correcting Ruger End Shake

[MattC]

Has anyone bought the Brownells gas ring strecher and corrected excessive end shake?  I have a blackhawk that I'd like to fix.  Sounds like you just need a vise and the tool.

Anyone want to go in together on one? $86 is Brownells cost

[44 Man]

Power custom also makes a replacement bushing.  I think that is the direction I would go.  Milling of the cylinder is required but your endshake can be adjusted.  If it is not excessive, I would just buy some washers from Brownells.  It would be a little more tedious lining everything up as you put the cylinder back into the frame, but it would be much cheaper.  Of course the other option is to send the gun back to Ruger and ask them to correct it.  Worst case would be needing to buy a new cylinder from them but that's not all that expensive either.  44 Man

[safetysheriff]

for a single-action i like the idea of machining a bushing into the back of the cylinder....    why?   because as it holds the cylinder forward in the revolver's frame it reduces the barrel to cylinder gap by a little bit.........making for more pressure put into the barrel to move the bullet along!

just my two cents; because i don't know what their "gas ring stretcher" does to a cylinder.....

ss'

[MattC]

Does the washer go on the business end of the cylinder or somehow fit near thepawl end?  If it goes on the front end (only way I can picture it) it would make the cylinder gap bigger?  I'll check power custom

[safetysheriff]

because a washer, if put onto a single-action, would come off of the base pin and be a pain to put back together with the cylinder, the better idea is to 'cut' a bushing into the back of the cylinder, where the pawl engages it to rotate the cylinder.   this pushes the cylinder forward a little bit inside the frame to remove end shake and reduce the barrel to cylinder gap.

good luck,

ss'

[44 Man]

The Power bushing goes in the front end.  If you try to space out the back of the cylinder, you can have excessive headspace and timing issues.  It has to go in the front.  And as for cylinder gap, I really don't believe that a extra thousants or two will make much difference in preformance.  I once owned a Ruger that had .011 clearance between the barrel and cylinder (.004 or .005 is more typical).  I didn't like the looks of it, but it shot right with my other Rugers for accuracy and velocity.  Go figure.  44 Man

[safetysheriff]

.44 man'

does it have to be put on the front?   a friend of mine has a connection to an excellent machine shop here in n.e. Ohio.....and i'd figured that if i ever had one done it'd go in the back.    to remove .002 endshake from a revolver is a decent gain....but a barrel to cylinder gap of .011 makes me cringe !

ON SECOND THOUGHT, HOWEVER: the placement of a bushing at the back of the cylinder does not add to the headspace that is already in the revolver.   if you have the revolver muzzle-down when you measure the headspace you'll see that you have room (from the end shake in the piece) to install a bushing and shim(s) without moving the cylinder any further forward.........

i don't see where .004 to maybe .008 worth of bushing/shimming would have to significantly alter the timing in the revolver, either.    the way the pawl is pushed forward inside the cylinder frame by a spring would allow for that modest 4 to 8 thousandths to work.........i would think.

ss'   

[gcrank1]

I see this is way old, but if Im reading it others may too..............
Upon ignition the cylinder is slammed back against the recoil shield. The back of the star, over time with heavy loads, can peen and imprint into that shield thus increasing endshake; there is a lot of force there. You just cant put a shim in there of enough diameter to be able to do much or hold up. A bushing fit to the rear would make it easier to get the cylinder back in (the shim would be a nightmare) but still suffers from not enough diameter and what recoil impulse there is would be located on a smaller contact surface in either case (even though at least one of the big name revolver smiths does this if needed). Proper engineering dictates that you cannot locate the pressure to a smaller surface and really expect it to last unless the loads are light.

[jimster]

I would send it back to Ruger, there is a pretty good chance they would fix it for free, and even if they charged you it would probably be comparable to buying a kit money wise.  I've had good luck with Ruger customer service, they did most everything for free for me including needing a new cylinder for a 41 mag that the head space was off just a tad.

[Steve P]

Get the washers from Brownells and install them on the front of the cylinder to remove the shake.  A film of oil will hold them in place as you test fit and confirm how many you need.  A film of Loc-Tite 222 or touch of fingernail polish works fine in holding them once fitting is done.  DONT over apply the oil, 222, or FP.  You don't want grunt magnet or permanent ugly blob.  And Yes, the cylinder pin works perfect to hold it all together as it dries.  A little petrolium jelly or chap stix works great as a release agent.
 
Just more info to help those adjusting the shake from the correct end.
 
Steve