Redhawk not hitting primer properly

[44Blam]

I just cleaned up a lot of brass and focused on the primer pockets. Anyway, the primers were easy to seat and life is good... So they are seated flush or just a little below.

BUT, when shooting my redhawk double action (don't cock just pull the trigger) I had 3 out of 18 rounds that just didn't fire. The dent in those rounds were not very pronounced.

I started shooting single action (cock, fire) and did not have any issue.

Anyone have an issue with Ruger Redhawks not hitting the primer properly?

[whisler]

You are confusing single action and double action. Single action describes that the trigger does a "single action" = drops the hammer. Double action means the trigger performs 2 actions= cocks the hammer and drops the hammer. FYI.

[collyer]

Sounds like maybe the primers are not seated all the way or lose primer pockets. I had similar problem. I did not seat the primers all the way. Just my 2 cents worth.

[murf205]

Are you the original owner? On RedHawks, the same spring that powers the hammer also powers the trigger, so if the spring has been replaced with a lighter one to give a lighter trigger pull, the primer hit will be lighter. I replaced the spring in my first R'hawk and the same thing happened that you are experiencing. Went back to the original spring and it went bang every time.

[44Blam]

Are you the original owner? On RedHawks, the same spring that powers the hammer also powers the trigger, so if the spring has been replaced with a lighter one to give a lighter trigger pull, the primer hit will be lighter. I replaced the spring in my first R'hawk and the same thing happened that you are experiencing. Went back to the original spring and it went bang every time.

I am not the original owner - I bought it from an estate sale. It had a 1-6x scope on it and some Houge grips on it. I took the scope and put it on my little .22 and I got some nice sights with the little light bars. I also replaced the Houge grip with some Pachmayr grips.

Any way to tell if the spring was replaced?

[country gent]

Also you might give it a good cleaning dirt , thickened oils and greases can impede the transfers bars travel using some of the hammers blow to push it down the rest of the way lightening the blow. Try looking at the edge of the transfer bar with the action cocked and see it there is a bright spot torwards the top edge on it. As stated lightened springs and lightened hammers can cause this also. The cocked hammer has a little longer travel giving a little more energy to it Than when just pulling the trigger.

[44Blam]

Also you might give it a good cleaning dirt , thickened oils and greases can impede the transfers bars travel using some of the hammers blow to push it down the rest of the way lightening the blow. Try looking at the edge of the transfer bar with the action cocked and see it there is a bright spot torwards the top edge on it. As stated lightened springs and lightened hammers can cause this also. The cocked hammer has a little longer travel giving a little more energy to it Than when just pulling the trigger.

This is probably also a thing to look at. I clean the barrel/chambers/etc every time I shoot, but I don't take the gun apart very often - perhaps it is time.

[RCE1]

I am not the original owner - I bought it from an estate sale. It had a 1-6x scope on it and some Houge grips on it. I took the scope and put it on my little .22 and I got some nice sights with the little light bars. I also replaced the Houge grip with some Pachmayr grips.

Any way to tell if the spring was replaced?

If you don't get the feeling it's a hard, gritty, creepy trigger, it's probably been lightened.

[tja6435]

Older RedHawks had a short firing pin. Mine does the same thing, if I pull it super slowly in double action, I will get occasional failure to fire. Does it with factory loads and handloads I specifically seated the primers as deep as possible. Bowen sells extra long firing pins, I should call Ruger and see if I can send mine in for the fix.

[trapper9260]

I got my some years ago and it was new in the box. I do not have any problems with it at all.What ever I put in it gose off. I would first get it clean all the way. If you do not feel you can ,bring it to a gun smith to do it.If it keeps doing it then you know it is the spring like stated.

[redhawk0]

I sent mine back to Ruger quite a few years ago. I purchased it second hand and it would FTF on occasion. They replaced all the spings free of charge in mine. Since then...no issues. It might be worth giving them a call.

redhawk

[tja6435]

http://parts.bowenclassicarms.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=49

[BHill]

In addition to the above, if you have a lightened spring and you don't want to get the heavier spring then try some Federal primers in it. They are more sensitive. If you are already using them then then you will need to correct the spring power.

[gray wolf]

It's a given that primers go off when struck with the proper amount of force.
Do yours go off if struck a second time ?

Clean the action as good as you are able to, lightly lube all parts.
Try the pistol, if it still fails change the springs back to factory standard springs.

If the gun works you know the problem. if it works but the action feels to heavy for you ( single action and double action )
Step down the spring rate till it fails to fire for you, then go up slowly in spring rate till it's what you can live with and the gun is reliable.
If your unhappy get a trigger job.

If that fails it's a gun smith or back to Ruger.
The world is full of guns that don't work, it's also full of shade tree do at home gunsmiths. ( some good and some not so good )

Clean the gun with a good routine, at least some gun safe spray for the action followed by some quality lube, don't over use any grease.

