Crane Ball Lock

[SSGGlock]

Hello

Has anyone done this mod? My 929 has it from the factory and I love it. However my 625s and 686s for IDPA do not. I bought the power custom kit, but now I’m hesitant to do it. 

 

[MRBerg]

No I haven't but have seen the video it looks like a great add on I would say if you have the tools take your time go slow think way a head measure twice drill once 

Ron  

[Toolguy]

I've done lots of them. Anything is hard the first time you do it. By the time you have done a few, it's easier. The 2 main things to be very careful on are the depth of the spring hole, and the placement of the detent cavity in the frame. If you get the detent too far to the outside, the yoke will not be held tightly in place. You will notice how Ron started a bit too far in, and carefully worked it outward.

Edited February 7, 2021 by Toolguy

[SSGGlock]

1 minute ago, Toolguy said:

I've done lots of them. Anything is hard the first time you do it. By the time you have done a few, it's very easy. The 2 main things to be very careful on are the depth of the spring hole, and the placement of the detent cavity in the frame. If you get the detent too far to the outside, the yoke will not be held tightly in place. You will notice how Ron started a bit too far in, and carefully worked it outward.

That’s what concerns me is the detent. Is there enough meat in there that’s doesn’t effect anything from removing. And getting the detent to far out and thus does no good.

 

Also, on the ones you’ve done. Do you also remove the spring and plunger that holds on to the extractor rod?

[alecmc]

I've done this mod on nearly all my guns, I like the ball detent to for holding the yoke closed, and also holding the yoke open during reloads.

 

It's easiest to do on a mill since the hole in the yoke needs to be drilled fairly accurate ( .250 IIRC ) - But you can do it on a drill press with a cheap vice and a pair of dial indicators. 

 

The hardest part of the whole operation though is figuring out the location on the frame where to dremel out a recess for the ball detent to sit. Some blue dykem is helpful in this operation. I've found starting a hair further away then you think you need to be ( light cut) and working your way in worked for me.  You can always bring it closer, but once you go too far it's over. 

 

Tip: Dont put the ball in the center of the area on the yoke to drill, offset it to the left or right - so that if you do mess it up you'll have the space to try again ( if its in the center you wont have much space left over to drill another )

 

Good luck.

 

-a

 

Edited February 7, 2021 by alecmc

[Toolguy]

1 hour ago, SSGGlock said:

That’s what concerns me is the detent. Is there enough meat in there that’s doesn’t effect anything from removing. And getting the detent to far out and thus does no good.

 

Also, on the ones you’ve done. Do you also remove the spring and plunger that holds on to the extractor rod?

There is plenty of meat and the detent is very small, by comparison. No worries there. Most of the ones I did had custom barrels with no extractor holder, but have done a few stock ones. I just left them original, and viewed it as a poor man's triple lock.

[Carmoney]

I've installed a bunch of crane ball locks over the years.  I did them only because customers wanted them.  I don't bother with them on my own guns.  They don't really do all that much.  

[ysrracer]

I'm confused, I thought these were in place to keep the yoke open during a reload, not keep it closed.

[MRBerg]

51 minutes ago, ysrracer said:

I'm confused, I thought these were in place to keep the yoke open during a reload, not keep it closed.

open and closed 

[PatJones]

Where are you guys putting a detent that would affect the function of the crane when it's open?

[ysrracer]

[SSGGlock]

17 hours ago, Toolguy said:

There is plenty of meat and the detent is very small, by comparison. No worries there. Most of the ones I did had custom barrels with no extractor holder, but have done a few stock ones. I just left them original, and viewed it as a poor man's triple lock.

Thanks. My whole reasoning was to be able to remove the lock on the extractor rod and have it feel more like my 929.

[SSGGlock]

19 hours ago, alecmc said:

I've done this mod on nearly all my guns, I like the ball detent to for holding the yoke closed, and also holding the yoke open during reloads.

 

It's easiest to do on a mill since the hole in the yoke needs to be drilled fairly accurate ( .250 IIRC ) - But you can do it on a drill press with a cheap vice and a pair of dial indicators. 

 

The hardest part of the whole operation though is figuring out the location on the frame where to dremel out a recess for the ball detent to sit. Some blue dykem is helpful in this operation. I've found starting a hair further away then you think you need to be ( light cut) and working your way in worked for me.  You can always bring it closer, but once you go too far it's over. 

 

Tip: Dont put the ball in the center of the area on the yoke to drill, offset it to the left or right - so that if you do mess it up you'll have the space to try again ( if its in the center you wont have much space left over to drill another )

 

Good luck.

 

-a

 

Thanks, good idea starting out from center. Do you remove the extractor rod lock?

[pskys2]

The question should be is it worth it?

 

I had it added to one and it made no difference on accuracy or lightness of action, as long as you don't have a bent crane or ejector rod and if you do it needs repaired anyway.

At one point was even having the occasional flyer and put the original locking bolt back in.  Didn't make any difference.

The theory is there is less drag on the cylinder and you can therefore lighten your action a touch more.  Never found that to be the case.

In fact I think there may be a slight bit of accuracy advantage in having the ejector rod secured at both ends.  In USPSA/ICORE/IDPA I don't think it's something one would notice though.   Might be noted at 100+ yds?

 

Like Mike, I just don't worry about it.  But then seems I'm getting less fussy as I age, I'm still packing my "spurs"!

 

 

Edited February 8, 2021 by pskys2

[alecmc]

3 hours ago, SSGGlock said:

Thanks, good idea starting out from center. Do you remove the extractor rod lock?

 

 

Most my competition guns have modified barrels that are "penciled". So they have the barrel under lug completely removed, and my extractor rod is just floating out in free space.

 

[alecmc]

Side note :

 

I'm of the opinion the extractor rod / rod lock in the barrel lug is a huge flaw in design, especially when it comes to competition.

 

If you're hard on your guns , and do alot of reloading you're bound to start to bend the extractor rod. Even the slightest bend in a rod with a factory barrel lug lock up with screw with your trigger pull and it will bind up.

 

So i'm a fan of getting rid of the half lug, or at the very least getting rid of the rod lockup in the barrel.  I'd put money on nearly all my extractor rods being out of concentric and tweaked in some way - but it doesn't matter since it's not locking up at the tip of the rod.   

[pyrrhic3gun]

I would like to see a picture of the lower detent ball in the crane on that model 986, if you please Mr. YSRRACER.

This is certainly a new one to me and pointless IMHO.  Same can be said for the model 986.  :^)

[ysrracer]

7 hours ago, pyrrhic3gun said:

I would like to see a picture of the lower detent ball in the crane on that model 986, if you please Mr. YSRRACER.

This is certainly a new one to me and pointless IMHO.  Same can be said for the model 986.  :^)

 

I agree about the 986. I almost bought one, but luckily my friends in Arizona talked me out of it, and into a 627, then into a 929.

 

That's not my gun, I just found that picture on the internet. I think Mojo dis the work.

 

[pskys2]

Note the best way to mark the detent is to install the ball, then use prussian blue, even grease or pencil lead, and close the cylinder/crane multiple times.  Then center punch on the inside edge of the mark.  You can always use a dremel to adjust but for tightest lock up the ball needs to be a tight engagement.

[SSGGlock]

54 minutes ago, pskys2 said:

Note the best way to mark the detent is to install the ball, then use prussian blue, even grease or pencil lead, and close the cylinder/crane multiple times.  Then center punch on the inside edge of the mark.  You can always use a dremel to adjust but for tightest lock up the ball needs to be a tight engagement.

Center punch is a good idea.