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jack19512
05-25-2008, 11:20 PM
I am just starting to shoot cast(158gr.)out of my Ruger Blackhawk and have a question maybe someone can help me with. I am using 7 grains of Unique and I am getting pretty good groups with no leading at an average velocity of 1452 fps but the poi is to the left of the target and I have run out of adjustment on my rear sight, does anyone know within reason what I might be able to do to get my poi more to the right? Thanks for any help.

docone31
05-25-2008, 11:32 PM
My Blackhawk pretty much did the same thing. I added the spring upgrade which reduced the pull. It was a very simple fix.
I cannot explain it. It just really helped. It was with jacketed bullet also. I was shooting 125gn flat point.

HeavyMetal
05-25-2008, 11:47 PM
Lot's of "hang" time on the hammer of any "Crank and Yank". I'll second the motion of the spring kit and, if you haven't already, set that baby down on some nice solid sand bags and double check POI.

The spring kit should decrease lock time which may be why your shooting left. If this and the sand bag treatment don't get the adjustment right I'll suggest another shooter take a crack at it. Some times it's just an eye thing.

If it turns out to be the gun, a gunsmith can tweek the barrel a little tighter which should change the poi to the right?

However returning it to Ruger is a possibility as well, warranty will of course depend on it's age and if your the original owner.

Tom W.
05-25-2008, 11:54 PM
A friend of mine had that problem when he shot his Glock, or my Colt. I suspect some of the problem is that you're strangling your grips, causing the bullet to go down and left.

454PB
05-26-2008, 12:08 AM
7 grains of Unique gives you 1452 fps. with a 158 grain boolit? either your chronograph is way off, or I need to start buying my powder where you do!

jack19512
05-26-2008, 12:31 AM
A friend of mine had that problem when he shot his Glock, or my Colt. I suspect some of the problem is that you're strangling your grips, causing the bullet to go down and left.






Thanks for the replies. I doubt the problem is me though. I have several revolvers and this is the only one I have this problem with. I have a Ruger GP 100 .357 and it only required minor sight adjustment to get on bullseye but I have only shot factory ammo in it. And with the Blackhawk the bullets were hitting high and to the left, I was able to get the elevation down OK using up all of that adjustment but not the windage. Both the GP 100 and the Blackhawk are new. Would another powder possibly help? Thanks again.

jack19512
05-26-2008, 12:42 AM
7 grains of Unique gives you 1452 fps. with a 158 grain boolit? either your chronograph is way off, or I need to start buying my powder where you do!







Yes, unless I made a mistake and I am reading the wrong group, but I didn't think so. The velocities were 1452, 1446, 1455,1446, 1457, and 1461. Now I did shoot a couple rifles but this was the only handgun I shot and it is the only six shot firearm I shot. The others were five shot. What do you think the velocity should have been?

jack19512
05-26-2008, 12:53 AM
I should add that at one point I thought I did have a problem with my chronograph. I shot two groups with six shots each. The velocity for the first six shots were only in the 400's fps range, the last six shot group was the velocity previously posted.

mauser1959
05-26-2008, 04:07 AM
Normally a grouping to the left implies that your stroking your trigger wrong , as in your pushing your gun the time of firing. Look up a chart on bullet placement and decide if your shooting replicates the problems discussed: proper grip is a real PITA , I know that I pull so more than I should, so I tend to be grouping right .

Bass Ackward
05-26-2008, 05:51 AM
Jack,

Velocity should be in the 1200 fps range for a 6" barrel, 1325 fps for a 10". I shoot 6.5 grains for right at 1200 outta my 5.5" FA that is a fairly tight gun. (velocity runs a little higher)

No harm in trying other powders. 12 to 14 1/2 grains of 2400 works for a lot of folks too. Then see if you get a POI shift. But how does it shoot with jacketed stuff? This isn't a new gun is it?

bobk
05-26-2008, 08:13 AM
I would not recommend turning the barrel in more without removing it, and relieving the shoulder where it contacts the frame. Overtorqueing can cause a reduced barrel diameter where the barrel goes through the receiver, which may size the boolit down. At that point, gas pressure has dropped low enough that the boolit may not obturate enough to seal, and leading can occur. Also, you may lose some barrel-to-cylinder gap, so check the fit.
Bob K

44man
05-26-2008, 08:36 AM
My friend has short, stubby fingers and almost always shoots left because he has to stick his finger in too deep so the rest of his finger is against the frame. He is pushing the gun sideways when he pulls the trigger. If he shoots with his left hand he shoots right.
The harder the trigger pull is the worse he gets.

