The RUGER OLD ARMY Club

[Prairie Dawg]

AbitNutz:
Years ago, I got started with a nipple wrench that had a screw out nipple pick as part of the wrench, like this one -- #53-1260.
It fits the Treso flash hole just fine.
I use it before loading the cylinder each time.
Works like a charm.
Yes, Uncle Mikes nips have been discontinued, but there seems to be lots of them floating around, that's why I mentioned them.
Haven't used anything but Tresos for years.
--Dawg

 

[AbitNutz]

Prairie Dawg:

Really? 53-1211 from the Possibles Shop will fit through Treso's? I'll get one. I ordered a high end nipple pick, only to find out it was too big for the flash hole on Treso's. That really made me unhappy because it was such a nice pick.

As always, thanks for the tip...

 

[Prairie Dawg]

AbitNutz:
53-1260, the revolver wrench.
The other one is a rifle wrench.
Sorry about that.
Didn't notice.
Anyway, I've had several thru the years, and they always fit the Treso nips.

Lately I have been using Thompson Center in-line nipple picks. They fit the Treso holes as well
--Dawg

 

[AbitNutz]

Anyone dry fire their ROA much? In my quest to get better I've started doing that a lot more.

I suspect that I should just put in an old set of nipples and clank away. I can't imagine that I'll injure the hammer...just peen the nipples up.

Beyond that, I'm not sure if there's anything else I can do. It's not like I can put snap caps in it....while I guess I could. Put my Kirst conversion cylinder in it and then put .45 LC snap caps in...but that seems like the long way around.

 

[mykeal]

You could just leave the nipples out and save them from peening. The frame will stop the hammer just fine. Of course, if the timing is adjusted just right, the hammer won't hit the nipples anyway.

 

[higene]

Dry fire

Or pull the cylinder. The weight is a little different but you get the feel of the trigger.

 

[rdstrain49]

ROA question

I am very new to ROAs. First one should be arriving this week (I hope). I am very familiar with the single action Rugers. How similar are the ROAs compared to the Vaquero, Blackhawk, etc. as far as the lockwork (innards) are concerned? Also, are internal parts readily available. I figured if anybody knows, you guys will. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[arcticap]

Midway USA and Brownells list an assortment of parts for the ROA:

http://www.midwayusa.com/Search/#ruger old army____-_1-2-4_8-16-32

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/cid=.../ksubmit=y/Products/All/search=ruger_old_army

 

[Howdy Doody]

That would be the ticket, since you have a Kirst. I would be surprised if the firing pin on the Kirst would be damaged by dry firing. It only takes a second to switch cylinders after all. That gives you the weight too, versus the no cylinder at all. However dryfiring one of my revolvers has caused me to notice that the frame is getting pounded pretty well and that could be a real issue on a gun that was to be used for competition for instance. I never dryfire my main match guns due to just that.
ROAs are built on the old 3 screw frame and there are a lot of duplicate pieces common to both of them.
Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought I read in the owners manual it was OK to dryfire your ROA. The only trouble with that is that if you have any issue, then Ruger is not going to help you much because of the lack of parts. I gave up trying to secure a pair of loading levers in stainless for the 5 1/2" model. I wanted to get a pair, so that I could take the pair I have and grind them down to eliminate the web and the end that connects the ram. I have it in my mind they would look better and more like a magazine tube that way. No, I do not use the ram and I load my cylinders out of the revolver with a loading device, since I use hard cast bullets and not pure lead balls. I just thought the lever and the gun would look cleaner than having that ram hook on it. No, I have not ground them and won't unless I can find another pair to sacrifice. You never know I might want to go back to balls again.

 

[robhof]

robhof

I've seen pins made to replace the ram for use with conversion cylinders that some have used with their b/p cylinders, it gives the gun a Blackhawk look. I believe though with the pin, you have to lock the retaining screw, which I don't do with the rammer in place for rapid cylinder change. I believe Midway had them at one time.

 

[wasatch]

Base pin

Take a look at this site for base pins. I have a few and they look and work great.

http://www.beltmountain.com/ruger.htm

 

[Howdy Doody]

Yes, the Belt Mt pins are great but not for quick cylinder removals. Like you I never turn my screw to lock the cylinder pin. With a Belt Mt, I would need to. I found the spring on the end of the lever is enough and I have yet to have a lever drop on me. I like Belt Mt and use their pins in my RVs.
I am not too fussy about things that work. I bet most folks don't even know or see that the ram is missing from my revolvers. I just thought it would look cleaner if I trimmed up the levers some.

 

[adaptandovercome]

You were correct I just found some stainless nipples on eBay for 22.00 and bought them. They are made buy butler creek.
Thanks everyone!
Also he has 3 more sets if anyone needs em

 

[mykeal]

Track of the Wolf's January newsletter offers stainless steel nipples for the ROA (hex base) for $4 each. Catalog number is PRA-S.

