Blackhawk w/Bilsey Hammer

[whopist]

I bought a New Model Blackhawk 357Mag when they first came out in the late 1970s. It has been a joy all these years. Then a couple of years ago a 50th Anniversary FlatTop called to me from the display case of a local gun shop.

Both these pistols suffer the same issue; my short fat hands cannot easily cock the Blackhawk hammer without shifting my grip. Well, the Super Blackhawk hammer has always been my planned answer to this issue because it has a lower spur and is easier to reach. But as luck would have it every time I tried to purchase them they were Out Of Stock.

Recently Brownells had Bisley hammers in stock and the internet said “go-for-it”. Just be prepared to remove some unneeded metal.

A Super Blackhawk hammer is about 1/8” lower than a Blackhawk and a Bisley hammer is double that.

This shows the New Model hammer on the left of the Bisley with the 50th Anniversary on the right.
http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii165/whopist/Hammer1.jpg

This is the finished product----it’s like having two new guns custom made for my own hand!
http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii165/whopist/Hammer4.jpg

BB guns no less!

[subsonic]

What grips are those?

[whopist]

The New Model on the left is wearing some old Mustang Grips.

The Flat Top is wearing old Harrett grips that have been altered on the inside to fit the lawyer/lock grip frame and the outside to fit my hand.

[oscarflytyer]

Love the grips! Want similar for my SBH!

And looks like I have a project to put a Bisley hammer on my Lipsey 44 SPC Flattop! Thanx!

[frankenfab]

Thanks for the nice pics. I thought one of the guys here had said that it was the SBH hammer that was even lower than the Bisley. Nay, you say?

[whopist]

I remember reading that too.
This says different:
http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii165/whopist/Hammers.jpg

I think Ruger has introduced a 4th style hammer that is taller than stock.



Oscarflytyer, I wish I had a new 44 Special Flattop

[NoZombies]

It's too bad Brownells is out of the hammers again, or I'd be installing one soon myself

[EDK]

It's too bad Brownells is out of the hammers again, or I'd be installing one soon myself

Order the hammers anyhow...theyill be back ordered...you'll be notified and first on the list to get them. I was laid up last fall and bought two used hammers from 2 Dogs and installed them. Ordered some more from BROWNELLS and got back ordered; got an email and the hammers were in a week or two later. IIIRC, they don't charge them on your plastic until they ship; don't screw you on shipping like someone we know and love in Missouri.

:Fire::castmine::redneck:

[ReloaderFred]

I have the Super Blackhawk hammers on 5 of my .357 Blackhawks, and love them. I also have one Blackhawk with the standard hammer, but it doesn't get much use compared to the others. I find the Super Blackhawk hammers just right for my hands, but I've got fairly large hands.

I tried a Blackhawk with a Bisley hammer, but it didn't leave enough clearance between the backstrap and the hammer when cocked and it hit the web of my hand, causing a slip hammer condition, even when I adjusted my grip down. I grip the Blackhawk with my pinky finger under the grip frame, but the Bisley hammer was still coming down too far for my hand.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[NoZombies]

Fred, You got a spare used bisley hammer you wanna get rid of? :)

[tek4260]

They work great on the 50th 44 as well.

Are the new hammers from Brownells for the standard transfer bar, or the new thick transfer bar?

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm35/tk3945/101_0944.jpg
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm35/tk3945/101_0945.jpg

[ButcheN]

I understand that I should be prepared to remove some unneeded metal on the Bilsey hammer. But what about the Super Blackhawk hammer? Is it a drop in?
I like the Bisey hammer but with the hogue rubber grips, my large hands, and a high grip hold that I use. I don't think I would like it for shooting. But I have always loved the hammer on the super blackhawk. And I don't think it would give the same problem as the Bisey hammer.

[whopist]

ReLoaderFred is correct, the Super Blackhawk is a much much easier install and definitely the right choice for large hands.

