Ruger Blackhawk Hammer Wont Cock.

[Boomer8404]

I just got my brand spankin' new 4.625" Ruger Blackhawk .41 Magnum in a couple of days ago and was finally able to go out to the range today for some plinking. I was only able to get two rounds fired off and it jammed up, not letting the hammer cock. Later on at home, I removed the cylinder, closed the loading gate and all of the sudden it was working just fine. After further inspection of the workings, I seems as though the transfer bar was riding against the frame and hitting the firing pin, where as in normal operation the transfer bar moves up and backward to clear the firing pin. Anyways, Im just wondering if anyone might know why this might have happened. Thanks.

[K8vf]

Pull the cylinder pin, and reinstall...

Also, see if it is bent.

On Mine(.357 3 screw converted) if the cylinder pin is not fully inserted, it will lock up as you say.

Good luck

Mark

[Boomer8404]

Thanks for the help K8vf. You know what though, come to think of it. When I pulled it apart after I returned home, the cylinder pin was sticking out about a 1/4". It was like that out of the box and that was as far as I was able to get it back in after the cleaning I gave it when I first got it. I guess the fitment is just a bit tight being new. But its now seated fully and Ill giver another shootn' session tomorrow. Thanks again.

[Malamute]

The base pins sometimes come out in recoil. There's a spring loaded plunger in the center of it that pushed the transfer bar back to clear the firing pin. If the base pin backs out, the transfer bar hangs up on the firing pin. Check the base pin catch, the little spring loaded cross pin, and see if it's screwed tightly together. Sometimes they need a stiffer spring, sometimes the hole for them isnt drilled/milled deep enough and the catch doesnt engage deeply enough. If you take the extracor rod housing off, remove the base pin and cylinder, an see if the catch looks like it comes at least halfway into the base pin hole. If not, it may need to be deepened slightly. A stiffer spring may do it tho, even if the catch isnt engaging very deeply. I believe Wolff has heavier base pin catch springs.

[K8vf]

ALSO, install cylinder pin FULLY W/O cylinder and rotate it.


See if it Binds up at all.

If it does, it may be bent(check roughly by rolling on a glass or marble surface and looking for wobble. I KNOW this wont be exact, but it MAY tell you if it is bent. )
It only needs to be very slightly bent to cause the pin to ONLY be able to be fully inserted in one way.

Just something else to check.


Mark

[Malamute]

"ALSO, install cylinder pin FULLY W/O cylinder and rotate it.........

....It only needs to be very slightly bent to cause the pin to ONLY be able to be fully inserted in one way."

Ruger New Model SA factory basepins can only be inserted in one way, they have a flange with a notch on it that limites how it goes in. It wont rotate no matter what.

[K8vf]

Hey, thanks, I didn't know that. I have only had OLD model.

Good info, for sure.

[Pathfinder45]

Yes, the plunger in the end of the cylinder pin is depended upon to keep the transfer bar pushed back away from the firing pin. When I got my Vaquero .45 Colt about 14 years ago it had a problem of the cylinder pin, "walking out", from recoil. Turns out, the groove in the cylinder pin wasn't deep enough for the retainer to adequately engage the groove. Simple fix with a few strokes of a chainsaw file.

[45long]

If you cock the hammer and the cylinder locks , but if you keep trying to cycle it again (lightly)and it works. Sometimes when this happens you'll notice the loading gate not working properly,you have a common problem that Rugers have.

What the problem is---After tearing down the Ruger (complete dis-assembly), you will notice ,hooked to the hammer is a spring loaded plunger AKA hammer plunger. These are essential as far as cylinder timing goes. This plunger works in conjunction with the cylinder lock. As the hammer is being cocked, the hammer plunger will contact the tail of the cylinder latch. This will push the tail up and the nose of the cylinder latch will move down. This frees the cylinder so it can rotate to the next chamber. As the hammer is pulled back farther, the pawl contacts one of the ratchets on the cylinder, which starts the cylinder rotating clockwise. Soon after the cylinder begins to rotate, the hammer plunger will cam off the cylinder latch. This will allow the cylinder latch to spring up and rub on the cylinder until it finally contacts a cylinder lock notch.

When the trigger is pulled, the hammer thrusts forward and when it has traveled about 3/4 of the way, the hammer plunger will again contact the cylinder latch. This time, the hammer plunger will drive the rear of the cylinder latch down, which in turn pushes the front of the latch up and forces it deeper into the cylinder's lock notch. As the hammer plunger passes the cylinder latch, it will be pushed into the mounting hole against spring tension until the plunger has cleared the cylinder latch. It then pops back out and is ready for the next cocking cycle.

So the short version ... the hammer plunger pulls the cylinder latch down while cocking and drives the cylinder latch deeper into the lock notches when firing.

These plungers have a knack of being bound up with rust/powder residue and don't operate properly all the time..Most of the time you can soak it in a good lubricant/cleaner such as (WD40) and keep pressing on it get it to work freely and get all the crud out all of the little plunger or push the plunger in slightly, drive the keeper pin out of the hammer and clean it that way. Once you get the crud out Clean all the WD40 off. Soak with a light oil ,reassemble the gun. Rugers are a pain in the keaster to tear all the way down so if you attempt it yourself a good video is the best way to learn. I have done 3 already two were factory new but obviously sat on the shelve a while before they were sold. If this doesn't work then the plunger and/or spring is faulty which was the case on the 3rd one i repaired. Of course you can send it to the factory and they will fix it.


note o not use WD40 or any other penetrating oil on a gun cylinder or chamber ,EVER,it can penetrate primers and casings making that defense shot not work when you need it. WD40 is not a good choice to lube anyway because after it dries it looses it lubricating factor.