Ruger Blackhawk Elite Tuning - My First

[JR]

Last question for other owners that I forgot to ask earlier.....Does the cocking linkage always make a clicking sound when you first break the barrel open? It snaps up against the chamber at the roller link, then the link rides the stock the rest of the way through the cocking action. Just wondering if there should be a plastic tap that prevents it from doing that like Crosman and others have. Just wondering, if not maybe I can fab something. Don't see anything on the sketch

[longhunter]

they all do that. it's the nature of the beast.

[56S]

Yes. Drove me nuts. Now I don't hear it over the hootin' and hollerin' I hear when I hit my target time and time again.

[JR]

I kind of figured that was just how they are, thanks for the info......

I figured before I tore it down I try a few across the Chrony  just to see, 10 shots......AVE. of 804 fps,  ES 23 fps. Talked to the guy a Vortek again today and asked him if he though the spring might have been weakened by having it compressed as far as it was. He said it shouldn't but to double check everything make sure there are no other issues and go from there.

So now I'll tear it down and mess with it a little. I plan on burning 50-100 shots through it before I check it again when I get it back together.

[TooJung2Die]

Here's an idea. When I put the Vortek seal in the velocity dropped, a lot. From almost 900 fps with a scored seal to about 815 fps. I sized the seal by removing about .005" from the diameter. The velocity returned plus a little. Maybe your piston seal is too tight?
Jon

[56S]

I know my seal is tight. I think too tight if compared to my NVD.
I remember reading somewhere that on one instance removing a number of coils actually increased FPS.  Not sure why.

[JR]

I just got back from checking it out after I got done messing with it and putting about 70 shots through it.........

So......I sanded down the top hat so it is now .180 thick on the spring end. It cocks and latches with a little extra over travel, I now feel good and safe about that.

The piston had wear marks on the rear 1/2" from dragging, the chamber also had some nice marks in it. The piston head has like a washer between the seal and piston, the bottom half was also dragging, the seal showed almost no wear here. I put the piston in my drill press and started with 220 grit and buffed the rear scratches down. I also sanded down the washer sticking out so it is below the seal. I buffed the chamber with a flapper and 220 grit and then finished everything with 400 grit. I also tapered the transfer port a slight amount.

I put it all back together with Krytox on the seal and small amount of tar on the spring. I re-lubed the pivot points and put it all back together, loaded up the dog to go try it out.

The first 5 or so shots had a little ping to them then went away. I just wasted about 25 shots before I even aimed it at anything. It took about another 10 shots to readjust the scope and I started shooting. It shot really well, I readjusted the trigger where I like then backed it off a little for the grand kid.

When I got back home I shot it across the Chony again,  Ave. 857 fps with ES of 12 fps with 7.9 gr CPHP, so it's a little better than it was already.     As it is now I'm good with it, it shoots good, trigger latches good and just has a thump when you shoot it. At some point I will get a new piston because I know this one isn't as good as it should be. The grandkid will work on cocking it, he just has to get use to it like most people do.

[56S]

Those numbers seem quite good with your rarified air. That's right behind my numbers.