# Hard to get .357 empties out of my new SP101.



## acepilot (Dec 16, 2012)

Picked up a Ruger SP101 .357 magnum 2.25" barrel a couple days ago.

Cleaned it this morning and took it to the range with .38 specials (130 grain MC Remington). They shot fine and ejected easily.

Shot .357 magnum (158 grain JSP Federal Champion). Using the ejector rod would only push them out about 1/4" and then they felt tight. I pulled them out the rest of the way by hand OK, but did note some resistance.

Unfired .38 and .357 slide in easily, but only the .38s come out easily after shot.

Normal? Are the cartridges expanding a bit when shot perhaps?

Nice shooter, but this has me a bit concerned...a speed re-load with .357 would be not so speedy.


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## shootbrownelk (May 18, 2014)

acepilot said:


> Picked up a Ruger SP101 .357 magnum 2.25" barrel a couple days ago.
> 
> Cleaned it this morning and took it to the range with .38 specials (130 grain MC Remington). They shot fine and ejected easily.
> 
> ...


 Sounds like a brass problem to me. Had the same problem (but much worse) with my RSR in .454 Casull. Had to tap (beat) the brass out with a dowel & hammer. Turns out it was Hornady's hot Casull loads and annealing problems.


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## win231 (Aug 5, 2015)

Possibly the chambers are not polished smooth. Rough surface causes sticky extraction with higher-pressure loads. After thorough cleaning, check the chambers with a strong light. If you see machine marks, tool marks, etc. I'd send the gun to Ruger. Things are made faster with less precision today.


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## high pockets (Apr 25, 2011)

.38s shot in a .357 will leave a residue at the forward portion of the cylinder. This residue often causes .357 rounds to be more difficult to eject. Since I have shot .38s almost exclusively in my SP101, this is a phenomenon with which I am familiar. I know you said new SP101, but is it factory new, or just new to you?

How many .38s had you fired before trying .357s?

Another question would be whether you are shooting reloads or factory new ammunition. I occasionally found .38 & .357 brass to be difficult to eject because of split cases. Could possibly be an explanation.

If you have a micrometer, I would suggest "miccing" the cylinders prior to sending it back to Ruger. If your cylinders are true to specs, there is little Ruger would do to your firearm. If, however, your cylinders are actually undersized, I too would suggest a return trip to Ruger is in order.


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## acepilot (Dec 16, 2012)

high pockets said:


> .38s shot in a .357 will leave a residue at the forward portion of the cylinder. This residue often causes .357 rounds to be more difficult to eject. Since I have shot .38s almost exclusively in my SP101, this is a phenomenon with which I am familiar. I know you said new SP101, but is it factory new, or just new to you?
> 
> How many .38s had you fired before trying .357s?
> 
> ...


The gun is brand new (not used)...I am the original owner.

I started out firing just 5 shots with .38 special. They extracted easily. Then I loaded up 5 in .357 magnum. Those did not extract easily. Loaded up 5 more .38 specials and they extracted fine. I suspect you may be right as the .38 special rounds are a bit shorter than the .357s, so the residue theory seems to be plausible to me. I will clean it thoroughly and take it back out and shoot only .357 and see what happens. Thanks for the insight.


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## Spike12 (Dec 10, 2008)

I agree with the others: .38SPL cases are 1/8 inch shorter. When you shoot them they leave behind a ring at the case mouth. If you then switch to the longer 357Mag ammo, the problem should be obvious. If you shoot enough .38 ammo first the ring left behind will be so pronounced that the 357 cases won't even seat. This is a long time and well know 'issue' ever since you could shoot 357 ammo in the same gun as 38spl. 

Be sure to use a good cleaner and a bore brush on you cylinder. Sometimes that ring can be difficult to get 100% removed if you've shot a lot of 38spl ammo.


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## win231 (Aug 5, 2015)

The residue in the chambers from firing 38 specials may make _*chambering* _357 magnums more difficult, but shouldn't make extraction difficult, especially when you only fired five rounds of 38 Spl. You can easily test this by cleaning the chambers & _starting out _firing 357's. If the 357's are difficult to extract from a clean chamber, you'll know the problem is likely the chambers.


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

My experience matches that of highpockets and Spike12; any amount of .38 ammo fired in a .357 usually makes .357 cases harder to extract. It may be slightly harder, or significantly harder, depending on the handgun and loads involved. Lead-bulleted .38 ammo, or bullets with exposed lead on the base (such as many cheap FMJ loads) are the worst, as the lead really sticks to the chamber wall after being squished by the longer .357 cases.

win231 mentioned how to sort-out if the .38 fouling is the problem; shoot .357 ammo in the gun right after cleaning, and see how the extraction goes. I'd also add that cleaning the chambers completely is important, as it's very easy to get a minor build-up of fouling without realizing it. When .357 ammo is fired, it will really crush any fouling left by the shorter-cased .38 loads into the chamber wall, making it difficult to remove (or sometimes, even difficult to see, as it leaves the surface of the fouling shiny vs. the usual dark/matte finish). I've been known to chuck a short cleaning rod section in my power drill and use a brand-new brush soaked in solvent at a low rotational speed, moved in-and-out while spinning, to really clean-out each chamber well. You can also go "up" one caliber in your brush to get a good tight fit and more scrubbing power (use a .40 caliber pistol brush in a .38/.357, or a longer and stronger-bristled .375 rifle brush).


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## win231 (Aug 5, 2015)

DJ Niner said:


> My experience matches that of highpockets and Spike12; any amount of .38 ammo fired in a .357 usually makes .357 cases harder to extract. It may be slightly harder, or significantly harder, depending on the handgun and loads involved. Lead-bulleted .38 ammo, or bullets with exposed lead on the base (such as many cheap FMJ loads) are the worst, as the lead really sticks to the chamber wall after being squished by the longer .357 cases.
> 
> win231 mentioned how to sort-out if the .38 fouling is the problem; shoot .357 ammo in the gun right after cleaning, and see how the extraction goes. I'd also add that cleaning the chambers completely is important, as it's very easy to get a minor build-up of fouling without realizing it. When .357 ammo is fired, it will really crush any fouling left by the shorter-cased .38 loads into the chamber wall, making it difficult to remove (or sometimes, even difficult to see, as it leaves the surface of the fouling shiny vs. the usual dark/matte finish). I've been known to chuck a short cleaning rod section in my power drill and use a brand-new brush soaked in solvent at a low rotational speed, moved in-and-out while spinning, to really clean-out each chamber well. You can also go "up" one caliber in your brush to get a good tight fit and more scrubbing power (use a .40 caliber pistol brush in a .38/.357, or a longer and stronger-bristled .375 rifle brush).


Good idea - using a larger-caliber brush for the chambers. I like to use actual chamber brushes for chambers because they are not only larger, but also longer.


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## miketx60 (Jul 20, 2015)

Mine did the same thing. I'll go shoot it tomorrow with only .357 and see what happens. As far as speed loaders, I'm going to try speed strips and see how that works.










Holds 6 rounds
Loads two at a time
Compact and convenient
Two pack


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## acepilot (Dec 16, 2012)

Thanks to all who have replied. It sounds like this is a fairly "common" problem. I will give the cylinder a good "ass-bustin' " cleaning job and try exclusively with .357 and see what happens. Still, all in all, I really like this little revolver!


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