Strange problem with my GP100

[Ceapea]

I bought a used 4" GP100 in SS earlier this year...February?? It has become my favorite revolver, besting my many Smiths in smoothness of action and believe it or not, trigger too. It has been PERFECT up until the other day. While test firing some hand loads (all on the mild 38 spl side as I am brand new to hand loading), I had three to five instances that when I pulled the trigger, the cylinder turned, but the hammer didn't pull back or it did just a little. Of course, the gun did not fire. I ended up getting it to fire by tipping the gun upward and then lowering it to the level position. This was after 2-3 times of failure. Then it did it again a couple of times and was "fixed" by tipping it up again. It has not done it again since and I have been trying to make it fail while dry firing it several hundred times.
What do you think? I'll probably take it in, but wanted to get some of your ideas.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[msgt/ret]

From the way you describe the failure the only thing I can think of would be something blocking the transfer bar from traveling upward. By tipping the revolver up it may allow the transfer bar to slip back slightly and clear the obstruction. I would carefully check the transfer bar and the track it runs in for any obstructions or possible burs, if found they may be smoothed down with an emery board or a small piece of sandpaper.

[Danimal]

Since youbought it used, I would call ruger or wolff and get a stock hammer spring. The previous owner may gave put a lighter hammer spring in it.

If you do a search on YouTube you canfind a few vids showing how to swap out the hammer spring.

[SIXTO]

Did you inspect the primers from the few shots were able to fire? My bet is that a piece of primer or maybe other debris is lodged somewhere it should not be.

[gasmitty]

Along the lines of Sixto's suggestion, if I recall correctly the trigger group of the GP100 removes fairly easily - no sideplates to tap off, etc. Get that unit apart and give it a good visual. Bet there's some foreign object in there mucking up the works.

[OldVet]

Thorough cleaning and lubing. If that doesn't fix it--off to Ruger or gunsmith unless you consider yourself capable.

[boscobeans]

I deleted my first post on this issue because I got your problem wrong. Sorry.

The probable cause in your situation is with the hammer dog. This little flipper transfers energy from the trigger to the hammer and brings it to the cocked position. There may have been something (lint, hair or any one of a million pieces of gunk) that was something keeping it from falling into place. This part can also wear out or be put in wrong. Sounds more like there was something keeping it from gaining full contact with the hammer. Follow Oldvet's advice and if after a complete cleaning (extra care in the area of the hammer dog and its pivot pin) it happens again have it sent off to be fixed.

OMO

bosco

[hogdaddy]

(Hammer Dog) Never heard that word to discribe the TRANSFER BAR ; )
H/D

[boscobeans]

Hammer dog and transfer bar are two different animals.

Transfer bar slides up when the pistol is cocked and transfers the energy from the hammer to the firing pin. It is a safety device to keep the hammer from hitting the firing pin in the event of a dropped pistol.

Hammer dog is a little flat piece of steel that is fitted into a slot in the hammer and is held in place by the hammer dog pin. It transfers energy, when the trigger is pulled, to the hammer pushing it up and then holding it in the cocked position.

Also called a hammer strut or hammer pawl. Ruger calls it a hammer dog.

bosco

[hogdaddy]

Hammer dog and transfer bar are two different animals.

Transfer bar slides up when the pistol is cocked and transfers the energy from the hammer to the firing pin. It is a safety device to keep the hammer from hitting the firing pin in the event of a dropped pistol.

Hammer dog is a little flat piece of steel that is fitted into a slot in the hammer and is held in place by the hammer dog pin. It transfers energy, when the trigger is pulled, to the hammer pushing it up and then holding it in the cocked position.

Also called a hammer strut or hammer pawl. Ruger calls it a hammer dog.
bosco

Never been in a GP-100 So Dogging the hammer (Lift Hammer up & Pull trigger) Is that what it smooths out ?
H/D

[boscobeans]

Dry firing or doing what you described rubs the trigger against the dog (pawl,strut or in S&W's the sear) and does tend to smooth out the trigger release.
I took my speed six and SP 101 (same basic designs as the GP) down to the bare bones and cleaned each part then applied Eezox and buffed it all once it was dry. The guns felt like they had trigger jobs done on them. Smooth as silk trigger pull and once the hammer was staged the release point was (cliche) just like breaking glass.. LOL.

