Help with Ruger Blackhawk

[lightman]

I have a buddy with a 3 screw Ruger Blackhawk in 41 Magnum and the loading gate does not stay open or closed. Like a spring or something is broken or missing. There is no resistance when either opening or closing it.

I've never been into one so any help is welcome. Thanks

[ACC]

Sounds like the gate spring is broken. My brothers .45 Blackhawk spring broke. He tried to replace it himself. It was a bear so he ended up sending it into Ruger.

ACC

[DougGuy]

There is a Ruger video on youtube showing disassembly and reassembly of a BH, it is very well done and quite informative. The one tool I can highly recommend besides a good snug fitting hollow ground screwdriver is the detent spring retaining tool they sell at Brownell's which holds down the pesky spring that makes it hard to take one apart. It is also this spring whiich sounds like it is broken in your buddy's OM BH.

I have found that the 4 in 1 screwdrivers they sell at Advance Auto and other places has the right size flat blade for the screws on the Ruger SA grip frame, no need for an expensive "gunsmith" screwdriver although they are nice to have and use.

I would call Ruger and see if they will send out a spring for free, I bet they will. If your buddy sends his OM back in to the factory, they WILL convert it to a transfer bar if it hasn't been converted already. They will mark the frame with a letter "R" hidden under the grip frame and usually return all the old parts unless they have been modified then he won't get them back if the gun has had trigger work done.

[Bazoo]

The spring sets in a shallow recess on the pivot of the loading gate. This is visible in the cylinder opening. It's possible that the spring has jumped the recess and is in front of it. If that's the case it can be poked back in place via a non marring punch.

[rockrat]

I don't think Ruger returns the old parts from a 3 screw. If you send the gun to Ruger, take out the old parts first.

[Walks]

If you take out the internals on an OM, when you send it back, Ruger will charge you for all the parts they put into it.

[bob208]

replace the spring yourself. if it goes back it will be converted and you will not get the parts back. all because people are too dumb to load six rounds and not have one under the firing pin

[Drm50]

I wouldn’t send my gun to be made into a New Model. 3screws are worth considerably more than NM. There is nothing in an old model BH that can’t be fixed at kitchen table, except maybe removing barrel from frame. I had every Ruger SA, in every barrel length in 60s. They lost me as customer with the new model. But not sure if the parts for loading gate are the same.

[2152hq]

The loading gate opening and closing 'snap action' is controlled by a coil spring and a plunger located in the frame underneath the pivot stem of the gate.
That stem has a two flats on it and the high point betw the two is the snap over point betw open and closed.

The spring and plunger are held in the frame by a small set screw.

If the coil spring is missing,,or the plunger is missing,,the gate won't have any snap to it.
If the spring and plunger are in there,,but the set screw is missing,,it won't work either!

To get at the assembly,,you have to remove the grip/trigger guard assembly.
Not difficult.

Take the grips off.

Now cock the hammer and note how there is a small hole in the hammer spring guide that extends down below the bracket.
Place a paper clip or other small wire through that hole and gently let the hammer back down.
That'll 'capture' the hammer and the main spring in the near full cocked position for you.
You won't have to fight against spring tension to remove or re-install the mainspring and hammer.
Now remove the hammer screw from the frame so the hammer w/ mainspring and it's follower and bracket can come off with the grip frame,

Leave that right there and now remove all of the trigger guard and backstrap screws. Two bottom,,two rear,,and one at the front.
Keep them segregated as they are different lengths and they go in those specific positions.

Pull the grip frame off in one piece slowly..
The trigger return spring w/plunger will be in it's channel inside the grip frame behind the trigger position. It usually stays right there and you can leave it there. Just be aware of it so you don't loose it.

The hand spring and plunger will be in a hole in the back of the frame. When you pull the grip frame off,,the end of the coil spring usually pops out slightly. You can pull that out with it's plunger attached so you don't loose that.
Just remember to replace it before re-assembling.

Now turn the frame upside-down.

On the bottom right side edge next to the grip frame attachment screw hole is a larger threaded hole.
That is the loading gate set screw hole.
There should be the set screw in place.
Under that the coil spring.
Under that the plunger.

Remove the screw if there.
Remove the spring if present.
The plunger will often refuse to drop out and you have to bounce the frame on a lead block to make it drop out.
If the plunger is still in there and is OK (the gun is just missing a spring and/or set screw),,you can skip removing the plunger and just replace the other part(s).
A plunger in place alone will often keep the gate from coming out of the frame, but will not have any snap action when operating it.

If nothing is there you should be able to simply open the gate and pull it from the frame out to the front.

Replace any missing parts. The coil spring is nothing special. The stronger the spring the more effort it takes to open the gate. People often put a lighter spring in these.
The plunger is simply a smooth short plug. It doesn't have to be any special steel or heat treated. Nothing running high speed here.
I'm not sure of the set screw thread, looks like a #8. I'll measure it when I get a chance if needed.
Smooth any burrs or rough spots off of the stem while it's out of the frame. Don't over do it, just smooth. Leave the high-point peak there as that's what defines the open/closed positions with a snap.

When putting things back together, just take your time and get the trigger spring and plunger back in behind the trigger correctly. Remember to reinsert the hand spring and plunger in the frame.
Get the hammer w/spring set back in place in the grip frame and then all the screws started back in and then tighten them down.
The last thing is to pull the hammer back a bit to release the hold on that wire clip and then allow the hammer to move back down.
Put the grips back on and go shootin'

Here's a couple pics of a OM 357 loading gate stem and the screw. spring and plunger lined up on the bottom of the frame.
The revolver is in the middle of a custom build but these parts are still factory so you can see how they look and assemble.

[lightman]

Thanks for the replys everyone. I have a set of gun smith screwdrivers and one of the bits should fit. Special thanks to 2152hq for the pictures.

[lightman]

I really want to thank you guys. I'm just now catching up with my buddy and starting to work on his Blackhawk. I called Ruger a few weeks ago and they sent me a spring, free of charge. He came by this afternoon and we tore it down. There wasn't anything missing or broken. It seems like the set screw that tensions the loading gate spring had backed out. I experimented turning the set screw in until the loading gate felt right and reassembled the pistol. How it got loose I don't know but it works properly now.

What started this I don't really know but I helped him clean it. It was really dirty, like farmer truck gun dirty! I mean it was filthy! All I did was to take the cylinder out and clean the barrel and chambers and remove all of the caked on dirt. Thats when the loading gate lost its tension. I'm not sure how what I did effected the loading gate but apparently it did.

But that fixed it and I really appreciate you'alls help. I've been into Colts and S&W's but not Rugers. Its a fairly simple design once you're into it. Thanks again!

[contender1]

2152hq gave you a good post.

Sounds like you got it all fixed just like it needed to be.

The OM 3-screw Rugers are an easy gun to tinker/work on. Love them myself!