ruger firing pin bushing

[gyrhed]

This is my second Redhawk and it will likely go back to Ruger next week. Sent the first back due to split cases, light strikes and the plunger that holds the trigger assembly being locked in place. Got this one back with 0.005" LESS firing pin protrusion partly due to this bushing looking thing that I do not believe was on my first Redhawk, or in any pictures I have been able to find or exploded views. It also has a problem with the plunger that won't let it engage the trigger group properly. IT had been forced in at the factory.

I don't like returning something to get three problems fixed and get a new gun back that looks to have the same issues. I will really be pissed if I shoot it Sunday and split another case.anyway i posted pictures of both. Anyone else ever seen this bushing looking thing? Maybe it is normal but I sure dont remeber it. I am wodering if it is a repaired screw up, like the firing pin hole was drilled in the wrong place and then corrected with this. either way it limits the transfer bars abilbity to drive the firing pin forward.

 

[gyrhed]

obviously i dont know how to post an image here.

 

[DPris]

Ruger's switched to a new firing pin bushing/retention set-up in the past two or three years.

Older bushings were a press fit from the front, the newer bushing is screwed in from the rear.

I own three Reds & I've had Bowen's extended firing pins installed in all three to make damn sure the protrusion is sufficient to light off any primer made.
Denis

 

[RalphS]

How do you measure the firing pin protrusion? Dial Indicator with a long extension down the barrel?

 

[gyrhed]

Thanks, guys for answering the firing pin question since i didn't have pictures I was worried no one had ever seen such a thing.

Huh, the first Redhawk I bought was just about April of 2016. It did not have the bushing. Difference in serial numbers between this one and the older one is 9374 so I guess the first one could have been over three years old, didn't bother to look it up and don't even know if I could. Does this mean I can just buy the Bowen firing pin and unscrew the bushing or do I have to still drive out the cross pin, I assume there isn't one if they started using the bushing. They had done a nice job blending the cross pin on the first and I could see it. Cant see any evidence on this one either, all i know is that I am more than mechanically inclined enough to drive out the pin but blending it back in is another issue. unless I could buy a little longer one.

I measured the firing pin protrusion using a cheap harbor freight digital caliper. Although I have noticed a few thousandths difference between what it reads and a known standard, it is perfectly fine for measuring differences, however. Both were measured the same so even if not exactly right it was a good comparison. Way below what Bowen recommends.

I had light strikes in double action mode with 45 ACP with the old gun and the firing pin protrusion on this one is shorter than the one I sent back, so I am concerned. Ruger's solution is to use Federal ammunition (i know why) lucky for me i had misfires with Federal Ammo. I want to be able to rely on this thing to fire anything that will chamber and if I have to buy a longer firing pin and hand fit it I will do it, especially if it is only a matter of removing the bushing and I dont have to worry about making things ugly driving out the pin.

From what I have read Ruger does not seem to want to make these firing pins longer for some reason.

If the throats and barrel slug out good I will just change this firing pin myself. The trigger group retainer should be easy enough to fix.

Funny the first one had a very good single action trigger. this one creeps and is very gritty, but I expect to have to work on that with this gun.

As far as I am concerned when you buy a gun it should go off every time you pull the trigger on any round that is loaded to SAMI head space. I do not want to send this back to Ruger and take a chance on getting yet another one that doesn't do what a gun should do, and from what I have seen on the internet this is not uncommon. Still not sure why they just don't make the firing pin a little longer.

 

[DPris]

My gunsmith had to fabricate the tool to remove the current-style bushing from my Redhawk project to R&R the pins.

It's not simple to get out, but well worth it.

I've discussed the protrusion issue with Ruger, they're not interested in addressing it.
Denis

 

[gyrhed]

well I guess there is no reason to send it back again. It seems weird they obviously have more than a few.of these guns with problems. I guess just.not.enough to mAke the firing.pin.0.02" longer.and.solve.the issue once.and.for all. Maybe I am just silly but I don't see the downside of longer firing pin.

I would just hate to need to protect myself and hear snap snap. Not sure i would have enough where with all to go I to single action mode under stress. Thts why I bought this gun in the.first place. Guess I get to go back to the raging bull until I get this fixed.

I got mine to move with two small drill bits, vice grips, and a screw driver. Bent the bits though. Tool really shouldn't be too hard to make out a 1/4" socket and drill bits. At east for a.one time use.

Going to see how it shoots tomorrow then will order a firing pin from bowen.

 

[DPris]

It's a mystery to me why they won't make that simple length adjustment going forward across the board on a long-known issue.

My gunsmith took two tries to fabricate his wrench, but he built it for the long run to deal with future Ruger work.
Said that bushing's in there pretty solid.
Denis

 

[gyrhed]

Who and where is your smith? Might be easier to get it to him if I have trouble building a useable tool, and can't find someone local that is able to do the work. You not only have to remove it you have to get it back tight as well huh?

 

[DPris]

Barlow's Custom Guns in Utah.

The Ruger in question is a Kodiak .44 Mag I had sitting here unfired for two years, waiting for Bowen to get his new (current version) firing pins up & running.

Once I got that pin & Bowen's Rough Country rear sight here, I had Barlow do a custom package on the gun.
Mine was the first "new" Ruger firing pin he'd done, so he had to fabricate his tool for future work.

The bushing was in so tight it broke his first one, the second one was a bit sturdier & should hold up over the long run.

Yeah- getting it back in & locked down is the other third of the replacement equation.
The pin also has to be fitted.

If you want to get with him, Steve Barlow at 801-973-4788.
Used him for 31 years.

What he did on my Kodiak is easily the equal of the work that Cylinder & Slide's done on three of my Rugers.
He has a GP in now being gone over.
Denis

 

[gyrhed]

I like tinkering as long as I am confident I won't either scar it or make unserviceable.

Going to shoot it tomorrow and see what I want to do with it.

It's not as tight a lockup as the first.one, but the first ones accuracy was below.par.

My 454 raging bull is a tack driver, with factory 454 loads and nearly all my 45 colt hand loads. So that ruger was a disappointment and I was glad they sent me a new one.

 

[DPris]

Good luck with it.
Denis