Like I said earlier however the little parts in the trigger module can be a hassle, so if you aren't into working with small springy things that like to take to the air, take it to someone who is...

OMO
bosco

[Ceapea]

An update.
It happened again, after approx. 100 rounds, the hammer stopped working. If I tipped it up, the hammer worked, down, no hammer. I thought that maybe it was the heat, dirt (most likely) or a combination of both. At home, with the gun cooled down, same problem. Now here is the weird part. I cleaned the gun as usual, barrel and cylinder swabbed and brushed and swabbed again 'till clean. Wiped down the entire outside and tried it again...works perfectly every time. How does cleaning the outside of the gun affect the workings of the internals?? It will not fail at all now. I took it to the Gander Mountain gunsmith due to my 1 year warranty with them. If they cannot fix (really find) the problem, they ship it off to Ruger. This is absolutely the only problem that I have ever had with a revolver (of 7 that I own) and also happens to be only the second problem ever with a gun...and both were Ruger firearms.
I'm pretty sure that I will not have any more of their guns. I have known for some time that I wasn't gonna have another of their autos, but this revolver problem seals the deal. And I really wanted to love this gun. It looks like and feels like a tank that could handle anything...except of course, shooting the darned thing.

[zero]

Take it apart and check it out. The Rugers are straightforward, easy to open up and simple to dramatically improve the action.

The IBOK PDF on smoothing everything is still floating around.

[wvshooter]

An update.
It happened again, after approx. 100 rounds, the hammer stopped working. If I tipped it up, the hammer worked, down, no hammer. I thought that maybe it was the heat, dirt (most likely) or a combination of both. At home, with the gun cooled down, same problem. Now here is the weird part. I cleaned the gun as usual, barrel and cylinder swabbed and brushed and swabbed again 'till clean. Wiped down the entire outside and tried it again...works perfectly every time. How does cleaning the outside of the gun affect the workings of the internals?? It will not fail at all now. I took it to the Gander Mountain gunsmith due to my 1 year warranty with them. If they cannot fix (really find) the problem, they ship it off to Ruger. This is absolutely the only problem that I have ever had with a revolver (of 7 that I own) and also happens to be only the second problem ever with a gun...and both were Ruger firearms.
I'm pretty sure that I will not have any more of their guns. I have known for some time that I wasn't gonna have another of their autos, but this revolver problem seals the deal. And I really wanted to love this gun. It looks like and feels like a tank that could handle anything...except of course, shooting the darned thing.

Say it ain't so.

Ruger revolvers and semi autos are well designed and well built. The Gander Mountain gunsmith will have no problem finding and correcting whatever the problem is. The previous poster didn't mean for you to clean the outside of the gun. He was suggesting that you disassemble the gun and clean the inside. Of course, if you've never had one apart it can be a challenge.

Don't give up on an outstanding firearm. I don't think you can do much better than a Ruger or Smith revolver.

[Ceapea]

The previous poster didn't mean for you to clean the outside of the gun. He was suggesting that you disassemble the gun and clean the inside. Of course, if you've never had one apart it can be a challenge.

Don't give up on an outstanding firearm. I don't think you can do much better than a Ruger or Smith revolver.

I know that he ment to clean the inside/trigger...sheesh! I aint that ignant!!
I was just saying that the problem seemed to solved itself at least two times after only cleaning the outside. It really makes no sense that the hammer would work correctly after a general cleaning of the gun.
Gander has it now and I should hear something soon. I have always been a proponent of the reliability of revolvers. After picking up the GP100, it very quickly became my favorite of the seven wheelguns that I own. This changes that.
As far as their (Ruger) autos go, ABSOLUTELY NEVER would I own another!!!!
S&W revolvers, yessir, I'd have 20 more. Don't really care for the looks of most of their autos though.