Author Topic: Blkhwk Hammer Swap on New Vaq?? (Read 892 times)

Phalanx429 · « **on:** April 08, 2009, 12:56:59 PM »

Shootists...
I've recently purchased a pair of New Vaq .45 Long Colts SS 4 5/8s and I just can't seem to get past the NEW upswept hammer design...I just like the "normal" Blkhwk hammer better...guess I've just been shooting Blkhwks TOO LONG. Anyway, I've attempted to change hammers on one of the New Vaqs without much success. It fits just fine...it cycles just fine...but when you try to open the loading gate and load her up...NOTHING DOING!!! IF I ease the hammer back slightly, giggle the cylinder around abit...then the cylinder will turn enough to load...not TOO BAD if you are just plinking at the range...but for anything else it will just get you killed! ha ha ha

Anyway...does anyone know the "secret handshake" to make the hammer swap work??

v/r
Phalanx

P.S. I only worked on one gun at at time...the other one works just fine! ha ha ha ha.

Phalanx429 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 08, 2009, 02:26:14 PM »

DARN...

Moderator...PLEASE MOVE this thread to the appropriate Ruger Handguns Section! My BAD!!!

Sorry.

v/r
Phalanx

44 Man · « **Reply #2 on:** April 08, 2009, 04:06:18 PM »

The hammer swap works fine, I have done it. What you have is the spring that fits up into the loading gate is out of position. It's can happen easily. You think you have the darn thing back in just right (after fighting with it for 10 minutes), put it all back together, and it doesn't work. You need to take it back apart and reposition the leaf spring, it has backed up (away from the rear of the frame) a little on you. No biggie, just a pain to do again. Practice makes perfect. 44 Man

Phalanx429 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 08, 2009, 04:40:55 PM »

44Man...
Thank you for your repy! Just to be sure I understand what you're talking about, we are taking about the "leaf spring" that -one end goes around the notch on the trigger pin and the other one applies pressure to the loading gate that keeps it open and closed. THAT SPRING. I did notice that the pointy angled end of the spring DID ride up out of position on the loading gate...but I THOUGHT that I repositioned it correctly. Guess not! So, I'll take it completely apart and put it back together again!
I'l let you know how it goes!! And THANK YOU for the "vote of confidence" that my hammer swap will work out OK!

v/r
Phalanx

44 Man · « **Reply #4 on:** April 10, 2009, 09:52:05 AM »

Yup, that's the spring and that's your problem. It's a pain to re-do that spring but that's what you need to do. Then you can enjoy that gun again! 44 Man

Phalanx429 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 10, 2009, 02:57:59 PM »

44Man...NO such luck...still NO-GO. I've aged 10 years since yesterday taking this --------- thing apart and putting it back together again...and it still doesn't work right! Now it is just downright embarrassing. In my younger days I used to take SBHs and BHs apart and race my buddies putting them back together again...PERFECTLY. My oh my what a little age does to you! ha ha ha
Anyway...what EXACTLY does that "new" little plunger located below the cylinder pin hole do? The manual says "it is factory pre-loaded and NOT to touch it!" What's up with that??? I've tried putting it all back together WITHOUT the "pawl spring and plunger" and it works just fine...well...shooting up and down would be kinda interesting!!! I'm thinking something must be causing the pawl to move too far forward and NOT letting the cylinder rotate...any ideas??
Thank you for your patience with MY project...if all else fails, "What EXACTLY is your mailing address if I decide to send you box of machined PIECES?" ha ha ha (Just kidding of course)
v/r
Phalanx

44 Man · « **Reply #6 on:** April 11, 2009, 07:11:18 AM »

Ok, when you take the grip frame off, you will see a little hole just above the left, rear screw hole in the frame. Usually a spring is sticking out and you have to wiggle around it when you put it all back together. That spring has a plunger behind it and that presses the paul forward to rotate the cylinder. I have never seen one fall out when disassembled, but it's certainly possible. Look around the bench for it, your gun will not work without it. (as you well know) The other plunger in the face of the frame near the loading gate and the cylinder pin hole, is just a plunger that stops the cylinder when turned so it aligns with the loading gate. An ingenious solution to Ruger not having a half cock to align it. Anyway, you need to find your plunger and spring that fits into the back of the frame. Good luck with it. 44 Man

Phalanx429 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 14, 2009, 05:59:37 AM »

44 Man...

Thank you for all you tips and encouragement...I really do appreciate the help...BUT this POS just WILL NOT go back together correctly. Seems that there was some debris in the hole where the pawl plunger and spring goes that was causing the pawl to stick WAY out into the cylinder binding everything up. After cleaning and a LITTLE lube it is all clear...BUT the pawl STILL sticks out into the cylinder slightly...maybe an eighth of an inch or so...just enought to prevent the cylinder from functioning properly. I've even tried to put the original upswept hammer back in and "just live with it" but that didn't help either...seems that THIS New Vaq is possessed by Satan. So it will go back into the deepest reaches of my gun safe and NEVER see the light of day until after I die. I'm even thinking of "willing" this piece to my worst enemy...just so that I can continue to frustrate him after I'm gone! THAT'S how pi------ed I am!!!!!

