Ruger Old Army Upgrade

[sheriff john]

Recently found a scope mount for a ROA I've had for st least 25 years and never used. Took off Pachmyers and stuck the original walnut grips back on. She's happy again. Scoping her wasn't really my thing but maybe someone else has done so?

 

[Bad Karma]

@45D he really nailed the Bisley trigger didn’t he? That’s a beauty!

 

[Bad Karma]

Recently found a scope mount for a ROA I've had for st least 25 years and never used. Took off Pachmyers and stuck the original walnut grips back on. She's happy again. Scoping her wasn't really my thing but maybe someone else has done so?

If you’ve ever wondered, “just how accurate is this gun?” The scope will help you answer…

 

[M. De Land]

Recently found a scope mount for a ROA I've had for st least 25 years and never used. Took off Pachmyers and stuck the original walnut grips back on. She's happy again. Scoping her wasn't really my thing but maybe someone else has done so?

Picture of it please ?

 

[45D]

@45D he really nailed the Bisley trigger didn’t he? That’s a beauty!

Yessir, he definitely did!!! I think all of mine need that trigger!! The setback of the sides of the hammers to keep them "clean" and scratch free is an excellent touch as well!!

I'd like to eventually have hammers and triggers made for Uberti and Pietta revolvers as well !!

Mike

 

[sheriff john]

Picture of it please ?

We're camping for a few days. Not at home to do photos.

 

[Smokerr]

I would be interested in what it takes to adjust the Bolt on the Ruger.

My first one has a tiny bit of drag off and on but mostly off.

The one coming has clear drag marks on the cylinder and I would like to know what adjustment or mod is made to move the bolt a bit sooner.

 

[45D]

I would be interested in what it takes to adjust the Bolt on the Ruger.

My first one has a tiny bit of drag off and on but mostly off.

The one coming has clear drag marks on the cylinder and I would like to know what adjustment or mod is made to move the bolt a bit sooner.

Drag marks on Ruger Old Army cylinders are mostly because of a weak hand spring design. When folks run them fast but don't quite make it to full **** (because their thumb slips off), the cylinder is still moving "at speed" because the hand spring is too weak to slow the cyl down. This is called "short stroking".
Because the cylinder is moving so fast, the bolt jumps the locking notch which puts a scratch on the cyl and can damage the notch. The bolt spring only applies about 4 lbs of force to the bolt so not much braking action for the cyl (more force would just scratch deeper). The main culprit is the hand spring. The spring and plunger are too small in dia. and the spring is too weak in compression. Hands have 2 jobs- rotate the cyl and "brake" the cyl rotation. I fix that by increasing the hole dia to 1/8" and fabing a longer pushrod (plunger) with a stronger spring. That fix has worked well for competition revolvers for years.

Comparison of mine (left) to the factory one (right).

 

[Smokerr]

Thank you, now will have to see about implementing.

 

[45D]

Thank you, now will have to see about implementing.

If the bolt needs to unlock the cylinder earlier than it does, the hammer plunger (replaces the cam in Colt type actions) can be extended which means it will contact the bolt "leg" sooner thus unlocking the cyl sooner. Remove the plunger by removing the cross pin. Then you can file the same notch a little further back and reinstall. This will allow the plunger to extend further.

Mike

 

[oldschoolhunter55]

My ROA purchased on GB came with these laminated grips made by Texas Grips, https://texasgrips.com/extended-grips-info/. They're a half inch longer than the factory grips and are very comfortable.

those are some nice looking grips. congrats to you.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Drag marks on Ruger Old Army cylinders are mostly because of a weak hand spring design

I don't believe I have ever seen a revolver, c&b or modern that did not have a drag mark on the cylinder. I thought that was normal, albeit ugly.

 

[M. De Land]

I don't believe I have ever seen a revolver, c&b or modern that did not have a drag mark on the cylinder. I thought that was normal, albeit ugly.

