Maxi Problems

Hello,
Was wondering if anyone had an idea what is happening,
When I shoot my Maxi Blackhawk, every thing is fine, and then after about 8 to 10 rounds, the cyl is hard to turn when I go to cock the hammer back and this is what I find.It appears pieces of the bullets are getting in between the cyl and the barrel.
I'm using Hornady HP/XTP 180gr bullets and the loads are not that hot.
15.0gr of 2400 and another load of 15.2gr Accurate 5744, both at 1.89" OAL.
Can these bullets be coming apart as I can't see any problems with my gun. Face of barrel does not have any damage and the gap looks about right. Maybe I'll switch to hard lead and see if that solves the problem.
Any thoughts and comments are welcome.
Thanks, Jeff

Boy, you sure have a goofy image host........... :roll:
Your image url's MUST end in a image "tag", i.e. jpg, gif, tiff, etc. for them to be posted here. I tried to help 'ya but failed.

I wonder if your cylinder to bore alignment is "off".
Are you shooting "groups" or "patterns"?

.357 Max brass or something else?

flatgate

Sounds like your cylinder to bore alinement is off I think your shaving bullets. ps

SlickRS23,

Your pics look to me like one of two things:

In this order;

A: The forcing cone is not cut right and it's tearing off the bullet jacket at the top.

B: There is an alignment problem with the chamber to bore.

However by looking at the firing marks on the face of the cylinder I don't think it's a cylinder alignment problem.

If you know of anyone with a range rod you can check it that way.
If that someone was to have one of Iowegan's range rods so much the better. (Note: I do have one, if you'd like to meet up somewhere.)

One thing is for positive sure, you can not send it back to Ruger. If you do you'll never see it again.

Joe

Thanks for the replys.
Thanks Flatgate,it took me two days but I got this picture thing figured out.
While comparing this gun to my other Rugers, it appears that the forcing cone is not cut as deep and is shallower then my other guns.
With the hammer cocked I looked down the bore with a bright light and I could not see any mis-match. I then put a sharp edge on the end of a wooden dowel rod and tried to feel a mis-match but I could not feel one.
I guess a Range Rod would be the correct way to do this.
The gun appears to be accurate and fun to shoot until it jams and this problem happens.

Thanks again, Jeff

I'd definitely try some quality hard cast, gas checked bullets. IIRC, a 180 gr. is about right for the Maxi. (I had one or two of them back in the day but decided calibres in the mid .40's were more like what I want to shoot.)

I also remember switching to extruded powder instead of ball powder and using small rifle primers.....

flatgate

This is a great site for the maxi shooter www.lasc.us page down and on the right look for Articles of shooting sports by Glen e. Fryxell.
Looks like that forcing cone could use the help of a 11 degree cutter. 180gr. gas check bullets work great in my maxi.
Eric

from the pictures above, appears to be a slice of the jacketing 'shaved' off and caused the drag on the cylinder face,the cylinder just may be sitting a bit "high" ..... just what is the actual "gap" between the cyl/barrel?? yes, the forcing cone appears to be pretty shallow/short, I'd open that up as noted above and give it another try, same ammo/bullets.............. see what happens, nice pictures by the way.............

Is it just me...
But does the cylinder pin seem to have a little rise in it...
and or some sort of something on it?
Maybe a slight bend?
Delamination?
Gunk?

I've sat here staring at the picture and don't want to come across as a D-Arse, what say you?

It' just doesn't look right to me.

Good points made above.

PS, there also seems to be some rust going on in the cylinder pin latch. Maybe a complete tear down, inspection, clean up & lube of the entire assembly is in order.

The base pin does look a little off but that often happens in wide angle lens shots. Can roll it on a flat surface and see if there is any wobble. I don't think any other BH base pin fits this model but they do have them on the Belt Mountain site

Thanks again for all your thoughts and comments,
I finally got some time to look at this further.
I checked the base pin and that spot is oil reflecting in the light.
I rolled the pin on a surface plate and could not see a wobble. I also held it up to a precision ground block of steel in a few places around the dia. of the pin and it is perfectly straight.
I checked the cyl to barrel gap and while holding the cyl. towards the rear, I could slide a .0025 feeler gauge thru the gap with a slight resistance. A .003 feeler gauge would not go in.
The flake of brass that stuck to the barrel measured .003", thats probably why the cyl. would jam up and not turn.
I think I'm going to find some-one to cut the forcing cone or maybe buy the cutter and slowly do it myself.
Thanks again, Jeff

That sounds like a plan in the right direction.

yessir, that close of a "gap" does tend to lead to 'problems' ( issues) with the least little bit of fouling, leading or in this case brass shaving, and will "bind", till it smooths itself out as you can 'see" in the picutre, it shows 'rubbing' but only so far around the cylinder face, then clears up.....BUT by the same token I would NOT "increase" this gap, as that makes for better velocity readings,less gases escaping,,,,,,,,,
heck if you were over here, we could have 'recut' that cone in the time it took to type all of this out................ :roll:

Reference http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=290560


Nice gun. If it were mine I'd do an eleven-degree forcing cone on it and not look back. :mrgreen:

YUP, I think Ale-8 got it right.... Appears that you don't have any forcing cone (unless my old eyes deceive me). Cut yourself a 'cone' and enjoy a cool caliber.
IMHO,
J.

Mine did the exact same thing. A Belt Mountain base pin made the problem go away.