Transfer bar clearance

[dashootist]

Should there be transfer bar clearance so the hammer is not pinching the transfer bar? I get conflicting answers from Ruger forum. So the best way to ease my mind is to do a poll.

Here's a photo I found. My SP101 behaves like the pic on the left.

 

[Old Fuff]

If the hammer can advance far enough forward (as shown on the picture on the left) if will press the transfer bar up against the firing pin and frame with such force that the bar cannot drop downward when the trigger is released.

Ah... That isn't good.

 

[clutch]

If the one on the left will allow a transfer of momentum from the hammer to the striker, the clearance isn't enough.

Clutch

 

[dashootist]

So how do I fix it? Should I send it to Ruger? I bought the gun used.

 

[GP100man]

dashootist

I replyed to ya post on RF .

If you can push the hammer to the frame while holding the trigger back it`s a lite hammer spring & no harm will come to the recoil shield , as I stated the firing pin spring is just stronger than the hammer spring at rest.

If ya can`t then there`s a problem & somethings bound to break , spring , firing pin or recoil shield wear .

The correct way would be to send it to Ruger , but be prepared to pay all the way , Ruger don`t fix altered revolvers for nuttin.

1 way is to mill a deeper step on the hammer ,Then increase the indent to spec.

The last suggestion would be correcting milling the nose off to help the lite hammer spring.

I`ve had time to think `bout your original inquirey & hope this clarifies what suposed to happen with a floating pin system .

 

[dashootist]

Hi GP'man,

It's definitely not a case of lite hammer spring. I did the test your prescribed, and I couldn't push the hammer to the frame while holding the trigger back.

The gun is practically new. So there should be no wear. I can see the transfer bar can be pushed flat up against the frame; so the firing pin is it. I believe milling a deeper step on the hammer, like you said, would solve this condition.

There seems to be no consensus on whether this condition is a problem or not. A lot of people seem to think this condition will cause breakage later. But the great Iowegan's post to my thread of Rugerforum stated this condition is how Rugers' are designed to work.

I'm not sure if I should mill a deepen step on the hammer. My buddy has a milling machine. So there's practically no cost. I just want to make sure before I start cutting metal.

If you can push the hammer to the frame while holding the trigger back it`s a lite hammer spring & no harm will come to the recoil shield , as I stated the firing pin spring is just stronger than the hammer spring at rest.

 

[GP100man]

Mill no more than necassary to get to the frame .

Another thought is if ya mill it & get misfires SP101 hammers are very scarce.

If you have no problem with trigger reset , I`d be inclined to suggest no action to be taken .

I`ve never seen a broken transfer bar on a Six Series , SP101, GP100 or Redhawk/Super !

Worn maybe but not broken!

If it really concerns ya I`d give Ruger a call , of course they`ll want to see it & as new as it is should send ya a pick up box !

 

[Boomerang]

I filed the hammer on my New Vaquero to just barely hit the frame when the gun is dry fired when empty (no snap caps).

My concern came about because of reading Iowegan's posts from about 4 or five years ago.

From what I could glean, Ruger makes them that way on purpose. Maybe for extra reliability in case of a low primer? Dunno, but I didn't like that way the transfer bar wasn't square to the hammer and frame. It had a bit of a twist which made the hammer hit the transfer bar on one side. I wanted the top of the hammer (the part that doesn't touch anything) to hit the frame squarely.

I suppose now, instead of the transfer bar getting work-hardened from dry firing, the hammer and frame will? But it looks better.

You shouldn't need a milling machine. A plain flat stone works. It's not a critical cut. Just make sure you push the hammer towards the frame with your finger on the trigger as you go, so you don't take off too much.

 

[Hondo 60]

If Iowegan said it's OK, that's certainly good enough for me.
He's a retired gunsmith who has the respect of almost everyone on the Ruger forum.