Jammed cylinders with SBH hammers

[rainmaker62]

I have just swapped in a couple of SBH hammers into my pard's Vaqueros. Everything was going great until I started to run the pawl screws in. If I tighten them all the way down, the cylinders bind. If I back em off a few turns, they rotate fine. Whay would new hammers have an affect on the pawls? They worked great before. ???

 

[princeout]

Which screws are the pawl screws?
Tim

 

[rainmaker62]

The left screw at the top of the grip. The pawl spring/plunger is underneath and contacts the back of the pawl, also called the hand on other revolvers.

 

[Hondo44]

Try cocking the hammer with cyl removed from the gun. If still hard to cock, the hammer base is too fat and binding on the grip frame ear when you tighten the screw. Relieve side of hammer base, GF ear or both.

 

[rainmaker62]

The problem with that is...I'm not even cycling the hammers. I have the loading gates open and turning the cylinders. With the screws backed off about 3 or 4 turns, the cylinders turn just like they're supposed to and as the screws are turned in, they get tighter and tighter until they will not turn at all. Definitely the pawl plunger and spring. I just don't know why changing the hammers would have this effect. I can easily shorten the springs, just wanted to knomw if any experts have any ideas. Thanks

 

[DGW1949]

Remove the grip frame, pull the spring/plunger ass'y back out and let us know what you see.

DGW

 

[Hondo44]

The plunger tip must go in first. If the pawl plunger is in backwards (spring 1st) the spring will go too far into the hole and bend over jamming the pawl. You may have to remove the pawl to get it out if that's the case.

 

[rainmaker62]

They are installed plunger first.

 

[Hondo44]

I was afraid you were gonna' say that....so let's start over:

Only the hammers were changed.
Nothing else was removed except grip frames and hammers/transfer bars because they can be removed and installed w/o any other internal parts removed.

I think you used the longer screw from the trigger guard area in the hole behind the pawl. Not the real long screw to lock the hammer pin, but the other one. It's longer than the two hammer area screws.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

Hondo44 , I bet you just hit it right on the head!!
I have been following this thread to find out what it was. Hope you are right...

 

[rainmaker62]

Ok, so the ONLY reason I'm fessing up to this is to save some other poor sap the same grief I went through. I had the plunger/spring IN the screw hole. DUH! ID10T! Had to take my Blackhawk apart to figure it our though. I do remember a mod for Colt/Remington clones where you drill though the screw hole to the hand (pawl) channel in order to install a Ruger style plunger/spring and bypass the flimsy flat hand spring. All's well. It sings now! Thanks for the inputs.

 

[Hondo44]

Bravo, for sharing that. I'm absolutely positive that you're not the 1st one to do that. I usually leave the plunger/spring completely out. Or forget the cyl bolt plunger/spring.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

rainmaker62 , I thought about the possibility of having the spring in the wrong hole for a second but dismissed the thought because I did not know if those holes are bored through to the pawl mortice. Now we know!!
Thanks for fessing up so I don`t do it some day.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Well I have taken Rugers apart quite a few times. Like in shooting Black Powder. Let me tell ya you are not the first to do that Have also put the frame back on and noticed a little bit of spring sticking out above the grip frame. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Crap :roll: :roll:

 

[cas6969]

You're not the first, won't be the last.

 

[flatgate]

You're not the first, won't be the last.

Roger That! :roll:

flatgate