[Crosshair]

I have a NIB Ruger Vaquero in 45 Colt. I like the gun alot, but the hammer spur is too high for my taste. Is there a drop in replacement with a lower spur or is there someone that could convert the hammer I have? (Don't want a hack job of course.) Thanks for any help you can give me.

[Majic]

Brownells sells a Bisley hammer.

[Jim March]

The Bisley hammer is lowest, but the SuperBlackHawk is halfway between the two extremes. It's what I went with on my New Vaq and I love it.

The Bisley hammer is more of a pain to install than the SBH hammer. The latter is a drop-in, the Bisley needs to be trimmed if used with the standard Vaq grip frame. And I'm not sure but...don't you have to use a Bisley trigger with the Bisley hammer? I'm NOT sure of that last.

The SBH hammer will definately work with your trigger.

[Stainz]

The Bisley hammer works quite well - alone, ie, no trigger change. Simply place the original Blackhawk hammer over the new Bisley, aligning their axle holes by placing the axle pin theough the pair. Trace the backside shape onto the new hammer with a scratch awl. Remove the excess - I used a 1"x42" belt grinder - some use a file. Polish the grinding/file marks off with a buffer and install. I have done this to several BHG Vaquero's - it helps one-handed operation.

As stated, the SBH hammer is just a drop-in. Both hammers are available from Brownell's - check their Ruger Bisley Blackhawk/Super Blackhawk parts listing in the back of the catalog. Of course, this change makes the Vaquero 'illegal' according to the SASS boys... no matter here, I like the SBH/Bisley hammers. The only BHG I own with a stock BH style hammer is my new .32... and that may not change as it is very easy to one-handed.

Stainz

[Crosshair]

Dumb question, are these hammers you are suggesting simply the Ruger factory replacements modified a little to properly fit in my gun?:o I think I will try the Super Blackhawk hammer and see how I like it. Is this the one you put in your gun Jim March?

Super Brownells: Super Blackhawk Hammer (http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=22315&title=Hammer+Assembly%2c+Blue&s=28153#28153)

As for the "SASS boys", I kind of dislike how anal a minority of them can be about the gun not being "original". (Ran into one at the gunshop who thought I was insane for wanting a shorter spur and "Ruining" the gun. Everyone else was giving me advise, like you here on THR.) Dispite the fact that lots of Western shooters customized their guns and made modifications to them. I can always swap back to the original hammer if I ever get into SASS.

Thanks for all your help.:cool:

Edit: BTW, any other good modifications/parts replacements I could/should do to my gun since I will have it apart to swap the hammer?

[Jim March]

Brownell's site is giving me a "Server Busy" error but if it's for a New Model anything, that's it.

It dropped right in for ME, no fitting needed. In some instances the pawl will have to be tuned. There's more info on this over on the Rugerforums under Ruger revolvers and gunsmithing.

http://www.rugerforum.com/

SAFETY WARNING: There is a part of the "revolver checkout" that covers making sure the hammer doesn't slip off the full cock notch. I cannot possibly recommend doing such checks after the swap highly enough. You're crazy if you don't. Capiche?

What else...a spring kit can be put in without taking the grip frame off. So that's not something you "have to do while it's open".

You might consider freewheeling it:

http://marauder.homestead.com/files/FreeSpin.html

What else...when you put it back together, there is a plunger on a spring towards the end of the triggerguard area of the grip frame, poking up into the guts of the action. Be very careful on re-assembly not to break that sucker. I managed it :o and went to Brownell's for another.

This article is a must-read:

http://www.hobbygunsmith.com/Feature.htm

Note the bits on dealing with the mainspring in particular.

[Boxhead]

Gary Reeder sells a drop in Bisley hammer for your gun for $45, I believe.

[Burt Blade]

If you are going to use your Vaquero for Cowboy Action Shooting matches (S.A.S.S. rules), you cannot modify the position of the hammer spur. (unless you do a full Bisley grip and hammer conversion)

If you have no idea what a Cowboy match is, then check out these sites before you modify your gun.

Single Action Shooting Society:
http://www.sassnet.com

Indian River Regulators SASS club, Palm Bay, Florida:
http://www.indianriverregulators.com/
especially the photos:
http://www.indianriverregulators.com/photo.htm

http://www.indianriverregulators.com/images/28-December-2002/rifle6.jpg

http://www.indianriverregulators.com/images/28-December-2002/pistol6.jpg

[Jim March]

The complaint about SASS rules is this:

They allow unlimited mods that don't "change the external appearance" but ban all mods that do.

Sounds good on it's face. But it means the guy with money can spend $1500+ per revolver on line bored cylinders, short-action hammerstroke mods, the Power Custom near-$200 drop-in matched hammer/trigger set, freewheeling, guns like the FA '97 in fixed sights or USFA Rodeo with better fixed sights than a Colt/Vaquero/Italian gun and lots of other "gamey" modifications.

But let some guy spend $35 on a different hammer to make the gun fit his hands, or does his own weld-up to shorten a grip frame for the same purpose, and bzzzt, he's illegal. Widen the front sight and carve the rear channel a bit bigger to match on a budget Vaquero or Gaucho and it's banned.

It's madness.

