Ruger Old Army Base Pin - harden steel?

[perchieboy]

I have a ROA the base pin has bent. I straighted it back out. I am concerned the steel has been compromissed. Could any one lend some advise on the issue of getting this part hardened? AKA heat treated to add strength to the metal...Thanks for any advise.

 

[Jim K]

If it is now straight, there should be no need to harden in or any advantage in doing so. Just don't do again whatever bent the base pin in the first place.

Jim

 

[rcmodel]

+1

Without knowing exactly what steel it is, you could do way more harm then good attempting to harden it.

It could easily end up harder then glass, and just as easy to break.

rc

 

[doubleh]

I'm pretty sure I know how it got bent because I did that very thing once upon a time. :banghead: Just don't do it again.

If it were hard it would have broken instead of bending. If they needed to be hard I'm sure Ruger would have hardened them.

 

[gungarage]

Hey guys, I'm new to THR and am not sure if this is where I need to mention this or not, but we have just finished a successful reproduction of the stainless steel base pins that are a direct copy of the ORIGINAL ROA base pin. They are listed here if anyone is interested: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ruger-Stain...-SCARCE-/111482938034?ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT eBay Item # 111482938034. Thanks and have a great day - Evan

 

[velocette]

Go to Belt Mountain and get a new very high quality cylinder base pin for your Ruger.
http://beltmountain.com/ruger.htm
I have them in all my Ruger revolvers. They will yield a tighter cylinder and frequently better accuracy.

 

[illinoisburt]

Agree on Belt Mountain. Had very good service from them earlier this summer!

 

[Longhorn 76]

Would you rather have a pin wear, or the cylinder wear?
It is much easier to replace a worn pin.

 

[4v50 Gary]

It can be straightened. Years ago (1977) I bent mine and my gunsmith straightened it.

 

[grter]

Belt mountain Ruger Old Army base pins will not hold a loading lever. I heard in the past they made some with the cut outs in the head to hold the loading lever but they discontinued it.

I have handled a recent one and installed it, they are good but I like to be able to keep the loading lever on it as intended which is not possible with the current ones.

The gungarage base pin supports the loading lever and it fits quite well.

If you don't want a loading lever on your Old Army use the Belt mountian pin and maybe their quick release sutup which is useful if you have multiple cylinders to swap (usually cartridge conversion cylinders) you can buy that as an extra option but plan on using a seperate loading press if using it for cap and ball.

I used a seperate loading press but I like having the loading lever where it belongs and ready for use if I choose not to lug around a loading press.

So my vote goes to gungarage since I don't use conversion cylinders nor is quick changing cylinders important to me.