Ruger Blackhawk - Help Needed

[awp_101]

I haven't gone quite that far but when I sold my .357 Max, I kept the stag grips. Then I mounted a SBH grip frame on my .357 NMBH so they'd have a home.

[Malamute]

Someone PMed me asking about the ejector rod and spring modifications I did. I'll post here in case anyone else was interested to see.

The rods I used were both from the US aftermarket company making steel straight cut and cam cut housings, I dont recall the name, Brownells used to handle them, but it seems theyve gone out of business. I bought one or two more housings and/or rods off ebay or someplace online a few years ago, so there may be some floating around to be had. Hopefully somebody has or will take up the production again.

The earliest Colt Single Action Army revolvers had a large round ejector rod button, commonly called bullseye style. Not too long after, they switched to a crescent style button thats still used. Ruger ejector rod buttons have always been very small for some reason, and always with a straight cut housing. They work, but to run them quickly, or with cold hands, arent as nice. I have a couple factory Ruger buttons with checkered heads, a gunsmith I know is in the habit of doing this on his work. Its a nice addition if one wants a simple upgrade and isnt afraid of a checkering file.

I cut the factory base pins down for length, and reshape them, both for looks, and to get extra ejector rod stroke. The factory spring stacks up before you can make use of the space made with the shorter base pin head, I clip 7 coils off the ejector rod spring, stretch it, and put back together. They always stick badly, what seems to work is to push the rod all the way in, then let it slam back out about 6-8 times, this seems to help the spring find its way in the world, every one Ive done needed it and its worked each time. No real idea why, but it works. A bit of oil on the outside of the spring during this process will help.

The cam cut housings somewhat copy the Colt style, it allows the ejector rod head to come away from the barrel about 1/4" for a better grip as the rod comes back. They are nice, but not required. Just seems a nice touch, and keeps the larger heads tight against the barrel when not in use, though I had a bullseye head in a factory straight cut housing for years without issue.

The aftermarket Ruger ejector rods and the Colt clone (Uberti I believe) rods/heads are slightly longer than factory rods, they do give a slight increase in ejector stroke to help kick cases clear. If left full length, they can interfere with removing the cylinder. Shortened until they no longer interfere, you still get an improvement. I measured two Ive modified, one had .935" of rod projecting out the back of the cylinder, the other was .942". I have a poor indoor cell pic. I'll try to get an outside pic tomorrow in better light of the cam cut housing and the buttons.

This may all sound like a lot of work for the slowest possible cartridge gun to reload, and it probably is, but I like messing with them, like the differences, and can tell the difference in use. I have zero cases hang and stick and need help when reloading SA revolvers. Putting the butt into your solar plexus, holding it and turning the cylinder with the left hand, and operating the ejector rod with the right trigger finger, kicking the empties about 3-4 feet or more out under the left arm. Smack the cases out hard if you want it to work well. It takes about 2 seconds to clear 6 empties. Not spectacular compared to most modern stuff, but hardly the all day process many would have us to believe. Probably more like reloading a DA revolver from a pocket or cartridge belt, but slightly slower on the unload.

Many dont like the New Model* Ruger system compared to the Colts, (Colts index each chamber hard right in line with the gate) The chambers dont align or index with the loading gate cut quite perfectly with new Model Rugers. If one isnt paying attention, you can run the chamber past the opening and have to go around again to load or unload. It used to bother me, but hasnt in a long time. I turn the cylinder into the rod, meaning sometimes the rod hangs on the front of the cylinder as its turning. I havent been bothered by passing the chamber I want to unload or load in a long time. Its often mentioned, but it just hasnt bothered me after running them and getting over not worrying about the chamber being perfectly aligned before running the rod, but practice gets things aligned to where I rarely get the ejector rod hung until the chamber aligns. It does give a good smack to the case though. Shoot similar type 22s enough and it also helps (yes, you should have a 22 for practice).





*Meaning all made since 1974 and transfer bars being standard.

[That Guy]

It takes about 2 seconds to clear 6 empties.

Would there be by any chance some sort of video of your technique somewhere? Because that sounds rather faster than I would expect with a gun like that!

[Malamute]

Would there be by any chance some sort of video of your technique somewhere? Because that sounds rather faster than I would expect with a gun like that!

