The RUGER OLD ARMY Club

I left the base pin to load with, I modified the plunger to fit the new size and added a brass extension to seat the balls deeper without using filler. I thought about making a new base pin but then I would have to load on a cylinder press and I wasn't sure that what I wanted to go that route so for now that's how its going to stay. As to the top strap this is how I convert adjustable sight models to fixed sight. I like the look and makes the whole gun look a lot smaller. When I get a chance I'l post a pic with it next to a standard fixed sight model, its amazing the difference.

Best regards,

Chili
 
It takes me 10 seconds to swap cylinders on my 1858. And with no tools or loose parts. A good man can do it in 5 seconds. Can you do that with your ROA.?
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"piettakid", I can, but I don't see the advantage since I'm not going to be in a gunfight or up against "Grizz".

I have had over the decades, a few Italian C&B revolvers come into to my store for sale that appeared to be a little resistant to giving up their cylinders out of the frame. A plastic head hammer was required to nudge a few cylinder pins to allow cylinder removal.

Guess it depends what you're up against that requires one to swap out cylinders in the first place. I remove my cylinder to use a cylinder press to load five chambers for match competition, but there's no stopwatch needed to time the removal. I use my thumbnail to turn the cylinder pin retaining screw.

I'm more concerned about knocking over the iron pigs at 50 yards & the iron rams at 100 yards with my ROA than I am about ease of cylinder removal.

I respect your opinion about ease of swapping out cylinders. What kind of competition shooting requires fast swapping?

Guess I'm just a little miffed about your statement about how Ruger somehow blundered in his design & engineering of the Ruger Old Army revolver, which is very much in demand.
 
D.Buck,
I think it's more folks that shoot conversion cyls wish the ROA loading leaver didn't "fall apart" while removing/installing the cylinder. It takes some getting used to. The Remington is the perfect "drop cyl" design with Spiller&Burr right behind. The screwless ROA (which has a screwless S&B design loading leaver) is the "fun" one.
That's one reason for a gated type conversion for the ROA so it would retain the loading leaver and not look goofy.(IMO of course)

Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram @ goonsgunworks
 
D. Buck Stopshere said:
"piettakid", I can, but I don't see the advantage since I'm not going to be in a gunfight or up against "Grizz".

Guess I'm just a little miffed about your statement about how Ruger somehow blundered in his design & engineering of the Ruger Old Army revolver, which is very much in demand.
Click to expand...

Personally i like CB revolvers for self defense. I have sensitive ears that ring and i don't want to even think about shooting my 357 mag indoors if someone breaks in. You're not gonna have time to put on muffs and CB revolvers are not as hard on your ears. If it happens i may need a quick reload.

Bill Ruger made a great gun in the sense that it's a super-strong gun, but i still think the 1858 is better.
 
Somehow the whole idea of a percussion pistol and quick reload being used in the same sentence seems like an oxy moron. I'm not judging mind you but i'm thinking if I was going to be using a percussion revolver as my home defense gun I would be far more apt to have at least 2 loaded and caped guns available rather then thinking about doing a reload. Also god forbid you actually have to fire the gun in the house to defend yourself how the heck are you going to see anything after the first 2 or 3 shots, not to mention setting the house on fire:eek: I believe to each their own but I'm not following the logic here at all.

Best regards,

Chili
 
Chili_pepper917 said:
Somehow the whole idea of a percussion pistol and quick reload being used in the same sentence seems like an oxy moron. I'm not judging mind you but i'm thinking if I was going to be using a percussion revolver as my home defense gun I would be far more apt to have at least 2 loaded and caped guns available rather then thinking about doing a reload. Also god forbid you actually have to fire the gun in the house to defend yourself how the heck are you going to see anything after the first 2 or 3 shots, not to mention setting the house on fire:eek: I believe to each their own but I'm not following the logic here at all.

Best regards,

Chili
Click to expand...

Well - it's NOT an oxymoron. With my loaded 1858 and two loaded cylinders, i can get off 18 aimed shots in 45 seconds. I'm sure some guys can do it in 30 seconds.

You ask if i can see anything after shooting my 1858 indoors?? That would be a problem with true blackpowder, but with pyro or the many other substitutes, the smoke is not that big an issue.
 
Piettakid

That's great, 18 shots in 45 seconds is plenty fast enough.

As to the smoke factor, I am a Cowboy Action Shooter and very competitive shooting in the Frontiersman category for over 10 years. I can tell you Absolutely and without any doubt that real black powder produces less smoke than any of the substitutes. Pyrodex, APP and Triple 7 all produce more smoke per same volume then black powder. Black powder shooters in CAS have tested and re tested the differences looking for an edge and it is the overall conclusion that this is the case. As long as it works for you, thats what really matters, and hopefully you never have to find out.


