Did you measure the pin/hole clearance ? I'd wager that is where much of the issue is.
Scratches on Blackhawk hammer
- Thread starter Joey
- Start date
OP
Problem is, I gotta' stay away from the firing pin, 3/32 is about as thick as I can go. Polished it out with 1000 grit paper wrapped around a 1/16" thick fine file, just barely cleared, Filed the channel down, deburred the top of the channel at the outside, put 2 .005 shims in, worked fine. The stainless hammer was about .008 thicker thane the original, so I had to work the channel down a bit more than for the original. All I have to do is take the base pin screw out, and will be ready for the finish. I hope they don't tell me the firing pin will have to come out. A major PITA........
OP
The pin hole clearance is about .005, about as tight as it can get.
contender
Ruger Guru
I understand your frustration at having to finish smoothing out your Ruger. The manufacturing methods used by Ruger now are for mass production, using machine operators, & not gunsmith types. They do not cycle the guns like we do,, so they can easily miss stuff. Your comment; "A few minutes of TLC after milling would have taken care of this." is not what happens. Those "few minutes" is a lot more than you'd think to just do that,, and that takes TIME. TIME is money because it slows down production,, a LOT.
Most CASUAL buyers & shooters will not bother with such minor flaws. And to the more serious folks,, well, we have to often do little things to satisfy our wishes, desires, or complaints.
Ruger can't afford the TIME to hand build guns & keep the costs to where we can afford them. Just look at Freedom Arms, and a 2 year+ wait & over $3000 for a gun. With FA,, you get a darn near perfect gun everytime. Production assembly lines can't do that.
When Bill was alive & building guns,, he had more gunsmith types,, and production was a LOT less. And we'd often have a long wait time to find guns that were introduced each year,, but due to high demand, and LOW production,, it often took a few years before the model was considered common & available.
I'm not trying to defend Ruger as much as I'm trying to explain the differences we now see. To get higher production, putting more guns in the hands of the people has a trade off of making them by mass production, where minor flaws are acceptable.
Most CASUAL buyers & shooters will not bother with such minor flaws. And to the more serious folks,, well, we have to often do little things to satisfy our wishes, desires, or complaints.
Ruger can't afford the TIME to hand build guns & keep the costs to where we can afford them. Just look at Freedom Arms, and a 2 year+ wait & over $3000 for a gun. With FA,, you get a darn near perfect gun everytime. Production assembly lines can't do that.
When Bill was alive & building guns,, he had more gunsmith types,, and production was a LOT less. And we'd often have a long wait time to find guns that were introduced each year,, but due to high demand, and LOW production,, it often took a few years before the model was considered common & available.
I'm not trying to defend Ruger as much as I'm trying to explain the differences we now see. To get higher production, putting more guns in the hands of the people has a trade off of making them by mass production, where minor flaws are acceptable.
OP
Thanks much, Contender. What I don't understand about this is how can they produce the GP100 with .003 clearance, works smooth, no scratches, but the BH has 3 plus times the clearance and not just scratches but gouges the hammer? Perhaps I am taking this a bit too seriously, but, jeez....
I’m still wondering why Ruger hasn’t corrected the turn line on the cylinder. Drives me nuts! I know there’s a pin modification solution, and also a polished cylinder and cylinder stop help… but I’d think a factory solution is about 45 years overdue!
Didn’t mean to change the subject…Joey, good job on taking care of the cause, and effective!
Time and Money.
More than likely. Although the longer pin should be almost a wash. I’m wondering if it causes any reliability issues.
OP
Thanks much, Nitro. Time and money cost Ford millions, a $2.00 part would have taken care of the exploding Pinto problem, but they were more concerned about their bottom line.
Another thing that drives me nuts about the BH is their variances in cylinder throat diameters. They can vary by 3-4 k, I was told the reason is they use a three milling drill set-up to bore throats. When 1 gets dull, they change just the 1, causing wide variances in diameter, and undersized throats.
I will shut up now.
OP
OP
Thanks for the compliment, Randy. Got the frame stripped and taking it to the shop today. They can help me decide on whether to get it re-blued or Spartan Shied it.
OMG it might have been fired!!!
OP
A friend has a S&W model 14-3, 8 3/8" barrel. He brought it to the range for me to look at, had Scotch tape around the cylinder to keep the cylinder latch from etching the cylinder ring. Power Custom has an over sized latch to firmly lock the cylinder, but I don't think it stops the etching. Unavoidable wear.
When I was a boy, my Father had 2 Rugers, one an early 60's Single-Six and a '57 .357....I am now one year older than my Dad when he passed, I have quite a few Rugers, mostly OldModels and I love them for what they Are and Are Not.
contender
Ruger Guru
As noted,, "Time & Money."
And another way to look at things; "If it ain't broke, don't fix it unless you can do the same thing for cheaper!"
And another way to look at things; "If it ain't broke, don't fix it unless you can do the same thing for cheaper!"
OP
I feel the same way, Nitro, else I would not be doing this. In my eyes it was broke and I fixed it, Contender, same as I would do to any piece of equipment I own.
