A few more Blackhawk questions

[CarbineKid]

I just took home my 50th anniversary Blackhawk. I stripped the gun down and gave it a good cleaning. I am amazed on how well built the gun is(especially for the price I paid) Anyhow i did have a few quick questions

1) Is the hammer on the gun stainless steal? Do you clean the hammer differently then the rest of the gun?(yeah I got a spot on the hammer I cant get clean)
2) Finally my rear sights are all the way to the left. This doesn't look right...does ruger sight the guns in, or just throw the parts on and ship them out?

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Hammer is not stainles steel. It will pick up stains if not cared for.

Shoot the gun and adjust the rear sight for proper point of impact, if required.

 

[CarbineKid]

One last question
I tried the action on my blackhawk and I already have the turn line scratches on the cylinder(after about 5-6 tries). I know its normal wear but these look deep, not just surface scratches...is that normal? I'm assuming if I re-blue it, it will just come back, but like I said these scratch marks look deeper then I though they would be.

 

[101VooDoo]

Carbine - just picked mine up yesterday, same thing on the sights; left of center. I went ahead and centered them up, figuring it'd be a bit closer to poi for initial sighting in.

Ended up $387 delivered to my FFL. Smoking good deal. Had just a small scratch on the side of the front sight, macht nichts.

Trigger's nice, though I was surprised to find the pull measured 5lbs 8oz. Sure doesn't' feel that heavy, breaks clean with little creep. I'll get a few Wolff springs (need one for a .32 Single Six I picked up last month as well) and she should be just right.

Cylinder locks up tighter than any other Ruger I've owned, how's yours?

Jim

 

[slowpoke]

Kid, The cylinder ring has been discussed ad nauseum and you can find out tons of info and opinions on it by searching the archives. I'll confess to being a newbie when it comes to any technical info, but since no one else has chimed in I'll give you what I know will help lesson the cylinder line. It sounds like it might be too late to avoid altogether, and if it's cutting deep you may want to have it checked and/or "smithed". Someone more knowlegable than me will hopefully chime in to elaborate but do this for sure; Every time you open the loading gate, even if you're not loading it, when you close the loading gate don't allow the cylinder to turn. Pull the hammer back all the way and then slowly lower it while pulling on the trigger, or if your shooting you can fire it if safe to do so. Hope this helps, and enjoy your new gun.

 

[Chief 101]

One last question
I tried the action on my blackhawk and I already have the turn line scratches on the cylinder(after about 5-6 tries). I know its normal wear but these look deep, not just surface scratches...is that normal? I'm assuming if I re-blue it, it will just come back, but like I said these scratch marks look deeper then I though they would be.

If you take the cylinder out and polish the top surface of the locking lug with 600 wet or dry sandpaper you can eliminate most of the scratches it is making. I have had to do that to many Blackhawks over the years and most recently to a 50+year old Flattop that has never been shot outside the factory but looks shot-out. Chief aka Maxx Load

 

[TiteGroups]

Just picked my 50th .357 up today, $390 shipped. Nice gun, grip frame flush with main frame. Everything fitted up very well. I like the reverse index feature as well. The trigger on mine is pretty much typical of my late model blackhawks with too much creep. Overall very happy with it. Surprisingly heavy, the steel grip frame seems to give it good balance though. Going to the range Sunday morn. Ended up with a .44 spl. model on the way for next week. Think I'll pass on the .44 and .41 models. Maybe an original .44 blackhawk someday.

 

[101VooDoo]

Trigger's nice, though I was surprised to find the pull measured 5lbs 8oz. Sure doesn't' feel that heavy

Have to retract that. Pulled the .44 Anniversary out of the safe, it was 3lbs 12oz with a factory spring, its 2lbs 4oz with a Wolff 30oz spring.

The Blackhawk definitely feels heavy in comparison.

Jim

 

[Jimbo357mag]

The advise about pulling the hammer back after loading doesn't apply to "new Models". But lining the cylinder up before closing the loading gate will help to reduce the turn line. What is happening, like Chief explained, is that the cylinder stop has a sharp edge and it is digging into the cylinder. If the very edges and top of the cylinder stop are smoothed and polished it will ride on the cylinder much better without digging-in. Do not over-do this. You just want it to ride smoother over the cylinder and still lock-up the cylinder tight.

You cannot eliminate the cylinder drag line on a "new model" unless there is some modification to the internals to prevent the cylinder stop from popping up until it gets to the lead-in. Myself, after a little work on the cylinder stop I "forget about it".