 

[KevininPa]

I guess I have to..........

..........break out the camera. A lot of different models here. But I haven't spotted one with a bright red front site and a high polish. Though some of those pictured could've been polished, I couldn't tell on some pics. Actually, I never knew there were so many models besides the barrel length thing.

 

[rdstrain49]

OK, so I finally got my first ROA. Just for fun I thought I'd see when it was made. It has a 3 digit perfix followed by - then six digits. All I can find for reference is three digit prefix - five digits. Anybody know what gives?

 

[Prairie Dawg]

140-00001 1972
140-04259 1973
140-13723 1974
140-20404 1975
140-26251 1976
140-30204 1977
140-34506 1978
140-39651 1979
140-44201 1980
140-46573 1981
*145-33428 1982
*145-46522 1983
*145-50008 1984
*145-51681 1985
*145-52645 1986
*145-55577 1987
*145-57569 1988
*145-60386 1989
*145-63537 1990
*145-65870 1991
*145-66177 1992
*145-66292 1993
*145-70614 and 148-00504 1994
*145-74645 and 148-01310 1995
*145-80534 and 148-03084 1996
*145-87525 and 148-04467 1997
*145-88998 and 148-06385 1998
*145-90793 and 148-06823 1999
*145-92200 and 148-07285 2000
*145-92762 and 148-07895 2001
*145-93406 and 148-08025 2002
*145-94109 and 148-08404 2003
*145-94812 and 148-09305 2004
*145-95380 and 148-10546 2005
*145-95673 and 148-11409 2006
*145-96199 and 148-11785 2007
*145-96352 and 148-12112 2008

Info from:
http://www.ruger.com/service/productHistory.html#

--Dawg

 

[AbitNutz]

Just when you think that the SN# enigma code is all straightened out and you have an accurate listing of every SN# and year they were made...

My ROA SN# is 148-124XX. According to that list...it was made after 148-12112 in 2008. I double checked both the Ruger website and my SN#.

Does anyone else have a SN# not on the list? I somehow get the feeling my ROA may have been may out of parts found around the shop.

It's a Stainless, 5-1/2", fixed sight with wood handles not white micarta. I bought it new in the box and the box has the matching SN#. It also has the catalog number of GKBP-5F and weirdly enough. The caliber is shown as "S CALIBER 45 LC".

 

[arcticap]

It does go on to say that you can contact them by phone or email for free information about your specific serial number.

The above chart...it can be used to determine the approximate year your Ruger firearm was shipped.
Ruger does not produce firearms in serial number order. There are occasions when blocks of serial numbers have been manufactured out of sequence, sometimes years later....

http://www.ruger.com/service/productHistory.html#

 

[Howdy Doody]

I owe you a picture or two. One of my SS 5 1/2s" with Kirst installed and one of my blued 8" pair. Strictly utility as they see hard use.

 

[rdstrain49]

prairie dawg;

Thanks, that's the same list I looked at. If you will notice, all numbers listed have a total of eight digits (999-99999) mine has a total of nine digits (140-09XXXX). So apparently mine simply doesn't exist.

 

[fogg64]

Trigger

I am thinking about changing my trigger, I would like something that is wider. Something similar to the one on my Pietta 1858.
Also. I noticed that hole for the trigger plunger and spring is drilled at an angle so that it is not in a straight line to the trigger. Is this normal? I have but one ROA and can not compare.

 

[arcticap]

Thanks, that's the same list I looked at. If you will notice, all numbers listed have a total of eight digits (999-99999) mine has a total of nine digits (140-09XXXX). So apparently mine simply doesn't exist.

Maybe they marked 2 guns with the same numbers by mistake, so they had to add a number to differentiate them.
For example, IIRC replacement frames are marked with an "R" which gives them an extra symbol.

I once had a European car like your Ruger. It wasn't imported through normal corporate channels so its serial number had an extra digit as was commonly practiced by the European subsidiary but not the American subsidiary.
The Ruger chart is just a guide and is not all inclusive.
Why not give them a call and ask?
Maybe your gun would be worth more to a collector because of it.

 

[arcticap]

Also. I noticed that hole for the trigger plunger and spring is drilled at an angle so that it is not in a straight line to the trigger. Is this normal?

If you mean that the plunger is offset to one side behind the trigger then I would say yes that's common.

In 1985 the trigger slot on the blue frames was widened due to them being changed to steel. Prior to that year the blue frames were made from aluminum.

http://www.gunblast.com/Hamm_Ruger-SA-GripFrames.htm

 

[fogg64]

Thanks arcticap.
I thought that they had misaligned the hole.
When they changed to steel, did they change the size of the trigger? I have the aluminum frame.