Single Action Ruger Gunsmith Recommendations

[AnthonyB]

I'm looking for someone to do some work on a 50th Anniversary Flattop in 44 Magnum. Bowen has a package deal he lists as "Standard Issue" that runs $295 and includes more than I probably need done. Anyone here used him before, or have a local Ruger genius who works for WWs or donuts to recommend? Tony

[45r]

all you probably need is a trigger job and that can be done well usually at places like gander mountain, cabellas or some factory approved gunsmith shop.my 41 bisley hunter is very accurate and doesn't lead at all after being firelapped.wish they would make a flattop with the bisley grip.the flattops sure look alot better.I had my trigger taken down to 2 and a half pounds and a overtravel screw put in also.

[GP100man]

AnthonyB
go to the ruger forum . com & see what happens .
bunch of good people over there too!!!!
ive only worked on DA revolvers.
the only thing ive done to SA is change trigger spring to liten pull .
you can try unhooking one side of trigger spring & see what happens.
youll know if a trigger spring alone will do what you want.
i dont change the hammer spring .it just slows down the hammer& gives more time for errors in aiming.
this is just a few things ive picked up & have exp with.

GP100man

:cbpour:

[Bass Ackward]

I'm looking for someone to do some work on a 50th Anniversary Flattop in 44 Magnum. Bowen has a package deal he lists as "Standard Issue" that runs $295 and includes more than I probably need done. Anyone here used him before, or have a local Ruger genius who works for WWs or donuts to recommend? Tony


Col,

You have a 50th Anniversary and you want to modify anything? What kind of work are you wanting done? Hard to recommend someone without knowing.

[45 2.1]

Trigger work is very easy to do for these. If you want to do anything else, get someone highly recommended.

[44man]

I don't see the gun needing anything but a trigger job. This is a tough call because some put a reduced power mainspring in the gun. You DON'T want that because accuracy will be poor. Ruger triggers are bad from the factory, a lawyer thing. With those with transfer bars, I put the hammer on the grinder, then stone and polish. For the three screw models, Colts, etc, I soft solder a piece of brass shim stock to the hammer behind the sear surface to move the trigger out to remove creep.
2-1/2 to 3# will be the limit on a transfer bar Ruger. I get mine below 2# but I have to make a longer transfer bar. Hacksaw and files make it a tough job. Then they need hardened and tempered.
Anyone with a little mechanical ability can improve the Ruger trigger, it's not rocket science. The only thing to avoid is if your finger is pushed foreward at sear break with the factory transfer bar. It can cause hang fires and misfires. You then have to increase trigger spring pressure. I have never needed any spring kits to make wonderful triggers on a Ruger or BFR.
The Freedom has a little heavy pull but breaks so clean it doesn't matter. It is a wonderful feeling trigger and needs nothing. Why some makers can make decent triggers while others continue with the long, hard drag is beyond me. I was baffled with my Super Redhawk though. It had the best trigger of any gun I ever had, even the S&W's. It must have fallen through the cracks.

[slughammer]

Not for doughnuts, perhaps one of these members is close to you.

http://www.americanpistol.com/index.php

In PA, I can highly recommend Mark Hartshorne.

[dubber123]

44man, I finally get to disagree with you on something! Yes the F/A trigger is very crisp, but 4 pounds sitnks on anything more important than a derringer. (yes I'm talking about my F/A). I have much cheaer guns that I can shoot better, because they have a 2 pound pull versus a 4 pounder. This will be corrected shortly, with any luck!

[45 2.1]

2-1/2 to 3# will be the limit on a transfer bar Ruger. I get mine below 2# but I have to make a longer transfer bar.

Not so, they will go from just being able to feel them to 2 lbs easily, once you realize that no mainspring work needs to be done. Polish the contact surfaces and modify the trigger return spring, from which ALL the trigger pull weight comes from.

[ktw]

I'm looking for someone to do some work on a 50th Anniversary Flattop in 44 Magnum.

Lloyd Smale is the guy to ask. I don't know of anyone who has had single actions work on by as many different custom shops as he has.

-ktw

[Crash_Corrigan]

http://www.cylindersmith.com/triggerspring.html

Adjusting Ruger New Model Trigger Springs.
By J.Michael Cominskie AKA "Uncowboy".



