J. Yuma
Bearcat
good news, returned to the range today with the SBH.
Shot about 66 rounds (6 x 11) no issues.
Hopefully it was the base pin and/or latch.
Shot about 66 rounds (6 x 11) no issues.
Hopefully it was the base pin and/or latch.
Blackhawk Locked-up
- Thread starter mrjohns
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contender
Ruger Guru
J.Yuma,, you aren't terribly far away.
Anytime you plan another trip to my area,, if you give me notice maybe we can get together. My range is just outside the city limits of LL.
Kudos on taking the time to learn more about your SBH. Proper alignment & positions of things are necessary. And BTW; the screws & such are NOT the same size as jewelers parts.
But a proper set of screwdrivers is a necessity if you plan on tinkering & not marring stuff up.
Oh, and if want a Ruger SA that's even easier to tinker on,, get an Old Model.
But I'm glad to hear you got your gun up & running again!
Anytime you plan another trip to my area,, if you give me notice maybe we can get together. My range is just outside the city limits of LL.
Kudos on taking the time to learn more about your SBH. Proper alignment & positions of things are necessary. And BTW; the screws & such are NOT the same size as jewelers parts.
But a proper set of screwdrivers is a necessity if you plan on tinkering & not marring stuff up. Oh, and if want a Ruger SA that's even easier to tinker on,, get an Old Model.
But I'm glad to hear you got your gun up & running again!
That's FUNNY, but it's not at the same time. The worst issue I ever had with factory .45's was a few in one box had dud primers.
J. Yuma
Bearcat
6-48 screws may not fit in a watch, but for a 70 year old (me) they are daunting.J.Yuma,, you aren't terribly far away.
Anytime you plan another trip to my area,, if you give me notice maybe we can get together. My range is just outside the city limits of LL.
Kudos on taking the time to learn more about your SBH. Proper alignment & positions of things are necessary. And BTW; the screws & such are NOT the same size as jewelers parts.
I did grind up a "hollow ground" screwdriver. I guess I gotta get some real ones.
Thanks for the invite!
J. Yuma
Bearcat
I noticed my "bearcat" connotation.
Is that a "new guy" classification?
And once again thanks for the welcome.
I do have a reloading question.
I have tried several powders, one of which, H110, only has a single grain between "starter load" and "blow yourself up."
I have a grain scale, and wonder about getting a powder trickler.
How well do tricklers work?
do a couple of tenths of grain make a discernible difference? Say, a 23 grain charge vs. a 23.1 grain charge?
thanks
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contender
Ruger Guru
At only 65 I can still relate to the 6-48 screws for seemingly being small. I did chuckle on that one. But the ejector rod housing screw is bigger than that,, and while the thread pitch of the base pin latch may be small, the 2 parts are bigger than a regular screw. But hey,, it's all good!
The handle of "Bearcat" is a name form to kinda go with your post count. As folks get more posts,, and surpass certain milestones of post numbers,, they can get a new "handle" under their name. Mine,, "ruger guru" was an honorary one given to me by our dear departed former owner "Flatgate!" He bestowed that to some of us who have been around a while as well as being hard core Ruger folks.
Reloading.
H110 can be an excellent powder,, but it does have a narrow window of grainage use. And it can QUICKLY get out of pressure ranges if improperly used. Both low or high. Using H110 can be very sensitive to minor deviations in weight if you try & down load or increase things.
My first recommendation would be to get a few different powders,, that are a bit more "forgiving" or in other words,, have a broader range of loads. If you study your different manuals,, (you do have more than one,, right???) you will find other powders offer a wider range of available loads. If you are loading for a 44 mag,, a really good one is IMR 4227. Others include 2400, HS-6 for mid to upper end loads. For a milder load yet quite good is Unique.
Powder tricklers allow for the very precise final amount of powder to be added to a single case. You set your powder thrower a little light,, then while the powder is in the scale pan, you can use a trickler to add a grain or so at a time, manually to that pan to reach a more precise charge. Generally speaking, a trickler is used more for larger grained powders most often used in rifle calibers. Handgun stuff,, is normally ok with a powder thrower, as long as you are within the parameters of the manuals.
How about this?
Instant karma. I have an older but perfectly good powder trickler. When you get to where you can send PM's & receive them, (I think it's after you have 10 posts here,) send me a PM with your name & address, and I'll send it to you.