...JImbo

 

[CarbineKid]

Cylinder locks up tighter than any other Ruger I've owned, how's yours?

Jim

This is the only revolver I own, but the cylinder is tight. I'm very happy with it. I just wish I knew about how to avoid the scratches before I scratched mine up . I shoot my guns alot, and I take very good care of them(they all still look new)...silly things like scratches drive me nuts

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Basically, all New Models are subject to the cylinder ring unless modified internally to prevent it. This involves alterations to the bolt and/or trigger. As mentioned, a little polishing on the bolt can somewhat minimize the scratching of the cylinder, but won't eliminate it completely.

Ringing of the cylinder on an Old Model can be avoided by never letting the hammer down from half-cock. When loading/unloading from the half-cock hammer position, ALWAYS pull the hammer back to full-cock before lowering it. This allows the action to work in proper sequence and not drop the bolt onto the cylinder until it's more-or-less aligned with the leade on the locking notch on the cylinder.

 

[CarbineKid]

Basically, all New Models are subject to the cylinder ring unless modified internally to prevent it. This involves alterations to the bolt and/or trigger. As mentioned, a little polishing on the bolt can somewhat minimize the scratching of the cylinder, but won't eliminate it completely.

Ringing of the cylinder on an Old Model can be avoided by never letting the hammer down from half-cock. When loading/unloading from tne half-cock hammer position, ALWAYS pull the hammer back to full-cock before lowering it. This allows the action to work in proper sequence and not drop the bolt onto the cylinder until it's more-or-less aligned with the leade on the locking notch on the cylinder.

Thank you. I feel better knowing its not negligence on my part, but its how the revolver works(design flaw?).

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Flaw? Yes, I think so . . .particularly since the gun's innards can be made to avoid the ring. But perhaps it would have taken enough extra effort that the price would have been higher. Dunno.

:?

 

[TiteGroups]

My opinion, if you're were really worried about it, don't shoot it, but what the h*** would be the fun in that, they were made by the tens of thousands, just shoot it and enjoy it.

 

[flatgate]

Design Flaw? WBR is rolling over in his grave at that statement. What we see on the New Model lockwork is EXACTLY how he wanted it!!! He wanted a basically "fool proof" action. I think it's rather amazing, despite the tendency to "ring the cylinder".

Of course, being the dyed in the wool gun butcher that I am, I had to find a way to stop the cylinder ring. An extended hammer plunger is one solution, suggested to me by "Odie's Master" quite some time ago, however I've settled on the extended cylinder latch "leg" as the fix.

flatgate

 

[Ale-8(1)]

I consider it a "flaw" only in that it "rings" the cylinder and with a little more attention to detail this unwanted side effect could have been avoided . . . as evidenced by the successful efforts of various dedicated gun butchers.

As far as its safety intent goes, it's entirely successful, to WBR's credit.

 

[Chief 101]

Design Flaw? WBR is rolling over in his grave at that statement. What we see on the New Model lockwork is EXACTLY how he wanted it!!! He wanted a basically "fool proof" action. I think it's rather amazing, despite the tendency to "ring the cylinder".

I have to agree. Slowing down the cylinder to counteract the damage done by the actions of the "Fanner 50" guys would be one positive effect of the bolt hanging on the cylinder.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

"Fanner 50 guys" deserve to have cylinder rings.

JMHO

Well, no, that's not exactly fair. Those who participate in the "fast draw" sport and modify their guns for the purpose are fully aware of the abuse "fanning" puts on the gun and make efforts to mitigate it. They know what they're doing and don't complain about cylinder rings.

But those gunshop cowboys who "fan" stock Rugers get what they deserve when they abuse the stock guns.

 

[TiteGroups]

Made it to the range with the new flat top today, back sight was cranked all the way to the left from the factory I guess, was shooting to the far left so I adjusted to center and it was shooting pretty much to POA, grouping well, then for some yet unexplained reason, it started shooting way left again, I hadn't moved the sights at all after centering them, so checked the sights, they seemed to be in the same place. Next thought it was me, so I took my GP100 out and I was right on with it. WTF? The range was packed, imagine that, so I didn't get a chance to wring it out. Kinda strange. The gun handled really well, the extra weight seems to help, and the trigger smoothed up a bit, really like the gun.

 

[flatgate]

IMHO, your "hold" changed and that's what made your POI move.

flatgate

 

[TiteGroups]

Good chance of that with the smaller grip. Anxious to get back there and resolve the issue. I'll try to find some private time at the range mid-week.