Light firing pin strikes on never fired SBH????

[msinc]

I have an older {mid 70's} but never fired SBH that a buddy owns. We decided to give it a try this weekend and it will fire 2 out of 6 rounds with the 4 miss fires showing a very light primer hit. The two that do fire show a light hit also, but they do detonate. I haven't measured firing pin protrusion yet, but it definitely appears to be insufficient. Any ideas??? and please don't take this wrong but please spare me the "send it back to Ruger, they'll fix it" posts. I know that. I have zero doubt that they can and will fix it because they know more about it than the rest of the world. I also know they will change out the unmarked older barrel for the one with an OSHA safety manual written on the side of it...just not interested in sending it back. It is not going back to Ruger. It will either be fixed here or become a pond ornament. Thanks again for any info.

 

[mhblaw]

Transfer bar too thick? Firing pin gummed up?

 

[Cholo]

I've bought older Rugers that have been unfired since leaving the factory. One I couldn't even cock, nor did I try too hard. I give them a healthy dose of either Gun Scrubber or non chlorinated brake cleaner once the cylinder has been removed. I, too, believe the firing pin is gummed up. If so, so are a whole lot of other moving parts. Blast all that caramelized gun lube out of every nook and cranny, check for function with the cylinder out, and properly lube. Everything should be fine.

 

[contender]

If that gun was built in the mid 70's, it's 40 yrs old & likely has a lot of dried & gummed up old grease & oil in it. Do as Cholo has suggested & clean it a lot. I concur about the potentially gummed up firing pin.

 

[msinc]

Thanks a million fellas...I will certainly clean it and if too much junk is coming out I think it's probably best to break it down and make certain it is all gone. His luck is about like mine, the gun will only misfire when a nice deer or big boar hog is in the sights.
I have read where the transfer bar was in fact too thick in some of these and also the hammer nose too long not letting it push the transfer bar in all the way. I am sure it is something stupid. I will do a follow up post hen I get finished and let everyone know what I find.
About as many people claim the firing pin is a sort of "inertia" type and you cant go by static protrusion...as those that believe it is not inertia at all and the protrusion is true. We'll see.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

There is some inertia going on when fired but not enough to do anything due to the firing pin being so light. I believe protrusion does all the work.
Hold the rear of the firing pin flush with the rear face of the frames hammer slot when measuring firing pin protrusion. Then do the same while holding the trigger back and holding the hammer down with your thumb. Comparing these two measurements will tell you if you have a transfer bar/ hammer issue and just how much protrusion you have.
I have measured a few of mine and find that with proper headspace and brass rim thickness they will not misfire with as little as .035" protrusion bur I prefer about
.045".
That said, I would clean and lube it first like others have suggested.

 

[msinc]

I agree, just look at a known for certain inertia type firing pin and the difference is indisputable. I didn't want to say "it aint rocket science", but yeah, I never really bought the "partial inertia" idea.
I also wonder how much of the primer gets blown back out straight because of the pressure of this round to make it look like a light strike??? Never really messed with a Super Blackhawk, but I have heard people say that the primer always looks like a little bit of a light strike for this reason.

 

[rugerguy]

I agree, if sitting around for all that time, , we soak 'em in kerosene, flush it all out, flush out the firing pin hole, push it in and out, to get any gunk out of it, no need to tear it all down.......check and clean the chambers if the shells 'stick' going in or out.........cleaning is pretty much all it may really need, and then follow up with a light oiling ( lube) and wipe 'er down..........

 

[Hondo44]

You have all the advice you probably need. Once cleaned and lubed, be sure hammer base is not binding on the grip frame ears. Grip frames can be screwed on tight and slightly off center. If it appears that it might be, loosen the two ear screws and see if that helps, and adjust GF, then retighten.

Inertia and firing pin protrusion are both at play. Pushing the firing flush against the hammer slot will let you see the static protrusion. Now push the firing pin all the way forward with a pointed object; that will show you the additional amount inertia moves the pin.

 

[Johnnu2]

I've brought MANY old guns that have sat for many years "back to life' with a thorough. I had two that were literally 'locked' solid; one was a pump and one was a 3-screw single six. The single six was mine and had been shot from time to time but spent the last 6 or 8 years sitting in my safe (temp/humiditiy controlled). I couldn't imagine what happened to it; it wouldn't budge when I tried to cock it. In both cases I pulled them apart, cleaned everything and BINGO..... everything worked well again. The above advice is right on the money. J

 

[msinc]

I have had this thing soaking for almost two days now. I will give it a good flush with solvent, blow it dry and see how much stuff comes out of it. If I see a lot of junk still coming out of the action I am going to break it down. Lots of good tips here and thanks a million fellas. I did notice when I took the grips off that there were two springs up near the top of the grip frame not latched or hooked on their respective studs. They don't appear to affect the hammer, I think I have heard where guys unhook one {or is it both???} to make the trigger pull lighter???? I put them back on the posts, the trigger didn't seem that much affected whether they were on or off. Thanks again guys!!! I will post what happens when I shoot this thing later today.

 

[Hondo44]

If someone unhooked both trigger return springs, did you check the hammer spring? If both ends don't look the same, it's been cut. Problem solved, end of story.

 

[Johnnu2]

You must have one (preferably BOTH) of those trigger springs 'hooked' onto those 'studs' you mentioned. While it's true that unhooking one may give you a lighter trigger pull, you can actually buy a reduced-power trigger spring and install it rather than unhook one of the factory springs. But, with BOTH unhooked, that probably is what is making your gun malfunction. J

 

[Jimbo357mag]

That is the 'trigger return spring' and I don't see how that would effect the firing pin. It might keep the trigger from resetting but I can't think of anything else.

 

[Hondo44]

That is the 'trigger return spring' and I don't see how that would effect the firing pin. It might keep the trigger from resetting but I can't think of anything else.

Agreed, it can't affect the firing pin.

And if the trigger doesn't reset, the hammer can't even be cocked.

 

[msinc]

Well fellas, it looks like a good soaking and wash out with solvent did the trick...I shot this thing yesterday evening and it ran flawless and appears to be making the proper dents in the primer. It might be a little hard to tell as the pressure blows the primers back out some, but it did not miss fire and it is definitely dented better than before. Going to shoot some more this morning so we will see if it is done for sure or needs more work. Thanks again for all the replies!!!!!

 

[contender]

Gee,,, would "I told ya so" be fitting here?


Just jerking yer chain a bit. Glad to know it appears to be worked out!