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1st handgun, cleaing, mods?

mvandmvand Member Posts: 26 ✭✭
edited August 2002 in General Discussion
Hello all,

I while back my wife and I purchased our first handgun, a Ruger GP100 4"SS. I have had it out twice so far, probably 150 rounds or so. ( I know....what a whimp). Anyway, I am wondering first of all is it necessary to take the gun apart for cleaning as described in the owner's manual after every outing? (thus far, I have cleaned it as best I can without doing so). I purchased the standard Hoppes kit, but is there other cleaners and lubricants I should consider using?

I am considering a couple of mods, after talking to a fairly knowledgeable guy at work. I would like to put a lighter weight spring in to to decrease trigger-pull tension. (He recommended a 10lb spring to begin with, apparently stock is 14lb?) Does that sound right and is that something I could do myself, as a fairly mechanically inclined person? Next are sights It appears that the front sight is very easy to replace, and I think I would like at least one with color on it, but maybe go to a 3-dot system. How is the rear sight changed? Does just the plate need to be changed, or the whole sight? How hard is it to adjust to the correct accuracy should I change them?

One other question...is it hard on a gun to dry-fire it? If so, why?

Thanks for the help,
Mark.



Edited by - mvand on 08/04/2002 14:20:28
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Comments

  • NighthawkNighthawk Member Posts: 12,022 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    As far as cleaning it needs to be done after every shooting session.But it does not require disassembly everytime.I reccomend Midways unisolve solvent,it cleans all accumulations from youe Barrel and cylinder.Plus it leaves a protective coating on your barrel.As far as changing the Springs If you feel like you can do it I would drop DA pull a little.Lone Wolfe offers a good selection of springs.As far as sights go I would go to a qualified Gun Smith for that task.

    Best!!!

    Rugster
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  • IconoclastIconoclast Member Posts: 10,515 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Mark, welcome to the board. The issue of dry-firing comes up with some frequency. The consensus seems to be one should never do it with rimfires, but - generally - it is acceptable practice with center fire designs. Since I have destroyed at least one firing pin that way, my advice is to use snap caps. Cheap insurance.
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  • offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    You can use a lighter spring, but 14 lbs. sounds a bit too heavy an estimate to me. I would guess the pull is more likely 12 lbs. right now. 10 should feel a lot better. The trouble with most revolvers is, the lighter the pull, the more likely the hammer will drop with insufficient force to discharge the round. I've had it happen to me with a bobbed hammer -- not quite enough weight to ignite the primer. So try the 10 and see if you still get reliable ignition that way.

    I like running Outers nitro solvent, or Hoppe's, through my guns, and disassembly is usually not necessary for routine cleaning, at least until the gun has more rounds through it than yours so far. You can tell when it's clean because the rag or white patches you are using to wipe off the clear solvent will remain white once the nitro has done its job. Then a very light bit of oil, like Break Free, until next time.

    - Life NRA Member
    "If cowardly & dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary...and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
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