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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Ruger No. 1 speed hammer?? (Read 20650 times)
Black_Prince
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Ruger No. 1 speed hammer??
Aug 6th, 2007 at 9:43am
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I have fooled with Ruger No. 1's since they first came out and have always been disatisfied with the lock time.  About 25 years ago I tried drilling holes in the hammer to lighten it but did not notice any improvement. 

My favorite hunting rifle is a No. 1 that I've had a Shilen barrel installed on and had it octagon shaped.  I understand Brownell's has a "speed hammer" for them now.  Have any of you boys ever used a speed hammer in a No. 1, and if so, what do you think of it?  Is it worth my time to install one?
  
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38_Cal
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Re: Ruger No. 1 speed hammer??
Reply #1 - Aug 6th, 2007 at 2:32pm
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Brownells does carry the Moulds hammers for the Ruger No. 1 and 3.  I've used both the Speedlock and Competition hammers, and have been happy with both.  If this rifle will be used for hunting, use the Speedlock hammer; the slightly higher mass will ensure a good primer hit, especially in cold weather.

David
Montezuma, IA
  

David Kaiser
Montezuma, IA
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Black_Prince
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Re: Ruger No. 1 speed hammer??
Reply #2 - Aug 6th, 2007 at 3:08pm
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Thanks for the come back Dave.  Did you keep the original Ruger springs or did you also install a spring kit when you replaced the hammer?  I'm thinking the original Ruger spring is plenty strong enough.  What do you think?
  
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QuestionableMaynard8130
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Re: Ruger No. 1 speed hammer??
Reply #3 - Aug 6th, 2007 at 6:34pm
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I have Frank Zika hammers of my Ruger 1/3s,  "speed" on the 38-55 and the 220 swift and "competiton" on my 22rf conversion.  Made a universe of difference. They come with new springs as part of the kit.  the way he makes them you can take them out and put all the original parts back in. 
 It'll be the same with the competion trigger (NOT set triggers) unit he's getting ready to release.  Can't wait for them for my 38-55 and the Swift.   SteveDurren put an incredible trigger job on the 22 so I won't mess with it.
  

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Re: Ruger No. 1 speed hammer??
Reply #4 - Aug 7th, 2007 at 11:37am
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I bought both pieces from Brownells. I have newer Rugers without the adjustable trigger, so the adjustments were well worth the expense. I shoot Production class with the Ruger #1 in 38-55 for Cast bullet Association postal matches, so I only installed the trigger on the #1. The #3 has been rebarrelled so fits in other classes. I installed the speed hammer and the trigger on that one. I can attest to the trigger working well. I already had a HD spring in the gun, so I have no way of telling whether the hammer did anything except make me feel better. But that alone will make me shoot better!
  
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Black_Prince
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Re: Ruger No. 1 speed hammer??
Reply #5 - Aug 7th, 2007 at 12:00pm
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Whoa back thar boys.  Ya'll done went and got ahead ah me here.

I have not heard of Frank Zika hammers.  Where can I get information on them?  All I know about are the hammers from Brownell's.

And what triggers are ya'll talking about?  I have the original trigger in my No. 1 and it ain't adjustable for anything but over travel.  I've heard about a couple of different triggers available from Brownell's, but don't know anyone whose tried them.

So what trigger did you have installed, or did you install it yourself, and where did you get it?  Sorry to be asking all these questons but that's why I'm here fellars.  If I already knew all this stuff, I wouldn't be hanging around with a buncha smelly old singledy shot rifle shooters.  
« Last Edit: Aug 7th, 2007 at 12:10pm by »  
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Green_Frog
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Re: Ruger No. 1 speed hammer??
Reply #6 - Aug 7th, 2007 at 4:21pm
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BP, the Zika hammers ARE available from Brownell's and at least used to be listed as such.  Also, if you go back to my article in the SSR-J (2 issues back) about Frank's barrel extensions for Winchester high-walls, you can find more info about him including his contact info...in fact that info may be restated in the last and in the currently being printed and shipped issues as well.