There are 2 things that must be done to make a Ruger Black Hawk action more shootable. Most people go after the mainspring thinking this will lighten the pull but it slows the hammer fall and makes the gun harder to hit with. I recomend the hammer spring be left factory. The sear engagement (Where the hammer touches the trigger should be reduced by 50% in most cases. This should come off of the hammer. Never change the angle where the trigger engages the hammer. Once you reduce the engagement of the hammer this will reduce take up and give the trigger a cleanner break. (*This is best left to a person competent at this task)

The next thing that should be done is that the trigger return spring should be reduced in strength. THIS IS WHAT LOWERS THE FELT PULL WEIGHT.
The Ruger Black Hawk is unique in that you do not have to disassemble the entire gun to get to the trigger return spring. First remove your Stocks or grip pannles , Second unhook the trigger return springs legs from the gripframe pin, Next tap out the trigger return retaining pin. NOTE: This requires very little effort. Next slide out the trigger return spring and start your alterations.

#1The way I do this is a two step bend. First the trigger return spring has two ends, One is looped and rides on the flat of the trigger pushing down to reset the trigger when pulled reward, The other end is what hooks onto the gripframe pin and loads the spring. We will work on both of these ends. First thing to do is to put a bend on the looped part of the spring. The reason for this is to lessen the contact the spring has on the trigger,When done right the springs looped end will be the ONLY part touching the trigger. We want to do this in a way that will put air between the spring and the REAR END of the trigger. This end of the trigger must lift the entire spring when the trigger is pulled reward, This multiplies the pull weight of the spring. By eliminating the rear trigger contact of the spring the springs contact mearly resets the trigger. Your creap will be reduced when the contact between the rear fo the trigger and the spring is eliminated.

#2The next part is to adjust the PULL WEIGHT of your action. This is done by bending the hooked ends of the trigger return spring in equal amounts . By bending the spring hooks upward you will loosen the spring tension. Note: A little goes a long way! You can pop it in the gun and weigh your action. If you desire it lighter bend the springs some more, If you went to far Remove some of the bend. Test the gun before shooting by dry fireing it and cocking it fast. If the hammer slips you went too far and you must add more spring tension. Ruger will sell you trigger springs so buy a few and pratice your bends you will get it in no time.

"After" bend exaggerated for photographic purposes.

If you go to the website using the shortcut I left you there are good photos.
Good luck,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[44man]

45 2.1, After shooting silhouette many years, I have seen many missfires from too light a pull on Rugers. If your gun is checked and the trigger moves foreward at break, it will not be allowed in competition. There are a few that will fire reliably, but there are just as many that can fail. Ruger just makes the transfer bar too short and it only covers half the firing pin at full cock. I have seen less! When the trigger moves foreward at break, the bar can drop to the very lower edge of the pin and skip off of it or drop below the pin. Either way is considered dangerous.
You can get away with less if you PULL the trigger all the way back, not the way good shooters pull triggers.
My trigger DOES move foreward and would not be accepted at a national shoot. But my longer transfer bar does not drop off the firing pin. I had to shoot a stronger pull for silhouette because of the rules but now that I just hunt with the gun, I am free.
I will NEVER promote too light of a trigger on the Ruger or BFR if the transfer bar is not fixed, A guy I knew was shot in the knee from a hangfire.
Please do not promote a lighter pull then is safe.

[45 2.1]

45 2.1, After shooting silhouette many years, I have seen many missfires from too light a pull on Rugers. If your gun is checked and the trigger moves foreward at break, it will not be allowed in competition. There are a few that will fire reliably, but there are just as many that can fail. Ruger just makes the transfer bar too short and it only covers half the firing pin at full cock. I have seen less! When the trigger moves foreward at break, the bar can drop to the very lower edge of the pin and skip off of it or drop below the pin. Either way is considered dangerous.
You can get away with less if you PULL the trigger all the way back, not the way good shooters pull triggers.
My trigger DOES move foreward and would not be accepted at a national shoot. But my longer transfer bar does not drop off the firing pin. I had to shoot a stronger pull for silhouette because of the rules but now that I just hunt with the gun, I am free.
I will NEVER promote too light of a trigger on the Ruger or BFR if the transfer bar is not fixed, A guy I knew was shot in the knee from a hangfire.
Please do not promote a lighter pull then is safe.

