Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Ruger blackhawk only partially cocks at times and then locks up

Hello. I have a new model Ruger blackhawk in 45 colt (Stainless with 4 5/8" barrel). I probably have 400 rounds through it and nothing ridiculously hot (most loads are cast 255s at about 900 fps or the hotter loads have been 300 XTP mags at about 1100). I've had the cylinders honed to .453 and I put a Wolff mainspring in it. Everything else on this gun is bone stock. Occasionally (after cleaning, at the range, dry firing, etc) the hammer will cock about halfway and the cylinder will be free but the hammer can't be pulled to full cock. you can really force the hammer back or let the hammer down and try it again and will work most of the time but will often still have a hitch in cocking process at about the halfway point. It literally feels like a metal object is in the stroke of the hammer and is blocking it from working. It's hard to trust a gun for defense in the woods or as an extra handgun to keep on the book shelf in the living room when it doesn't work ALL the time. What should I look at that might be causing this? thanks for any help guys.

Make sure the cylinder pin isn’t working it’s way out. If it is you can buy a stronger cylinder latch spring or a locking pin. Belt Mountain Base Pins

There is a spring loaded plunger on the hammer.
These often bind up on new guns (lack of lube?

Cock it. Look in the slot between the hammer and frame,
Put a drop of light oil on it if you can. Work it.


Have fixed this for several guys with new guns.

Mine get tore down and smoothed and lubed, so it hasn't bit me, yet.


Just one more instance of Ruger not quite doing their job.

Will it cock freely with the muzzle pointed straight up?
Make sure the Cylinder pin is fully seated and locked.

All good answers. Many guns are too clean.

Savuti, I tried that and it works fine. I pulled the base pin out about a quarter inch and recreated the exact issue. The first time I noticed it shooting was a super light load (255 cast and enough win 231 to get about 800 fps). I don't know if there's anything else in the firearm that could recreate that same "feeling" of locking up beside the base pin not being seated against whatever it seats against to not push that out of the way to allow the gun to cock smoothly but that definitely "feels" like the issue I've experienced. If that induced malfunction feels like the same thing I've experienced, is there anything else it could be and would an oversize cylinder pin and stouter pin latch spring fix this occasional but very aggravating problem?

Get one of these.

https://www.gunsprings.com/Revolvers/RUGER/SINGLE%20ACTION%20SERIES/#418

There's a little "teet" on the end of the Cylinder pin that pushes the transfer bar to the rear allowing it to slip over the Firing pin.
If the Cyl pin works loose it will create the symptoms you described. Either a stronger latch spring or a new pin from Belt Mountain will probably provide the answer.

Had the same issue...replaced pawl.