That's the reason for dressing/polishing the bolt dome and its lead in corner so only a rub line and not a gall is present. Also it aids the bolt drop into the cylinder notches along with braking the cylinder inertia. Early bolt drop before the lead in cut into the cylinder notch actually has a benefit of braking cylinder inertia so both the window and notch walls receive less impact at lock up.
If your going to increase the bolt spring tension bolt dome dressing becomes even more important to galling resistance. Dressing a bolt dome can easily be over done and all that needs dressing is the lead in corner and dome that contacts the cylinder.
Remember the cylinder speed is always increased as the hand switches from out side contact on the ratchet tooth at the beginning of the stroke and as it rises against the rotation contact is passed to the inside of the hand width. The closer the contact to the inside of the ratchet tooth axis the faster the cylinder turns and inertia energy increases. This is also the reason hand spring pressure has no braking action on cylinder inertia what so ever. As long as the hand is pushing on the ratchet tooth in the cocking stroke both rotation speed and inertia energy are increasing and it doesn't matter how much spring pressure it is applying.

 

[M. De Land]

I don't believe I have ever seen a revolver, c&b or modern that did not have a drag mark on the cylinder. I thought that was normal, albeit ugly.

They all do after getting some miles on their chassis from hard use.

 

[M. De Land]

They all do after getting some miles on their chassis from hard use.

I should more accurately said unless modified by timing and with heavier bolt spring etc.

 

[45D]

I don't believe I have ever seen a revolver, c&b or modern that did not have a drag mark on the cylinder. I thought that was normal, albeit ugly.

Mainly because all you've seen are "reproductions" or 150+ year old originals that have been handled extensively.

The 3 screw Ruger (which includes the ROA) has a Colt type action though powered by coil springs. Correctly timed and handled, it should have a "clean" cylinder but mishandling causes the "beauty rings" too.

Mike

 

[45D]

That's the reason for dressing/polishing the bolt dome and its lead in corner so only a rub line and not a gall is present. Also it aids the bolt drop into the cylinder notches along with braking the cylinder inertia. Early bolt drop before the lead in cut into the cylinder notch actually has a benefit of braking cylinder inertia so both the window and notch walls receive less impact at lock up.
If your going to increase the bolt spring tension bolt dome dressing becomes even more important to galling resistance. Dressing a bolt dome can easily be over done and all that needs dressing is the lead in corner and dome that contacts the cylinder.
Remember the cylinder speed is always increased as the hand switches from out side contact on the ratchet tooth at the beginning of the stroke and as it rises against the rotation contact is passed to the inside of the hand width. The closer the contact to the inside of the ratchet tooth axis the faster the cylinder turns and inertia energy increases. This is also the reason hand spring pressure has no braking action on cylinder inertia what so ever. As long as the hand is pushing on the ratchet tooth in the cocking stroke both rotation speed and inertia energy are increasing and it doesn't matter how much spring pressure it is applying.

What M DeLand refuses to understand is that "his" way of thinking isn't necessarily THE way it all works.
If he was right, my upgrade for the ROA wouldn't work . . . but it does, even with the 4 lb bolt spring . . . no need for a truck spring on the bolt to slow down the cyl. ( Just like it was taught to me by Jim Martin and like it is described in the Jerry Kuhnhausen book). The Colt designers actually knew what they were doing and when you follow their setup procedures, it works.

Mike

 

[M. De Land]

What M DeLand refuses to understand is that "his" way of thinking isn't necessarily THE way it all works.
If he was right, my upgrade for the ROA wouldn't work . . . but it does, even with the 4 lb bolt spring . . . no need for a truck spring on the bolt to slow down the cyl. ( Just like it was taught to me by Jim Martin and like it is described in the Jerry Kuhnhausen book). The Colt designers actually knew what they were doing and when you follow their setup procedures, it works.

Mike

Well, Physics don't care who says it just can't be that way............ it's true any how !

 

[M. De Land]

Well, Physics don't care who says it just can't be that way............ it's true any how !

Also, I checked hand spring tension at both the bottom and top of the stroke in a couple of my revolvers and if there is any increase in tension I couldn't tell it by feel.

 

[45D]

Well, Physics don't care who says it just can't be that way............ it's true any how !

Well, the hundred or so ROA's that I've set up that way DON'T have the issue so I've got to believe the engineers apparently knew the product better than you. Sorry you can't accept that Colt didn't set up their revolvers the way you do.

Mike