Froggie
  
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Black_Prince
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Re: Ruger No. 1 speed hammer??
Reply #7 - Aug 7th, 2007 at 5:42pm
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Thanks for the info Green Frog.  But the truth is I can't go back and read two journal issues back because I am a new pilgrim here and the only issue of the ASSRA Journal I have is the very first and only one sent to me since I joined and it is Vol. 60, Number 6, November-December 2006.  That sorta gave me pause until I read about the new editor and the problem with past issues and the numbering on the issues.  

The most informative article in the issue I have is by R. Dale McGee titled " The Tools of Schuetzen."  I didn't even know they made some of that stuff and as soon as I saw the Cabine Tree locking mould handles, I ordered some and told the fella where I saw his handles. I'm in the process of ordering a mould from Borton and Darr.   There is mention of Frank Zika in that same article and his contact information is there, but no specific mention of his hammers.  No matter.  I am in the process of contacting him about the hammer.  I'll tell him where I found out about his company and that I appreciate him advertising in the ASSRA Journal.

I started reloading and shooting in 1959-60, but most of that has been with smokeless powders and various rifles, pistols, revolvers and shotguns.  Now I'm shooting mostly single shots by choice, and trying to get my head into silhouette shooting and someday I hope to do schuetzen shooting.  So I'm depending on you boys who have been in this part of shooting and reloading to guide me through some of the little issues that are specific to it.  I saw the ad for ASSRA in The Black Powder News and Steve Garbe has been out front promoting this kind of shooting for a long time.  I am happy to see it gaining in acceptance although I wish there were more younger people in it.  Geeze.  Most of us seem to be a little ragged around the edges from wear and tear.  But it is comforting to know that all that gray hair or no hair on the firing line  has been down some of the same roads I have so we have a lot of common interest and maybe some common problems to deal with like cataracts on our old eyes.  It's a big problem when you can't see the sights or the target.  Been there and done that and it is no fun. 

So if you boys don't get tired of me asking these questions that most of you already know and take for granted, maybe I'll get caught up on what I should know and become a better functioning member around here.  

And why don't more of the guys write articles for the journal?  It looks like that has been and is an on-going  problem.  There are new people coming here all the time and an article on the benefits of speed hammers and new adjustable triggers in No. 1 and 3 Ruger's would make a dandy article.  It sounds like several of the guys here could write that article.  With didgital cameras, now it's easy to make good photo's to go along with the article.  And would somebody PLEASE tell me how to get in and out of that strange Browing high wall action they put out on their 1885's?  GEEZE that thing is a booger!

Okay.  So I'm running on, but this is all new to me so yawl will just hafta help with me for awhile.  Maybe some day I can return the favor.
  
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J.D.Steele
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Re: Ruger No. 1 speed hammer??
Reply #8 - Aug 7th, 2007 at 10:00pm
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B_P, the lack of articles is an ongoing issue, and sometimes a thorny one. I began writing a few single shot gunsmithing articles for the Journal back a few yrs ago, when JC was Editor. Prior to that, as I recall, I never saw any mention of Rudi needing any input from the members at large, much less asking for articles. I hasten to add that I don't remember any requests; not saying that Rudi didn't request any, just saying that I don't remember seeing any printed requests in the Journal. The only way I knew that the Journal needed anything was when JC mentioned it to a friend of mine, sayng that he could earn himself some shooting money by writing an occasional article.

So I tried it too. I thought the first one or two were received quite well by both the Editor and the readers, but then I was told that there were some serious objections to JC publishing so many articles that weren't specifically about Schuetzen rifles and Schuetzen shooting and Schuetzen history. Go figure, I always thought we the club were about early single shot rifles. Like The ASSRA Mission Statement reads.

Anyway shortly after that JC was replaced as Editor and things have been kinda up in the air since then. One of my articles is in the ASSRA pipeline as we speak, so to speak, and I have many more in the works. I hope that The Editorship settles down enough so that some of them can get into the Journal.

I encourage everyone else to try their hand at it themselves. It ain't rocket science, it's just stringin' words together. The most difficult part for me was the photography. Many people lack the self-confidence to try to write anything more than an occasional thank-you note; they think that their product has to be perfect before an editor will even look at it, and they know that that's just not possible & so they never try. Too bad.

