Ruger OA Grip Frame question

[Cabofdoom]

Was wondering if anyone had installed a birdshead grip frame on an Ruger OA? As I understand it, the OA frame is essencially a 3 screw Blackhawk frame and as such, shouldn't a birdshead grip frame for a Ruger BH fit? Please school me if I am off base and move this to the gunsmithing section if you all think it belongs there

TIA

COD

 

[Walks Alone]

The Bird's Head frame came out for the Vaquero's. Your OA does have a XR3-Red frame which is based on the Blackhawk frame, and since they are interchangeable with the XRN-3RED New Model frames (which includes the Vaquero's) a logical guess is that a Bird's Head frame would mount on your OA. But.... since I've never owned a OA, so my next comment may be a dumb one. The only other thing I can think of that might come into play is did they also add the new safety transfer bar to the OA's along with the other new models SA's in 1972? If so and my OA was pre transfer bar I sure wouldn't make a change that included it.

Babbled long enough... hope some of it helps.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Give Ruger a call and I'm sure they could answer your question. I can tell you it ain't cheap. A friend changed his single six .32 mag to Birdshead and it cost him about $150, doing the fitting himself. The end result looked pretty good on the 4 3/4" barreled single six but I think it would look rather odd on such a huge revolver as the Old Army.

 

[Arrowhead]

The OA does not have a transfer bar or at least I have never seen one with the bar. I put the brass dragoon style Super Blackhawk grip frame on mine. Makes a nice looking gun.

 

[TFoley]

The OA does not have a transfer bar or at least I have never seen one with the bar. I put the brass dragoon style Super Blackhawk grip frame on mine. Makes a nice looking gun.

No transfer bar on any ROA - the hammer has a cut-out in it so that it only contacts the frame if the trigger is squoze without a cap in place. Therefore it does not hit the nipple unless there is a cap in the way to make up the difference in the space between the hammer nose and the nipple.

tac

 

[mykeal]

Correct, no transfer bar on Old Armys of any vintage.

The Old Army uses the XR-3RED grip frame. It is dimensionally the same as the XRN-3RED frame used on New Model Blackhawks, Vaqueros, etc. However, the XRN-3RED frame uses the new trigger spring and is not functionally interchangeable with the XR-3RED frame. The Bird's Head Vaquero grip frame also uses the new trigger spring, so I doubt the Bird's Head grip frame will interchange with the Ruger Old Army frame.

 

[madcratebuilder]

The ROA's plunger style trigger return is a fly in the ointment when swapping grip frames. It can be done but requires some major fabrication.

 

[Cabofdoom]

thanks for all the input guys. had an idea of shortening the barrel on one of my OA's to about 4 inches and putting a birdshead on it...oh well...maybe I'll just have it shotened anyway

COD

 

[madcratebuilder]

thanks for all the input guys. had an idea of shortening the barrel on one of my OA's to about 4 inches and putting a birdshead on it...oh well...maybe I'll just have it shotened anyway

COD

I would go for it. If you can work with your hands, none of this is rocket surgery. A drill press and a good assortment of files is about all the tools you need. To use a Birdshead grip frame you need to build up material for the trigger return plunger and spring. This could be done with Devcon, a high end metal epoxy. Then drill the hole for the plunger and spring. It's not a high stress area. Cut and crown the barrel and you have a one of a kind custom you did with your hands, not your wallet.