New 442 w/lock

[Dirknar]

So I sold a bunch of guns to fund a Harley(again).. I had a real nice 642 w/lock and the LG105 grips that I let go and I always missed it. I also love Ruger single actions. I bought a barely used ruger blackhawk flattop 44splc a while ago for 375 with some ammo. I shot it, rloaded for it and had fun with it for a number of months, great gun, but I was in a real need for a carry gun. I hadnt had anything to carry for months, I know my priorities were screwed up..

I went to a local gun shop just to see what they might give me on my ruger. I thought they were gonna lowball it bad.. They didnt, they traded me straight across, no tax for a factory brand new 442. They sell them new for 389$ Its basically what I wanted.. except for the dang lock. I was pretty happy with that deal, I will be going back to them first for my gun needs.. Ive bought a few guns from them before also.

I ordered the grip clip from desantis the other day from brownells and mysteriously the clipdraw shows up instead and the grip clip from desantis is nowhere to be found on Brownells website anymore, infact nothing from desantis is on there... Very strange.. I had a gift card from years ago and only paid 12 bucks for it so I just let it go.. I think the grip clip would have been nicer though.

Should I get rid of it and use "the plug" ?

Ive been watching videos on youtube about trigger jobs/spring change so Im thinking on the wolf springs or the Apex kit and some real mild stoning on the rubbing parts.

This video goes pretty in depth, Thanks NutnFancy..
S&W Airweight Trigger Job: "The Yoda G Mod" - YouTube

here was my Ruger

 

[hotrod150]

Yeah, that "yoda trigger job" video by nutn is pretty good. Toward the very end he's a little too busy running his mouth & the gunsmith's hands are blocking the camera's view so it's hard to tell just where he's stoning the trigger/hammer-- unfortunately that's the most critical part of the job.
Regarding the lock, I wasn't that worried about it self-engaging on my 442-2 but I figured why take the chance-- I just removed the "flag" & left the cam-like keyhole piece in place, that way there's no big unsightly hole to plug. Removal of the flag does leave a small hole open, but even "the plug" option doesn't do anything to address that one.

 

[Smee78]

I think you failed on this one,,,,,,I would of rather saved up the few hundered dollars and bought a j frame(pre lock for me, you know they sell that model now with out the lock in them new). No way I would of traded my Ruger 44spl away, plus now you have a j frame with a lock that you dont like and it now needs a trigger job and lazer grips. Sorry Dirknar. (Unless you just did not like the Ruger then thats a different story)

 

[Dirknar]

No prob Smee, Money has been tight as work has been slow latley.. I also have A.D.D when It comes to guns, I get bored fast.. I liked the 44spl it was fun to shoot but I also have a Ruger blackhawk 44mag 50th anniv model that my wife bought me and I would shoot those two side by side all the time and I always enjoyed shooting the 44 mag more even with the 44spl skeeter loads... Maybe its because the slightly longer barrel?? I did shoot the 44spl Bisley flattop model once and it was much better than the standered handle, If i get a wild hair again I will deffinatly buy the bisley model.

You know what else is funny, I didnt seem to care one bit about the lock the other day when I got it, but sure enough i get on the Interwebs and get all worried about it.. Haha..

 

[Smee78]

As long as your happy thats all that matters, I'm glad you now have a carry gun again, the way you were speaking I thought you sold off all your guns to fund your Harley. "I also have A.D.D when It comes to guns" I think that funny, I know a few guys like that, now if I could just time it where I have money when they get ready to sell I would be in great shape. Be sure to post a range report when you get it out to the range.

 

[wrangler5]

Anybody know the thickness of that metal plate/flag that the locking nub is on? If it's a standard thickness it probably wouldn't be much of a trick to just make a roughly-same-size smooth one, put a pin in it to fill the tiny hole in the frame, polish it up and just let it ride next to the hammer. (I'd put in a PLUG to fill the big hole, too, of course.)

 

[Dirknar]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. I have one 642 that is a lock gun and I removed the lock parts and left the hole in the side. Doesn't look so good but it shoots just fine. It's a carry gun so I don't worry about the looks part.

Ya I hear ya,I don't care much.. Can't I disable the lock and leave most of the parts inside? I hate to think of junk getting in the hole.


Smee, ive sold way to many nice guns to fund motorcycles than I'd like to admit, haha..

 

[hotrod150]

Dirknar, read my post above again. I removed the actual lock ("flag") and left the piece with the keyhole. Only unfilled hole is an itty-bitty one aft of the keyhole.

 

[hotrod150]

I don't have & can't find online a diagram of an internal-lock Smith revolver with the offical name of the parts involved. But there are two main parts to the lock: the piece with the keyhole, and the piece that rotates up into the notch in the hammer to lock it. The latter is the one referred to as "the flag" correct?
IMHO it is crazy to remove the keyhole piece but leave the flag. The flag is the part that does the actual locking-- by removing the keyhole piece you have just removed any means of controlling that locking flag, it's now pretty much free to just move at will. IMHO there's way more chance of it self-engaging that way than with the keyhole piece in place.

 

[Dirknar]

I don't have & can't find online a diagram of an internal-lock Smith revolver with the offical name of the parts involved. But there are two main parts to the lock: the piece with the keyhole, and the piece that rotates up into the notch in the hammer to lock it. The latter is the one referred to as "the flag" correct?
IMHO it is crazy to remove the keyhole piece but leave the flag. The flag is the part that does the actual locking-- by removing the keyhole piece you have just removed any means of controlling that locking flag, it's now pretty much free to just move at will. IMHO there's way more chance of it self-engaging that way than with the keyhole piece in place.

Thats exactly what I thought.. ive watched a few videos on the removal. I don't care if the keyhole is in place, I just want the piece that actually does the locking gone..

Im slightly confused about the whole plug/lock thing.. I just want it to not be lockable.. The key hole plug doesnt bother me. Im thinking about ordering the Apex spring kit, when I take it apart I guess I will have to look for myself.

And after reading about how guys are sick of dealing with it on this forum, which is totally understandable.. I apologize for bringing it up and making it an issue.

Thanks hotrod and to you guys for the help though, its much appreciated..

 

[VPNAVY]

Wow - thank you hotrod150! I went to a locksmith (with plug in hand) and he removed a few pieces (gave them back to me in case I wanted to enable the lock in the future) and said it is totally disabled and asked if I wanted to use the plug or just leave the key thingy (does nothing now) in place and demonstrated how it now does nothing - I said just leave it because it looked better then the slightly different color plug. In the back of my mind I was wondering why everyone one felt their would be a hole left...anyway, thanks!

 

[Dirknar]

Dirknar, read my post above again. I removed the actual lock ("flag") and left the piece with the keyhole. Only unfilled hole is an itty-bitty one aft of the keyhole.

ha, Oops.. I didnt even see this post until now. That explains it all...