broke another transfer bar

[john123456]

well my vaquero sheriff broke another transfer bar and this time it didnt even have a whole lot of rounds through it. also i know it didnt have a pinch so anyone have any ideas why the heck it would break this time. doesnt anyone make like an after market one thats stronger or something. i know one thing ill never be able to carry and count on it working ever again just a range gun now i guess sigh......

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

I am a Cowboy Action shooter where the Ruger Vaquero is the most popular six shooter of all. With many thousands of shots fired every weekend by the guys I shoot with,I have NEVER heard of a transfer bar failing except for on this forum. You have had two fail. You must be the most unlucky guy ever.

 

[john123456]

yeah it sucks its my fav gun even just got some new grips for it idk why it did it

 

[schloss]

Post some pics. Where is it breaking? Has it already been back to the factory?

 

[john123456]

it cracks at the transition . no hasnt been back to factory but the t bar isnt a fitted part so idk what they would really do . i kinda wonder if spinning it puts to much pressure on it or something who knows

 

[gunman42782]

I have heard of transfer bars breaking, but like Chuck100yd said, I have owned and shot and dry fired the snot out of every Ruger revolver I have ever owned, and been doing it for 30 years now, and have never broke or seen a transfer bar break. Amazing that you have had two break!

 

[jbntx]

...well my vaquero sheriff broke another transfer bar and this time it didnt even have a whole lot of rounds through it. ...

No insult intended, but are you by chance doing something that might be causing the transfer bar to break?
Maybe fanning it or something else that puts a strain on the parts?

Transfer bars don't normally just break, and for one gun to break two of them says that something is being done to break them.
Or there's some serious out of spec problem with the gun itself?

 

[Flash]

If the thickness of the transfer bar is GREATER than the step on the hammer, the transfer bar is taking all the impact of the hammer. The transfer bar should be a few thousands thinner than the step on the hammer, so the impact of the hammer is transferred to the firing pin, not absorbed by the transfer bar.
It could be that the step on the hammer face is too shallow, therefore smashing the bar between the hammer face and the frame. I found it very easy to check the fit by removing both the hammer and the bar and measuring them. It's amazing how poorly fitted some parts can be but the specs are such that the issue never surfaces. I have also found some hammers to have a 90 degree step in the hammer face and some have a radius on the step. The radius gives little room for the transfer bar to fit properly under the hammer face and breakage is very likely.

 

[schloss]

it cracks at the transition . no hasnt been back to factory but the t bar isnt a fitted part so idk what they would really do . i kinda wonder if spinning it puts to much pressure on it or something who knows

Given that you've broken two transfer bars on it already, they should be willing to look over the associated moving parts and at least attempt to determine what is causing it to fail repeatedly. Could be that something else is not correct.

What do you mean by spinning?

 

[David Bradshaw]

john123456.... as Flash explains, the transfer bar in your revolver may be pinched between hammer and frame.

To test for pinch:
1) Unload.
2) Cock.
3) Dry fire, holding trigger to rear.
4) Press hammer against frame with offhand thumb.
5) Slowly release trigger. If interference present, you should feel drag. If interference is great enough, pinch will prevent trigger reset until you release pressure on trigger.

Transfer bar broke on my Silhouette Super during a steel shooting match, inopportune timing, as I was out to set a record. Handed the transfer bar in two pieces to Bill Ruger, Jr., who promptly took a new SBH out of the box and clamped it in the dry fire machine. Cycled it over 100,000 dry fires without noticeable effect.

In all the years of working the New Model Blackhawk and SBH, I've yet to break another transfer bar.

Bill Ruger's transfer bar is the only fire control that puts a single action on par with the passive safety of S&W and Ruger double actions. Meaning, a New Model Ruger is the only single action I carry hammer-down on a loaded chamber.

A new revolver should be checked for pinch. Correct if necessary.
David Bradshaw

 

[john123456]

by spinning i mean on my finger. and fanning nah i dont fan it. i called ruger they are sending me another t bar

 

[jstanfield103]

Sounds like some good advice from a couple of people about the hammer and pinching. I would give Ruger a call and they will probably want the gun for inspection so they can see what happened or didn't happen at the factory. They will get it corrected and then you can attempt to where the rest of the gun out.

 

[Fox Mike]

I too just had one break but it was on my Stainless Bearcat...the one that I sent back to Ruger and they practically rebuilt it just a while back. I probably haven't launched 200 rds through it since the 'overhaul'. Picked it up to check the way the grips are fitted and as always, cocked it to open the gate and check that it was not loaded, and out fell the upper portion of the bar. Called Ruger and they are sending a new one to me.

 

[Rclark]

I had one break on my oldest .357 Ruger BH. After that I tested pinch and corrected. On another revolver, I 'over corrected' and had to buy a new hammer . Opps.