Ruger Super Blackhawk Base Pin Replacement

daisey53 · June 10, 2009, 07:22 PM

I've noticed in the past few months some of the posters referring to the replacement of the base pins on their Ruger Super Blackhawks with a base pin made by "Belt Mountain". I am cleaning my Super Blackhawk tonight in anticipation of using it after not having shot it in some 15 years and wonder if I need to replace the base pin first. Are the Belt Mountain brand a better quality than the original Ruger part and why does one need to change it out? Also, I note on the Midway site that there is a standard and a locking base pin. How do they function differently and will both fit my Super Blackhawk? Thanks for any info. I hope my questions are not considered silly.

Jim March · June 10, 2009, 09:51 PM

No, it's not silly.

OK. The BM pins are generally a "tighter fit" and in most cases will improve the gun's accuracy. In a few cases, they'll make it worse - but you can spot those ahead of time before paying a dime.

Do "the checkout" in the stickied post, this forum. In particular, you need to make sure your barrel-to-cylinder alignment is good, esp. in the "vertical direction".

See, Rugers always have a bit of "rotational slop" - the cylinder isn't firmly fixed in place at the moment of firing. That lets the bullet form the final alignment between barrel and cylinder.

Gun designs such as most Colt DA revolvers try to form a "tight lockup", freezing the cylinder hard in place at the moment of firing (the moment of "full lockup". These are more accurate by a bit "when they're right" - but when they're WRONG, when they're locked hard in a mis-alignment, they'll tear themselves apart unless you have the timing re-done as soon as it starts to go out.

Rugers on the other hand usually go their whole (long) lives without needing a gunsmith's attention. In a gun you trust your life to, that's kinda cool. If I was bringing a single gun deep into the woods on a backpacking trip it would be a Ruger, not a Colt!

When you install a BM pin, you're bringing the gun a bit closer to a tighter, "Colt-like" action. Still not absolutely rock-solid, esp. in the rotational-play direction, but closer. If your gun happens to be a "bad monday gun", basically a sub-par specimen, then tightening everything up might make things worse - the cylinder will be closer to "frozen in place" in a BAD place.

But a gun that bad can usually be IDed first via "the checkout process".

The other thing BM pins give you is the ability to lock them tight against the barrel with a set-screw. This eliminates all possibility that the pin will jump out under stout recoil, a known issue with "Colt SAA-like" guns (including Rugers) shooting 44Magnum-level horsepower.

SO: always check the gun out BEFORE installing (or ordering) a BM pin, and then once it's installed, and then again once you use the set-screw to lock it. In a few cases the set-screw will push things out of alignment, in which case don't use it. It's still going to be tighter without it, or add the "alternate cure":

The alternate cure for this issue is to put a stronger spring in the button that holds the base pin in. Such stronger springs are part of most of the "spring kits" sold by Wolff and others - there's generally one or more reduced power mainsprings, a reduced-power trigger return spring and a stronger base pin latch spring.

That's what I did on my New Vaquero in 357 - it was otherwise plenty sound enough that I haven't bothered with a Belt Mountain pin. But the mid-frame Ruger SAs made from 2004 forward tend to be put together a bit tighter than the large-frame guns like your SBH, so there are a lot of VERY happy Belt Mountain customers with your type of gun.

On a SuperBlackhawk, I *highly* recommend doing either the stronger base pin latch spring OR the Belt Mountain retention-screw pin to avoid pin jump under recoil.

I also suggest ordering whichever you choose from Brownell's and in the same order spend $20 on the specialized set of screwdriver shaft and bits meant for Ruger single actions, so you don't booger up any threads while you work. If you have a GOOD set of proper gunsmith-grade hollow-ground screwdrivers (or screwdriver bits) you can avoid this step.

Sam06 · June 10, 2009, 10:30 PM

Quote:

I am cleaning my Super Blackhawk tonight in anticipation of using it after not having shot it in some 15 years and wonder if I need to replace the base pin first.

