50th .44 and .357 Ejector Housing comes loose

[Rclark]

I put this here for ideas on how to solve this problem. I own both a .357 and a .44 50th Anniversary Revolver. I've had trouble with my .44 all along, but I notice my new .357 50th housing screw is loose. I had to tighten it last time out too. Note that I purposely did not remove the housing screw this time on the .357 when I got it. I left it 'factory' ... just to see. On the .44 I had taken it off right after I got it, just to clean everything up nicely. Anyway....

My other Rugers do not experience this problem.

I've tried the locktite trick on the .44 but it still comes loose. Anything else to try?

Note that I am not shooting 'max' loads. My .357 load is 8-9g of Unique pushing a 125g JSP... Nothing major here.

 

[c.r.]

my experience is that once those boogers loosen, you have to keep an eye on them constantly. I have some 44 mags that loosen up while other 44's don''t. the same loads have been shot through each of them. same thing w/ my .357s and 45Colts. Short barrels.....long barrels...no rhyme or reason. It just happens.

Same thing with the base pin latch. Once mine loosen up, i have to keep an eye on them. I have used the "blue" loctite on the base pin latches with good luck. I've been too lazy to try it on the ERH's.

anyway, you might wanna try the blue loctite. i think there might be a purple and a green? either way, I've read not to use the red, because it makes such a strong "bond" (well bond isn't the right word because it's not an adhesive, but you know what i mean) that you MIGHT have trouble getting the screw loose if you need to at a later time.

hope that helps.

~c.r.

 

[texaswheelgunner]

I've used the Loctite Green on several of my ERH screws with excellent results after the Loctite Blue wouldn't hold them. You can still loosen the screw with a good fitting screw driver with the Green.

But by all means, DO NOT use the Loctite Red unless you want a permanent bond.

 

[J Miller]

Clean the barrel, ERH, screw and especially the screw hole with acetone or something else potent.
Then put some blue Loctite on the housing around where the screw passes through, and on the end where it sticks through the frame.
Assemble it and tighten that screw down tight.

Leave it sit for 24 hours.

That's what I had to do with OM .357 when I switched to a steel housing. It hasn't moved since.

Joe

 

[DGW1949]

You might want to take whatever steps is nessessary to insure that the housing itself fit's-up against the frame properly....so's the poor ole screw aint having to handle recoil forces, all on it's own.

I've had housing screws get loose myself. But never on a gun that's fitted right.

Once upon a time, new Ruger-screws were supplied with some sort of semi-hard compound applied to the threads. I don't know that the stuff was, but I know that it wasn't Loctite. I know that because Loctite only hardens in the absense of air.
I also know that it was meant to work only once....meaning that if one was prone to dis-assemble his revolver on a regular basis, that the stuff soon wore away and ceased to work.

I don't know if new Ruger screws still come with "stuff" on the threads or not. But it might be something to look into....you know, just as another option.

Hope this helps.

DGW

 

[Rclark]

Thanks guys for the responses!

You might want to take whatever steps is necessary to insure that the housing itself fit's-up against the frame properly

What should I be looking for here, precisely before I give it the treatment? Thanks!

 

[J Miller]

Thanks guys for the responses!

You might want to take whatever steps is necessary to insure that the housing itself fit's-up against the frame properly

What should I be looking for here, precisely before I give it the treatment? Thanks!

There should be no gap between the rear of the housing and the frame, and the small diameter part should be a snug fit inside. The one on my OM .357 was bad in both places. That's why it got all the Loctite. Normally I just Loctite the screw.

Joe

 

[Rclark]

Thanks, mine appears fine in the back (on the .357 anyway), so cleaned screw area up really well (used Gun Scrubber which is supposed to be a degreaser and cleaner) and then put some blue locktite on the screw and torqued that baby down. Try this first .

Richard

 

[BisleyGripped]

I can answer many questions on the Loc-tite colors. Each color is an indication of the strength of the bond, which also indicates how easily
it releases with pressure (as in take-down). The blue color is the lightest
load, but you may wish to only coat half the threads regardless of color!
It allows better adhesion when not 'caked on'. Next color is red, which is considered permanent. Unlike the blue, which only needs normal pressure (screwdriver) to release, red needs pressure AND heat (350F) to release.
A couple of seconds with a torch usually suffices, repeat until loose. It will let go easily once 350F is reached, but you can't budge it until then. Green loc-tite is the Big Mama of glues, made to penetrate into housings or assemblies that can't be dissembled. It needs an opening to 'wick' its way into the parts, set up, then cure. Those parts better need to STAY together! I believe they can be heated up also, but it may be hard to get heat to the affected parts.*** Beware*** Wicking means it follows EVERY PATH, not just the ones that you wanted!! Choose carefully when using.
Where did I learn this bit of knowledge? Loc-tite training class!
Hope this repays a small part of what I've learned here.
Ole Bis

 

[J Miller]

Ole Bis,

What about the Purple Loc-tite I've read about. Never bought any so I don't know about it.

What is Green Loc-tite's number?

Joe

 

[texaswheelgunner]

I have the Loctite Green in a .34 oz. bottle. It is labeled Loctite 290. I have found it necessary to use only on the steel ejector rod housings screws and no other fasteners on my Ruger Single Actions. The blue Loctite works just fine on any other screws.

 

[BisleyGripped]

J Miller-- Purple is extremely low strength...jewelers and such use them for eyeglass screws, etc. When using Loc-tite, clean is everything! All oil (and I know that no one here uses gun oil on their guns :shock: ) will weaken the bond up to 1/2! Plus, the bond fully cures in the absence of air, so any screws or parts must be sealed up well. A thin film is better than glopping it on, and smaller screws (1/4" or below) should only have about half of their threads coated. Otherwise, the adhesive pools up and never gives the metal-to-metal bond a chance to adhere well. Loc-tite makes an accelerator/strengthener spray for better holding power, but most weak bonds are a result of cleaning/coating short falls. If Blue type fails, clean well and try again. If another failure happens, clean well and try the Red this time. For screws that are backing out now, try this: Clean screw and hole with a cleaner that leaves no film. Then place a drop or two INTO THE HOLE, not the screw. Again, no pooling, just cover some threads. Too much (on blind holes) will pressurize the Loc-tite when the screw is installed, forcing the adhesive out thru the threads. Install the screw, give it a full day (sets in 4-6 hours, cures in 24 hours), then make that thing go BANG! Should work fine by then.
Ole Bis

 

[ElrodCod]

Could be the threaded portion is a tad too long & it's bottoming out before it tightens properly. Same thing happens with the action screw on some 10/22s.

 

[texaswheelgunner]

elrod, that has happened to me at least once. Had to shorten the screw just a tad.

 

[REP1954]

I've had the to long of screw before myself but I have also had housings that were collapsed and did not fit the frame snug enough. Once opened up so the housing did not move under recoil the loosening stopped.