Larry Gibson
05-26-2008, 09:18 AM
jack19512

Since this is the only revolver you're having this problem with I think the problem is as bobk mentions; the barrel is not screwed in far enough and the front sight is to the right of vertical. I have run into this exact problem with a Ruger recently. You should be able to see if the front sight is leaning slightly to the right with a small machinist's square on top of the frame. The solution is as mentioned; slightly screwing the barrel in farther.

You don't mention the barrel lentgth but with 6 - 7 1/2" Rugers 7 gr of Unique produces 1200 - 1300 fps with 150-160 gr cast bulets.

"I thought I did have a problem with my chronograph. I shot two groups with six shots each. The velocity for the first six shots were only in the 400's fps range, the last six shot group was the velocity previously posted."

That is a very good indication that the front screen of the chronograph was too close to the muzzle. The muzzle blast is tripping the front screen giving you false readings. A minimum of 10' distance from the muzzle to the front screen is recommended; I use 15'.

Larry Gibson

jack19512
05-26-2008, 04:57 PM
But how does it shoot with jacketed stuff? This isn't a new gun is it?




This is a brand new gun. I haven't shot jacketed through it yet but I have reloaded some more cast and plan on paying real close attention to my trigger pull and shoot some jacketed just to see if anything changes for the good. I bought the Blackhawk and GP100 new recently and wanted to shoot jacketed in the GP 100 and shoot cast through the Blackhawk. I never had any problem sighting the GP100 in.

jack19512
05-26-2008, 05:08 PM
That is a very good indication that the front screen of the chronograph was too close to the muzzle. The muzzle blast is tripping the front screen giving you false readings. A minimum of 10' distance from the muzzle to the front screen is recommended; I use 15'.

Larry Gibson





I would say you are right about this. My chronograph was only about 5-6 foot from my revolver and less than that from the two rifles I was shooting simply due to the barrel length of the rifles. I did notice when shooting the rifles the blast would rock the chronograph. Yes, I know now, stupid of me but this is new to me and I am just learning. Thanks for all of the replies. I will try again tomorrow and see what happens. I will also check the Blackhawk to see if I can find anything wrong with the barrel position. I really hope it is just me.

454PB
05-26-2008, 10:23 PM
I checked my notes, and in my old S&W 28 with a 6" barrel, a 160 gr. Lyman 357446 SWC in front of 7 gr. of Unique and Federal 100 primer yielded 1119 fps. In my Taurus 66 with 4" barrel, 1080 fps.

Yes, you need to be as far as possible from the start screen of your chronograph.

sniper
06-06-2008, 12:27 AM
I tried this on one of my Ruger pistols: It shot to the left. I centered the rear sight, then took a file and some sandpaper to the range with me.

I shot, then filed/sanded the right side of the front sight, (take material from the side you want the bullet POI to move toward. ) Just a little at a time. But, I figured, if I goofed, the parts are inexpensive. Slowly, the POI came back to the right. Close, then a tweak of the rear sight, and it was right on. Some cold blue, and I was back in business.

This worked for me, but I have no idea of your skills, or how it may affect your gun, so it is up to you if you wish to try.

Good luck!:-)

jack19512
06-06-2008, 07:52 AM
I e-mailed Ruger, they want me to send the revolver back to them so they can take a look at it so that is what I am going to do.

pdawg_shooter
06-06-2008, 10:09 AM
I had a customer bring in a Ruger SRH he could not zero, the barrel was visibly turned in too far. Sent it back to Ruger and they corrected this, but it came back with the crown screwed up. Looked liked they recut it with a hand drill and a counterbore. Sent it back again. They fixed the crown but the bore was so rough the customer has to stay with jacked bullets.

theperfessor
06-06-2008, 12:19 PM
I had trouble with my SBH shooting to the left (I'm right-handed) when I first got it. It is my only SA revolver, the rest are autos and DA revolvers and I've never had a problem with them. Turned out I wasn't getting my forearm in line with barrel and with .44 mag loads the recoil was torquing gun to left. When I changed my grip on the gun the problem pretty much corrected itself.

You could still have a defective gun; just wanted to share my limited experience.

jack19512
06-06-2008, 09:52 PM
Thanks for the replies. I really don't want to send it to them, I may shoot it some more before I send it in. I could wait till winter time that way I won't miss out on shooting it so much.