Thank you again for all your help...I do appreciate it!

v/r
Phalanx
One Less Ruger

44 Man · « **Reply #8 on:** April 14, 2009, 10:45:31 AM »

I can understand your feelings and frustration. Even having to deal with the spring ONCE is frustrating enough, let alone more than that. I know you are tired of the thing but you have good money wrapped up in that gun. Therefore I would put the stock hammer back into it and send it back to Ruger for repair. My local gunsmith only charges $15 to send one back, I don't know what yours may charge, it does have to be sent back by someone with an FFL since it is a handgun. But let Ruger correct the problem and they will return it to you free. Then you can enjoy it or sell it, which ever suits your fancy. 44 Man

Phalanx429 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 14, 2009, 12:16:27 PM »

44 Man...

Thank you for "hug!" In my heart I know you are right when you said "put the stock hammer back in it and send it back to Ruger for repair"...but then my brain chimes in and says, "it's only a mechanical piece of steel and YOU have done this a zillion times before!" I think I need to put it back in the safe "for awhile" and then, when a cooler head prevails, send it back to the mother ship for "fixin!" I may even call them first and ask if they could install a Blackhawk hammer instead. I know they don't do "custom gunsmithing" but you never know. After all, who would have thought that I'd have the number of hours in this thing already! ha ha ha

In this case, I'm sure that "age and maturity" will win out over "a 16 oz hammer and a can of beer!"

And the bad part of all this - I REALLY LIKE the New Vaqueros! Well, THANKS for listening!! I owe you! If you are ever out in CO, the first round is on me!

v/r
Phalanx

44 Man · « **Reply #10 on:** April 15, 2009, 08:25:45 AM »

I too like the 'New' Vaquero. I don't know what they did with the hammer, looks like it was designed for fanning, and I'm sure Ruger would have a heart attack to think they encouraged people to 'fan' their guns. They should have just gone and copied the Colt hammer shape and been done with it. Some people just will do anything to not look like they are doing it like somebody else! Mine was a stainless and as much as I liked the gun otherwise, my 'old eyes' did not like the rear of the frame where it is rounded at the back sight. They frame goes highes yet after the rear sight cut and on the stainless guns, it reflects badly. I might be happy with a blued one but for a 'woods gun', the rear sight picture on the stainless wouldn't cut it. Maybe if they will do a blued .44 spl, I may look at them again. Otherwise I will stick to my Blackhawk and Super Blackhawk. 44 Man

Phalanx429 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 15, 2009, 09:38:25 AM »

44 Man...
Are you sure that we're not twins from different mothers??? ha ha ha
We seem to share the exact same thoughts on the New Vaqs. I originally purchased two Vaq .44s for CAS thinking I'll just shoot 44 Russians and show those ".38 squib load shooters" a thing or two. Well, for several reasons, that plan just didn't work out. Then my buddy wanted to get rid of his two SS New Vaq .45s and get back into shootgun shooting. I thought, yeah, I'll pick them up and put a little "bling" in my CAS shooting. Unfortunately that didn't work out either, so I just though I'd keep these and use them for "woods walking." My thought was to either use alot of "sight black" that I have left over from my IPSC days or just use a black magic marker on the sights. BUT before I did that, I decided to get rid of those ridiculous hammers on the New Vaqs and put the normal BLK hammers on them. And as the saying goes, "That's when the fight broke out!"
Until I decide to send the New Vaq(s) back to Ruger for repairs, I'll just keep packing around my 1972 vintage Old Model SBH that I had cut down to 4 5/8th. I also replaced the steel square trigger guard frame with an Old Model BLK aluminum frame...NOW she's ALMOST the Perfect Packin' Pistol!
Take Care!
v/r
Phalanx

44 Man · « **Reply #12 on:** April 17, 2009, 02:43:26 AM »

We might be siblings, I was adopted! You haven't seen my Super Blackhawk yet. It has an aluminum Blackhawk grip frame on it, I put on a flutted cylinder, and the barrel was cut to 5" and I've threatened to cut it again to 4". We do seem to think alike. Now if you would just try a Gaucho and fall in love with it as I have...........

44 Man

Phalanx429 · « **Reply #13 on:** May 07, 2009, 03:37:26 PM »

44 Man...
Well after letting my New Vaq rot in my gun safe for a couple of weeks, I just couldn't take it anymore. So I dug it out and CALMLY disassembled it...then, with the help a fresh Cold Coca-Cola, put it all back together again...just like I have sooooooo many times before...only this time she worked PERFECTLY!!! What happened??? I didn't do anything differently - now it just decided to work perfectly...new hammer and all. Well, NOT to let a good thing slide by untinkered with, I immediately dug out it's twin...disassembed it...replaced the New Vaq hammer with a normal Blkhwk hammer...and viola...it went back together smoothly and worked perfectly the first time!!
No rhyme nor reason...who knows...maybe this time I just held my mouth a little differently!! ha ha ha Anyway, both New Vaqs now look and feel 100 times better...to me anyway!
Thank you for all your help, advice and patience! BTW, you have some pretty good looking iron there! I don't know about the Gauchos yet...Taurus makes some pretty awesome semo-autos, but I've never really warmed up to their revolvers. Glad they are working out for you and they are giving you the service you want.
Big Bore Packin' Pistols Forever!!!
v/r
Phalanx