I picked up a Ruger Super Blackhawk 44mag 10.5" barrel revolver (slightly used, excellent condition).

No chance to take it out to the woods yet, but I was "admiring" it, and for giggles, thought I'd dry fire it.

When I did, the slightest touch (accidentaly) to the hammer, and it sprang forward???

I cocked it again, and lightly touched the hammer.....same thing.


I then cocked it, and pulled the trigger, and it is a VERY light trigger.

Is it normal for the hammer to lunge forward, at a touch? I'm new to revolvers, but it seems a little dangerous to me.

Thinking I might want to have a GS look it over before taking it out.


Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks guys.

NO! You will need to have a smith look at it. The single action pull is normally very light on a revolver, but not that light. I would not load live ammo in it until it was looked at.

If just touching the hammer without pulling the trigger causes it to fall then NO its not normal! Sounds like someone has jacked with the sear engagement.

Just what I thought fellas. Definitelyngonna have it checked out before a field test.

Thank you!

Call Ruger they have great customer service.

That doesn't sound normal at all. Sounds to me like somebody filed down the sear to give it a "hair trigger" Very, very dangerous. If the sear is negative, or barely engaging, it's a big no no. Get a GS to take a look at it.

That should have been a "safety check" after whichever Bozo "tuned" the trigger. Pressure on the hammer should NEVER cause it to fall. I have to agree with the send it to Ruger comment. They didn't do it but don't want their name on something I'd call dangerous with no reservations. You may want/need to take it somewhere after Ruger fixes it, but I'd bet parts need replaced before any reputable 'smith will touch it.

about 5 years ago i saw a brand new S&W 629 get delivered to my local gun store. They had ordered it for a customer and one of the employees had the gun out to verify the serial numbers and in the process function checked the gun ...he could co*k the hammer back,feel it lock in place, then push it to drop all with just finger pressure ...needless to say that gun went back to S&W and let them try it again to get it right

Seems like this might be a time to contact the previous owner. Hard to believe they did not know of this little gremlin. Ruger is very particular about certain items, especially dealing with triggers, and most likely will not sell parts needed to gunsmith, preferring to make sure their technicians replace and tune.

Not normal, and dangerous. Potentially a bad home trigger job.

I bought a S&W revolver that did the same thing. I called S&W to repair it as no smith really wanted to work on it. Shipped it to them, they fixed it and shipped it back to me. No CHARGE!!! Don't know if Ruger is the same but it is worth a shot.

I had a buddy with the regular BH .357 in 1976 and it did the same thing but because of the transfer bar it would not fire without actually pulling the trigger.
Anyway take no chances. Get it looked at by a gunsmith.