Ruger 7 1/2" Blackhawk work ups, and a triger Question

[BACKTOSHOOTING]

Got to shoot my gun and get it sighted in today and now i feel pretty confident that i will hit what i aim at, 25 yard target and got it to around 6 " pattern, 255 grn worked best with 9 1/2 and 10 grn of unique but it sorely showed me that i need a reduction in the trigger pull.
Seamed to be a very long pull and too much force for my likeing.
What do i need to do to it and how hard would it be to reduce the triger pull down to 3lbs or so.

Thanks, Steve

[mroliver77]

Changing you trigger spring tension sure helps.
http://www.cylindersmith.com/triggerspring.html
Some just leave one leg of the spring off. I aint recomending that but just saying. Look up poor boys trigger job.
J

[Clay M]

I bought a Wolff trigger spring kit from Brownell and it made a huge difference. Getting the hammer spring compressed is a challenge. I used a lever type nutcracker and it worked perfectly.

[DougGuy]

Cock the gun, stick an allen wrench through the hole in the hammer strut, that's why the hole is there. Then you can take the strut out and hold it in a vise to get the allen out, installing the lightened hammer spring will be easy because it isn't as stout. There is some creep in the trigger usually on the Ruger, but with the lightened springs it becomes smooth and is quite liveable afterwards.

Nutcracker? Hey whatever works!:-D

I use the Wolff shooter's spring pack from Midway USA, easy to swap in and works great.

[Tatume]

Although I have many Blackhawk revolvers, when I find one I REALLY like I install a Power Custom hammer/trigger kit. The kit provides a crisp, light trigger pull that greatly enhances the Blackhawk revolver.

http://www.brownells.com/handgun-parts/trigger-group-parts/hammers/ruger-sa-half-cock-hammer-trigger-kit-prod9845.aspx

[Airman Basic]

Several custom smiths charge less than the price of the power custom kit to do the whole job. Is the kit worth it?

[9.3X62AL]

I am a little unique in regard to triggers and trigger pull. I grew up with and became inured to factory sporter-grade triggers in all of my firearms, and rather than risk poor ignition or screwing up a mechanism that worked (but not smoothly), I adapted my skills to the tools in hand. I am likely the least fussy hobbyist in my circle of shooting friends as it concerns trigger behavior. This reliance upon factory/OEM settings has likely cost me points in target matches, but I doubt whether it has made a difference between harvesting game and not doing so. I know for a fact that it hasn't mattered a darn at times of lethal threat management--the last thing I want running through my mind is whether that tacticool/smooth/light spring kit in my sideiron will or will not decisively set off a primer. Life is short enough already.

[dubber123]

The rugers don't need a lighter mainspring to have a good trigger pull. In fact, with the already slow lock time they have, many like to install a heavier one to speed up the hammer fall. A correctly cut sear, and a tweak/replace of the trigger return spring is all that is needed.

[Clay M]

I am leaving the big X frame S&W trigger just like it came from the factory.I don't want a light trigger on a heavy recoiling handgun. It breaks clean, but is probably six pounds.The Ruger single actions are different.They seem very easy to pull off target.I am not going to use them for self defense under normal circumstances so I like a better trigger.

[BACKTOSHOOTING]

Thanks for all the answers, I'm not looking to change all the springs just the trigger spring to lesson the pull force. It is for target shooting only. I have a Kimber SS Custom 2 in 45ACP that i use for self defence and i dont hunt. My brother is sending me the wolf spring kit and i will work with it to test what springs other than the trigger to get changed. Probably wont change the hammer spring.
Thanks all, Steve
PS: Will post back as to how things work out

[Clay M]

The hammer spring also makes a big difference in the trigger pull.

[Tatume]

Several custom smiths charge less than the price of the power custom kit to do the whole job. Is the kit worth it?

I believe so. The contact surfaces are surface hardened in the Ruger parts. When they are stoned some of the hardened material is removed, and it is only a few molecules thick to begin with. The Power Custom parts are correctly hardened, and I believe they will stand up better to long-term shooting. However, I've modified a couple of Ruger parts too, and have never worn out any of them, so the point may well be academic.

Another thing to consider is this: the Power Custom parts can be had as soon as Brownells ships them to you. A custom smith may take up to three years to get to your gun. If you're not willing to wait you can do it yourself in an hour (less, really).

Here's another point: I just checked Jim Stroh's website ( http://www.alphaprecisioninc.com/ ), and he charges $138 for a trigger job, plus $75 to ship the gun back to you, and you have to pay to ship the gun to him ($288 total). In his favor, I note that he re-hardens the hammer and trigger contact surfaces after stoning them. I sent a gun to Jim Stroh last Saturday for a Taylor throating job. I've been on the waiting list since January, so he is much faster than most custom gunsmiths.

