Who else has a Ruger SA center pin MIGRATING?

[Adam Helmer]

I have a Ruger Superblackhawk .44 Magnum that will not HOLD the center pin in its proper place when the gun is fired, thus tying up the handgun. I have sent the handgun back to Ruger TWICE, they replaced the centerpin and lock (twice) and it STILL migrates toward the muzzle when fired with magnum loads!

With heavy .44 Special loads, the center pin will "WALK" forward by the 6th round!

Some folks say there is an after-market center pin that will stay put in a Ruger Superblackhawk. I would like to try one of them, so who sells them?

Adam

[Dan Morris]

Adam, I've got a super redhawk in 44M.......heavy loads and have had no problems with it........have several thousand rds through it.
Dan

[skeet]

Have absolutely no problems with it. Don't shoot it too much cause it is momma's gun:D

[Jack]

Adam, I can't recall the specifics, but I believe it was Bulletpusher who had the same problem and found an aftermarket cylinder pin that cured it.
I know he posted about it here, so a search might turn it up.

[GoodOlBoy]

Made by belt mountain.

http://www.midwayusa.com/ebrowse.exe/browse?TabID=9&Categoryid=19537&categorystring=10636***10560***9142***19532***

Be warned there was ONE slight issue. Dad kept breaking transfer safety bars and realized that being an oversized pin ( I would recommend the knurled locking or the Keith Style locking) it was also just a HAIR long. He worked it down quickly with a ceramic stone and poof, no issues since. This may have been simply because it fits such a range of rugers, or it may have been because it is oversized just as advertised.

I cannot recommend the belt mountain pins enough for this issue, they are one of the best things since homemade bread. . . .

:D

GoodOlBoy

[Adam Helmer]

Thanks the responses,

I have a Ruger Blackhawk .41 Magnum and the center pin has NEVER migrated on that gun after 500 heavy loads.

The older Super Blackhawk .44 Magnum was bought new in 1970 and has been migrating since then; thus the two trips back to Ruger that were not sucessful.

I will try a Belt Mountain pin.

Adam

[GoodOlBoy]

Adam if the locking belt mountain pin doesn't do it I will be shocked.

GoodOlBoy

[Adam Helmer]

Good Old Boy,

Many thanks for the link to a replacement Ruger Base Pin . I notice both the #5 Keith Style and the Knurled Locking Base Pins are listed as "Out of Stock" at this time.

Maybe many other Ruger owners have Migrating Base Pins that Ruger failed to correct twice for me despite very clear letters describing the problem.

If anyone experiences the problem with their Ruger, the reliability factor goes to ZERO quick, fast and right away. The first time it happened to me was, fortunately, on the range.

I have backordered a better pin.

Adam

[GoodOlBoy]

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=1874&title=SINGLE+ACTION+REVOLVER+REPLACEMENT+BASE+PINS

Sorry didn't see the back order. If you are impatient you can cancel and go here. I prefere midway to brownells myself, but sometimes ya gotta have a part ya know.

GoodOlBoy

[Adam Helmer]

Good Old Boy,

The thick plottens, eh, wot?

I phoned up Ruger Customer Service and had a chat about my Base Pin Problem and alluded to how Midway was "Out of Stock" on Ruger Super Blackhawk after-market Base Pins.

I was told I would be receiving another (3rd) Ruger Base Pin and lock assembly free of charge. I alluded to this site and advised I would test the replacement Ruger pin and report the results here.

I will test the Ruger replacement parts and then report back here. It seems obvious to me that Ruger has a BIG Base Pin Problem that has yet to be fixed BY RUGER or else them Base Pins are Also Watch Fobs. LOL.

Adam

[PJgunner]

Simple fix. I had my gunsmith drill and tap the pin and add a slight dimple in the barrel for the Allen screw holding the pin in place to seat into. Just tighten the screw and the pin stays in place. Back it off and you can remove the pin for cleaning the gun. I think it took only about 15 minutes to do the job.
Paul B.

[Adam Helmer]

PJgunner,

Many thanks for your fix. I often thought a touch of electric arc weld would do the same. LOL. The problem is a RUGER problem that is apparently so-so, some guns are OK and others are tied up.

I just want to carry my big old .44 Mag afield with confidence.

Adam

[bulletpusher]

Adam,

I did have that problem with old factory cylinder pin on my Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colt (1976 Vintage). The problem was not that the Ruger pin is bad. The problem is wear! Ruger, Colt and any other single action six-gun can have the same problem.

The older Colt's negated this problem with the sleeves on the pins.

Belt Mountain and Bowen both have oversized pins for most if not all of the single actions. Both pins have locking screws and come in several style of heads.

These will cure the cylinder jump problem that you are talking about.

The problem that GoodOlBoy is talking about with the transfer bars breaking was due to the placement of the cylinder pin while locked down.

The oversize pin refers to the diameter of the pin not the length. The slightly larger diameter helps with wobble and end shake of the cylinder. This makes the revolver more reliable and accurate.

When I fitted the Belt Mountain pin to my Blackhawk (i.e. slid it into place) the spring loaded plunger in the end of the pin to keep the transfer bar pushed back away from the firing pin kept the pin from seating down against the frame. If you look at the same installation with the factory pin it does the same thing. In other words, its designed that way.

My problem was that due to esthetics (just my need for what I though looked right) I seated the pin flush against the frame and then tightened the locking screw down to hold the pin in place. The pressure that the spring loaded plunger put on the transfer bar with all of the pressure against it created a stress problem and broke the transfer bar after a few/many times of dry-firing. It never happen'd while firing live rounds!

The cure from that point on was to let the new pin seat itself and not push it flush against the frame before tighting down the locking screw. After doing it this way, all was right with the world.

NO STONING OR FILING WAS NEEDED OR SHOULD BE DONE ON THE CYLINDER PIN!

What GoodOlBoy was thinking about was on another revolver not on the Blackhawk.

If you or anyone else have any questions just let me know.

Bulletpusher

[Adam Helmer]

bulletpusher,

Many thanks for the advice.

Adam

[GoodOlBoy]

Yeah yeah so my memory of the fix is as bad as my memory of most things. After all I am not the one who fixed it so I don't remember all the steps.

ANYWAY ask me about 1911 customization and I can help you out more outwise :p

GoodOlBoy

[Adam Helmer]

Last Friday I received a new Base Pin and Lock gizmo for my .44 Magnum Super Blackhawk from Ruger at no cost. I installed the parts and went to the backyard bench with the pistol and half a box of heavy 245 grain SWC handloads. I fired 24 rounds and the Base Pin STAYED put. I had one round left and fired it off and the Base Pin moved forward a half inch!!!!

Well, 24 rounds of .44 Magnum ammo fired and the pin in place is a decided improvement from what had been in the past. While cleaning the .44M, I noticed the Base Pin locking screw gizmo was loose 3 turns! I put some Locktite on the screw threads and feel comfident the Base Pin will stay put at LOOOOONG Last!

Thanks for all input on this thread. Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Adam