i have a ruger gp 100 and would like to take the cylinder off but cant seem to figure it out can anyone help thanks

You are asking this question in the wrong forum as most gunsmiths here are riflesmiths.

Anyhow, I have never had a GP 100 but got a few Super Redhawks, which I believe should have a very similar system as the GP 100. I have taken the cylinder out of all my Super Redhawks many times but I am not sure if I can describe it off the top of my head but would like to give it a shot.

When you open the cylinder on top of the crane, there is a deep hole and that is the hole you stick a pin or small diamter punch in there to depress the plunger and the same time push the pivot pin on the side of the crane. Once the pivot pin is out, it will be pretty much self explanatory, as the cylinder assembly will slide out easily. There is a small spring in there so make sure don't loose it. Once the cylinder is out, you will need a special tool in order to remove the extractor star. Brownells used to sell this tool but discontinued it several years ago so you will probably be SOL, unless you know how to make this tool. Good luck.

Some of us work on handguns as well...

Snowmaker,

Remove the grip panels and push out the large pin that is protruding through the rubber grip. Remove the grip as one unit by pulling it straight down. Cock the hammer and look towards the bottom of the hammer strut ( the thing that the hammer spring winds around). There you will see a little hole. Locate the little retaining pin generally found somewhere under the grip panel. Slip the pin into this little hole to capture the mainspring assy. Pull the trigger to release the tension on the spring. Carefully push the hammer pivot pin out of the frame from left to right. Remove the hammer. Under the grip frame at the point where the grip frame and the trigger guard meet you will see a detent (a plunger looking thing). Take a pin punch and depress the detent/plunger. As you depress the plunger, swing the trigger guard down and out of the frame. Open the cylinder and carefully withdraw the cylinder and yoke assy from the frame...

Further disassembly is not recommended unless you are determined to lose some sleep looking for the little springs and detents which hold everything together, OR, have a gunsmith familiar with the GP-100, take it down beyond this point if it is needed. It will save you some frustration and perhaps a few hairs...

Good luck,

Malm

P.S. Don't forget how you took it apart. Video tape the disassembly so you will have a recorded image to view incase you forgot how it came apart. If you have trouble, email me and I might be able to talk you through it.

Malm,

What you are describing would be for taking the whole crane/yoke assembly out of the frame but I think he was asking for just taking the cylinder off the crane/yoke assembly. You will need to do that occasinally to clean the inside of the cylinder. It is not nessesary to take the whole thing out of the frame to take the cylinder itself apart. It is no big deal just wanted to clarify the subject. Thanks!

Ming,

In that case, to remove the cylinder from the yoke, you will need to locate and depress the Front Latch Pivot Lock Plunger, part #KH07500. While depressing this plunger, locate and push the Front Latch Pivot Pin, part #H05600 from the yoke from right to left.

This will release the Front Latch, part #KH03100, it's plunger #KHO6800, it's spring #KE-57 and the Ejector Rod #H02300 from the yoke. The cylinder can now be removed from the yoke. Snowmaker will need a special tool to remove the ejector retaining screw to complete the tear down of the cylinder.

This tool is nothing more than a cylindical piece of tool steel turned to fit within the cylinder, with a hole through it's center that will allow the tool to slide down over the Center Pin Rod, part #KT05400 and with a thin flat blade machined on one end to engage the hollow centered Ejector Retainer screw, part #KH02400, which holds it all together. Remove this special retainer screw and you're there... Pay very close attention to how things are positioned within the Cylinder and Yoke Assembly.

Good luck,

Malm