RedHawks 44 with tight cylinder gap.

[Randy Gomez]

I have a Redhawk that I purchased new in 1983 or 84. It's a 44 mag. with 7.5" barrel. My problem is, after shooting less than a box of ammo, the cylinder starts to drag and it becomes difficult to cock In single action, forget about double action.
I checked the gap and a 2 thousandths gauge fit a little tight. Once it gets powder fouling, it becomes difficult to cock so it gets put away. I've decided to take it out of the safe and take it shooting again with some reloads. I'm going to clean the front of the cylinder and back of barrel with fine steel wool and hopefully I can shoot longer without issues. Does anybody have any advice or suggestions?

 

[Wyandot Jim]

I had the same problem with an Ruger Old Army. A file is your friend.

 

[arfmel]

I think if it was mine, I'd call Ruger and see if they'd issue a "call tag" to get free shipping back to the factory for correction of that problem, since it's obviously a manufacturer defect.

Best not to use regular steel wool on a stainless gun. It can imbed and cause corrosion.

If you decide to do some filing, do it on the barrel, not the cylinder. And try to keep the file "flat" against the forcing cone. It's easy to end up with an uneven gap.

 

[Hvymax]

A few strokes with sandpaper wrapped around a paint stir on the forcing cone should open it to.006 for general use. Take a stroke, gauge, repeat. It might have been set up for Silhouette shooting. That's what I usually set mine at. Yeah who wants those silly sleeved barrels??? It would be a 2 minute adjustment.

 

[contender]

Clean under the ejector "star" as well. Sometime stuff gets under there & causes binding.

 

[rugerguy]

good points above, and this is what we usually did at the shop over the years, , redo the forcing to proper angle, depth, and square up the cyl/barrel gap, only slightly, closer, tighter is better and yes fouling is NOT,,,,maybe too many soft lead bullets?? ( reloads was a big offender) takes only a second or two to run a swab or brush across that area when at the range....use to keep a "WIpeaway" ( lead remover chemical treated rag/clothe) in our range bag, with the other needed "good stuff"...

 

[Hvymax]

.002 is really tight. If you bust off a cylinder or 2 the thermal expansion will lock things up. Ask me how I know?

 

[mirglip]

I just sold my Redhawk but I do remember the cylinder gap was .006". I would let a gunsmith trim the forcing cone so the gap would be the same all the way around. I think they have a special tool that goes in the barrel and rotates.