Ruger Blackhawk

[Joe45]

Hello,

I recently disassembled a Ruger Blackhawk for a spring change. I am having problems re-assembling it. I can not seem to get it back together properly. I think that I have everything back in the right places, but the 5 screws will not all go back in. There is always one (usually the bottom one on the left side or non loading gate side) that will not line up properly. Also when I get most of the screws in, I notice that I can not cock the hammer. Is this a major problem, or does some one out there have some simple advice for something I'm doing wrong? I need the gun for a hunting trip in just over a week, and don't want to show up at a gunsmith with a bag of parts.

Thanks,
Joe

[noway]

1st off did you pinned the hammer spring back before take down?

2nd, the screws the line up for the left and right side, one should be shorter than the other one and engage into the hammer pivot pin. Did you mix these up (a very easy thing to miss )?

3rd, theirs a few smaller springs that should sit in the backend of grip frame, did you insert these back in correctly?

Once you enage all of the items in the cylinder frame ( correctly ) the grip frame should easily mount up and you then should be able to screw down the grip frame and insert the pinned hammer springs back
into the hammer and lower grip-frame notch.

btw: When I took my ruger apart I had some problems with reassembly until I got a exploded diagram and blew it up on my copier and whent slowly but surely and now I can re-assembly the gun in a flash or much quicker than before. More I do it the better and quicker it is to do.;)

Having the hammer-springs pinned with a straighten out paper clips helps alot also. So get a exploded view diagrm and remove everything and go back slowly and installed the loading gate and it's spring, transfer bar and it's lower engagement and the trigger and cyling bolt and then mate up the grip-frame, inserting the right pins back in along with the proper length screws. Use alittle medium strength loctite and once all of this inline, insert the pinned hammer-spring & strut and re-install the grip panels. Function check the gun and then had to the range and "wa la " you should be ready for your hunting trip.;)


Good luck.

[Joe45]

I was very careful with the screws. They are all in the right spots. I didn’t' even take apart anything on the frame, so I don't think that is the problem. I only changed two springs (trigger and mainspring) on the grip. The hammer pivot pin now likes to fall out even though I didn’t' take any of that apart because I couldn’t get the trigger pin to drift out. Is it possible that something is out of place in these parts, even though I didn't take them apart? I think it might just be off to the gunsmith.

[noway]

Hmm........ if you just change the trigger springs and hammer springs. I dodn't think you needed to take off the grip-frame. I'm trying to remember what the trigger spring looks like but from what I recall, it the long U-shape closed end curve springs that runs back from the trigger to the grip and enages the pivot pin and the tabs on the side of the grip-frame.

More questions and suggestions to help you?

>Can you get the gun cylinder frame components back installed correctly ?

> Is the hammerspring and strut pinned?


Now if you answer yes and no , or yes and yes or just no and no, you can get that gun back together and save a fedex enevlope and the cost and wait ;)

1st for me I like to flip the ruger on it back to expose the bottom of the gun. install the pawl,transfer bar and hammer. It will be loose but should stay put for the most part. Make sure the hammer pin is installed the correct way and the notch end of it is on the correct side ( not sure as of what model you have but mind was the left side ) and that long screw will engage that notch. You can pre-check this before adding the grip-frame just to make sure. I beat my head on the table numerous times on this one item :( Trust me it's very simple to over look.

2nd add the loader gate the spring thing that enages the corner of the gate

3rd, add the cylinder latch and trigger and the funs start with that pin that holds the latch spring down and goes thru the trigger. It's a ***** but you can get it done. You will have to apply pressure and push the pin in place. A long sml flat screwdriver works great for this. Holding teh gun in a padded vise also helps and frees up a hand but you can do it without this vise.

Now once all of these items are in place, you are almost done.

1st make sure the screws are set aside for the right holes that hold the grip-frame to the cylinder-frame. Insert the spring and cap thing that's call the pawl plunger. THIS IS A KEY ITEM. theirs 2 of these and only one fits in that hold in the back of the frame so check it out closely.

2nd, install the trigger spring into the grip-frame insert the pivot pin or whatever it's called and engaged the trigger spring into the trigger. It can only go one way. Make sure the spring and cap that pushes the cylinder latch is underneath the latch and press the frame-grip and cylinder-frame together. This spring cap is the bigger of the 2 ( see item#1 ) so make sure it's in place directly underneath and press on the cyl-latch arm.

Now screw in your screws and stop and take a break. ;)

You're should have all of the internals installed except the grip panel and hammer-spring and strut left out. If the hammer spring is not pin to the strut and that slivery looking clip, then you will HAVE TO PRESS them together and pin it. I think you can do it without this , BUT it is hard. I did it once and it was a ***** and took over 1hr to complete. If you pin it 1st it's a simple task.

A vise helps and a few small hand vise pliers makes the job fun. Once the hammer strut and springs and clip is pinned you can easily insert it into the hammer and slowly cock the hammer to take pressure off the pin you used for the pinning proccess and remove the pin. Install the grips and you should be in business. Make sure you function check it before install the grips and hit the range to fire-check the gun.

It's not a hard gun ( Ruger BH ) to work on, Take you time and review ALL items and how they engage.


Hope this helps, don't give up on getting it back together.

[Joe45]

Thanks for the help. I'm off to work now; I'll give it a shot tonight. Fed Ex is out of the question... I need the gun by next Monday at the lastest. I'm off to a gunsmith tomorrow if I can't do it tonight.

Joe

[noway]

Let us know the outcome and good luck. It's not that hard of a job, just review the parts and the diagram in your user manual and you should be fine.

btw: The above instructions I 've listed are for a BlackHawk newmodel, the older model I have no clue but i'm guessing they aren't that much more complicate.

In the time to read your posts and reply to each one, you can put that BH back together. ;)