In conclusion, I believe the Power Custom hammer/trigger kit is cost effective, and I know it provides a very nice trigger.

Take care, Tom

[Clay M]

The only spring kit I have ever installed and had primers strikes fail to fire was on the Redhawk. It only has one spring to drive the hammer and trigger.

[practical_man]

As suggested early on, do this http://www.cylindersmith.com/triggerspring.html

Then smooth the engagement surfaces on the hammer and trigger to remove burrs and tool marks.

You can do some good by chamfering the leading edge of the hammer notch to reduce engagement. This helps a lot by reducing the length of trigger pull.

You could buy new springs, but I have gotten good results with the described method.

[Gibbs44]

I put the wolf 40 oz. trigger spring in mine. It seemed to make a difference. I'm sure one day I'll let a smith slick it up properly.

[BACKTOSHOOTING]

So i ended up changeing both springs and i am very pleased with the results. Triger is much easyer to pull and had no jerking type motion to fire the gun and also the triger break was much better. I had no primer ignition problems and my grouping seemed better.
Shot at an indoor range today so max distance is 50 ft.

I would recomend putting in a spring kit from my exsperiance.

[44man]

The rugers don't need a lighter mainspring to have a good trigger pull. In fact, with the already slow lock time they have, many like to install a heavier one to speed up the hammer fall. A correctly cut sear, and a tweak/replace of the trigger return spring is all that is needed.
This is where I stand, my Ruger's and BFR's all get an over power Wolfe 26# hammer spring for accuracy because the primer needs a certain impact. Just going off is not enough.
I do metal work on the hammer to remove creep and re-bend the factory spring. My SBH has a 1-1/2# trigger. ( not recommended, needs a longer transfer bar.)
Ruger parts are the same hardness all the way through, they are NOT "case hardened."
Dubber, it is not hammer speed, it is what the primer needs.

[scattershot]

before you start swapping springs and stuff, just unhook one leg of the trigger return spring and dry fire a couple of times. You'll be surprised at the reduction, and may find that's all you need to do.

[44man]

74582Now something I have never figured out is if you dry fire with a strong hammer spring, the gun will jar more, yet I can go from 3" at 50 yards with a weak spring to 3/4" with a new one.
The extra jar does not change sight settings either.
Some things are not explained too easy so I assume the primer cushions the jar.
Light springs are OK depending on the sport you shoot, close range steel, CA or double action fast shooting but the OP wants accuracy. I don't know if he seen what my SBH will do. If I counted primers right, this revolver has 70,000 or a few more, heavy loads through it with no wear at all that can be measured. Most of have seen this, shot off hand at 100 yards. I don't shoot paper or steel much and prefer water bottles at 100. Last week I shot a golf ball first shot at 50 yards. 74584

[BACKTOSHOOTING]

74582Now something I have never figured out is if you dry fire with a strong hammer spring, the gun will jar more, yet I can go from 3" at 50 yards with a weak spring to 3/4" with a new one.
The extra jar does not change sight settings either.
Some things are not explained too easy so I assume the primer cushions the jar.
Light springs are OK depending on the sport you shoot, close range steel, CA or double action fast shooting but the OP wants accuracy. I don't know if he seen what my SBH will do. If I counted primers right, this revolver has 70,000 or a few more, heavy loads through it with no wear at all that can be measured. Most of have seen this, shot off hand at 100 yards. I don't shoot paper or steel much and prefer water bottles at 100. Last week I shot a golf ball first shot at 50 yards. 74584

44Man, I am in awe of your shooting and have a very simple question, HOW DO YOU SHOOT LIKE THAT

Are there any tips that you could devulge to bring me even close to your shooting for even 30-40 yards, Like how you hold your lips or turning a foot in a certain direction, That shooting is very impressive

[44man]

