I just picked up a ruger GP100 7 shot and the more I mess with it the more the double action trigger seems odd at least compared to a smith. You start to pull and the cylinder rotates then the trigger hits a wall almost like a 2 stage trigger, you pull through that and it goes bang.

I’m having a hard time shooting it accurately at moderate speed, I think the “hitch” in the double action pull is causing it. Is this normal for a GP100 or did I buy a lemon?

I can do that on both my GP100s. It’s like pre-staging the shot. In fact, I tend to use that a lot when going for accuracy in DA.
The two Smith 686s that I have don’t have that same “sweet spot” in the trigger pull and it really throws me off.
Mostly I guess it’s what one is used to when shooting. I started out on Ruger revolvers. So, right or wrong, I just thought that was the way it was with regards to “pull the trigger to rotate the cylinder, then break the shot after hitting that wall”
It’s late and I have a headache, so I’m probably not making that clear, but there you go...

If you practice it, you can use that part of the DA stroke to briefly pause and steady the pistol and the sight picture before snapping off the round. Pull through the cylinder rotation until you feel the click, pause and hold, check your sight picture and fire. With some work you can shoot very accurately in DA mode.

It helps the GP100 to put some lighter Wolff Springs in there. I have a GP100 and a 686. Both DA triggers can be staged the same way, though the feel is slightly different.

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The more you dry fire that GP100, the smoother the DA trigger pull will become. I found the cylinder set you describe to be very beneficial to accurate shooting- when you get proficient at staging it, I think its every bit as good as manually cocking the hammer when speed is desired. perhaps better, because you don't have to change your grip on the weapon.

I believe this "staging" ability is a direct result of the Ruger's triple lock up. It is very positive and if you freeze the action and feel the cylinder, you'll see it is tight and ready to go. It is, IMO, just another reason that Ruger revolvers don't develop timing issues that I have seen first hand with S&W revolvers. In the early 90's, I carried a personal GP as opposed to the agency issued 686's. During qualifications, you would catch copper splatter from guys on both sides of you when they fired.

Thanks for the input gentlemen, it’s appreciated. I just wanted to know if it was normal and it sounds like it is.

There is some work you can do yourself to smooth that thing up. I would check out Trigger shims.com. I think there was a link on there for a trigger and action job as well. I never got around to doing any of it though.

My Dad did the trigger shim thing in his GP100 and it made a big difference. I don't remember if he did anything with the springs, but he might have.

Thanks for the info on the trigger shims. Just got GP100 that could use a little work. Certainly worth a try given the price.....

Did the trigger and hammer shims on my GP100 and made a significant difference.