45 Colt BlackHawk issues--what to do?

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leibowitz

Bearcat
Joined
Oct 27, 2009
Messages
2
I be new on this forum so I hope I'm posting correctly. OK down to issues : I have a Ruger Black Hawk made in 1977 according to the serial number. The pistol shoots lousy. can't get it to group at all , also shoots way left with any type of load, lead or jacketed bullet hot or mild load. Also leads up badly with all types of bullets pushed fast or slow. Jacketed bullets foul just as bad with like loads. Ihave done a cleaning several times have even used a Otters Foulout III system to remove copper and lead, which is the only way I can completely clean it. The bore looks smooth as a baby's backend and shiney. Just did a cleaning and slugged the bore an it seems a little tight to me. The land dia. comes in at .442 with a grove dia. of .448. I also miked the cylinder throats which seem to by a dia. of .455. I also had this done by several other people and there numbers agree with mine. Any idea's :?:
 

BowenBuilt

Bearcat
Joined
Dec 20, 2008
Messages
52
Location
Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia
Man! That's all out of whack. Your bore should be close to .451 and the cylinders on most Rugers are in the .448 to .450 area. Ideally the cylinder chamber mouths with a .451 bore should be .452 to .453. No wonder it won't shoot worth a dang. I would send that gun back for a new barrel and cylinder if it were mine.
 

w44wcf

Bearcat
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Messages
4
leibowitz,
If you haven't already, I would suggest trying .454" diameter bullets in it to see how that works. Even better would be the .455" diameter bulk bullets by Remington.

When you slugged your barrel did the slug get tight just in front of the forcing cone? If so the barrel is most likely larger in diameter but is a bit constricted in that area. That can be corrected by lapping.

w44wcf

aka w30wcf
 

J Miller

Blackhawk
Joined
Sep 30, 2000
Messages
977
Location
Not in IL anymore ... :)
leibowitz,
Welcome to the forum. I've read your post sevral times and those measurements are really off the norm. Almost every Ruger BH I've heard the measurements of come out with a .451 to .452" grove diameter barrel, with anywhere from .450" to .456" throats.
Are you sure of those measurements? If so then that pistol does need to go back to Ruger.

w44wcf,
Welcome to the forum. Glad you made it.

Joe
 

leibowitz

Bearcat
Joined
Oct 27, 2009
Messages
2
Thanks guy's I will check the dimensions one more time and then send it back to Ruger.
 

Bucks Owin

Hunter
Joined
Mar 22, 2004
Messages
3,198
Location
51st state of Jefferson
w44wcf":3growty1 said:
leibowitz,
If you haven't already, I would suggest trying .454" diameter bullets in it to see how that works. Even better would be the .455" diameter bulk bullets by Remington.

When you slugged your barrel did the slug get tight just in front of the forcing cone? If so the barrel is most likely larger in diameter but is a bit constricted in that area. That can be corrected by lapping.

w44wcf

aka w30wcf
Good advice on the .454" boolits. The .456" throats in mine like them a lot better than smaller slugs. Then again, my barrel is .452". That extra tight barrel would spook me a little if indeed it's .448"....Dennis (Oh and thanks for the tip on Rem bullets, didn't know that. Price ain't bad either...)
 

CraigC

Hawkeye
Joined
May 27, 2002
Messages
5,197
Location
West Tennessee
That's not bad at all on those bulk Remington 250's, $87/1000. Hope they look better than the picture at Midway though. Looks like a battlefield dig-up!

532693.jpg
 
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