Increase Redhawk Head Space

[gunboat57]

I asked this on another forum but would appreciate any input here as well.

According to SAAMI, the headspace should be .060" to .070" for the 44 magnum. My stainless Ruger Redhawk has a headspace of .059 when measured from back of the cylinder to the standing breech where the firing pin hole is. Most of my brass runs to .055 rim thickness but it can go up to .060 and still be in SAAMI spec. Even with .055" rim brass I'm already experiencing some binding if my primers aren't totally seated.

So, I'd like to increase the headspace to about .065". I know I could carefully remove some material from the standing breech but I'd like to get some opinions on another option.

The ejector star on my Redhawk is not flush with the back of the cylinder. It sits about .010" below the surface of the cylinder. Why can't I put the cylinder in a 3 jaw headstock and just face off .006" of material from the back of the cylinder? I won't remove any material from the ejector star at all. It's just that I'm sure I can do a better job at removing an exact amount of material using a lathe rather than using a file and trying to keep a surface flat and square.

Opinions? Suggestions? Words of experience?

 

[rcmodel]

The best option would be to send it back to Ruger with some Max spec empties that drag and tell them to fix it.

I don't think turning off the back of the cylinder is the proper fix for something else that is obviously out of spec on the gun.

Not to mention it will void the Ruger warranty, permanently.


As for high primers dragging??
Thats a reloading issue, not a gun issue.

High primers just should not be allowed to get past your QA check when you prime the cases.

rc

 

[clutch]

What is the barrel cylinder gap on your revolver? Maybe there is another direction to go.

Clutch

 

[powell&hyde]

I agree with RC, send it back to the factory.

 

[JohnKSa]

Even with .055" rim brass I'm already experiencing some binding if my primers aren't totally seated.

The solution to this problem is to seat the primers all the way. If you're not having any problems except with incorrectly seated primers, then modifying the gun doesn't make any sense at all.

Even if you start having problems with some brass, it makes more sense to modify the brass than the gun.

If you really feel like the headspace needs to be increased, your best option is to have Ruger do it.

If you feel like you need to do it yourself, take off the absolute minimum amount of metal possible. So a thousandth off to bring the headspace up to the minimum spec.

 

[gunboat57]

B/C gap: With cylinder pushed forward a .0015" shim gage will not enter the gap. With the cylinder pushed to the rear, a .003" shim gage just enters the gap. So my max B/C gap is .003" and end shake is less than .003".

So, I can't take any material off the crane bushing to move the cylinder forward 'cause the cylinder will rub on the barrel.

I agree I should always make sure my primers are flush. In fact I've had to cut some of my primer pockets deeper to allow full primer seating on some of my brass.

But if I were to get some in spec brass with .060 rims and primers fully seated, they will not function in my Redhawk. Also after firing a couple cylinder-fulls, the cylinder will heat up and expand but the frame won't. That could potentially bind things up too, even with rims less than .060" thick. That's why I'd like to end up with .065" head space for the most reliable functioning.

By the way, the firing pin only protrudes .040" and will probably have to be replaced with a longer one.

 

[beatledog7]

Solve the primer issue first, but please don't try to reseat primers on any loaded rounds.

 

[45_auto]

Sounds like that thing really needs to go back to see Mr. Bill (or whoever took his place ....).

 

[788Ham]

"Dragging, if the primers aren't totally seated." Theres the problem right there son! Seat them deeper, they won't drag! You might have to clean the primer pockets a little bit, then try seating them.