The RUGER OLD ARMY Club

[Eights]

I am in the market for an unfired job just like the stainless one you have there Legionnaire. If anyone knows of one at a decent price...

Incidentally, I went out shooting the day after Thanksgiving. I pulled off the most unbelievable shot, though It did take me eight tries or so. I was shooting with my dad and brother. My brother was working in his new 1858, and was shooting my ROA target in stainless. Things were going just great when I noticed some lonely clay pigeons set as targets on a distant hillside. I just had to know how close I could get, and how long it would take the ball to get there. I sat cross-legged, elbows on knees, and started shooting. I was surprised when my brother and dad told me I was in the "neighborhood," and missing within feet to inches. Due to smoke, I was not seeing impacts, but I could see churned up dirt around the target after six rounds. On the seventh or eighth shoot, the distant orange dot simply disappeared. I was dying to know the distance, so I pulled out the GPS and went for a hike. The target came in at 402 feet, give or take ten feet for GPS slop as accuracy was good at that time. That's 133 yards! I stated that the shot was luck, but my brother reminded me that nearly every shot would have fit inside a large dinner plate, which is some pretty respectable shooting with a revolver at that distance.

I was shooting the standard .457 round balls over 35 grains trip7 and cornmeal.

It was a great Thanksgiving.

 

[arcticap]

are the shortys as accurate as the 7 in barreled ones?

AbitNutz posted about firing this group with his stainless 5.5" ROA at 25 yards loaded with 210 grain Biglube bullets:


http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=471810

And he describes firing similar groups with many different loads here:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=516555

 

[AbitNutz]

I still have that target. If you look close, that's 6 shots, not 5. I'm was very happy about the accuracy of my ROA from the get go. Since then I had the BigLube rear three cavities modified to be hollow points, by Eric at Hollow Point Bullet Mold Service and a raft of modifications done to the pistol.

Shockingly enough, the HP BigLube bullets are actually more consistent. Eric must do something more than just HPing the mold. They all drop at exactly the same weight and are about 15 grains lighter. They're pretty big cavities. I added a decent set of handles from KAL and now this is THE mold for my ROA.

Almost every mod that could be done, I had done. Just because anything worth doing, is worth doing to excess. One day, I'll have Clement replace the barrel with with a killer quality octagon but Christmas is coming and it's time to spend my money on others.

Arcticap...thanks so much for posting that again. Oh, BTW that target was shot before I started really changed anything. The pistol was almost stock at that point...it's a far better shooter than I am a shot.

 

[Eights]

That's some great shooting... I need to spend more time at the range.

 

[Jaymo]

Hollow point pistol bullets tend to be more accurate than solids. Something to do with the center of gravity and center of pressure. Used to know exactly why, but that knowledge has been replaced by work/family knowledge.
Something about being heavier in the rear.
I need to go ahead and get some balls for my ROA so I can shoot it.
I'd like to get a .457" copy of the Lyman .45 Devastator HP mold. Looks like a Silvertip or Gold Dot HP.
Maybe get it made with a heel base for easier loading.

 

[AbitNutz]

The BigLube 210's have a bit of heal base so it starts easily. I use a loader so it's not a big deal, but I have loaded it with the ram.

http://www.biglube.com/BulletMolds.aspx?ItemID=09d6fdda-c105-4c87-b269-68ebfdaba982

Then I had three of the cavities hollow pointed by: http://www.hollowpointmold.com/

Using his inset bar conversion.

 

[Legionnaire]

I'm not into casting (yet). What are some good ready-made lead bullets for the ROA, and where can they be purchased?

 

[ClemBert]

I'm being lazy here when I make this comment but I seem to recall several who had tried conicals in the ROA and they were NOT impressed. Without me reading and researching all the threads on this topic perhaps someone with real experience on this question can chime in. It would seem that the primary advantage of the conicals for the ROA is higher projectile weight than the standard lead ball. Is this the reason why some of y'all want to use conicals? Or is it because you can do it therefore you will do it?

 

[arcticap]

THR member mec wrote a review about the 190 grain .457 Buffalo Bullets that can be found on the Dixie Gun Works website. I think that it's worth noting that he found that their accuracy was the closest to the round ball while delivering a lot of foot pounds.

BT1201 Buffalo Bullets-Conical Black Powder Pistol Bullet .45 Caliber Reviews

Product: BT1201 Buffalo Bullets-Conical Black Powder Pistol Bullet .45 Caliber
From: mike cumpston
Date: Saturday 30 April, 2005

Review:

This is a 190 grain swaged bullet with cupped base and a hatch-mark bullet retention pattern on the bearing surface. They are coated with some sort of lubricant- probably moly. The nose is rounded like a ball to gain optimum fit to loading rams the base is rebated to allow the bullets to seat in the chambers. Seating is in a straight line with no more distortion than desirable and the same for all bullets.

