10.5" SBH not grouping? Need advice

[RJM]

Two things; The upper frame strap was drilled/tapped for a Leupold mount, and done badly I might add, by a previous owner. That alone scrapped the gun. Ruger will not repair firearms that have the frame drilled and tapped. The barrel was loose but apparently the frame was cracked as well. I didn't see it neither did my local smith. They did so I will take their word for it.

The new revolver cost me $400. No I'm not happy about it. I paid $400 for the now scrapped SBH a year and a half ago and now I have a new one for $400. I have $800 in a $600 gun

Well, at least you have a fully functioning revolver now.

I hate to say it, but it has been my experience that with this kind of situation, Smith and Wesson handles these things better.

 

[KEYBEAR]

Last summer I had a Super Blackhawk 7.1/2 that had a problem . It also was a three Screw and I sent it to Ruger they said it could not be fixed .

Ruger sent me a New Model Super Blackhawk Stainless short barrel no charge . I traded it the day I got it home .

The Super Blackhawks do not hold up for me so I no longer shoot them .

 

[SARuger]

I had my SBH drilled and tapped for a mount also--do you mind my asking where your failed one was drilled--especially nice if you could post a pic--thanx.

I don't have a pic of the top strap. I only owned this revolver for a year and a half. I got it used, i will never do that again. I was told that the crack was near the where the barrel meets the frame, not the top strap.

Well, at least you have a fully functioning revolver now.

I hate to say it, but it has been my experience that with this kind of situation, Smith and Wesson handles these things better.

Last summer I had a Super Blackhawk 7.1/2 that had a problem . It also was a three Screw and I sent it to Ruger they said it could not be fixed .

Ruger sent me a New Model Super Blackhawk Stainless short barrel no charge . I traded it the day I got it home .

The Super Blackhawks do not hold up for me so I no longer shoot them .

I hope, and I have had 3 of the SBH 10.5". The first two were awesome. And i have owned Smiths and I'm not impressed. I would rather push a Ruger than drive a Smith......er something like that

 

[stagpanther]

I don't have a pic of the top strap. I only owned this revolver for a year and a half. I got it used, i will never do that again. I was told that the crack was near the where the barrel meets the frame, not the top strap.

I can't think of any other way to drill and tap for a mount other than the top strap. I have no idea of what kind of metallurgical stresses there may or may not be--but it seems at least plausible that weakening the strap could result in stress fractures elsewhere. I'm wondering if it's possible the top strap may have been subjected to a "torque moment"--not necessarily by anything done when putting on the sights but perhaps by the leveraging force of the scope upon recoil. Just wild guesses. Did Ruger send you a picture of the failure--or was it some kind of microscopic magna flux type examination?

 

[sw282]

Leupold drill type scope mounts on Ruger SBH and S&W revolvers required one of the hole be drilled where the barrel screws into the frame.. The proper and DIFFICULT way was drill only half way thru and not drill into the barrel. Done improperly the installed screw would would push up on the frame and DOWN on the barrel. Kinda like jacking up a car. Then when the gun was fired the recoil would exagerate and stress that barrel even more

 

[SARuger]

I can't think of any other way to drill and tap for a mount other than the top strap. I have no idea of what kind of metallurgical stresses there may or may not be--but it seems at least plausible that weakening the strap could result in stress fractures elsewhere. I'm wondering if it's possible the top strap may have been subjected to a "torque moment"--not necessarily by anything done when putting on the sights but perhaps by the leveraging force of the scope upon recoil. Just wild guesses. Did Ruger send you a picture of the failure--or was it some kind of microscopic magna flux type examination?

They didn't say and honestly I didn't think to ask. I was at work and busy when they called and wanted my money.

Leupold drill type scope mounts on Ruger SBH and S&W revolvers required one of the hole be drilled where the barrel screws into the frame.. The proper and DIFFICULT way was drill only half way thru and not drill into the barrel. Done improperly the installed screw would would push up on the frame and DOWN on the barrel. Kinda like jacking up a car. Then when the gun was fired the recoil would exagerate and stress that barrel even more

This one was drilled through. I ordered the Weaver mount for my new SBH even though I shoot iron sights, I still had the Burris scope so why not play a little. My Weaver mount got here today and its much different than the Leupold mount.

 

[stagpanther]

This one was drilled through. I ordered the Weaver mount for my new SBH even though I shoot iron sights, I still had the Burris scope so why not play a little. My Weaver mount got here today and its much different than the Leupold mount.

I know others have said they've had success with the weaver 301mount--I sure as heck didn't. It's made with a fairly soft grade of aluminum and the Achilles heel of the design is the clamp moon that goes around the barrel. It will gradually open up under the force of stout recoils while at the same time dig away into the bluing on the barrel. That's the mount I ended up drilling and tapping to get it to work. If you have ANY notion of reselling/trading the gun--I wouldn't use it. My less than 2 cents.

 

[SARuger]

I know others have said they've had success with the weaver 301mount--I sure as heck didn't. It's made with a fairly soft grade of aluminum and the Achilles heel of the design is the clamp moon that goes around the barrel. It will gradually open up under the force of stout recoils while at the same time dig away into the bluing on the barrel. That's the mount I ended up drilling and tapping to get it to work. If you have ANY notion of reselling/trading the gun--I wouldn't use it. My less than 2 cents.

Great info Stag, Mine is a SS model so no worries on the blueing. I might sell the scope and both mounts t recoup some of my loss. I'm not a fan of scopes on handguns. I really only kept the scope this long because its a nice scope and my 50 year old eyes are not getting any younger. Might need optics some day

 

[stagpanther]

Great info Stag, Mine is a SS model so no worries on the blueing. I might sell the scope and both mounts t recoup some of my loss. I'm not a fan of scopes on handguns. I really only kept the scope this long because its a nice scope and my 50 year old eyes are not getting any younger. Might need optics some day

I'm ahead of you on the age thing--I can no longer see either front or back irons on any handgun in any kind of focus and this has been THE obsession of my firearms life. : ) I haven't been very satisfied with the scope thing on handguns either--it seems like a new generation of small reflex sights are coming to the market that I may try out. Oddly enough, I've found that the string peep on my compound bow along with a truglo front post works quite well.

 

[SARuger]

Peeps are the only way to shoot under 100yds in my opinion ;-)

 

[SARuger]

The replacement;