I dropped my Blackhawk, now I am having issues...

lemming303 · December 24, 2009, 10:59 PM

I know, dropping it was absolutely horrible and stupid. The worst part is it fell out of the treestand I was in and hit every single rung on the ladder on the way down. I tried to shoot a possum the next day and at 10 ft it hit 6 inches low. This was at a 30 degree downward angle from me to the possum, and it was only about 10 ft away. It is a .45 Colt with regular iron sights, nothing special. I have handloads that are rather hot pushing a .300 grain gas check bullet at around 1150. I had it sighted in at 25 yds before. I have not checked the zero since it fell, however I have boresighted it. I could only do this at around 8 yds (the distance of my living room) and it was 6 to 7 inches low from the laser, but still perfect vertically. At a closer range of about half that distance it was around 3 to 4 inches below the laser. Theoretically, that would mean the trajectory would never come up past the line of sight right? But if that is true, I don't understand how it could have gotten that far off just by dropping it. The front sight does not appear to have moved. It has no provision for vertical adjustment, and is pinned in towards the middle of the sight blade. The rear sight is all of the adjustment, and it is a leaf type. It's possible the screw could have moved, causing the sights to go off, but I still don't see how it could affect it that much. Is it possible that the barrel got bent, causing it to be that off? I seriously hope that is not the issue... I have not fired the pistol besides at the possum. I am going to take it tomorrow and shoot it, and see where it hits at 25 yds. Thanks for any input.

Sarge · December 24, 2009, 11:12 PM

Crap happens.

Just go zero it again and shoot it enough to make sure it stays put.

smee78 · December 24, 2009, 11:18 PM

How about a lanyard ring on your gun

Just go try to re zero it again and see what happens.

HiBC · December 25, 2009, 01:21 AM

Of course,I cannot tell you what is wrong.

I can offer you a theory to check out.Lkely,if it spun down a bunch of ladder rungs,it is not the same as a seven story fall on concrete.That might bend a frame or bbl,maybe.But rolling down a ladder,I doubt could bend major components.

but,what I think is more likely,the rear sight,is sort of a corner or projection that can get clobbered.

The rear sight is a piece of aluminum,blacked out,with a hole drilled through it for a crosspin.That rear sight might bend pretty easy,smacked by the rest of the gun.

Straitening it might be possible,but a new one from Ruger is possible and I believe there are aftermarket ones that might/might not be better.See Brownell's.

Consider the old rear sight rule,"move the sight in the direction you want to move the group"

You are shooting low,and bashing the rear sight would lower the group

I am an imperfect being,myself.

I'm glad you are not shot

roklok · December 26, 2009, 05:20 PM

Laser bore sighters are not accurate on handguns, especially heavy caliber revolvers throwing heavy bullets, as the handgun starts to rise from recoil before bullet clears muzzle. So your laser boresighting is really not relevant.

Edward429451 · December 26, 2009, 06:56 PM

Every rung? I bet that was the longest 2 or 3 seconds of your life.

lemming303 · December 31, 2009, 05:11 PM

Yeah, it was a long 3 seconds. My wife was standing on the ground too, she was scared as well.

Here's what I've done. I went and fired the pistol at 25 yds. The shots were all over. On a regular size 5-point target (the ones with 5 crosshair type squares on it, about 18 x 24 inches) I only hit 3 out of 6 shots on paper. I have no idea how it could have gotten so inaccurate, other than somehow it changed the harmonics of the barrel, causing my loads to be inaccurate. If that is the case it is not too big of a deal, as I was gonna work up some new loads with a different powder anyway. Thanks for the help yall.

Slamfire · December 31, 2009, 06:20 PM

The first thing I would suspect is loose sights.

The front sight blade on my Blackhawk is screw fastened to the barrel, the Superblack hawk is pinned.

Without examining the pistol, I don't really know.

James K · December 31, 2009, 07:57 PM

In spite of a lot of hooey about the super strength of Ruger receivers (impossible to blow up, can run a locomotive over them, strongest gun ever made, etc., et nauseam cetera), I strongly suspect the frame is bent. If the explanation does not turn out to be something simpler (sights knocked awry), I would return it to Ruger for a checkup.

