Bearcat Shopkeeper hanging ER Head

Does your Shopkeeper ejection rod hang down like this?


Here's how I fixed it:
I grind and polish a 'cam' curve in the end of the factory or Colt rod/head as shown below. The curve must 'nest' or align with the curve of the housing attachment screw when the head is up tight against the barrel in a Ruger straight slot housing. The curved surface of the end of the rod contacts the screw under tension of the return spring and it will "nest" on the screw, "camming" or turning the rod and head tight up against the barrel. You will also need to file and small notch at the top, barrel side of the ERH slot to allow the ER head to fold in towards the barrel.

I believe the crescent shaped ejector rod, is that way to clear the base pin, is it not?

The crescent is to follow the barrel contour.The ejector rod head stops against the base pin.Something is way out of wack with that one.

Made to clear the base pin to get enough distance to eject spent casing. Radius matches the base pin not the barrel.

Got it.Sorry about that.I'm thinking of other revolvers I have with crescent ejector rod heads.Thanks No-1

Honda 44. Any chance that you could get a few more photos of the 'fix'? I honestly cannot see what you are doing or have accomplished with the one shot.

Hi Mike,

For some reason I'm not being notified by e-mail when posts are added to threads! Sorry about the delay in responding and thx for the PM.

I don't have any more photos so I'll explain. The Ruger housing has a straight slot in it. So the photo shows that I have ground a concave curve in the end of the ejector rod. The curve matches the curve of the housing attachment screw head. The deep part of the curve in the rod is oriented to fit around the screw head when the ejector knob is tight up against the barrel.

After the rod is pushed down to eject cases the knob can move away from the barrel. But when it's released under the spring tension, the concave curve in the end of the rod turns it or "cams" it to align the valley of the curve with the round side of the screw head when it slams up tight against the screw head. This turns the knob up tight against the barrel.

On Colt housings the slot curves at the end towards the barrel and that's what turns the knob up tight against the barrel. You can use a Colt housing but they cost about $86 and must be fitted to the Ruger barrel. Hence my solution.

Hope that helps,

Short Barrel said:

Got it.Sorry about that.I'm thinking of other revolvers I have with crescent ejector rod heads.Thanks No-1

Click to expand...

Actually you're correct, the curve radius in the crescent ejector rod heads do match the large curvature of the barrel and therefore easily fit around the smaller curvature of the cyl pin as well.