A bad day at the range. :(

M

mdlowry

New member
I had some problems with a redhawk and sent it off to Hamilton Bowen for some worK. I got it back this week and just got the the range this morning.

The first thing I did was load up six rounds in the redhawk. Click, click, click, BANG, click, click. ONE ROUND OUT OF SIX WENT OFF! This was worse than when I sent it in. :mad: I put 10 more rounds downrange with another revolver and they were all over the target. Decided I was just going to have a bad time and left.

Right now I feel I've put enough money into this revolver and I'd rather not put much more into it. I'm thinking of sending it back to Ruger to have them fix it even though it would mean undoing all the work done by Bowen. I'll be contacting Bowen first, but I'm not willing to put anymore money into this.

I suspect that the spring was changed out with the action job, and a new spring may help (back to my original problem).
 
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A buddy of mine was having one of his guns 'customized'. When he got it back, it was realiable at all. He ended up taking it back to the smith another few more times before it came back right. He just wrote the trips back as an 'adjustment period.' HE's very satisfied w/ his gun now. Good luck
 
I have received email back from Hamilton Bowen asking me to send the revolver back. It seems that they had overlooked my description of the problem and only did the work that was specified. The work I had specified was from my emails to Mr. Bowen before shipping the revolver. I had sent a copy of the email with our discution though.
 
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I will be interested in what Bowen does to your gun. Could you keep us posted.

In his book, Custom Revolvers, Bowen mentions Redhawks suffer from not having enough firing pin protrusion. He says .055" is ideal. I measured this on my new Redhawk and it was .044". I have had several Redhawks over time tuned by a couple of gunsmiths (not Bowen, though). The last one was done by an outfit in AZ and it had an 11.5 pound DA and 4.5 SA and misfired a lot even with the 14 pound aftermarket mainspring (I think factory is 16 pounds). The latest one is at the gunsmith yet so haven't had a chance to try it out. However, I have measured headspace and it is .064" (.060" is minimum). The firing pin protrusion is being worked upon. From what I have heard on various boards a Redhawk should work with the 13 pound aftermarket mainspring. Over at Pistolsmith.com it was stated minimum double action on a Redhawk for it to work is around 9 pounds plus which is what Teddy Jacobson said, too. Single can be 2.5 + pounds.

Anyhow, I would look at firing pin protrusion and headspace and see what Bowen says. Perhaps, it is at the top end of the range. Then again, maybe it has a real light mainspring in it.

Tom
 
If you like the gun, keep it. They quit making them in 1991, IIRC. They are a little tough to come by, as I've found out.

Talk to Bowen, I'll bet they will make it right.

I just got one, a stainless 7.5" version with the scope mounts on the barrel rib. And it took me a few years of hitting a lot of pawn shops and gun shows to find it.(My bro. in law actually found it for me, but that is a different thread.)
 
Herb, I'd be willing to consider trading my .41 redhawk for a .41 Dan Wesson. I just can't find a used one, or someone willing to trade.
 
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