No I don't think so. I think you could go another 15 years and not need the belt MTN Base pin. BUT if You are going to start shooting the gun more regularly you may want too(LOL):barf:

June 10, 2009, 07:22 PM	#1
daisey53 Member Join Date: May 28, 2008 Posts: 58	Ruger Super Blackhawk Base Pin Replacement I've noticed in the past few months some of the posters referring to the replacement of the base pins on their Ruger Super Blackhawks with a base pin made by "Belt Mountain". I am cleaning my Super Blackhawk tonight in anticipation of using it after not having shot it in some 15 years and wonder if I need to replace the base pin first. Are the Belt Mountain brand a better quality than the original Ruger part and why does one need to change it out? Also, I note on the Midway site that there is a standard and a locking base pin. How do they function differently and will both fit my Super Blackhawk? Thanks for any info. I hope my questions are not considered silly.

June 10, 2009, 09:51 PM	#2
Jim March Senior Member Join Date: February 14, 1999 Location: Pittsburg, CA, USA Posts: 7,417	No, it's not silly. OK. The BM pins are generally a "tighter fit" and in most cases will improve the gun's accuracy. In a few cases, they'll make it worse - but you can spot those ahead of time before paying a dime. Do "the checkout" in the stickied post, this forum. In particular, you need to make sure your barrel-to-cylinder alignment is good, esp. in the "vertical direction". See, Rugers always have a bit of "rotational slop" - the cylinder isn't firmly fixed in place at the moment of firing. That lets the bullet form the final alignment between barrel and cylinder. Gun designs such as most Colt DA revolvers try to form a "tight lockup", freezing the cylinder hard in place at the moment of firing (the moment of "full lockup". These are more accurate by a bit "when they're right" - but when they're WRONG, when they're locked hard in a mis-alignment, they'll tear themselves apart unless you have the timing re-done as soon as it starts to go out. Rugers on the other hand usually go their whole (long) lives without needing a gunsmith's attention. In a gun you trust your life to, that's kinda cool. If I was bringing a single gun deep into the woods on a backpacking trip it would be a Ruger, not a Colt! When you install a BM pin, you're bringing the gun a bit closer to a tighter, "Colt-like" action. Still not absolutely rock-solid, esp. in the rotational-play direction, but closer. If your gun happens to be a "bad monday gun", basically a sub-par specimen, then tightening everything up might make things worse - the cylinder will be closer to "frozen in place" in a BAD place. But a gun that bad can usually be IDed first via "the checkout process". The other thing BM pins give you is the ability to lock them tight against the barrel with a set-screw. This eliminates all possibility that the pin will jump out under stout recoil, a known issue with "Colt SAA-like" guns (including Rugers) shooting 44Magnum-level horsepower. SO: always check the gun out BEFORE installing (or ordering) a BM pin, and then once it's installed, and then again once you use the set-screw to lock it. In a few cases the set-screw will push things out of alignment, in which case don't use it. It's still going to be tighter without it, or add the "alternate cure": The alternate cure for this issue is to put a stronger spring in the button that holds the base pin in. Such stronger springs are part of most of the "spring kits" sold by Wolff and others - there's generally one or more reduced power mainsprings, a reduced-power trigger return spring and a stronger base pin latch spring. That's what I did on my New Vaquero in 357 - it was otherwise plenty sound enough that I haven't bothered with a Belt Mountain pin. But the mid-frame Ruger SAs made from 2004 forward tend to be put together a bit tighter than the large-frame guns like your SBH, so there are a lot of VERY happy Belt Mountain customers with your type of gun. On a SuperBlackhawk, I highly recommend doing either the stronger base pin latch spring OR the Belt Mountain retention-screw pin to avoid pin jump under recoil. I also suggest ordering whichever you choose from Brownell's and in the same order spend $20 on the specialized set of screwdriver shaft and bits meant for Ruger single actions, so you don't booger up any threads while you work. If you have a GOOD set of proper gunsmith-grade hollow-ground screwdrivers (or screwdriver bits) you can avoid this step. __________________ Jim March