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Young Man Afraid Of His Horses
- Thread starter Sharps40
- Start date
Two piece grip panels can always use some internal support....especially when they are wide and/or some really fancy wood that breaks easily. Here a piece of walnut is clamped into place with some super glue. Plenty strong. No need for a pin or screw.
About a minute in the clamp is all that's needed. The block is a few thou smaller than the inside measurement of the back strap. The grips will pull into it without breaking or tearing out the screw/washers. But, should keep one from over tightening the grip screw.
Meantime, scrap cast brass is rounded up, filed to the desired thickness, just over 1/8" and a proper hole is drilled.
After tinning the brass and grinding back a new shoulder on the ejector rod housing, it also being tinned, its all clamped up in a giant clamp and heated till the solder flows.
After some work with dremel drum, files, etc, and finding out the loop on the frame is back cut on this one, so some tedous fitting was needed.....there is a new brass wedding band on the ejector rod housing. Brass front, middle and rear now. I think it'll be enough brass.....maybe....
With a touch of cold blue to see how it'll look later.
About a minute in the clamp is all that's needed. The block is a few thou smaller than the inside measurement of the back strap. The grips will pull into it without breaking or tearing out the screw/washers. But, should keep one from over tightening the grip screw.
Meantime, scrap cast brass is rounded up, filed to the desired thickness, just over 1/8" and a proper hole is drilled.
After tinning the brass and grinding back a new shoulder on the ejector rod housing, it also being tinned, its all clamped up in a giant clamp and heated till the solder flows.
After some work with dremel drum, files, etc, and finding out the loop on the frame is back cut on this one, so some tedous fitting was needed.....there is a new brass wedding band on the ejector rod housing. Brass front, middle and rear now. I think it'll be enough brass.....maybe....
With a touch of cold blue to see how it'll look later.
Two piece grip panels can always use some internal support....especially when they are wide and/or some really fancy wood that breaks easily. Here a piece of walnut is clamped into place with some super glue. Plenty strong. No need for a pin or screw.
About a minute in the clamp is all that's needed. The block is a few thou smaller than the inside measurement of the back strap. The grips will pull into it without breaking or tearing out the screw/washers. But, should keep one from over tightening the grip screw.
Meantime, scrap cast brass is rounded up, filed to the desired thickness, just over 1/8" and a proper hole is drilled.
After tinning the brass and grinding back a new shoulder on the ejector rod housing, it also being tinned, its all clamped up in a giant clamp and heated till the solder flows.
After some work with dremel drum, files, etc, and finding out the loop on the frame is back cut on this one, so some tedous fitting was needed.....there is a new brass wedding band on the ejector rod housing. Brass front, middle and rear now. I think it'll be enough brass.....maybe....
With a touch of cold blue to see how it'll look later.
About a minute in the clamp is all that's needed. The block is a few thou smaller than the inside measurement of the back strap. The grips will pull into it without breaking or tearing out the screw/washers. But, should keep one from over tightening the grip screw.
Meantime, scrap cast brass is rounded up, filed to the desired thickness, just over 1/8" and a proper hole is drilled.
After tinning the brass and grinding back a new shoulder on the ejector rod housing, it also being tinned, its all clamped up in a giant clamp and heated till the solder flows.
After some work with dremel drum, files, etc, and finding out the loop on the frame is back cut on this one, so some tedous fitting was needed.....there is a new brass wedding band on the ejector rod housing. Brass front, middle and rear now. I think it'll be enough brass.....maybe....
With a touch of cold blue to see how it'll look later.
Love that brass band on the ejector rod housing! 
May have to try that mod on one of mine!
May have to try that mod on one of mine!Clamp it in a muzzleloading dovetailing jig....file back the shoulder with safe edge files. Solder or epoxy the band. Check fit and reclamp/refile the shoulder as needed, open the groove for the ejector rod. Polish and blue.
Its the last day of gun season here in Central NC. Rain it tapering off and I'll be on stand by 1500 or so....I always sit the last day. Sometimes it produces!
But, had to while a way the rainy morning so.....time to finish up getting the sixth screw into the grip frame and a good clean up preparatory to getting some range time now that everything is at least in place and approaching 90% fitted.
With that in mind....
The one of six holes in the 1860 army grip frame that didn't line up with the ruger frame is the front screw hole in the trigger guard. So, plugged it with a fitted brass 10x32 screw....tinned all the parts and screwed it together with flux. Gentle heat from the propane torch and after a bit of filing and an initial polish......the solder line is nearly invisible.