Since you have not felt or seen my Ruger, you can say whatever you want, but I remember a guy saying his Browning wouldn't shoot either. Somebody else might know something you haven't found out. My sear notch is full depth with a full tension mainspring without any funny trigger business you describe. Properly taking the pullweight down involves knowing just what is heavy and how much to lighten it keeping everything in balance.

[targetshootr]

Who you use for work might depend on your location. It's possible there's a well known gunsmith within driving distance.

[RugerFan]

I hear Alpha Precision does fine work:

http://www.alphaprecisioninc.com/

[AnthonyB]

Fellas, thanks for all the replies. You have helped me find two Guild members in my local area I didn’t know about. They aren’t noted for Ruger work, but should be able to help me.

A trigger job is the main requirement. The revolver has 200 jacketed bullets through it now, all fired with one leg of the trigger return spring dangling (poor man's Ruger trigger job) and will be ready for real boolits when I get back to it. The pull weight is okay, but there is way too much creep.

One of the reasons I'm asking for recommendations is that Bowen's package includes his rear sight, and I'm not sure I want to change from the standard Micro. I know I'd prefer a shorter barrel but will keep the original intact to preserve any future collector value.

I can bend the trigger return spring as described but would have to find someone to reduce the sear engagement. I'll see how much creep I can get rid of with that method and go from there.

Tony

[44man]

45 2.1, HA, you answered it! You have a full depth sear that makes you pull the trigger farther which raises the bar more then it will with the sear reduced and creep removed. If you remove metal from the hammer, then the trigger will not raise the bar any more then it is at full cock.
I am not talking about a lot of difference, my home made bar is only around 3/64" longer then the factory one, if that. At full cock you can still see the upper portion of the firing pin. My factory bar covered the pin a little less then half way and would fire every shot with a 2# trigger if I just pulled it slow. When pulled VERY lightly in practice, my finger would kick foreward and the bar dropped off the pin once. Thats when I started making new transfer bars. I had to re-bend the trigger spring for silhouette because they sometimes check guns. If you manage the trigger spring so your finger never moves foreward, there is no problem. An ounce makes a huge difference.
Try it with your gun, lay it on a rest (empty, of course.) and pull the trigger as lightly as you can and let us know if your finger does move foreward at the break. If it doesn't, then you will never have a problem even if you remove the creep from the hammer.
It's all a matter of perception, how you shoot and how you pull a trigger. If you just shoot off hand, most will never have the trigger move foreward anyway because most shooters can't manage the pull that good from that position.
Also, the smallest flinch will make the bar rise so the gun will fire all the time even if the spring is real weak.
Cowboy action shooters pull triggers because of the speed factor, again, no problem.
But if you pull the trigger like I do, you best make it right. I apply such little pressure that I have to wonder if the gun will ever go off. I get the same feeling with my set triggers set to ounces.
If someone brought me their Ruger and wanted a 2# trigger, I would not do it without making a new bar. The lawyer thing would apply. I would not release the gun unless I knew for sure it would fire reliably every time.

[MGySgt]

One of the reasons I'm asking for recommendations is that Bowen's package includes his rear sight, and I'm not sure I want to change from the standard Micro. I know I'd prefer a shorter barrel but will keep the original intact to preserve any future collector value.

Tony

Tony - it is not only the rear site replaced but they also put a Belt Mountain Cylinder pin in.

At least that is what their 'Standard' was when I had mine done.

I like thier rear site better then the standard Ruger, but that is not a good enough reason.

Drew

[Lloyd Smale]

I cant recomend a gunsmith for a trigger job. My buddy does mine for free and to be honest every custom gun ive gotten from any custom gun maker was still lacking in the trigger dept and had to be redone. If you have no other alternative i would consider dave clements his are as good as anyones and hes cheaper.

[2 dogs]

Alan Harton has done over a dozen Rugers for me and the triggers are uniformly excellent. He is located in Houston, Texas and his e mail address is aharton@hotmail.com for a quote. I would also have my cylinder throats checked and suggest a Belt Mtn. Base pin be fitted. Dave Clements also does fine work but he is considerably backed up.

[axman]

Hello Anthony I just got a 45 colt back from bowen 1 month ago and I can certainly rec. the basic package he really understands the trigger and what to do and not due. I dont know the time it will take because I had more work the just the trigger.