OM .44 FT Cylinder Pin Retaining Screw Nut

[SAJohn]

I have been examining my .44 Flattop (serial 1880). The cylinder pin retaining screw nut is not slotted. This is handy in not requiring a slotted flat tip screwdriver. I could not find mention of this in Dougan's book.

Were the early flattops all like this or is mine "custom"?

A somewhat related question is about Ruger's .44 cylinder pins. All of mine have an extra "step" which butts flush with the frame. This includes my .44 anniversary models. My OM .41 also has this fatter cylinder pin.

Do all Ruger SA revolvers in calibers starting with the number 4 have these cylinder pins?

SAJohn

 

[flatgate]

Your .44 is fitted with the "capped" base pin latch nut. The entire base pin latch assembly, IMHO, is a copy of Colt's SAA design, and was improved upon in '58. The newer design offers better retention and needs machine work on the cylinder frame to be retrofitted to older revolvers.

The cylinder pins, commonly called "base pins" evolved over the years. Of course the .44 Blackhawk's "robust" recoil taxes the base pin latch's strength with each and every shot. I don't have my books handy at the moment, but, I believe it didn't take long for Ruger to upgrade the base pin design to prevent it's movement during firing. I think that, during the recoil cycle, the base pins actually were moved enough to "trip" the latch, resulting in the base pin moving out toward the muzzle, which can "tie up" the gun.

JMHO,

flatgate

 

[SAJohn]

Flatgate, Thank you.

John