[gwpercle]

It just might be primer seating depth.
Primers should bottom out in the pocket...if they don't the first strike will seat them, a second strike will fire them. Flush or just below is all well and good but seating them fully into the bottom of the pocket is best.
I have also noticed more reports of faulty primers ....unheard of in the past.
Before spending $$$ on parts explore the primer situation....shoot a few factory rounds or seat some all the way and test these.
Gary

[44Blam]

I had three rounds that didn't go off and I went ahead and struck the primer again on two of them and they went off. But the initial dent was light and the second dent was proper. I'm going to do a nice clean job on it and then take it to the range.
Previously, I have never had a shot that failed to go bang but I don't tend to shoot it double action all that much. I tend to reach up with my support hand to cock the hammer as I tend to be a little more accurate and faster that way.

Thanks for the troubleshooting help!

[calm seas]

I had three rounds that didn't go off and I went ahead and struck the primer again on two of them and they went off. But the initial dent was light and the second dent was proper. I'm going to do a nice clean job on it and then take it to the range.
Previously, I have never had a shot that failed to go bang but I don't tend to shoot it double action all that much. I tend to reach up with my support hand to cock the hammer as I tend to be a little more accurate and faster that way.

Thanks for the troubleshooting help!

I've been researching this myself, seems there may be any of several issues: weak springs, transfer bar doesn't cover the firing pin completely, transfer bar is peened or grooved where it contacts the firing pin. Most the fixes I have seen involve replacing the springs, replace the transfer bar, replace the firing pin with a longer one, or remove .005 or so material from the face of the hammer so it sits down further on the transfer bar. You can see a difference in my SRH between the hammer pushed down on the transfer bar with the trigger pulled - pistol unloaded, of course, and putting a tool in between the hammer and transfer bar. Not so with my Alaskan; I can't see a difference in the firing pin protrusion whether pushing on the hammer or inserting a tool between hammer and transfer bar. Both have occasional FTF. Probably two different issues with two different pistols, and two different solutions. All FTFs are in double action. Both are 454 Casull

[6bg6ga]

If you don't get the feeling it's a hard, gritty, creepy trigger, it's probably been lightened.

I have a Super Red HAwk and your right about the hard gritty creepy trigger. There is a night and day difference between it and my 629 S&W. Its trigger pull is smooth and lite.

[murf205]

I am not the original owner - I bought it from an estate sale. It had a 1-6x scope on it and some Houge grips on it. I took the scope and put it on my little .22 and I got some nice sights with the little light bars. I also replaced the Houge grip with some Pachmayr grips.

Any way to tell if the spring was replaced?

Order a new spring from Ruger. You can get them for cheap or sometimes even free from the factory, then you will know what you have. The springs that gave me problems were color coded, blue, yellow and red IIRC.

[45-70 Chevroner]

You are confusing single action and double action. Single action describes that the trigger does a "single action" = drops the hammer. Double action means the trigger performs 2 actions= cocks the hammer and drops the hammer. FYI.

I think you need to read it again, he explained it correctly. I am not trying to start an argument, but double action means pulling the trigger which in turn cocks the hammer and drops it at the same time. Just think of a western single action revolver, I know it takes two actions to operate a single action but it is called a single action and that is what he was describing.

[fredj338]

Push harder & seat the primer to the bottom of the pocket. A flush primer is probably too high. 1st strike seats it, 2nd strike fries it. I seriously doubt your new Redhawk needs a new spring.

[murf205]

44blam, let us know what rectifies the problem. My vote is for the spring but that is because I had the exact same situation with a reduced power spring. Keep us posted as to what solves this.

[Catpop]

As mentioned earlier- call RUGER.
But first make sure you have experienced problem with factory loaded ammo. If just with your reloads, then I wouldn’t bother them.
They made it, they have all the resources to make it right.

[crackers]

"I bought it from an estate sale. It had a 1-6x scope..."
It sounds like another sharpshootin hoofty gunsmith clipped another spring. Ruger will likely fix it free and most lkely right even if they get tired of it. Like the other guy said - make it fail with factory ammo.

[44Blam]

Well, turns out it was just cruddy around the transfer bar/firing pin. I took most of it apart and gave it a solid cleaning and got everything all nice and shiny.

I fired the rest of the rounds I had problems with (64 rounds) plus some factory and few of my hot loads. I had no misfires.

So, I think it was just too much gunk in the works...

[lwknight]

I'm glad that turned out to be a simple fix. I will warn you from my experience not to try a lighter main spring. You can polish the works and that will help a lot but leave the main spring as is.

[murf205]

Good job 44blam. Nice to have a fix that is a non-factory issue.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

I had three rounds that didn't go off and I went ahead and struck the primer again on two of them and they went off. But the initial dent was light and the second dent was proper. I'm going to do a nice clean job on it and then take it to the range.
Previously, I have never had a shot that failed to go bang but I don't tend to shoot it double action all that much. I tend to reach up with my support hand to cock the hammer as I tend to be a little more accurate and faster that way.

Thanks for the troubleshooting help!

If you still have some of those reloads left pick through them and set aside the flush ones. Test those against the others.

[rintinglen]

Back when I was an aspiring gun mechanic, I must have "fixed" two dozen firearms whose problem was nothing more than dirt or dried oil (or WD 40--don't get me started). Every time I read someone say "I seldom--or never-- clean my guns" I just figure there goes a guy who likes his gunsmith. At 65 to 120 dollars an hour for shop time, paying to have someone else clean a gun gets expensive.