The handle of "Bearcat" is a name form to kinda go with your post count. As folks get more posts,, and surpass certain milestones of post numbers,, they can get a new "handle" under their name. Mine,, "ruger guru" was an honorary one given to me by our dear departed former owner "Flatgate!" He bestowed that to some of us who have been around a while as well as being hard core Ruger folks.
Reloading.
H110 can be an excellent powder,, but it does have a narrow window of grainage use. And it can QUICKLY get out of pressure ranges if improperly used. Both low or high. Using H110 can be very sensitive to minor deviations in weight if you try & down load or increase things.
My first recommendation would be to get a few different powders,, that are a bit more "forgiving" or in other words,, have a broader range of loads. If you study your different manuals,, (you do have more than one,, right???) you will find other powders offer a wider range of available loads. If you are loading for a 44 mag,, a really good one is IMR 4227. Others include 2400, HS-6 for mid to upper end loads. For a milder load yet quite good is Unique.
Powder tricklers allow for the very precise final amount of powder to be added to a single case. You set your powder thrower a little light,, then while the powder is in the scale pan, you can use a trickler to add a grain or so at a time, manually to that pan to reach a more precise charge. Generally speaking, a trickler is used more for larger grained powders most often used in rifle calibers. Handgun stuff,, is normally ok with a powder thrower, as long as you are within the parameters of the manuals.
How about this?
Instant karma. I have an older but perfectly good powder trickler. When you get to where you can send PM's & receive them, (I think it's after you have 10 posts here,) send me a PM with your name & address, and I'll send it to you.
J. Yuma
Bearcat
well,
I started with Ramshot enforcer. It was...interesting. Then, I mistakenly bought H110, which is very "interesting."
The 110 almost gone, maybe another 20 rounds worth.
I also have Win 244, kinda "interesting," and HP38, kinda wet fart, but 8 grains is ok, and both guns seem to like it.
I shoot mostly Missouri Bullet hi-tek, also Berry's. Both guns like the hi-tek.
I'm gonna keep playing with the 244.
All my "recipes" have been from
the Lee book,
or
Hogdon online:
or
shooter's reference online:
I only reload.44 magnum, so I think i'm ok with recipes.
I can't seem to find 2400.
the trickler sounds good.
Thanks again!
I started with Ramshot enforcer. It was...interesting. Then, I mistakenly bought H110, which is very "interesting."
The 110 almost gone, maybe another 20 rounds worth.
I also have Win 244, kinda "interesting," and HP38, kinda wet fart, but 8 grains is ok, and both guns seem to like it.
I shoot mostly Missouri Bullet hi-tek, also Berry's. Both guns like the hi-tek.
I'm gonna keep playing with the 244.
All my "recipes" have been from
the Lee book,
or
Hogdon online:
or
shooter's reference online:
I only reload.44 magnum, so I think i'm ok with recipes.
I can't seem to find 2400.
the trickler sounds good.
Thanks again!
contender
Ruger Guru
Ok,, I see what you are doing.
First off,, while on-line data is detailed, and covers a lot,, I always prefer to have a printed book of recipes from at least 3 sources. On-line stuff can be altered, but a published book can't. Think "liability" here. Books are cheap. Lives & injuries aren't.
Since you are shooting coated & plated bullets,, I'd like to recommend you get a copy of a Lyman Reloading manual. Using these types of bullets,, you should be using the cast bullet data in general. Even if using plated bullets. Jacketed bullets can be pushed harder & faster if that's your goal. The Hi-Tek coated bullets are pretty good from all I've heard. I've used Berry's & Xtreme plated bullets a fair amount as well. Plated bullets, if driven too fast can strip off the plating.
Personally, I shoot mostly cast & powder coated myself as well. And I shoot for accuracy first, all while staying within the safe guidelines. I cast & PC all my own bullets. I do use jacketed bullets in many of the rifle calibers,, just because I've never gotten around to trying to cast any specifically for rifle stuff.
A good all around powder for cast & coated bullets and especially in the mid-range is Unique. And yes,, 2400 can be harder to find. Try Longshot if you can find some. It's close to 2400.
Just stay away from Lil'gun" in revolvers. It's being found to cause forcing cone erosion pretty quickly in revolvers. Burns pretty hot.
And just let me know when you want the trickler.
First off,, while on-line data is detailed, and covers a lot,, I always prefer to have a printed book of recipes from at least 3 sources. On-line stuff can be altered, but a published book can't. Think "liability" here. Books are cheap. Lives & injuries aren't.
