Gunsmith recommendation too change Blackhawk barrels?

[Kmrere42]

HI,

Maybe this is a good time to ask this, as I am going to be shortening one of my barrels.


Is it better to hold the frame in the vice with blocks and put the wrench on the barrel, or the other way around. 

By holding the frame there would be less of a chance to dammage it.  <my thought>



Paul

[Graybeard]

WRONG!

[warrior1]

hop, i mentioned it before, a guy uses a pinetar towel "i guess you
could get one at any sporting goods shop that sells baseball equipment,"
and he said it did grip the barrel. i have never tried it but it just may work.
what am i talking i'm still a virgin in this end of it. good luck dan

[Kmrere42]

Hi Graybeard,



Could you elaborate.  This will be a new project for me as I have never done this before.





Thank you,


Paul

[jcn59]

The .45 Colt barrel I removed from my SS Blackhawk has right hand threads.  Same for the .32 Single Six.  I use an aluminum block about 1.5" long on the barrel.  I bore it a few thou larger than the big end of the barrel (near the frame), then split it in two.  The barrel and blocks go into the jaws of a 35# American made bench vise.  I torque the bejabbers out of the vise handle, no extensions.  I don't use shims between the blocks and barrel.  It doesn't slip.  I use a fairly large aluminum bar on the frame.  This allows me to put most of my energy right at the front of the frame (after removing cylinder). 

It works for me.  I've only done several so I'm no expert.

Marvel's Mystery Oil works better than anything I've used.  The Ruger barrels didn't need it.

I might add that I have an airweight S & W that I can't get the barrel off of.  When I torque on the aluminum bar, the frame flexes, and I chicken out.

[messer454]

No problems here.  I sent mine off to Gallagher.  I haven't heard from him since it was delivered though despite emailing him twice.  He was very prompt in answering my emails before I sent it so I am a little confused.  Giving him the benefit of the doubt though.

[BlkHawk73]

No problems here.  I sent mine off to Gallagher.  I haven't heard from him since it was delivered though despite emailing him twice.  He was very prompt in answering my emails before I sent it so I am a little confused.  Giving him the benefit of the doubt though.

  I do know He's quite busy in the shop currently.  I've gone a while before getting replies myself.  Wouldn't be concerned.

[Hopalong7]

FINALLY, Got R Done!!! Well I got the barrels lose anyway.  Warrior1 You had the right idea.  I didn't quite go to the pine tar rag, but I did get some powdered resin.  I had enlarged the hole in the blocks some ,
 so I clamped them together and ran a skill saw up the joint to tighten'm back up a little.  Applied the resin and screwed down the vise with about all I could put on it with an 18" combo wrench.  The grip was sufficient now.  When they popped loose it cracked so much at first I thought I'd broken something. 
   Now both barrels snug up in the opposite frames about 180 degrees off(ie the front sight is on the bottom).  Of course one is a little long and the other a little short.  On the long one the cylinder will go in the frame but the cylinder gap is zero...guess I'll have to shim this one a little.  The short one appears to have about twice the desired gap(I seem to have misplaced my flat feeler gauges, so I haven't yet got an accurate measurement).  Setting the shoulder back a half turn should make it about right.  I count 11 threads with a length of .520", which calculates out to .047" per thread or .024" per half turn, which should make the cylinder gap about right.
   Now, any experience or suggestions on shimming or setting the shoulder back?  Progress is slow, but I keep telling myself that the Turtle won the race.  GOOD SHOOTIN', Walt 

[44 Man]

The long one will have to be shortened a little.  An easy job for a gunsmith or if you have the right tool.  Brownell's sell's them.  Then you will have to use another tool to recut the forcing cone in the barrel.  Another tool from Brownells.  (now you understand why a Gunsmith gets paid what he does.  The job is easy enough, but you need to own the tools to do it right)  On the shorter one, you need to file (or have a friend with a lathe do it) a little off the back of the shoulder where the barrel butts up to the frame.  You need to have it back far enough to give you a correct barrel/cylinder gap AND the front sight needs to come into line at that same time.  If not, you go around again and then get out your two tools to cut the back end of the barrel and smooth up the forcing cone.  Not hard to do, just takes time and patience and the right tools.  44 Man

[Hopalong7]

44Man, I'm afraid that I've fallen down on my project here lately....all the "spring honey do's", spring gobbler season, some fishing, etc.  Gotta get back to it.  I did make a shim for the short barrel and thought it was going to work out but I had to thin it some to get the sight up top and when I did the barrel gap wound up more than I would accept...about twice or a little more of what I was trying for so I'm going to have to ditch the shim and go in another turn.  I have learned how slow and tedious filing back the shoulder can be.  For you smiths listening, Yes, I do have a better appreciation for what you do.  By the time I ever get done I may be able to at least spell patients.
GOOD SHOOTIN', Walt 

[Travis Morgan]

Send it back to Ruger.

A not so nice lady at Ruger told me it would cost about $220 in labor to change barrels.

They still have that snotty old cow answering the phone? I sent an e-mail about her, and they offered to just do the work for free.