Michigan Mike
Member
They dont reccomend regular FMJs?
The RUGER OLD ARMY Club
- Thread starter ClemBert
- Start date
robhof
Member
No, they don't, but the ROA barrel (unlike the Italian pistols) was cut from the same blanks as the Blackhawk and is strong steel and can actually handle jacketed bullets, accuracy may be a problem, though I've fired a few and found them as accurate as the lead ones. I roll my own, so I can top my case with most anything and since I've got a plethora of molds, I most often use cast lead.
Michigan Mike
Member
I might as well just go with .45 LC. I can reload it....just need a good source for bullets unless I cast my own. I have only cast RB and ROA conicals with my Lee double cavity molds.
Erwan
Member
Michigan Mike said:
Talking about molds, the Lee molds 456-220 1R for conicals bullets aren't the best. I have tested them but my best mold is an old Lyman 452-389. Those bullets in pure lead or with 5% tin and 2% antimony works pretty good without resizing and directly from the cast....
The accuracy is what you can ask of a ROA at 25 or 50 meters, it's the best of the best and its more confortable than a 45ACP...
I tried round bullets, conicals bullets but only in lead (pure or not) and never with copper.
Anyway with the real BP from Switzerland I don't think that the copper will be so good with the relatively small initial speed and the as low pressures that those generated by the the BP...
Michigan Mike
Member
My Lee molds have made me some decent ammo....I've been using pure lead.
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
Nice to see the club thread still going strong. I'm down to one ROA at this point, and I haven't shot it in a while. The last couple of pages have inspired me to get it out again ...
Michigan Mike
Member
That's great. I really enjoy mine. I'm interested in getting some extra springs and a conversion cylinder one day soon. Stainless is my favorite ....easier to maintain.
robhof
Member
I'm kind of partial to the stainless too.
Michigan Mike
Member
They look awesome.
I just bought this one. I really like ROA. I find more evidence everyday that there is a conspiracy to get rid of anything that is exceptional. Ruger dropped the ROA & Colt stops making all their revolvers. That's right, I'm whining, everything I like gets discontinued. Or is that just the way it seems when you retire?
Michigan Mike
Member
You speak much truth.
Michigan Mike
Member
I'm not retired and I feel the same way Roady.
Ironhand54
Member
Tallbald
Member
Beautiful! Don.
Tallbald
Member
My three adjustable sight 7 1/2 inch Old Army's have always shot too high despite having the rear sight as low as it would go. At 50 feet I'd have to aim for the bottom of a paper plate to hit between middle and top of the plate.
I've had replacement fronts from Ruger (Blackhawk fronts) for a while and just tonight installed one. They are about 0.125 inch higher than the original. I hope this works out, but if they are too high I can at least carefully file a bit down and cold blue it.
Never have been able to find mention of the correct added height and had to take a guess when I ordered the taller front sights. Don.
I've had replacement fronts from Ruger (Blackhawk fronts) for a while and just tonight installed one. They are about 0.125 inch higher than the original. I hope this works out, but if they are too high I can at least carefully file a bit down and cold blue it.
Never have been able to find mention of the correct added height and had to take a guess when I ordered the taller front sights. Don.
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Offthehook
Member
You can also adjust your loads to change point of impact. So be sure you have your go to load and most used target distance before adjusting sights.
There is a formula to calculate sight adjustment.
Bullet impact above or below point of aim times sight radius divided by distance to target. All numbers in inches.t
Example. My single action Army was shooting 6" low at 21 '.
My sight radius ( distance front to rear sight) 7"
Distance to target 25' = 300"
6" X 7" = 42
42 / 300 = .14
So I filed my front sight down .14 inches and now gun shoots dead on with my standard load at 25'.
Go easy when filing. Just take a little at a time. Test and keep going until you get where you want.
There is a formula to calculate sight adjustment.
Bullet impact above or below point of aim times sight radius divided by distance to target. All numbers in inches.t
Example. My single action Army was shooting 6" low at 21 '.
My sight radius ( distance front to rear sight) 7"
Distance to target 25' = 300"
6" X 7" = 42
42 / 300 = .14
So I filed my front sight down .14 inches and now gun shoots dead on with my standard load at 25'.
Go easy when filing. Just take a little at a time. Test and keep going until you get where you want.
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Bishop Creek
Member
Just added a Kirst .45 Colt conversion cylinder and Belt Mountain Quick Change cylinder pin and latch to my 5 1/2 " Old Army. I prefer shooting cap and ball, but thought this might be fun to try. Need to reload some black powder cartridges and try it out. For the curious, I just unscrewed the front loading lever latch from under the barrel and can easily put it back in for cap and ball shooting.
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Tallbald
Member
Offthehook thank you! I hadn't considered doing the geometry involved to come up with a good start point. Don.
Offthehook
Member
One mistake. My gun was shooting low. I posted high. Front sight adjustment is an opposite thing. Lower the sight higher the point of impact. Make it taller shoot lower.
whughett
Member
I have an the same high polished piece with a 7 1/2 barrel. Obtained sans cylinder and grips. Outfitted the same as yours with a Howell cylinder. Can anyone comment on the tall front site, my other two have much shorter front sites. (Photos buried somewhere in these pages, I think)
Patocazador
Member
If you have a stainless gun, you can replace the front sight by driving out the pin and replacing the sight with a cold-blued piece of 1/8" thick flat stock available at most hardware stores. This needs to be kept high until you dress it down to correspond to your load and shooting distance. I used the pin AND epoxy to secure mine.
Bishop Creek
Member
It has been too hot to shoot lately, so I haven't had a chance fire it with the Kirst cylinder yet. How accurate is your Old Army with the Howell cylinder? I have a R&D (Howell) cylinder on a .36 Remington with a .357 lined barrel and it is quite accurate.
robhof
Member
Another method mentioned way back; is to carefully file the top of the rear sight blade and deepen the notch, this will do the same as taller front sight for less, rear blades fit the OA, Blackhawk and Single Six, (all the same blade). File a bit too much, just crank up the rear sight screw a turn or 2.
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