Since you are shooting coated & plated bullets,, I'd like to recommend you get a copy of a Lyman Reloading manual. Using these types of bullets,, you should be using the cast bullet data in general. Even if using plated bullets. Jacketed bullets can be pushed harder & faster if that's your goal. The Hi-Tek coated bullets are pretty good from all I've heard. I've used Berry's & Xtreme plated bullets a fair amount as well. Plated bullets, if driven too fast can strip off the plating.
Personally, I shoot mostly cast & powder coated myself as well. And I shoot for accuracy first, all while staying within the safe guidelines. I cast & PC all my own bullets. I do use jacketed bullets in many of the rifle calibers,, just because I've never gotten around to trying to cast any specifically for rifle stuff.
A good all around powder for cast & coated bullets and especially in the mid-range is Unique. And yes,, 2400 can be harder to find. Try Longshot if you can find some. It's close to 2400.
Just stay away from Lil'gun" in revolvers. It's being found to cause forcing cone erosion pretty quickly in revolvers. Burns pretty hot.
And just let me know when you want the trickler.
J. Yuma
Bearcat
I started shooting about a year ago, first with my father-in-law's .22 rifle, and a Glock 21. The rifle was accurate but not fun. The Glock was fun but not accurate.
I went from the Glock to a Heritage.22, then a Pieta .45 convertible 1873. These were good at most about 45 feet of distance. I decided that single action was the most fun. Cocking the hammer, click, boom, was right up my alley. I did a lot of research and it seemed that the durability of Ruger Super models would be an investment as well as fun.
I finally bought a used Super Blackhawk and decided that .44 magnum at 75 feet (the indoor range limit) would be the most interesting. When I realized that you could shoot a Redhawk single action, I figured that it would be good to have some variety. I actually bought the Redhawk so I wouldn't wear out the Blackhawk. I haven't shot anything but .44 since February, and alternate these two every session.
I'm retired, so I shoot once a week. I was dismayed when that Blackhawk 6-48 screw broke, but it forced me to take it apart. Ruger removed the broken screw, no charge!
My son-in-law suggested I look into reloading. I guess I missed the days of cheap and available components, primers seem to be the lynch pin, but I figure I'm loading @ $.45 per round.
I'm most interested in accuracy myself, and the hi-tek cast bullets with a middle of the road load seems to give the most accuracy in both guns.
I promised myself to be safe first. Second, simple, no red dots or scopes. Third, fun.
As soon as I can DM, I'll take you up on the trickler.
I went from the Glock to a Heritage.22, then a Pieta .45 convertible 1873. These were good at most about 45 feet of distance. I decided that single action was the most fun. Cocking the hammer, click, boom, was right up my alley. I did a lot of research and it seemed that the durability of Ruger Super models would be an investment as well as fun.
I finally bought a used Super Blackhawk and decided that .44 magnum at 75 feet (the indoor range limit) would be the most interesting. When I realized that you could shoot a Redhawk single action, I figured that it would be good to have some variety. I actually bought the Redhawk so I wouldn't wear out the Blackhawk. I haven't shot anything but .44 since February, and alternate these two every session.
I'm retired, so I shoot once a week. I was dismayed when that Blackhawk 6-48 screw broke, but it forced me to take it apart. Ruger removed the broken screw, no charge!
My son-in-law suggested I look into reloading. I guess I missed the days of cheap and available components, primers seem to be the lynch pin, but I figure I'm loading @ $.45 per round.
I'm most interested in accuracy myself, and the hi-tek cast bullets with a middle of the road load seems to give the most accuracy in both guns.
I promised myself to be safe first. Second, simple, no red dots or scopes. Third, fun.
As soon as I can DM, I'll take you up on the trickler.
contender
Ruger Guru
You made me (and I'm sure others,) chuckle at the comment about buying a Redhawk so as to not wear out the Super Blackhawk!
There are PLENTY of Old Model .44 mag Blackhawks from 1956 & since that haven't been worn out in all those decades of use.
And trust me,, unless you are the type to load a LOT of top end loads & shoot a LOT of them,, you won't wear out a Ruger.
The Glock, the Heritage & the Pietta can't claim the same strength rating as the Rugers.
Reloading,, your numbers seem a bit high. If you already have the cases,, primers at the elevated price of .10 cents each, bullets at around .10 cents each, and powder at .10 cents per charge,, (all these are general rounded numbers,) makes me wonder where you get .45 cents per round.
