I think I broke my Blackhawk... :(

D

Desert Dog

New member
We were out shooting last weekend and I had the .45 ACP cylinder in the Convertible. For those unaware, the ACP cylinder headspaces the cases on the case mouth just like a semi-automatic. Anyway, I had loaded up some .45 Supers using 250 gr RNFP's and was testing them out and apparently one of them was a little "long" and did not seat on the case mouth but slightly up the ogive of the hardcast bullet as I was rotating the cylinder around loading it. Well, it got STUCK on the long cartridge and would not rotate. :( I tried and tried to get it to rotate and no go. In the process of trying to rotate the cylinder in my frustration I turned it counter-clockwise...

My question: Blackhawk cylinders only turn one direction... clockwise. What did I break? When I spin the cylinder now (I did get the long cartridge out) it sounds and feels rough. It still spins freely though, but it will turn counter-clockwise now...
 
the bolt

I would suspect the bolt got dinged up. It is what locks the cylinder and keeps it from rotating the opposite direction. Chances are good that it got the top rolled over when you forced it the wrong direction. Two things come to mind. First, the next time this happens, remove the base pin and roll the cylinder out. Second, if you know how to remove the bolt, take it out and replace it. If not, have your smith replace it for you. I wouldn't think that it could be fixed if it unless you just upended some metal on it. If you did, you might get lucky and be able to reshape it, but I would suggest replacing it to make sure and to save the cylinder from scratches as well. Good luck with it.
 
The bolt may be damaged, but has nothing to do with the cylinder rolling backards. The Hand (or pawl in Rugerspeak ) controls that action. I think the hand has been ruined. Even if the bolt were completly gone, the cylinder rotation would not be affected. I would send it back to Ruger with a nice letter placeing the blame where it belongs. They will probably fix it for you for free if you are honest.
 
Thanks Mr Sample

Desert Dog, Mr sample is correct about the pawl. I still belive the bolt will be dinged up when the clyinder rolled backwards. It had to roll out of the cut made for it to ride into to stop the cylinder from rolling forward. Like he said, have them both checked out.
 
The bolt will certainly be damaged if it is in the locked position and the cylinder forced in either direction. But it would take a LOT of force to turn a locked cyinder on a Ruger, and I think the cylinder, bolt and frame would probably be damaged beyond repair if it was done.

I too, think the damage is probably limited to the hand, although the cylinder ratchet may have been damaged, also.

Jim
 
Thanks for all the replies. I am really frustrated I didn't think to pull the basepin to get the cylinder out... :(

As an update, it will not rotate freely counter-clockwise.

Again, thanks for the information.
 
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