Best regards,

Chili
 
Cylinder swapping on the ROA....

I can swap cylinders on my ROA in 4 seconds flat. Sometimes 3. Can your 1858 Remmy do that ?? I am trying for 2 seconds flat. ...... damn, that's a hard one. ............ the cartridges keep falling off !! ...... I will not quit !!
 
Chili_pepper917 said:
Somehow the whole idea of a percussion pistol and quick reload being used in the same sentence seems like an oxy moron. I'm not judging mind you but i'm thinking if I was going to be using a percussion revolver as my home defense gun I would be far more apt to have at least 2 loaded and caped guns available rather then thinking about doing a reload. Also god forbid you actually have to fire the gun in the house to defend yourself how the heck are you going to see anything after the first 2 or 3 shots, not to mention setting the house on fire:eek: I believe to each their own but I'm not following the logic here at all.

Best regards,

Chili
Click to expand...
Well as some pistol guru, or perhaps just a revolver aficionado once wrote.

"If one needs more than six shots to get the job done, perhaps one needs to spend more time at the range, or one is in way over their head.";)
 
Hammer Springs?

What is the weakest hammer spring that will reliably ignite the cap on an ROA?

Lots of variables here I know, but the original factory spring is undoubtedly overkill, so how much lighter in your experience can one go?

I'm troubled by a lot of arthritis in my thumbs these days, to the point where I am not as competitive as I once was using my ROAs in cowboy action shooting matches. I'm thinking I might gain some time if that hammer were easier to cock.

I'm using Treso nipples and Remington #10 caps, and powder charges in the 20-25 grain range for competition.

Is it better to trim turns off the factory spring, or go with one of the Wollf reduced power springs for Blackhawks/Vaqueros and perhaps trim those down?

Hoping this will be good for two pages at least!!

Thanks.
 
three for fun and one for night stand duty. eastbank.
 

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J-Bar,
You don't want to cut coils, you want to reduce the wire thickness of the spring itself. I use a bench belt sander with a fine grit belt. You can reduce it to about 3 1/2 lbs of hammer draw measured with a trigger pull scale from half cock.
That will make it much easier to cycle and still enough force to pop a cap (4 lbs. for all others. Open tops and Remington's).

Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram @ goonsgunworks
 
In my match pistols I run Treso nipples and the Wolf 17# mainspring. Brownells sells a kit with the reduced main spring, reduced trigger spring and a latch spring which I dont use. I think its around $ 13.00 They appear too long but dont cut them, they will fit fine.

I have also run the factory springs with 1 1/2 coils cut off with much success.


Hope that helps,

Chili
 
The strength of the open top is in the large, frame mounted arbor, seated in a thick barrel lug that is supported by the frame. The compact rectangular structure that this setup creates is actually stronger than the more spread out structure of the Remington.

Being that the Rugar is a top strap design, where is the strength of your open top creation since the cylinder pin is removable? It's a very cool look but just be careful.

Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram @ goonsgunworks
 
Added two more.

Just added two more Old Armies to the pack, total of 10 now!:eek:
One blue in perfect shape and one stainless with pitted bore. Funny thing the stainless came with a new unfired blue cylinder installed? Because of the pitted bore I may just buy a .45 Colt cylinder for it, or part it out. I have ended up with two spare new unfired cylinders, one blue and the other polished stainless, they have been added to the others in the collection for spares.
I just traded 6 Colt Signature Series pistols for a like new 1930 Mauser Broom handle with stock and case also a like new Colt Nevada Centennial royal blue and nickel SAA. :D Think I got the better end of the deal on that one.
 
Concur with Mike (45 Dragoon) on open top Rugers. Be careful. It does look purdy.
 
New Loading Lever

Anyone know where I can find a replacement for my Ruger old Army? Would prefer stainless but will take anything I can find at this point.
 
Old Army Rear Sight Question

Rather than review all 101 pages of this wonderful thread, I admit I am lazy and hope this question has not already been answered.

One of my favorite cowboy action matches has a side match that emphasizes accuracy at short range; dime sized targets at 7 yards or so. I did not do well at this year's match, so I am already thinking about next June.

I took my adjustable sighted ROAs to the range today and they shoot a quarter sized hole at that distance, (duelist style, one-handed) but point of impact is not quite where I want it to be even with the adjustment screws maxed in the desired direction. It's close, within half an inch, but OK I am a perfectionist.

So the question is,

Can the factory original rear sight on the Ruger Old Army be tweaked in the desired direction, both side-to-side and vertically, when the adjustment screws have been turned as far as they can go? Or will I just have to use Kentucky Windage to achieve perfection?

Thanks for your experience and expertise.

J-Bar
Doug
 
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