GasGuzzler
Hawkeye
Contender is correct. I see the same in the automotive dealer repair business where one out of thirty customers will notice a little thing all like vehicles have and make a big deal over it (not that the OP made a big deal over this but most people can't and won't fix their own new car and a gun doesn't usually cost $40K) while everyone else ignores it. It's fine to point those things out for sure and we have to try and come up with s solution but everyone must keep in mind a production line puts out 80-150 vehicles in 24 hours. How many guns does Ruger make in the same time period? A lot more I bet.
OP
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. I hope everyone has a good one. Keeping the folks in North Carolina and other affected states in my prayers
contender
Ruger Guru
Thanks Joey! Here's hoping you have a great one as well!
And an interesting question by GG. "How many guns does Ruger make in the same time period? A lot more I bet."
I have been to a Ruger plant,, and watched the assy line for the LCP at work. (This is why I understand their process.) They turn out a completed LCP about every 5 minutes when running at normal production.
And an interesting question by GG. "How many guns does Ruger make in the same time period? A lot more I bet."
I have been to a Ruger plant,, and watched the assy line for the LCP at work. (This is why I understand their process.) They turn out a completed LCP about every 5 minutes when running at normal production.
OP
Well, it's been awhile, but I got'er almost done. The first pic is after first working down, notice height and angel of ears.
Second picture, ears are almost there, still need some work. Note lack of scratches on hammer. Light spots in finish are where I touched up damage from previous owner and scope mount on barrel. Thought about having it re done with Spartan Shield, but I think a rust blue will look better and a bit more traditional. Just got it back together today, I will finish work on the ears after I get it re-blued. Right now, I want to shoot it! Will require sight adjustment as I just put the sight back on it.
Second picture, ears are almost there, still need some work. Note lack of scratches on hammer. Light spots in finish are where I touched up damage from previous owner and scope mount on barrel. Thought about having it re done with Spartan Shield, but I think a rust blue will look better and a bit more traditional. Just got it back together today, I will finish work on the ears after I get it re-blued. Right now, I want to shoot it! Will require sight adjustment as I just put the sight back on it.
Attachments
OP
contender
Ruger Guru
Looking good!
OP
Thanks much, Contender.
Know anyone that does bluing?
Bigbore5
Blackhawk
The perfected Ruger Blackhawk:
Frame and gripframe squared and fit
Cylinder gap reset to.002"
11° forcing cone cut and polish
11° crown cut and polish
Internals polished
Cylinder faced square.
Oversized cylinder latch fit
Free spin pawl mod
Hammer sides clearanced
Trigger job
Gripframe decked
Chambers polished
Polish and rust blue
My time involved= 30-40 hrs (I don't rush)
Frame and gripframe squared and fit
Cylinder gap reset to.002"
11° forcing cone cut and polish
11° crown cut and polish
Internals polished
Cylinder faced square.
Oversized cylinder latch fit
Free spin pawl mod
Hammer sides clearanced
Trigger job
Gripframe decked
Chambers polished
Polish and rust blue
My time involved= 30-40 hrs (I don't rush)
contender
Ruger Guru
Gee BigBore5,, you just about described how a Freedom Arms is built.
Don't get me wrong,, I enjoy many of my out of the box Rugers as they came from the factory. Mostly the Old Models. But some of my New Models are also used as built. I also have a few FA handguns. And they are excellent. But I've seen the occasional report where people have worked on them to fix something they don't like or want "better."
Rugers are pretty much mass produced when compared to Freedom Arms. And the price reflects it. Having been to the FA plant, and a Ruger plant,, I can see why there are differences. The extra work that goes into a FA is one of the reasons there's a 2 year wait once you order one. And at FA,, there isn't an assembly line that resembles a Ruger assembly line.
Yes,, Rugers get much more custom work after they leave the factory. But many of them are actually pretty good as shipped. And on many just a LITTLE tweaking can make a big difference.
Don't get me wrong,, I enjoy many of my out of the box Rugers as they came from the factory. Mostly the Old Models. But some of my New Models are also used as built. I also have a few FA handguns. And they are excellent. But I've seen the occasional report where people have worked on them to fix something they don't like or want "better."
Rugers are pretty much mass produced when compared to Freedom Arms. And the price reflects it. Having been to the FA plant, and a Ruger plant,, I can see why there are differences. The extra work that goes into a FA is one of the reasons there's a 2 year wait once you order one. And at FA,, there isn't an assembly line that resembles a Ruger assembly line.
Yes,, Rugers get much more custom work after they leave the factory. But many of them are actually pretty good as shipped. And on many just a LITTLE tweaking can make a big difference.
OP
PM with questions sent.
powder smoke
Hawkeye
Buy a new hammer might come in handy any way!
OP
Finally got the gf frame fitted. I have it boxed and ready to ship to Chig's Grips. While its gone, I am planning on bluing it myself using Mark Lee's Express Blue #1. Has anyone used this? I bought a barrel on the cheap to try it. I have it stripped and sanded, ready to go, just got to pick up a few more things. One can never have enough things.
When I am thru with the barrel, I plan on posting it for give away. Next stop, bluing. I will complete polishing of gf when I get it back.
When I am thru with the barrel, I plan on posting it for give away. Next stop, bluing. I will complete polishing of gf when I get it back.
Attachments
Bad Barlow
Blackhawk
You're giving away the gun? Count me in!
OP
I'm a generous soul, BB, just not that generous! Just the test barrel........
Similar threads