If you shop around a bit,, primers are in the $75 range for a brick, (7-1/2 cents each) powder is running $35-$40 per pound,, at 7000 grns a pound,, even H110 can load around 300 rounds approximately, which is about another 7-1/2 cents per charge. Bullets,, are usually less than .10 cents each for plated or coated ones.
Now,, if you are buying cases,, then I can see the expense. But once you get the cases,, they can last a LONG time. I have cases I've loaded a lot over the decades that I acquired in the 1970's & 1980's.
Of course,, that's still a savings over buying factory ammo.
And you have discovered what many of us serious handloaders & shooters already have learned. Quite often, the most accurate load is a mid-range load in general. Your Hi-Tek coated bullets are proving to be good. And if you build a mid-range load, using a powder that doesn't have as narrow of a range as H110,, you can use less powder & that translates into a bit more savings.
I'm an instructor,, and when I teach, I stress the least expensive but most important thing a person can have is knowledge. A couple of GOOD reloading manuals are inexpensive tools to assist in the process. Lyman, Hornady are 2 of the really good ones. Hodgdon's magazine type isn't nearly as detailed but has good load data. I also buy Nosler, Speer, manuals as well. I cross reference data,, AND,,, study the "test firearm" they used to get their data. Some companies use a "Universal Receiver" while others use actual firearms. This can make a difference in results. And the manuals will have a short few paragraphs of info on that caliber,, OFTEN listing what they found to be the most accurate or best overall. Valuable knowledge.
Since you are loading for .44 mag,, and using Hi-Tek bullets,, I'd do a serious search for Unique powder. It's well over a century old powder,,, with a very good & proven track record. And you can easily load mid-range loads while using a lot less powder,, which stretches your $$$ invested in shooting.
I really liked your comment; "I promised myself to be safe first. Second, simple, no red dots or scopes. Third, fun."
Safety should ALWAYS be first. Using H110 is a powder which has a narrower margin of safety in adjusting the loads. It's a good powder,, but I reserve it for heavy loads using jacketed bullets.
You put "fun" as third. I think fun should be the second thing. Shooting should be for fun first,, and if using a firearm as a tool, using the tool for fun can make using it as a tool easier.
You mentioned "Simple" meaning keeping the equipment as basic as possible by the way you stated it. But you have also stated you are retired,, and as such,, I'm assuming you are a bit over 40-50. As we age,, our eyes age & seeing sights isn't as easy as it once was. MANY of us "older types," (myself included,) have been frustrated at the diminished abilities our aging eyes have caused. Often an optical assistance item,, can help reduce frustration and return the fun factor.
You may want to keep that in the back of your mind.
But it's fun for me to see a new member here,, who is approaching things the way you are. Kudos!
There are PLENTY of Old Model .44 mag Blackhawks from 1956 & since that haven't been worn out in all those decades of use.
And trust me,, unless you are the type to load a LOT of top end loads & shoot a LOT of them,, you won't wear out a Ruger.
The Glock, the Heritage & the Pietta can't claim the same strength rating as the Rugers.
Reloading,, your numbers seem a bit high. If you already have the cases,, primers at the elevated price of .10 cents each, bullets at around .10 cents each, and powder at .10 cents per charge,, (all these are general rounded numbers,) makes me wonder where you get .45 cents per round.
If you shop around a bit,, primers are in the $75 range for a brick, (7-1/2 cents each) powder is running $35-$40 per pound,, at 7000 grns a pound,, even H110 can load around 300 rounds approximately, which is about another 7-1/2 cents per charge. Bullets,, are usually less than .10 cents each for plated or coated ones.
Now,, if you are buying cases,, then I can see the expense. But once you get the cases,, they can last a LONG time. I have cases I've loaded a lot over the decades that I acquired in the 1970's & 1980's.
Of course,, that's still a savings over buying factory ammo.
And you have discovered what many of us serious handloaders & shooters already have learned. Quite often, the most accurate load is a mid-range load in general. Your Hi-Tek coated bullets are proving to be good. And if you build a mid-range load, using a powder that doesn't have as narrow of a range as H110,, you can use less powder & that translates into a bit more savings.
I'm an instructor,, and when I teach, I stress the least expensive but most important thing a person can have is knowledge. A couple of GOOD reloading manuals are inexpensive tools to assist in the process. Lyman, Hornady are 2 of the really good ones. Hodgdon's magazine type isn't nearly as detailed but has good load data. I also buy Nosler, Speer, manuals as well. I cross reference data,, AND,,, study the "test firearm" they used to get their data. Some companies use a "Universal Receiver" while others use actual firearms. This can make a difference in results. And the manuals will have a short few paragraphs of info on that caliber,, OFTEN listing what they found to be the most accurate or best overall. Valuable knowledge.
