[daizee]

Brought the Sp101 4" .22 out for the first time this season.
it has historically liked the Federal bulk 550 pack - 36gr high-vel.

My first group was pretty good - 2-3" range at 15yds unsupported.
But after that I could hit anything! I was lucky to be inside the scoring rings on a 50ft slowfire pistol target. What happened? I shot my 6" Smith .38 after, and did *much* better.

The SP101 has seemed finicky, and it seems to prefer the fastest, highest pressure rounds I can feed it. It absolutely dotes on CCI Stingers, but that's an expensive dish for a fixed-sight .22's everyday plinking.

Has anyone else experienced what they thought was variable behavior from the same box of ammo like that? it's not like the sideplate shot loose and the cylinder went out of time...

I've heard reports of single-sixes that prefer .22WMR - according to Ruger (I called them), the bore on the .22 SP101 is spec'd the same as the Single-Six. Does that offer some sort of heuristic for picking ammo more easily? I'm tempted to ream out the chambers for .22WMR, but then it won't be a plinker anymore...

Any ideas?
Thanks,

-Daizee

 

[Jim H]

I am not an expert, and do not have this gun. Being the person I am, I would have a good look for stuff like lead caked up or stuck in the barrel.

If the barrel is as clean as a whistle, and nothing else feels loose or wobbly, I would call Ruger and describe the problem, and see if they had suggestions. To me it's worth the price of one phone call.

 

[deputy125]

i'd clean the snot out of it and try her again and also try some different ammo as well.
i have read and heard about this acurizer tool by paco kelly and it seems interesting but have not tried it.....it resizes and reshapes the bullet.... http://www.leverguns.com/store/acurizer.htm

 

[daizee]

The gun is typically clean, but it's possible I haven't been aggressive enough with it. I'll give it a hearty scrubbing and see what gives. I think the last couple outings it got a few passes with the boresnake and that's it.

Paco's accu-rizer looks pretty neat, but I haven't seen any graphic details on how it works - the idea of banging away on a rimfire round to reform it sounds kinda crazy. The theory is sound, but the banging with a live rimfire primer is what gives me the willies. I'll reserve final judgement 'til I see one.

I've yet to send a gun in for repairs. if this one goes I'll have the factory fit a second cylinder to be reamed out for a .22WMR/.22LR convertible.

-Daizee

 

[RugerForMe]

My SP101 in .22LR absolutely loves stingers.

I never really noticed a big difference in the cheep ammo, at 15 yards I was shooting sub 2” too 2 1/2” groups and that was before I put the Wolff springs in haven’t had a chance to get out with it with the new springs.

Like the guys before me said check for leading.

I have been wanting to get a paco kelly acurizer tools myself.