I'll see what I can do about getting a vid. I dont have a camera, but may be able to get someone to film with their phone or something. The time is a WAG, but I started shooting 22 SAs in about 1971 or 72. Wasnt trying to "be fast", just wanted to get shooting again without undue delay. If my guess on the time to clear the empties is off, I dont think it will be by much.

Watching most people clear empties from an SA revolver is painful to me. Ive searched for vids and info if anyone was doing much in the way of a methodical approach to efficient reloading methods of SA revolvers, but most comments Ive seen sound painfully slow and awkward. That impression may just be from my bias.

Some time ago a guy on another forum was trying to build an air powered ejector for an SA Ruger. It just seemed like a lot of work to overcome poor technique.

[Malamute]

Picture showing aftermarket crescent and bullseye ejector rod ends.

[That Guy]

I'll see what I can do about getting a vid.

Thank you!

I don't know exactly why, but for some reason I find the topic of the most efficient ways to use older, obsolete guns interesting. I feel we should keep things like this documented, so the knowledge doesn't get lost.

By the by, have you seen Ruger's video series on the defensive use of single action revolvers? What do you think about it?

[awp_101]

Some time ago a guy on another forum was trying to build an air powered ejector for an SA Ruger. It just seemed like a lot of work to overcome poor technique.

I vaguely remember that. Didn’t he run the air line down his sleeve?

[Jack Ryan]

I received the below Ruger Blackhawk revolver as a gift recently, and am a bit unsure about a few things. I’m pretty new (read: clueless) to revolvers so I had a few questions.



Ammo - This can shoot .38 special, correct? I’m just looking for decent ammo to take it to the range for fun. Any suggestions, or will something from WalMart be fine for now?

Cleaning - Anything odd about cleaning these things? I have normal clp stuff for my Glocks, Bore Snake etc.

Shooting - Is this more complicated than it appears? (Single Action Revolver seems pretty straightforward).

Conversion - There is a conversion cylinder for 9mm included - is this generally reliable for 9mm? Will my regular range ammo (Speer Lawman 124) work for this?

Lastly, is there anything in the ‘I don’t know what I don’t know’ category about shooting one of these?

Thanks!

You have one heck of a fine gun there.

See that little book that came in the box, that is called an owner's manual. Read it and ignore and damn fool advice about lowering trigger pulls or "improvements". Read the book, follow THAT advice.

You don't even know how to clean it or what ammunition to use yet, you have never shot it. Anyone who would advise anything other than read the book that came with it, they would be good people to remember later when you really do need advice or help. Putting them on your ignore list is an easy way to remember who they are.

[03RN]

Thank you!

I don't know exactly why, but for some reason I find the topic of the most efficient ways to use older, obsolete guns interesting. I feel we should keep things like this documented, so the knowledge doesn't get lost.

By the by, have you seen Ruger's video series on the defensive use of single action revolvers? What do you think about it?

I'm no CASS shooter but I do enjoy my Blackhawk. I feel I'm pretty efficient when reloading but would never describe myself as fast. I have carried it in a simply rugged pancake holster as an edc for a while.

I'll see if I can get a video later of myself.

I agree. Knowing the old ways may help an individual in the future. Or perhaps I've just read to many Louis Lamour books.

[ralph]

I was at a auction earlier this week,out of 80 guns being auctioned off, I'd say 70 were Rugers..oddly no Ruger bolt guns..mostly SA, and semi autopistols. Super Blackhawks, Super single sixes Ruger MK III's MK IV's 10/22's, mini-14's I did snag a MKIII 5.5" bull barreled pistol, blued,with 2 mags, scope rail, NIB, $275.

But what I wanted to ask about was a SBH I saw there in .30 carbine..from what I've read, these are very accurate, recoil is light, one on line review I read, the author was hitting steel plates at 100yds with one from a bench if he did his part. These sound interesting..I reload, so making ammo would'nt be a problem. It'd be one of these, or one in .45 with a acp conversion cylinder..(I load for.45acp as well) Does anyone have any experience with the .30 carbine SBH?

Edited to add:
The main reason I did'nt get this or one of the other SBH's there is because the auction started getting crazy.. ALL of the SBH's, SSS's, Bearcats, started selling for full retail or higher, granted, they were all NIB, (as were all of the pistols) but for example, the .30 carbine SBH went for $900... I guess I was lucky to get what I got for what I did...