Gentlemen,

I just purchased a new to me Ruger Super Blackhawk in 44mag. It appeared to be in 100% condition and shot very little since made in 1988. I have put a total of 180 rounds down the barrel and just this past week noticed that when the revolver is fully loaded one chamber on the cylinder makes contact with the forcing cone. I can tilt the gun in any direction and it does not "end shake" out of contact. The bullets are not sticking out of the cylinder, and it's not the case head making contact with the frame of the revolver. It's clearly the cylinder making very slight contact with the forcing cone. It is impossible to use the hammer to rotate the cylinder when this happens and it must be done by hand with some force.

I have also cleaned the shit out of the forcing cone and the cylinder so I don't think it's an issue with fouling

I was wondering what I would need to do to fix this? Should I buy a new base pin, or shim it to fix this issue? Any help would be appreciated!

Is it the same hole making the contact everytime? The things I would check are the fit of the base pin in the frame, endshake and gap at each hole with the cylinder pushed forward, lateral play with the base pin, and I would chuck the cylinder in the lathe and check to make sure that the face of the cylinder was true to the base pin axis.

Occasionally I will bore out the fixed cylinder bushing and make and install a removeable bushing like the Colt SAA's have. I like to keep total endshake to no more than .002 and lateral play between the base pin and the cylinder at a maximum of .002 likewise.

Malm:

Wouldn't it be better to return the gun to Ruger and let them inspect it?

Only problem would be: take any expensive/custom items off first.

They also changed triggers on mine to a much narrower one that I don't like at all.

Just asking how you feel about this.

George

If the gun were brand new and still under warranty, or, if he had no other choice then I would recommend that he contact the manufacturer. But, the owner sounds like he is capable of examining this himself. If during his examination he finds something out of whack, he can decide to either return it to the factory, hire a gunsmith who knows these guns, or, do the work himself.

The gun, though otherwise in seemingly excellent condition, is a long time out of warranty (1988) and so Ruger is more than likely going to charge the guy for the work. Faced with that possibility, he might be better off looking elsewhere for the needed repairs.

Malm,
Ruger has no warrenty, or I should more properly say they don't have one in writing. What they do have is a policy of fixing factory errors for nothing no matter how many owners the firearm has had.

Waffen, the revolver doesn't have this problem empty? But it does loaded? That sounds ammo related to me.
Does it do it on the same chamber every time?
Does it do it if only that chanmber is loaded?
If NO how about the chamber that is at 11o'clock? (shooters view)
Have you pulled the cylinder and checked the firng pin bushing, to make sure it hasn't shifted forward? While the cylinder was out did you scrub the ratchet on the cylinder and the ratchet face in the frame?

A fello worker came to me with his new in box Ruger 44 Mag Red Hawk ,Said it shot left 18"at 25 yds, He brought it to my home and I found the forcing cone had 2 insude barrel 11&18 Deg The barrel was not set at 12 O'clock and crown was off center .040 ! I told him to send it back ! He did ! they sent it back 3 months later ! with letter that it was to specifications ! I did give him a list of the factory manufacturing and assembly mistakes to send when returning it ! so think twice before sending anything back to Ruger !

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty Marlin:
Malm,
Ruger has no warrenty, or I should more properly say they don't have one in writing. What they do have is a policy of fixing factory errors for nothing no matter how many owners the firearm has had.

I'm somewhat familiar with Rugers service department and I wouldn't be too quick to return anything to them if I didn't absolutely have to. I can only recommend what I would, or, wouldn't do.

I sent my old Blackhawk 45 convertable back to Ruger on the Fifth of April. Problem was misfires and basepin working out under recoil.
It was returned on the 24th of april with a little bag of internal parts that had been replaced. No charge. This is an old gun that has been shot a lot. I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet but the time frame of service I thought was good.
Lyle

Malm, your expirences with Ruger "service" and mine are obviously different.

My experience with Ruger's so-called Service Department has been likely a lot worse than Malm's, and I wouldn't send them any pistol I really wanted back. (At least if I wanted the exact same one back...which I did.)

Anyway, to the point. I have on two occasions received brand new Rugers (a .357 Maximum and a .44 Magnum) through the normal distributor channels, which had contact between the cylinder and the barrel throat just like the one mentioned here.

In both instances I sent them back to Ruger and heard nothing for some time. When I finally gave up in each instance and called them after some months of hearing nothing, I was advised that the revolvers had "bent frames" and could not be repaired.

In both instances after some "heated conversation" and some time, I received new, replacement pistols.

In all fairness, I must say that was in the early 1980's. Things may have greatly improved (or worsened) since then. But, my experiences with them from 1983 through 1987 were less than pleasing.

Sorry I have no input to offer as to fixes but FWIW my experience with Rugers Service is as follows:

They were great in the mid to late 80's and fixed my super blackhawk when things kept falling off, lol. Since then however, they have adopted the standard corporate line of "it is within specs." I would look to someone that knows Ruger's and let them fix it.