Exterior face in front of the trigger guard after counterboring a new screw head seat for the 8x40 screw I drilled and tapped the frame for 8x40 (Ruger original screw is 6x40 I believe. I like to use the factory hole to spot the new one then drill the trigger guard off frame. Reassemble and use the trigger guard as a guide to drill and tap the frame to 8x40. Gives me the feeling that I get better alignment, that plus I only have a counterbore for 8x40 screws! one day i'll have to get one for size 6)
Rear face of the trigger guard. The colt hole is always about 1/2 to 2/3 of a screw forward of the ruger hole.
Everything laid out for a good cleaning. She was getting rather gritty feeling with all the years of original dirt and the dirt from all the hand work I've been doing. Quite messy inside and out. So, before a range trip.....
Two piece frame is lots easier to assemble to the revolver....and the grip pin serves double duty to capture the main spring assembly.
I've not done any trigger work. Won't be. Dirty it was breaking about 4.5 lbs but gritty. Clean and lightly lubed, I have just about 3 lbs 10 oz clean break and just a touch of take up. Should be a fairly precise trigger and easy to use. Its firm till it breaks then it go's clean. I'm pleased with it....best trigger job is years of use I suppose.
I think it actually looks pretty good this way. But, I think I'll rust blue it anyway.
But, had to while a way the rainy morning so.....time to finish up getting the sixth screw into the grip frame and a good clean up preparatory to getting some range time now that everything is at least in place and approaching 90% fitted.
With that in mind....
The one of six holes in the 1860 army grip frame that didn't line up with the ruger frame is the front screw hole in the trigger guard. So, plugged it with a fitted brass 10x32 screw....tinned all the parts and screwed it together with flux. Gentle heat from the propane torch and after a bit of filing and an initial polish......the solder line is nearly invisible.
Exterior face in front of the trigger guard after counterboring a new screw head seat for the 8x40 screw I drilled and tapped the frame for 8x40 (Ruger original screw is 6x40 I believe. I like to use the factory hole to spot the new one then drill the trigger guard off frame. Reassemble and use the trigger guard as a guide to drill and tap the frame to 8x40. Gives me the feeling that I get better alignment, that plus I only have a counterbore for 8x40 screws! one day i'll have to get one for size 6)
Rear face of the trigger guard. The colt hole is always about 1/2 to 2/3 of a screw forward of the ruger hole.
Everything laid out for a good cleaning. She was getting rather gritty feeling with all the years of original dirt and the dirt from all the hand work I've been doing. Quite messy inside and out. So, before a range trip.....
Two piece frame is lots easier to assemble to the revolver....and the grip pin serves double duty to capture the main spring assembly.
I've not done any trigger work. Won't be. Dirty it was breaking about 4.5 lbs but gritty. Clean and lightly lubed, I have just about 3 lbs 10 oz clean break and just a touch of take up. Should be a fairly precise trigger and easy to use. Its firm till it breaks then it go's clean. I'm pleased with it....best trigger job is years of use I suppose.
I think it actually looks pretty good this way. But, I think I'll rust blue it anyway.
Just my opinion, but it's beautiful as it sits now. Another Ruger that's got all of us drooling!
Thanks. Typical photo tour when done showing the boogers and then the overall good looks. Current boogers are a portion of the right grip panel that just ain't flat/touching at the bottom of the grip. It'll probably stay with a slight gap. I can't remove any more from the back of the grip and still have the thickness in the panel I want for grip and strength. But, will probably also antique the brass with cold bluing so it looks right with the matt finish of the rust blue and the somewhat battered look of the grip panels.
Went off to the range today to test fire both the 9mm and the 38/357 cylinder. No problems at all with the gun. Sights need lots of adjustment as all three calibers are very low and left. I'll likely have to adjust the front sight left and perhaps down. Its for sure I'll have to get at least a hunter rear blade or perhaps a touch taller to bring this one into alignment. But, that's a productive trip, and the adjustments can be made and checked before the finish work. Overall, I'm pleased with the function and the available accuracy with both 9mm and the 38/357. It appears the 9mm is slightly less accurate but that was expected and I couldn't be happier with its performance for cheep practice on steel and rolling cans and golf balls.
And....I really like the extra length grip. 1860 Army + length is for sure the way to go!
And even though the 9mm cylinder throats measure a generous .359ish inches, they fit the cases snug and provide more than adequate accuracy at 25 ft (distance of a long room or hall) for practical practice shooting.
The 9mm target (147g FMJ handloads) with a thumb for size reference.
The target with a combination of 38s (130g FMJ) and 357's (125g LFN) and a thumb for size reference.
And....I really like the extra length grip. 1860 Army + length is for sure the way to go!
And even though the 9mm cylinder throats measure a generous .359ish inches, they fit the cases snug and provide more than adequate accuracy at 25 ft (distance of a long room or hall) for practical practice shooting.
The 9mm target (147g FMJ handloads) with a thumb for size reference.
The target with a combination of 38s (130g FMJ) and 357's (125g LFN) and a thumb for size reference.