It comes down to enough and very even case tension from your brass with a hard enough boolit to resist being sized when you seat. I found Hornady dies give me the best for factory dies.
You just need a moderate roll crimp and I seat and crimp at the same time.
Keith boolits are not as accurate for me but a WLN, WFN or RNFP all work. My loads are normal and the same as everyone uses, just getting the brass right and working loads for the charge a boolit needs. Do that work from a good, solid rest at 50 yards, no gun movement allowed, closer will show nothing. Once the load is accurate, everyone shoots mine the same and they work in all .44's.
You will never shoot good if the load won't. You must lose all fear of recoil and control the trigger. Off hand you will shake--hey, I am 75-1/2 so don't ask me to hold still! :kidding: Two things to fight and I still do, flinch and making the gun fire as it passes the center of the target. Just ignore the movement and add pressure to the trigger until it goes off. I can't shoot a scope off hand because I see too much but open sights hide it. I use an Ultra Dot now with my eyes.
I love the hog leg grip but put Pachmeyer Signature grips on to save my knuckle. Hold the grip low and very tight, just short of muscle quiver. NO GUN "ROLL" ALLOWED. Get your finger in a pretty straight line to the trigger. You will hear complaints of rubber grips rubbing skin off, they just don't hold right, the gun should never move in your hand. Let it raise your arms. I hold the .44 the same as I hold my .475 and .500 and I hold a .22 the same.
I love sandbags, do a lot of bench shooting, it will help you.

[BACKTOSHOOTING]

Thanks very much for this information 44Man it should really help,
Steve

[Airman Basic]

So, even after reading all the contrary advice, I sent my Talo SBH 44 to Clark Custom in Shreveport for an action job and etc. Color front sight insert, white outline rear, forcing cone and cylinder throat work. Price is reasonable and turnaround about four weeks. The elder Clark did some 1911 work for me eons ago and I thought I'd give junior's shop a shot at my business. Should have it back in July. I'll try to post here after testing.

[35 Whelen]

HOW DO YOU SHOOT LIKE THAT

Accurate ammunition is important, but shooting LOTS of ammunition is of the utmost importance.

After I bought my new Flat Top .44 Special a few months ago, I set about working up loads for it. Without too much trouble I found cast bullet loads that would group 2.5" - 3" @ 50 yds. and 6" - 7" @ 100 with the factory sights. Once load development once done, I completely stopped shooting from the bench, save for shooting at the 200 yd. gong, and focused solely on offhand. I typically shoot 4 or 5 evenings per week, minimum 20 - 25 rounds per session. It's beginning to pay off. Hanging by chains from my 25 yd. stand are two 3" metal diamonds that have become easy to hit. At the 50 is a 6" x 8" steel plate that to is a piece of cake to ring over and over.

Practice, practice, practice. Even if you don't have daily access to a range, dry-firing will build the necessary hand/eye coordination and muscle memory. I strongly encourage you to do all of your practicing offhand as this is a fantastic way to develop trigger and breathing control as well as sight picture.

When I was shooting High Power regularly, evening sessions of dry-firing offhand help in ALL my shooting positions on match day.
35W

[BACKTOSHOOTING]

Practice, practice, practice. Even if you don't have daily access to a range, dry-firing will build the necessary hand/eye coordination and muscle memory. I strongly encourage you to do all of your practicing offhand as this is a fantastic way to develop trigger and breathing control as well as sight picture. Will it hurt the gun to dry fire it a lot without snap caps ?

[35 Whelen]

I've always dry-fired my centerfire rifles and handguns without snap caps and it's never hurt a thing.

My 78 year old dad recently got in to single action handguns and was having a hard time hitting with them. I advised him to do the same thing. So in the evenings he'd sit in his recliner at the house dry firing his Colt SA clones. It made a remarkable difference in his ability to hit with handguns!

35W

[44man]

You can dry fire a Ruger without harm.

[wmitty]

44man

Sir, your ability to shoot a large bore revolver is astonishing... thanks for posting your comments on neck tension.

[44man]

44man

Sir, your ability to shoot a large bore revolver is astonishing... thanks for posting your comments on neck tension.
Just the dies you have can make or break your shooting. Not all are equal. I tossed my RCBS dies to make other stuff like powder compression dies. I will not chance Lee or Lyman. Redding makes good stuff. Stay away from factory crimp dies and Lyman "M" expanders. Don't use any profile crimp die if the boolit will not slide through it.
Your loading bench is more important then you think.
Right now I will use nothing but Hornady dies.
Good things have been posted, like a lot of practice. I will stick to my guns so to speak. If the load is not accurate no amount of practice will help you. If you have a 3" load at 25, nothing you can do will make it a 1" shooter. You can't steer the boolits. You must make the gun shoot better then any human can shoot it first. If you miss, say it was 1" right or left, call the shot from where the sights were. Your worst will be if the boolit went somewhere else, nowhere near where the sights were.
You can dry fire for a year but if the load does not shoot every shot to the sights, you are done.
Think about the .22. Hundreds of makes of ammo you buy but only 1 or 2 will group from your gun. Many .22's today really suck, not the guns, just the ammo.