[Snuffy]

I started shooting cowboy action shooting this pasted Jan. Of course a good friend of mine picked up a 66 for me in 357 mag. I hadn't even shot the dang thing and before I knew it he has screw driver in his hand adjusting this and that. Well it would slip into the half cock if I litely touched the triger and of course every 10th of a second counts and I would have to recock the gun to get it to fire. The place we bought it from ordered a new triger and hammer for it. That is suppost to fit it, maybe it will. Ofcourse I am never going to know if it had problems before hand or not as my friend decided to start fixing it before it was known to be broken.
I have a 73 in 44-40 and my times have really dropped as I don't have to cock it when it fail to fire as its never done it. Ofcourse he tells me he has a short stroke kit for it and he knows how to do the work. Yea right I am just going to jump right on top of that too so I can have another gun that I have to cock after fails to fire. Some how I don't think that will happen, I have always been of the mind find out what the weapon will do before to start fixing this and that or adjusting this or that.
The best advice I think I have ever been given is to fire your gun at least 500 times before you start adjusting or fixing anything. This last experance with the 66 sorta proves that to me.
There are thoose that say ya need to break in a new barrel and then there are thoose that say ya don't. I know my friend was trying to help and that is a good thing. But I have asked him to help by not helping me, I like to go to the gun smith and have him fix or adjust the gun as needed. After all he is the one that went to school to learn how to do that work and more than likely needs the work.
Ofcourse this is just my opinon and ya'll can do what ya like to do with your guns.

 

[sheepdog]

Sometimes "know-it-alls" don't "know AT all"......sorry for your trouble!!!

 

[Snuffy]

Yep know this hope the new triger and hammer fix the gun if not its junk to me.

 

[Drummer]

I have always been of the opinion that anything new should be thoroughly tried out stock, before any alterations made. Also when possible, tried out after each alteration. What if it was just a fluke and the one you bought was the best one that ever came off the assembly line? You may never know if you take a wrench to it right out of the chute.

 

[Natalie]

Didn't he even 'ask' you first? I'd be angry.

 

[Bountyhunter]

Ok Snuffy, I realize that I'm the "inspiration" for this post so I'll go ahead and have my say on a few things.

First off, you make a great point. I'd say that 99% of the time a gun should be fired and really put through it's paces before a person should start tinkering with it. I like to say, if it ain't broke, don't break it.

Now to the 1% of the time. I realize that you don't agree with me reaming the throats and cutting the forcing cone on my new Redhawk. I've done much research on this and have read many articles, posts on gun forums, and have asked numerous people with experience in this field. From what I have gathered, doing these 2 things to a 45 Colt revolver can only make the gun better. It can't do any harm. The forcing cones on Ruger revolvers are notorious for being, dare I say a little crappy? This is something that seems to be done on many revolvers, not just 45 Colts. Cutting the cone to 11* can only make the bullet pass from the throat to the barrel a little easier if it's lead. This is a good thing. Reaming the throats will allow me to shoot lead bullets. They are cheaper and will allow me to shoot more. This will increase my pleasure with my new gun. The JHPs I want to load are .452" so they will shoot fine thru the new sized throats. This is now imo, a win win situation. I can load and shoot magnum velocity jacketed loads and I can shoot lead plinkers, or heavy hunting loads if I wish. By doing 2 simple cheap mods to my gun I'm allowing it to shoot to it's full potential. We all know that leading will be a problem if I don't do it. I don't see how I can not do it.

So anyway that's my take on things. I'd like to hear other opinions on this.

 

[deputy125]

i've read lots of stories concernin' redhawks and blackhawks in 45 havin' cylinder and throat problems fo the cast bullet shooter and its a purty common practice for a lot of folks to get them worked on if they ain't satisified with the accuracy/leadin' issues---appears to be an actual design flaw on ruger's part as ruger designed them for jacket bullets and not cast bullets.....................

as far as gun tinkerin' in general, i can't stand it if it really ain't needed. The "improvements" frequently result in damaged parts and a trip to the gunsmith. Worst examples i've seen is folks doin' home gun-smithin' on smith revolvers and wind up cuttin' coils and gettin' light strikes or hammers pushin' off at full cock.

i tend to leave my guns workin' parts alone unless it's a have to...........

 

[Bountyhunter]

Same here Deputy. I have the Ibok and have yet to pull apart my GP. It shoots better than I do so I'll leave it alone. If it ever stops going bang when I pull the trigger I'll have at it.

 

[sheepdog]

Old redneck saying: "The bit dog barks first"....I don't give a rat's ass what ANYONE thinks about it...if I wanna customize MY gun or if I wanta shoot MY gun stock...the operative word is MY......some I do and some I don't....for MY reasons and convenience....there are as many good reasons to customize as there are to leave 'em alone...and all are interesting and worth hearing....but when it comes down to it...my money pays for my choices.....and long as I like the results....all is well!!! I don't care if others say "Ummm" or "OOOH...AAAHHH"....I gotta be me....(noone else wants the job)!!!

 

[Snuffy]

Didn't he even 'ask' you first? I'd be angry.[/quote]

No he didn't and yes I was and still am. No one will ever know if he messed it up or not as I didn't get a chance to shoot it first. I am hoping the new triger and hammer will fix the rifle.
To address your commits BH its your gun and do with it as you like. I still have my 66 that I am in question about and until it shoots everytime I pull the triger its not fixed.
By witching to the 73 and my 45's my times have drop and I am shooting much better matchs fewer miss's if any. And everytime I shoot a match that we go together he sees that I am not shooting the 66 but the 73.
If was to have gotten mad and yelled at him for it he would have the commit I was helping, now he sees how much help he wasn't. He did pick up the rifle for me as I wasn't able to go get it, but that didn't give him the right to start adjusting anything in it.
As I said before I will never understand why anyone would do what he has done then want to act like it was out of the kindness of their heart.
While I may never be the top gun in sass I sure like it when I have no problems with my guns at match's usually the ones that have troubles are the ones that adjusted this and that. And everytime I think I have seen it all nope there is something new that pops up. Their stage or match is usually ruined all the heck.
I see alot of folks that use the progressive press's have a problem with high primers and no powder. I am still the single stage press guy and prime with a RCBS primer tool its all it does and I don't have that problem. Also I spin my cylinder just so I know its working great like it should.
sheepdog your right no one else wants the job of being anyone else.