gunsmithing help for ROA

[bothenook]

so i bought this ROA that was a safe queen for about 12 years. we went out before hand, shot the hell out of it, and i was so impressed i opened my wallet and bought it on the spot. accurate, easy to load, just damned good, all around.
took it home, cleaned it, and started the whole process of removing and lubing the nipples, since i like to have the threads lubed with a little never-sieze. big mistake. biiiig mistake. my meathook hands rounded off the itty bitty little hex land the nipple wrench was supposed to fit over. two weeks of soaking in kroil, and i rounded the other 5. drilled out and used a #1 screw extractor. no luck. next, i'm going to use a 1/8" drill and a bigger extractor, but now i'm getting close to the threads and i really don't want to ruin this cylinder.
so any ideas before i really dick this thing up? any recommended size nipples if i do really booger this thing and i need to drill and tap to a bigger size?
i bought it, it's my problem,and i've probably made a simple fix a lot harder. now i just need to figure out how to make this thing a shooter again.

 

[aeatwood]

Find yourself in the bottom of a hole, stop digging. If you are not a machinist, or a gunsmith by trade, I would drop the cylinder off with someone who is. I don't know what sizes of oversize thread nipples are available, but I do know that new cylinders are composed of solid unobtainium. And I don't know if Helicoil will work in case you booger the threads.

 

[bothenook]

probably the best thing to do is get it out of my shop and into the hands of someone that knows what to do. i can fix nuclear submarines, but a little black powder cylinder is kicking my kiester.

 

[arcticap]

I wish you luck in finding someone to get them out.
There is a company named Classicballistix that recently started making replacement ROA cylinders again, and it was announced that they were going to be sold through Kirst. So if it becomes necessary a replacement cylinder should be available.
Its list price was announced to be about $219.

 

[Leatherbark]

Probably shoulder pressure. Since the nipples are buggered now I would place the cylinder down on a flat surface and use a flat punch and hit down hard on the nipple to break the seat and jar the thread engagement and then unscrew them with an easy out.

Good luck

Bob

 

[KABAR2]

With the proper size and long enough drill if the nipples are straigh on to the chambers they could be drilled from the back side from the chamber it is possible that as the drill bit bites into the metal it will "Spin" the offending nipple out.... but I do not recomend this for the less-skilled...

 

[Dickydalton]

I've got one chamber in one of my ROAs that a nipple broke off in and I drilled it and tried an easy out and it stripped close to the threads. Until I take it to a smith it's a 5 shooter.

 

[D Sanders]

STOP!

Its a fine pitch #12 thread. Find a machinist that has access to weird taps of this size that can drill out the old ones. It is not a metric thread The cylinder cannot be replaced. Replacement nipples can be purchased from TOTW or Dixie. I have a ROA and have had the same problem.
DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME! Let a professional perform this operation.

HH 60

 

[Argo]

Yeah, good luck finding a professional these days who knows what they are doing or how to do it.

 

[bothenook]

about smiths. years ago, i had a gun that was given to me as a drunken goodbye gift. found out it was chingered up something serious. took it to a smith (one of several in town), who had it up and running in top shape ever since.
recently had a s&w problem that i was told by the only smith i could find within 50 miles that he doesn't really work on guns any more, since all the components are pretty much plug and play with a little adjustment... so much for progress. i know that non-smokey guns are for the most part way better in the manufacturing than 50 years ago with new materials and new machines, but it sure seems to me that we are loosing a skill set that SOME of us still need!

 

[arcticap]

STOP!
The cylinder cannot be replaced.

A poster on The High Road Dot Org BP forum by the name of Jim, West PA received a brand new fitted stainless percussion cylinder with his 5.5" stainless ROA yesterday Oct. 1, 2012 after the Ruger service dept. had the gun for 2 weeks.
When he recently bought the ROA it only came with a conversion cylinder. Ruger quoted him a price, he sent it in, they overhauled it and didn't charge him one single cent.
The name of the thread is Ruger is out o' control.'specialy with thier ROA's.

 

[bothenook]

so here's a question for those of you that have had ROA problems in the recent past. any recommendations for a solid dependable smith that would do work on parts sent by mail, and not charge the cost of a new classicballistix cylinder to do the work? i may get one just because anyway, but would dearly love to keep this old(er) gun factory if possible.

 

[D Sanders]

STOP!
The cylinder cannot be replaced.

A poster on The High Road Dot Org BP forum by the name of Jim, West PA received a brand new fitted stainless percussion cylinder with his 5.5" stainless ROA yesterday Oct. 1, 2012 after the Ruger service dept. had the gun for 2 weeks.
When he recently bought the ROA it only came with a conversion cylinder. Ruger quoted him a price, he sent it in, they overhauled it and didn't charge him one single cent.
The name of the thread is Ruger is out o' control.'specialy with thier ROA's.

Hey if its that cheap and easy... go for it
:surrender:

 

[phoenix511]

FWIW, I've found my self-induced nipple problems on BP revolvers were caused by holding the cylinder in one hand and twisting a nipple wrench with the other. Not much torque can be applied, plus the wrench is likely to slip, buggering-up the nipple, wrench, or both.

Put two wood dowels that will slip into the cylinder easily (like 3/8"), put them vertically in a vise, apart about the distance between two opposing cylinders and protruding slightly less than the chamber length. Lower the cylinder onto them, and you may need to jiggle them a bit for best alignment.

Now you have the cylinder captured. The face of the cylinder in resting on the top of the vise jaws now. You can press down on the nipple wrench as hard as you want, you can use both hands to hold the wrench, and you've got lots of torque.

This should help avoid a nipple so buggered-up it requires drill/re-tap.

 

[arcticap]

so here's a question for those of you that have had ROA problems in the recent past. any recommendations for a solid dependable smith that would do work on parts sent by mail, and not charge the cost of a new classicballistix cylinder to do the work? i may get one just because anyway, but would dearly love to keep this old(er) gun factory if possible.

I would go to this reputable Texas C&B gunsmith named "Hoof Hearted" without any hesitation.

http://www.cartridgeconversion.com/

He is personal friends with the folks who own Kirst and does many quality conversion projects and custom work. And because he works out of his house he has reasonable prices. He loves guns and likes to help folks out when he can.
From his website:

Take a load off and peruse the site here. If you have questions send me an email [email protected] or give me a call, 9 AM to 9 PM Central (TEXAS) Standard Time, (817) 219-2966

Thanks!
Gary

 

[bothenook]

wow, thanks guys... i was able to find someone here in the area after talking to a fellow ace at the range. there are other things that crop up over time, and i will keep the names suggested at the top of the list if needed.
oh, and the tip about dowels. why didn't i think about that? great tip.