Heliman said:
This past weekend at the show I purchased for what I thought was great price a Super Blackhawk 44 Mag Hunter. It also included a bunch of extras.....
150 rounds of handloads.....
150 or so 180 and 240 gr Hornady JHP bullets......
Hornady die set........
A few hundred rounds of dirty brass......
2 nylon holsters.....
ALL this for $550!
........
BUT.....
The gun was a little dirty and looked to be in good condition. When I was able to take it down and clean it I found some disturbing, to me, issues with the cylinder and forcing cone of the gun. Looked to be some erosion around the front face of the cylinder bores and the forcing cone. The guy did say he had fired "hundreds of rounds" through the gun. It also had an after market base pin installed. I installed the original base pin and it shows axial movement of the base pin of about 3/16" or so.....
I am not looking to sell this gun, but to use it in the field. My question is it capable of being accurate and reliable based on the wear? It locks up tight and their are no other issues that I can see. I have yet to range test it. Any thoughts of the knowledgeable members here??
Thanks! Dave
Dave, aka Heliman .... thanks for supplying good photos to illustrate your inquiry, pic are welcome and necessary.
Subject: SBH Hunter .44 Mag
1) Cylinder face erosion. Photo supplied.
2) Forcing cone erosion. Photo supplied.
3) Ammunition----assertion 180 JHP over unstated charge Hodgdon Lil Gun.
4) Group----offhand----10-shots=10" @ 10 yards.
Answer
1) Cylinder face erosion
Dramatic and real. This erosion appears centered at 12 o'clock chamber exit on cylinder face. Utterly unrealistic from traditional mag powders with a great many more rounds then this revolver has fired. (As an addendum, erosion suggests very slight chamber offset @ 12 o 'clock.)
2) Forcing cone erosion. Photo supplied.
Erosion commonly referred to as "forcing cone" usually means "barrel face," not into the forcing cone itself. Indeed, your photo shows erosion inside the forcing cone. I believe this, along with erosion of cylinder face, comes from extreme combustion heat, with, perhaps, a long dwell time. Appearance and location distinct from the much slower sand blasting effect of ball powder such as 296/H110.
3) Lil Gun powder. Unstated volume of Lil Gun over unnamed .44 @80 JHP. Important to pull bullet, weigh charge. The charge may or may not exceed listed load. Important to know. Personal experience with Lil Gun is limited. As velocity and accuracy failed to surpass powders with which my experience covers decades and extremes of temperature, and mindful of erosion reports on Lil Gun from sources I respect, and looking closely at your photos, I recommend against Lil Gun for magnums revolvers.
I have fired multiple thousands of rounds of .44 Mag 180 JHP over 296, H110, H e Hercules and Alliant 2400, with IMR and Hodgdon 4227 thrown in----without a trace among Rugers, S&W's, and Freedom Arms of the erosion you picture.
4) Group. Offhand not withstanding, erosion cannot account for a 10" group @ 10 yards! Nor will a compression ring staged by over-tightening the barrel spray shots this badly.
"Original base pin... shows axial movement of base pin of about 3/16-inch or so..." Are you sure ? Having handled a few Rugers, I've wit messed nothing remotely Cleo to your assertion. Perhaps a measurement is in order.
Addendum: " I have no patience for this kind of performance, but I am willing to listen to suggestions... Not going to Ruger, just down the road."
Fortunately you had the patience to take good photos. A call to Ruger Customer Service is indicated. Otherwise sell it on the cheap; it's next owner will sent it to Ruger.
David Bradshaw