short little barrel at that distance but at 7yds I could hold my own (at least keep them all on the paper). Going to wait on the front sights as advised but some new springs my help as long as it keeps going bang.  Smoothing up the trigger may also be in the future

It's truly amazing how much a Wolf spring set will improve the Ruger 101. Like night and day. I've bought three 101's, for my daughter and sisters, and outfitted them identical (after careful thought). They really improve as a starter handgun with the better trigger pull and Hogue grips. The only caution is that some ammo will not be 100% ignition, depending on the spring, so its important to figure out how ones defensive ammo will do with a particular spring.
Happy shooting with a great revolver.

I don't get to the range as much as I like, but I still spend a lot of time dry firing both my GP100 and SP101 so I maintain my "feel" for the trigger and aligning my sight picture.

I feel pretty confident with both.

I have a 3" 101 and I tended to shoot high just due to the poor rear sight (at least for me). I had a J frame S&W rear sight with an appropriate serrated ramp and I can see the sights and shoot it much better. It also has an internal smoothing job and Wolff springs. Very smooth.

Good tips here on making the trigger better, it's easier then you think and once you do it you'll smack yourself for not doing it sooner.

In saying that it sounds like to me you just need to get used to the gun a bit more.
There's no way the sights are off from the factory being such a simple design, that would imply somethings wrong with the cone area or the barrel is whack if the gun was truly off and it wasn't just you getting used to the gun.

Of course large post, adjustable target sights are going to be more accurate but I will say that the sp101 is a gun that can be mastered if it fits a YOUR hand like a glove.

Well I picked up a set of replacment springs and went to cleaning up my trigger.  Pulled it apart (with help from the web) clean up any rough spots I found. Surprising not many were found. I replaced the trigger return spring with I believe was a 10lb one in the kit. Then I replaced the hammer spring with first the 12lb. But when comparing the springs the one in the gun orignally was shorter and looked to be the same diameter. Just pulling the trigger after assembling the gun seemed not to be much better.  Took the hammer spring out and checked it against the 10lb and still the first one LOOK smaller. As I did not want to worry about misfires I put the orignanl spring back in. Maybe last owner had it trimeed some?  Just as an aside I read several different posts on the use of grease or oil in the trigger area of stainless guns.  I chose to clean everything and lightly [u]wipe it down with a little oil. Trigger pull seem better and I filled several spend primer pockets rounds with silicon and went to dry firing.  I can diffentenly see a difference in the trigger and find that the front of the gun seems stead thru the entire pull.  Need some range time to be sure but overall I am pleased with the results.

Now maybe some different inserts for the grips, will not help with where the round hits but looks better if I miss

This.  Go to the wolf springs ASAP.  They made a world of difference in my SP101 and GP100  Best modification I have made on any gun for around $10!!

Well I ordered and installed a new grip. Bought a Trausch grip and boy does it make a differernce in how I can grip the gun now. No more little finger hanging out there, really comfortable.  Little hard to get on but with some patience it worked out well. This grip does make the SP a bit bigger but not so much that you would care. Still have not found a front sight I like but I keep looking.  The lite tube sights seem lilke they would help a great deal with being able to pick up the front sight but don't look like they would carry well on this small gun.  Maybe just paint this one?  Now to find a good holster or even two.  Maybe an OWB for the range and an IWB for carry.  My thought was to make this my carry gun while riding my motorcycle and continue to use my EMP for every day.  

We need pics



 

Do not really know how to post pictures but it looks just like dryflash3 s snubby above.