It's as if NASCAR let race teams run any engine, any tranny, any suspension and any tires BUT the seat has to be "x" number of inches from both the pedals and steering wheel, so big guys are all scrunched up and shorties can barely reach.

There is no possible way this makes sense. And while I've used wheelguns as an example, all the same issues exist in the shotguns, pistol-caliber main-match carbines/rifles and buffalo-grade rifles for the long-range side matches.

Now, if SASS wants to make sure the guns don't get crazy, fine. Put a COST based cap in, so long as it's single action. Let's level the playing field all right - what is going on now does NOT even come close to doing so.

Lookit: in the REAL "Old West" there were tons of different guns available, and then as now people picked one that "fit them". The number of 19th Century designs being produced today are far below that of 1885 or so - moreso since the SASS/CAS sport eliminates all the DA designs (which I support, BTW, see below). In terms of ergonomics we're down to the Colt SAA and relatives (incl. New Vaq/Gaucho/etc.), Remington clones, a tiny number of S&W breaktops and some one-offs like the Old Vaq and FA '97.

Not enough range for all hands.

As to SA/DA: I support the idea of an all-SA program. First, it's safer, all guns have one trigger style. More importantly, it should be about keeping old skills alive, similar to other historic re-enactors. But I personally believe there should be at least an element of "combat realism" in there too, to maintain this fighting art as a LIVE art rather than a dead one used purely for games. I believe that the SA as a combat weapon still makes sense for some people in some situations. It allows controlling more power one-handed while giving a faster first shot than big-bore DA revolvers can deliver.

As a result these skills should NOT die, they will remain useful for decades, even centuries more - and they should not be restricted to an "elite".

[Crosshair]

Thanks Jim March, I'll be sure to follow your advice. I feel like a kid in a candy store at the Gary Reeder site. I was leaning to the SBH hammer since it was drop in, but since I see Gary Reeder sells a drop in Bisley hammer I think I'll try that. The Bisley Hammer is similar to the Hammer on my Astra .357. My Astra is nice and easy to use one handed in Single Action for me so I think I'll try that route.

Thanks Everyone.:cool:

[Jim K]

Color me confused. Howinhell can lowering a hammer spur be "illegal" for CASS when it was one of the more common mods made by the old gunfighters? Then, howinhell can a Ruger, made with a totally modern action and modern material, be "original" to the "old west" theme, and a genuine 1877 Colt Lightning (which was really used in the old west) be "illegal" because it is DA?

The kind of thing made me try CASS one time, then give up. Also, I don't like to play dressup. I shoot a rifle musket without dressing as a Confederate soldier; a Luger without wearing a German officer's uniform; an S&W Model 10 without donning a police uniform; and a flintlock without wearing buckskin. All due respect to those wannabee cowboy actors, but I haven't played cowboys and Indians for around 65 years, so I guess I will just keep shooting my single actions without the getup.

Jim

[Jim March]

Crosshair, I missed something: you also need to check to make sure each cylinder bore is going into alignment with the barrel at each full cocking stroke. Basically do the "timing tests". The hammer is connected to the "pawl", the thing that protrudes into the frame at the rear of the cylinder and makes the cylinder spin. The hammer has to stroke the pawl up just enough to bring it to the next index point but no further.

Odds are it's a drop-in, m'kay?

Jim Keenan: yup. Old West guns came with all sorts of hammer variations and that was without factoring in custom work - which wasn't at all unheard of.

The CHEAP way of getting a gun that fits you is to start with a Ruger of some sort and tune it with any of the three hammers and...lesse, five different grip frames now for the New Models? This almost always costs less than some of the fancier guns out there like the S&W breaktop reproductions, the better Remington clones, the FA97 and the like.

[Crosshair]

Dumb question Jim March. If I do find that my revolver is out of time. Can I just file it until it IS in time or is that something best left to a gunsmith?

[Jim March]

If you find that something is amiss, get over to the gunsmithing forum on the Rugerforums site and start asking questions, describing in detail what you're dealing with and what you did leading up to it. Possibly try the same at forums.sixgunner.com - again, in gunsmithing. Some very astute people hang out on both, people with much more shade-tree gunsmithing background than me.

Odds are it'll be fine. If it isn't, STOP, document what's going on, get help. M'Kay? That's what I'd do!

[Burt Blade]

95% of SASS shooters compete with box-stock or near-stock guns,and have a lot of fun doing it. The arguments over the SASS rules are largely just folks arguing. Grab what you have and come out to our matches. It is a whole lot of fun.

[Dienekes]

When I got my Colt SAA in 1962 for $84 I never realized that I had to dress up to shoot it. Shot my Ruger .45 Convertible, adjustable sights, alloy grip frame and all with smokeless powder today and had a heck of a good time.

Lucky that the Firearms Fashion Police didn't spot me. Compounding the felony I did it while wearing cheap Wal-Mart tennis shoes and a baseball hat.

The horror...

[cane]

Mr. Keenan, sorry you don't like CAS, but "dressing up" is part of the game. SASS which is the governing body for most of CAS is by it's name the SINGLE Action Shooting Society. Other CAS organizations do allow period correct double action revolvers. As to the lower hammer spur being a "common modification" in the old west, I've never handled such a pistol, nor seen pictures of any. Could you post some pictures or send them to me so I can add them to my references? Thanks.