[whopist]

Tek4260,
Very nice 44 Special. Like your grips.

There is some talk about the new thicker transfer bar. All I can say is the hammers they sent me seem to work fine on my thick and thin transfer bar guns

Brownells says these Bisley hammers are manufactured by Ruger and advertises them to fit the New Vaquero. The NewVaquero has a thick transfer bar, I believe.

I measured the hammer “shelf height” for the transfer bar on my hammers and came up with these numbers:
New Model=.085”, 50th=.095” and Bisley=.080”

The function of both my guns remained the same with or without the hammer exchange.

[tek4260]

That is actually a 44 Magnum. I chopped it and did all my tweaks before I ever fired a shot.

On the thick transfer bar gun, ease the hammer down while holding the trigger and look at firing pin protrusion, see if your thin transfer bar revolver looks to have the same protrusion. If not, you may need to remove some metal from the top of the hammer to get a full strike from your pin.

Also, on the thick transfer bar revolver, with the hammer lowered on the transfer bar and the firing pin extended, see if the hammer drops a fraction to fully come to rest when you release the trigger. If it does, you have transfer bar pinch which will/could lead to a broken transfer bar. In this case you need to file some off the second step until you alleviate the pinch.

Since your Bisley is .80, you probably actually have pinch on both.

Then to further confuse things, on a midframe like the 44 special, Anv 357, New Vaquero, you have to look at how deep the hammer "sits" at rest. If you do a straight swap on a midframe, the hammer might not rest deep enough to fully retract the pawl. Then you get clicks from the pawl on the ratchet plus the reverse indexing pawl, 12 clicks per rotation. To fix this, you have to establish resting depth, then file the second step to alleviate the pinch.

[whopist]

Tek4260,
Your post #15 was most interesting. Read it several times!

Your firing pin protrusion test revealed both my Rugers have the same protrusion.
Pass, right?

Your pawl retraction test revealed only 6 clicks. Just to be clear I tested both Rugers.
Pass, right?

Your transfer bar pinch test revealed the New Model had no pinch and the 50th Annv did have pinch.

Now hear this! The New Model has never had pinch and the 50th Annv has always had pinch. I Bought it new with pinch.
Here is a picture of my removed hammers showing no pinch and pinch wear patterns.
http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii165/whopist/Hammer5.jpg
Pass or Fail??


Does your 50th Annv 44 hammer have the little “hat” over the firing pin? I would not consider buying one of those guns because of the long barrel. YOU CHEAT!
Nice job!

Thanks for info.

[tek4260]

It did. Seems unnecessary but they are there.

The problem with transfer bar pinch is breakage of the transfer bar. Seems rare to me as it is discussed much more in theory than is recorded to happen. But, there has to be a reason Ruger thickened the transfer bar. It was either breakage or to add safety margin by increasing the gap between the hammer and the firing pin.

[tek4260]

Nevermind on the reason for thickening the transfer bar. Your picture tells me why they did it.

[bigboredad]

hey Tek what grips are you using on that .44 that are great looking

[tek4260]

Bearpaw grips. I seem to buy them and love them, then sell the dang gun with them on it and have to get more. They used to be $30 a set, not anymore....... :(

[Heavy lead]

While I like the Herrett's grips for most of my blackhawks, I've got a couple of the bearpaw grips, they are the only grips that look good that I shoot well, the fat design at the top that tapers toward the bottom is a great fit for my hand.

[bigboredad]

Thanks Tek they really do look good do you have their website or do I just need to buy a gun from you that has the grips I like[smilie=s:

[tek4260]

http://stores.ebay.com/bearpawrugergripstore

Really nice guy to deal with. He asked for some grip frames over on Rugerfourm as he was taking on some help to increase his production.

[tek4260]

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm35/tk3945/101_2207.jpg

They even look decent on stainless

[bigboredad]

thanks Tek and yes they do look good on stainless