Please, take my word for it, if the editor is any good at all then the article will look perfect when it hits print, or at least it'll look mighty darn good. Don't worry about your 'best buddy' being able to make fun of your writing disasters, it ain't gonna happen! Don't matter if yew cain't spell kat, don't matter if your tenses are subjuctified or your clauses are obfuscated, the editor will correct all of that, that's his job.

If the info is there in the first place. That's your (and my) job. So I encourage everyone to try it, if it does nothing else at least it'll keep you off the streets & outa trouble for a few hours. At least that's what My Bride keeps tellin' me.....
Regards, Joe
  
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Green_Frog
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Re: Ruger No. 1 speed hammer??
Reply #9 - Aug 7th, 2007 at 10:50pm
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BP, I do put a lot of the stuff from the forum discussions into my articles eventually, since I am the New Products and Services Editor (or some such exalted title that JC gave me.)  As Joe said, a lot of us were recruited over the years.  Some by Rudi, some by John, and some by Wayne, and the current editor, John Merz is also eager to have articles from a variety of sources.  In addition, he IS willing to have articles related to the broad aims of ASSRA, not just schuetzen...I just had an article on the North-South Skirmish Ass'n and its relation to our interests accepted for publication.  I think it will come out in the next issue.  Anywhooo, stay with us and ask all the questions you want.  We all had to do it sometime, and most of us didn't have the resource of this forum to do it on.

On a side note, you might also go to the main homepage of this site and look at the articles from the Journal that it leads you to.  I put another article on getting started in that "place" a year or so ago.  Just let me know if you can't find it.

Regards,
Charlie Shaeff
the Green Frog
  
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38_Cal
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Re: Ruger No. 1 speed hammer??
Reply #10 - Aug 8th, 2007 at 7:39am
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Getting back on topic, to answer Mr. Black, Frank Zika is  Moulds, Ltd., the manufacturer of the hammers under discussion.

David
Montezuma, IA
  

David Kaiser
Montezuma, IA
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Black_Prince
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Re: Ruger No. 1 speed hammer??
Reply #11 - Aug 8th, 2007 at 10:50am
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David

Well jist DAM!!!  Your one simple statement NOW makes all the sense in the world.  I didn't know Moulds from Zika.  I was confused.  A BIG THANKS for that info.

Sometimes this communication business is difficult, ain't it?  Someone explained to me once that the meaning is not in the words; it is in us.   

Now the ASSRA Journal is too important to let languish because of lack of material.  There is a wealth of knowlege and experience in this membership and I want to encourage you boys to write about it because I want to read it.  Heck, I might even try my hand at it myself.  Let's cover the new editor up with stuff so that he'll have a lot to choose from.  If he chooses to not use our stuff, we can ask him for some feed back on how to improve and what articles he might need us to write about.  This could be fun and help the whole group.

Some of you fellas who know about it, I'd really like to see an article about rifling depth, rates of twist for various calibers and bullets, difference in button and cut rifling and the advantages and disadvantages of each, what works best with smokeless and what works best with black powder and so on. 

  
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Irascible
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Re: Ruger No. 1 speed hammer??
Reply #12 - Aug 8th, 2007 at 11:43am
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Someone explained to me once that the meaning is not in the words; it is in us.   
Aint it the truth. Body language, facial expressions, tonal changes are all important in communication. NOW, about this texting craze the kids are into?
  
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Black_Prince
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Re: Ruger No. 1 speed hammer??
Reply #13 - Aug 8th, 2007 at 6:26pm
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Doan know how to do text messaging.  But then, I doan know how to turn my cell phone off neither cause there ain't no "off" switch on it.   It's all I can do to make or receieve a call on the dern thang.  Figure I'll die before I need to learn.  I'm jiss gonna let that be something else I die ignorant about along with all the other stuff I'm gonna die ignorant about such as how to make some money.
  
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Re: Ruger No. 1 speed hammer??
Reply #14 - Aug 9th, 2007 at 8:34am
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To any and all
As the new Editor let me make this perfectly clear. I am greatfully accepting articles on all repete all types of single shot shooting. I am especially looking for articles on Long range, and BPCR. People keep saying they are going to write one but they never arrive. If you havn't got the idae yet, if it goes bang and you have to work the action and put in a round by hand its a singleshot.

John Merz
AKA 40 Rod
  
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