can you explain this wear pattern?

M

mkiker2089

New member
This is my Ruger Blackhawk 357. The short version of the story is that my budget was around that of a Heritage revolver but my local dealer had this one. It's been in his case for about three years so he sold it to me for Heritage money, 400 dollars. I hope that's a good deal.

My question is about the wear on it, which was there when I got it. I didn't complain to the seller as I think it was a good deal. The hammer has discoloration on the side. I think it must be from the blueing process.

Also the cylinder has a strange etch line that comes and goes around it. Is that normal? What looks like crud in the cylinder groves is just a trick of the camera.

Overall the gun is in excellent shape but something inside me wants to get the cylinder and hammer refinished. I know I could spend that money on ammo instead and probably enjoy it more.

I am really enjoying this gun. I'm a small person with smallish hands but I still seem to do better with larger heavy guns. It just feels right.
 

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One other question. I took it to a range and put about 100 rounds through it. The gun was pretty warm and a little pin starting coming lose from the front of the rear sight. I pushed it in and meant to have it looked at but now that the gun is cool it's fine. Is that normal? Can I do something to keep it from coming lose again?
 
I think the line on the cylinder you're talking about is the 'cylinder drag line' and it is normal. If you're talking about something else I apologize.

More information about cylinder drag lines can be found here:

http://rugerforum.net/ruger-double-action/56570-cylinder-scratch.html

Google 'revolver cylinder drag line' and you can get some pictures of what a 'cylinder drag line' looks like.

$400 is not a bad deal for a nice Ruger Blackhawk. I'd go with your thoughts about spending the money on ammo and range time and leave the refinishing for (much) later if at all.

Good luck.
 
Perfectly normal revolver drag line. Don't worry about it. If you do you'll just get gray hair and still have a revolver drag line.

Your call, but I wouldn't refinish it. The hammer I MIGHT take some Flitz or some other kind of polish to and clean the crud off, but I probably wouldn't.

The pin backing out, a little locktite should fix.

Nice Blackhawk. Good price.
 
My question is about the wear on it, which was there when I got it. I didn't complain to the seller as I think it was a good deal. The hammer has discoloration on the side. I think it must be from the blueing process.
Click to expand...

Over time the oils and acids from contact with skin will oxidize the blued finish on the sides of the hammer. This is quite common and normal on Rugers.

Also the cylinder has a strange etch line that comes and goes around it. Is that normal? What looks like crud in the cylinder groves is just a trick of the camera.
Click to expand...

As another member posted this is also normal. The cylinder catch rides against the cylinder leading to the characteristic ring. If you don't want the ring, don't shoot or spin the cylinder. :D
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the hammer looks to be color case hardened.
Did they do that on earlier Rugers?
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the hammer looks to be color case hardened.
Click to expand...

I think it is a trick of the light in the photo.

As far as I know, Ruger didn't case harden anything. Even the "case hardened" finish on the early "new Vaqueros" wasn't case hardening, it just looked like case hardening.

Some discoloration on the sides of the hammers is common. The Blackhawk hammer flats are simply polished steel, not blued or case hardened.
 
As for the pin backing out of the rear sight, pull it out ablut half way, bend it slightly with needle nose pliers, and push it back in. The "kink" will hold it in place.

Rawhide hammer thongs on holsters often discolor the hammer spur. No big deal.

The drag line is preventable, but since its there, no worry about that. On New Model Blackhawks, when loading or examining the cylinder, rotate the cylinder so that cylinder flutes are evenly spaced on either side of the topstrap, looking down on the gun, before closing the loading gate. Only a small amount of movement is necessary to lock the cylinder locking bolt.

Bob Wright
 
the hammer does kind of look hardened, but not really. It has to be something from the blueing process.

For a while I considered etching the line in more to make it a complete circle. Then it would look like it was intended and no just a few scratches. The odd thing is that the line was there when I bought it and after a few hundred rounds isn't any worse. Whatever causes it must be something that I don't do very often.

I might try to polish the sides of the hammer and leave it at that.
 
The drag mark is caused by the cylinder bolt rubbing as the cylinder rotates.
It is going to happen and you can't stop it. It is pretty well self limiting and will not get much worse.

You can flat polish the hammer but will have to keep it oiled, else it will just oxidize back from thumb sweat.
 
"The drag mark is ... going to happen..."

I am sure some of the single action fans will be glad to provide detailed instructions on how to prevent the drag line. IMHO, not worth the time or trouble. Let it happen.

