Trigger job on .22 revolver?

[PaperPlinker]

I once shot a .22 revolver at a range that had a smooth, fun-to-shoot trigger, so I know such a gun can exist. That one was no doubt really well-broken in. But every new .22 revolver I've looked at at a store has had what seems to me an excessively heavy pull.

My questions: Are there any .22 revolvers out there that come with a more moderate pull? Any more adaptable than others to a lighter pull? I'm most interested in a Ruger SP-101, but it has one of the toughest pulls I've run into. Can a gunsmith (I'm in the Tacoma area) make one of these guns more fun to shoot? (I realize that rimfires need a hard hit.) How much do these kind of trigger jobs cost and how would I find a gunsmith to do it? (Sorry for so many questions.)

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[jbett98]

Ruger SP-101 triggers can be lightened up with a Wolff reduced spring kit, but due to changes in this gun by the manufacturer, the spring kit will not function in SP101 .22 caliber rimfire models manufactured during and after 2011.

A gunsmith can polish the trigger parts and that will help some but Rugers have large and stout investment cast parts that don't lend themselves to fine tuning, unlike the internal mechanisms you find in Colt's and S&W pistols.

I had a vintage S&W K-22 Masterpiece that had nicest trigger and was very accurate, but I was offered a lot of cash from a collector, so down the road it went.

Try looking for a pre-2011 Ruger, order a spring kit ($15.00) and call around your area for a smith that specializes in revolvers.
What you save by buying a used pistol, you can pay the gunsmith to clean up the action and install the spring kit.

 

[PaperPlinker]

Ruger SP-101 triggers can be lightened up with a Wolff reduced spring kit, but due to changes in this gun by the manufacturer, the spring kit will not function in SP101 .22 caliber rimfire models manufactured during and after 2011.

A gunsmith can polish the trigger parts and that will help some but Rugers have large and stout investment cast parts that don't lend themselves to fine tuning, unlike the internal mechanisms you find in Colt's and S&W pistols.

I had a vintage S&W K-22 Masterpiece that had nicest trigger and was very accurate, but I was offered a lot of cash from a collector, so down the road it went.

Try looking for a pre-2011 Ruger, order a spring kit ($15.00) and call around your area for a smith that specializes in revolvers.
What you save by buying a used pistol, you can pay the gunsmith to clean up the action and install the spring kit.

Thanks, Bjett. I guess I didn't know what I was up against with a Sp101 trigger. Sounds like there's no hope for a .22 revolver with a good trigger.

 

[mat33]

Double action rimfire revolvers have heavy trigger pulls to ensure a firm hammer strike for reliable ignition. Smith & Wesson still makes a .22 revolver that you can probably get lighter springs for, but it is expensive and you will likely have ignition problems with the lighter spring.

Personally, I like the crap trigger pull on my Taurus 94 because if I practice with that, any centerfire revolver I pick up is a cinch to shoot. I can always cock the hammer and shoot SA if I need a more confident shot.

 

[jbett98]

I just cleaned my brand new Ruger SP101 that I took out to my friends farm in Sandy, OR yesterday.

We shot about 100 rounds and after the first few rounds the accuracy just wasn't what I expected out of a Ruger pistol.

My friend, who is a way better shot then myself, just handed it back to me after two nine shot loads and remarked that the trigger pull was heavier then his Security Six .357 Magnum and the shots were all over the place.

I looked down the barrel tonight and after swabbing some Hoppes #9 and patches down the barrel, I notice a 1" x 1/8" long dark spot that was stuck to a groove midway down the barrel.

I ran a wet bore brush down it and out came a long sliver of lead that had come loose and fell out.

That explains the lousy accuracy. I am only going to shoot jacketed ammo for awhile and see if it groups better.

I am also thinking of ordering a couple of extra hammer springs from Wolff's and then cut one down a little to see if I can lighten up the action a little without sacrificing the hammer strike.

 

[slofyr]

... Are there any .22 revolvers out there that come with a more moderate pull?...

The .22 revolvers I shoot and recommend are the Ruger Single Six in whatever barrel length feels best to you, and the J-frame Smith 63 or larger K-frame 617. All three of these designs can be tuned with lighter trigger [rebound] spring and/or hammer spring from Wolf or Wilson. If you shoot the Smiths for maximum accuracy in slow-fire single-action mode, the trigger can be dialed down considerably. My favorite .22lr revolver is a 5" S&W 63-4 with Wolf springs which breaks crisply at 28 ounces in single-action, and is still reliable in double-action. The Smith's lock time is much faster than the Ruger, and they sit lower in the hand which helps make the S&W more accurate fired offhand. Fired from a rest the Smiths win, again.

Jerry Miculek [Bang-Inc.com] sells a "Complete S&W Disassembly-Reassembly" DVD which will show you how get a better trigger on a K, L, or N frame [applies to J, as well] without screwing up the revolver.

Fwiw, a revolver that gets criticized a lot is the Taurus 94. Every one I've shot has had a dismal, stiff trigger that cannot be improved enough. As well, out of the box the 94 occasionally jams in double action.

 

[Straight Shooter]

A gunsmith can polish the trigger parts and that will help some but Rugers have large and stout investment cast parts that don't lend themselves to fine tuning, unlike the internal mechanisms you find in Colt's and S&W pistols.

Give a good gunsmith a chance. Those investment parts are my bread and butter.

 

[iamme]

As said above look for an older S&W. With a little hunting I found one I was very happy with both the gun and the price. VERY nice triggers.