Stretching a Pawl

[Jeff H]

Has anyone ever stretched a Ruger Single-Action pawl?

I've stretched parts before, and specifically the pawl on a couple replica C&B revolvers and other lock and trigger parts on MLs, but not an investment cast part. This is in a NM made in '09.

Some parts worked well cold and others had to be annealed and re-heat-treated, but I don't know which way is acceptable on an investment cast part.

Mr. Kuhnhausen only mentions that the part should be spot annealed if it is over a certain hardness (40Rc, I think) and I don't have a way to test the part.

I am not interested in returning it to Ruger and would be gambling by ordering a new pawl in hopes it would be a tad longer. The pawl has not been "messed with" and the hammer/trigger received very light polishing work, which left the carry-up exactly where it is now. Everything else works well and stretching should take care of whatever combination of extreme tolerances have caused it. I have not done the math to see how much I would have to stretch it, but if someone knows it can be done and not end up with a brittle or weak part, I'll work it out. The pawl window/pawl clearance is about .060" and closing that gap may or may not help, so rather than soldering something onto the side of the pawl and hoping it stays put, simply making it longer seems the better choice.

[Outpost75]

The Ruger pawl will be hard all the way through. If an older 4140 CM part you can anneal, peen and ee-heat treat. The SS ones are 300 series and there is less that you can do with them, but you could try peening a bit in the existing state and maybe stretch it a little.

[Jeff H]

The Ruger pawl will be hard all the way through. If an older 4140 CM part you can anneal, peen and ee-heat treat. The SS ones are 300 series and there is less that you can do with them, but you could try peening a bit in the existing state and maybe stretch it a little.

That's kind of what I thought and what I was thinking of doing. It's the newer stainless. I thought if I could peen/measure and see if I were making any progress, I could see how far I could get. Without a hardness tester, all I can say is that Ruger parts seem to be d#&m hard. Not complaining, mind you. If I am remembering correctly, the only Ruger part I have ever actually broken was a OM trigger (un-conversion parts) and am still quite amazed and puzzled that it even happened but who knows what the previous owner of the old parts had put them through.

[concho]

Use a 00 tip on torch and neutral flame heat only the center to grey , and then let cool and peen , make sure tou use a caliper and know exactly how much you are streatching the part

[concho]

I for got to tell you the color ! heat till grey in 1 spot don't over heat .

[Ballistics in Scotland]

I wouldn't try to stretch it. I would cut a notch a little smaller than 1/16in. square in the tip, then silver solder in a piece of 116in. square high speed steel toolbit, then smooth it off with a diamond hone.

[uscra112]

Time was that hard chroming was used to add a few thousandths to machine tool parts where I worked.

[andremajic]

Time was that hard chroming was used to add a few thousandths to machine tool parts where I worked.

That's probably the best suggestion that I've seen so far, if you're able to get it done somewhere.

Think about the extra lubricity of the chrome as a bearing surface. Nice.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

You could check with Ruger whether, as has sometimes been the case with revolver manufacturers, spare pawls are supplied over-length, to be stoned down until perfect functioning occurs.