On the hammer, it looks like someone wanted a color case hardened hammer and worked on that one. If they just used cold blue or some stain, no problem. But if they decided to use heat and a torch, they might have ruined the heat treatment of the hammer and made it soft or, maybe worse, brittle. Either way, not good. It might be OK, but don't be too surprised by failure of some kind, maybe in a dangerous way.

Jim
 
psyfly asked:
Bob, I, for one, would enjoy a briefing on how to accomplish the above (or, was that all it takes?).
Click to expand...

On a new Blackhawk, with no previous scoring or marking of the cylinder, use this method:

When examining the gun to clear it, or to load it, open the loading gate. This allows the cylinder to rotate freely.

When ready to close the loading gate, index the cylinder by hand, and looking down on the topstrap, index the cylinder so that flutes appear evenly on either side of the topstrap, then close the loading gate. A slight movement clockwise will lock the cylinder in place. In this position, a chamber is aligned with the bore.

Bob Wright
 
Already good advice given so won't add anything other than I think you did fine on the price. I looked at a couple several weeks ago - a 357 and a 45 Colt . . . both were pretty nice and had been used but not abused . . . . they had tags of $425 on them. If I hadn't just purchased a Uberti Cattleman 45 Colt . . . the 45 Colt would have gone home with me I'm sure.

Shoot it and enjoy it! :)
 
Howdy

The method Bob Wright describes will help minimize a cylinder turn line on a modern, transfer bar equipped Ruger, but it will not eliminate it. Rugers are timed differently than Colts. The bolt on a Ruger pops up against the cylinder about halfway between chambers. That's the way Ruger designed them. In this photo the arrow is pointing to the spot where the bolt pops up against the cylinder. As the cylinder continues to rotate the bolt rubs against it. The bolt continues to rub against the cylinder for the rest of the rotation until it pops into the locking slot on the cylinder. You can see this happen if you hold a Ruger up against the light and slowly cock the hammer. This happens each and every time the hammer is cocked, and eventually wears a rub line like this against the cylinder. I have had that Blackhawk since 1975, and that is what happens. Some folks object to the line so much they have a gunsmith alter the timing in their Rugers so the bolt rises later. A wasted effort in my humble opinion.

blackhawknormalcylinderringwitharrow_zpsbe17430e.jpg




Colts and their replicas are timed differently. With a properly timed Colt, the bolt pops up against the cylinder in the tear drop shaped lead to the locking slot. The arrow points to the wear spot on this 2nd Gen Colt where the bolt has been popping up since the late 1970s. The bolt continues to rub against the lead and rubs a short wear line until it pops into the locking slot.

cylinderwear02witharrow_zpsd60ba48c.jpg




The bolt pops up a little bit early on this Cimarron/Uberti Cattleman. The arrow points to the spot just shy of the lead where the bolt strikes the cylinder. Not enough to cause me to retime the gun.

Uberticylinderearlyboltrisewitharrow.jpg




The other thing about a Colt or replica that everybody who is familiar with them knows is you never lower the hammer from half cock. Lowering the hammer from half cock allows the bolt to rise against the cylinder with the cylinder out of battery. Any subsequent rotation of the cylinder allows the bolt to rub against the cylinder. A huge no no with Colt aficionados. Always bring the hammer all the way back to full cock with a Colt before lowering it. This allows the bolt to reset and pop up into the lead where it is supposed to, eliminating the possibility of causing a rub line.
 
Stuff on the hammer is rust/discoloration due to it being bare metal. Its not bluing or case hardening as you continue to believe.

The discoloring in the flute is what bluing looks like under harsh light. It can be brown or purplish depending on the gun.

Others have already explained the drag line. It is already there and it won't really increase with the amount you use the gun. Just like wear marks on slides it will wear where it needs to and then pretty much go unchanged.

As for the pin/screw in the front sight a drop of locktite should solve that issue of it walking out.
 
I had a 1969 single six (dual cylinder) for near thirty years, had a actual groove worn in the cylinder. Took to family member who was a gunsmith and he ask me if it shot OK. I said worked just fine, he said so what are you worried about then??
Seems like most S&W and ruger have a bit of a line, some worst then others?
*At least all the ones I have or had do?? :D
 
As others have pointed out, you are seeing normal wear. Even if you refinish it, it will start to wear again.

Personally, enjoy it as is. That way when you put a mark on it, and you will, it won't be the first. There is something to be said about a gun with a little character.
 
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