Cleaning a Ruger Old Army

Another plus for the ROA's is they're actually made of the same metals as the Black Hawk, Bill was a frugal gun maker and didn't believe in remaking the wheel. Many of the original internal parts of the ROA are from the same assembly line as the 3 screw original Black Hawks.

Jackrabbit1957 said:

Thanks for answering my questions Mike! You had mentioned in another thread a bolt stop you were working on that didn't need a hammer plunger setup, how is that coming along?

Click to expand...

Thanks again Jackrabbit 1957.
The solid bolt that you speak of started off as a fix for all the old Italian open top platforms that you can't get parts for anymore. But, that being said, it would ultimately be THE fix for ALL Colt type actions. A solid ( no arms to dress/fit that would eventually break anyway) bolt that would be a "lifetime" part. This type bolt would be the top upgrade for all those actions! I have a different way to "actuate" that bolt and those two things would be the biggest step forward since Bill Ruger's intro of coils into the Colt action!
To answer your question, I will be done with that this month and I will display it on Instagram and here . . . on the forums. It will be the highest / most durable upgrade for these actions. MAYBE, it will be available for the Ruger!
Thanks again and you've got a good memory!!!

Mike

I would almost bet the farm that I read Skeeter Skelton article where he was testing a stainless Old Army. He (or whoever wrote it) reported taking the grips off and running it through the dishwasher! I'm gonna go search for that one now.

Kevin Keith said:

I would almost bet the farm that I read Skeeter Skelton article where he was testing a stainless Old Army. He (or whoever wrote it) reported taking the grips off and running it through the dishwasher! I'm gonna go search for that one now.

Click to expand...

.

I think you are correct.

Just because someone did it doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. I never have put any firearm in a dishwasher, and never will.

Clean the damn thing like a gun, not cookware.

J-Bar said:

.

I think you are correct.

Clean the damn thing like a gun, not cookware.

Click to expand...

LOL

I completely disassembled my C&B’s (Ruger, Rem, and Colt) every time I clean them. Scrub the parts with hot soapy water, rinse, and bake at 200 degrees for about and hour. Then everything gets wiped down with gun oil and re-assembled. I’ve never had an issue with regular gun oil gumming up the parts with black powder, despite what I’ve read about it.

Hot soapy water with Ballistol. Wipe down with Ballistol and lube the arbor with Bore Butter. Sometimes I’ll use a heat gun to drive water out of crevices like the loading lever hinges.

45 Dragoon said:

Don, I do a fair amount of ROAs for CAS and I pack them with Mobil1 grease. In fact, I do that with Colt pattern open tops, Remington platforms as well. The reason for this is, fouling and debris can't get into a space that's already occupied. So, this is what I would recommend. Now, your cleaning chores are the barrel, cylinder, swab out the hammer slot with your favorite Ballistol and wipe the frame down. I tell the competition crowd to check the frame once a year and if it looks satisfactory, close it back up and check it next year. If it makes you feel better, scoop out what you can with a Q-tip and re-pack with new, still no cleaning .

Mike

Click to expand...

Mike,

Thank You so much for spending the time on the phone the other day!! I am all set for now and will get my gun to you as soon as I can from being laid up with my back. This humid deep south environment is not good for my back as well as my gun. Thanks again!!!!!

You're more than welcome Don ! Thank you!

Mike