Jim

December 24, 2009, 10:59 PM	#1
lemming303 Member Join Date: March 5, 2009 Location: Texas, best country ever! Posts: 42	I dropped my Blackhawk, now I am having issues... I know, dropping it was absolutely horrible and stupid. The worst part is it fell out of the treestand I was in and hit every single rung on the ladder on the way down. I tried to shoot a possum the next day and at 10 ft it hit 6 inches low. This was at a 30 degree downward angle from me to the possum, and it was only about 10 ft away. It is a .45 Colt with regular iron sights, nothing special. I have handloads that are rather hot pushing a .300 grain gas check bullet at around 1150. I had it sighted in at 25 yds before. I have not checked the zero since it fell, however I have boresighted it. I could only do this at around 8 yds (the distance of my living room) and it was 6 to 7 inches low from the laser, but still perfect vertically. At a closer range of about half that distance it was around 3 to 4 inches below the laser. Theoretically, that would mean the trajectory would never come up past the line of sight right? But if that is true, I don't understand how it could have gotten that far off just by dropping it. The front sight does not appear to have moved. It has no provision for vertical adjustment, and is pinned in towards the middle of the sight blade. The rear sight is all of the adjustment, and it is a leaf type. It's possible the screw could have moved, causing the sights to go off, but I still don't see how it could affect it that much. Is it possible that the barrel got bent, causing it to be that off? I seriously hope that is not the issue... I have not fired the pistol besides at the possum. I am going to take it tomorrow and shoot it, and see where it hits at 25 yds. Thanks for any input.

December 24, 2009, 11:12 PM	#2
Sarge Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2002 Location: MO Posts: 5,457	Crap happens. Just go zero it again and shoot it enough to make sure it stays put. __________________ People were smarter before the Internet, or imbeciles were harder to notice.

December 24, 2009, 11:18 PM	#3
smee78 Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2008 Location: South Carolina Posts: 2,918	How about a lanyard ring on your gun Just go try to re zero it again and see what happens. __________________ We know exactly where one cow with Mad-cow-disease is located, among the millions and millions of cows in America, but we haven't got a clue where thousands of illegal immigrants and terrorists are

December 25, 2009, 01:21 AM	#4
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 8,283	Of course,I cannot tell you what is wrong. I can offer you a theory to check out.Lkely,if it spun down a bunch of ladder rungs,it is not the same as a seven story fall on concrete.That might bend a frame or bbl,maybe.But rolling down a ladder,I doubt could bend major components. but,what I think is more likely,the rear sight,is sort of a corner or projection that can get clobbered. The rear sight is a piece of aluminum,blacked out,with a hole drilled through it for a crosspin.That rear sight might bend pretty easy,smacked by the rest of the gun. Straitening it might be possible,but a new one from Ruger is possible and I believe there are aftermarket ones that might/might not be better.See Brownell's. Consider the old rear sight rule,"move the sight in the direction you want to move the group" You are shooting low,and bashing the rear sight would lower the group I am an imperfect being,myself. I'm glad you are not shot

December 26, 2009, 05:20 PM	#5
roklok Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2008 Location: Fort Yukon, Alaska Posts: 735	Laser bore sighters are not accurate on handguns, especially heavy caliber revolvers throwing heavy bullets, as the handgun starts to rise from recoil before bullet clears muzzle. So your laser boresighting is really not relevant.

December 26, 2009, 06:56 PM	#6
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,494	Every rung? I bet that was the longest 2 or 3 seconds of your life.

December 31, 2009, 05:11 PM	#7
lemming303 Member Join Date: March 5, 2009 Location: Texas, best country ever! Posts: 42	Yeah, it was a long 3 seconds. My wife was standing on the ground too, she was scared as well. Here's what I've done. I went and fired the pistol at 25 yds. The shots were all over. On a regular size 5-point target (the ones with 5 crosshair type squares on it, about 18 x 24 inches) I only hit 3 out of 6 shots on paper. I have no idea how it could have gotten so inaccurate, other than somehow it changed the harmonics of the barrel, causing my loads to be inaccurate. If that is the case it is not too big of a deal, as I was gonna work up some new loads with a different powder anyway. Thanks for the help yall.

December 31, 2009, 06:20 PM	#8
Slamfire Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2007 Posts: 5,261	The first thing I would suspect is loose sights. The front sight blade on my Blackhawk is screw fastened to the barrel, the Superblack hawk is pinned. Without examining the pistol, I don't really know.

December 31, 2009, 07:57 PM	#9
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	In spite of a lot of hooey about the super strength of Ruger receivers (impossible to blow up, can run a locomotive over them, strongest gun ever made, etc., et nauseam cetera), I strongly suspect the frame is bent. If the explanation does not turn out to be something simpler (sights knocked awry), I would return it to Ruger for a checkup. Jim