Since you are loading for .44 mag,, and using Hi-Tek bullets,, I'd do a serious search for Unique powder. It's well over a century old powder,,, with a very good & proven track record. And you can easily load mid-range loads while using a lot less powder,, which stretches your $$$ invested in shooting.
I really liked your comment; "I promised myself to be safe first. Second, simple, no red dots or scopes. Third, fun."
Safety should ALWAYS be first. Using H110 is a powder which has a narrower margin of safety in adjusting the loads. It's a good powder,, but I reserve it for heavy loads using jacketed bullets.
You put "fun" as third. I think fun should be the second thing. Shooting should be for fun first,, and if using a firearm as a tool, using the tool for fun can make using it as a tool easier.
You mentioned "Simple" meaning keeping the equipment as basic as possible by the way you stated it. But you have also stated you are retired,, and as such,, I'm assuming you are a bit over 40-50. As we age,, our eyes age & seeing sights isn't as easy as it once was. MANY of us "older types," (myself included,) have been frustrated at the diminished abilities our aging eyes have caused. Often an optical assistance item,, can help reduce frustration and return the fun factor.
You may want to keep that in the back of your mind.
But it's fun for me to see a new member here,, who is approaching things the way you are. Kudos!
J. Yuma
Bearcat
It's the shipping, and mostly promers.I've managed to buy exactly one tray of 100 primers locally, for $14.
I can find powder, and FMJ projectiles locally. Everything else has been mail order/online with that $23 hazard fee.
I just bought a brick of 1000 Winchester large pistol for $87, but with shipping, tax, and hazard, that bumped up to $130.
Large pistol seems to be in short supply, LP magnum is ever harder to find.
I have about 300 brass cases. I bag them, roughly 60-70 cases, after a session so I can reload in procession.
I'm 70, I had lasik about ten years ago, though I still I think 75' is my sight limit. The problem is close up. The doctor didn't tell me that lasik fixes distance, but an older gentleman (like myself) usually needs "readers!" Close up work is tough.
Not knocking scopes, etc., if I had to put meat on the table, I would scope the Redhawk, for sure.
I can find powder, and FMJ projectiles locally. Everything else has been mail order/online with that $23 hazard fee.
I just bought a brick of 1000 Winchester large pistol for $87, but with shipping, tax, and hazard, that bumped up to $130.
Large pistol seems to be in short supply, LP magnum is ever harder to find.
I have about 300 brass cases. I bag them, roughly 60-70 cases, after a session so I can reload in procession.
I'm 70, I had lasik about ten years ago, though I still I think 75' is my sight limit. The problem is close up. The doctor didn't tell me that lasik fixes distance, but an older gentleman (like myself) usually needs "readers!" Close up work is tough.
Not knocking scopes, etc., if I had to put meat on the table, I would scope the Redhawk, for sure.
contender
Ruger Guru
Ahh,,, the dreaded hazmat fee.
Look into "Blue Collar Reloading" in Salisbury. If you can make the drive,, I'm sure they can reduce your expense.
Or,, a local gun show should produce primers & powders at a lower expense.
Ahh,, the lasik eye surgery. So far,, I've not needed any eye work,, but I also understand. I have an astigmatism. It can affect a red dot's clarity.
Look into "Blue Collar Reloading" in Salisbury. If you can make the drive,, I'm sure they can reduce your expense.
Or,, a local gun show should produce primers & powders at a lower expense.
Ahh,, the lasik eye surgery. So far,, I've not needed any eye work,, but I also understand. I have an astigmatism. It can affect a red dot's clarity.
J. Yuma
Bearcat
I would have a better time accepting the hazmat fee if I knew what they do besides putting on a few warning labels.
Sometimes Mid South waives hazmat if you buy enough stuff, so I'm wondering if those shipments are magically less hazardous material?
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contender
Ruger Guru
Actually,, hazmat fees can be easily reduced by purchasing in quantity. The hazmat fee for a case of powder is the same as for a single container. Same with primers. And often,, shippers can have one hazmat fee for combined ordered items.
For smaller quantities like a brick of primers,, (1000) it's much better to buy local,, even if you buy from an over priced dealer.
For smaller quantities like a brick of primers,, (1000) it's much better to buy local,, even if you buy from an over priced dealer.