This one is sized .457 and should work in Ubert Chambers-Possibly a bit large for pietta but will likely work in those too. I ordered them for the Ruger Old Army- a revolver set up around .457" balls and bullets. They loaded in a straight line and the optimum load provided a five shot group of 1.8" at 60 feet. Best consistency among loads tested was identical volume of Hodgdon's H777 to 40 grains of black powder.
Chronographed velocity/ calculated energy was:

40Gr./Vol. H 777 1066 fps 51fps spread 479ft/lbs

Other combinations provided good accuracy but larger extreme spreads. These bullets in both this diameter and 36 are as accurate or almost as accurate as round ball and provide optimum downrange energy

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/produc...22_99_311_313&products_id=3631&reviews_id=566

In addition, here's a photo of a group fired from a 7.5" ROA with full powered jacketed ammo from an R&D conversion cylinder. The ROA barrels are essentially the same as Ruger Blackhawk barrels so they're capable of shooting all types of conicals just fine.
Why? Name it, for hunting, self-defense, self-protection, recreational combat shooting, along with the myriad of reasons why people love to shoot their guns at any given time.
The ROA club member who fired this target told me that he also hunts deer with it.



More info:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=6616706&postcount=3

 

[Legionnaire]

It would seem that the primary advantage of the conicals for the ROA is higher projectile weight than the standard lead ball. Is this the reason why some of y'all want to use conicals? Or is it because you can do it therefore you will do it?

I'll confess to the latter. I'd be more fixed on the idea if I were allowed to hunt with it here in PA. Since I'm not, I'd just like to try it ... I guess just because I can!

 

[Clermont]

This is my Ruger Old Army I purchased from Sportman's Guide in 1996. It was a limited edition of 350 with polished stainless steel and simulated ivory grips with medallions. I'm a collector, not a shooter, so the revolver has never been cocked and the cylinder is unturned. All the accessories, wrappings and the plastic case and cardboard sleeve for the case are present. Any idea as to it's value? The last picture is the July 1996 Sportsman's Guide advertisement for the Ruger Old Army that I purchased. It could also be purchased with a scope.

 

[Legionnaire]

Wow! A NIB 5.5" specimen just sold on Gunbroker for almost $1,200! Here's the link:
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=262190652

By comparison, I got a GREAT deal on mine, also NIB.

 

[AbitNutz]

Here's a picture of one of my BigLube HP's

 

[Indy4570]

Ok fellers, here is my bonafides to enter this here club! I found me some time to git some pitchures took.

 

[J-Bar]

I went to a large gunshow in Springfield, Mo today (fair grounds parking lot full, two exhibition halls full of tables, shoulder to shoulder in in every aisle) and did not see one ROA for sale anywhere. I was hoping to find an adjustable sight ROA to add to the herd, but dang!

We're getting to be an exclusive club, my friends.

 

[Indy4570]

I went to a large gunshow in Springfield, Mo today (fair grounds parking lot full, two exhibition halls full of tables, shoulder to shoulder in in every aisle) and did not see one ROA for sale anywhere. I was hoping to find an adjustable sight ROA to add to the herd, but dang!

We're getting to be an exclusive club, my friends.

I may go up tomorrow.

 

[ClemBert]

ROA Club Members:

1. ClemBert 2. Eights 3. kanook 4. [email protected] 5. mykeal
6. adaptandovercome 7. 461 8. junkman_01 9. lonewolf5347 10. rcflint
11. MCgunner 12.madcratebuilder 13. AbitNutz 14. eastbank 15. robert garner
16. philuk44 17. HUnter58 18. arcticap 19. BullRunBear 20. theotherwaldo
21. SC Slowhand 22. Prairie Dawg 23. wittzo 24. Tallbald 25. Smokin_Gun
26. OB One 27. jungle 28. plumbernater 29. daveinvegas 30. JanZ
31. George Mabry 32. Benmathes 33. Loosenock 34. higene 35. Rock Island
36. Erich 37. robhof 38. J-Bar 39. Nomad, 2nd 40. TAURUSBOB
41. martindl99 42. Vermonter 43. wasatch 44. fogg64 45. BConklin
46. Howdy Doody 47. bushrod2 48. rdstrain49 49. FirinFlatTop 50. rem1858
51. straight-shooter 52. edorfox 53. KevininPa 54. Ringo1234 55. pohill
56. The Don 57. jeepcoma 58. Dave Markowitz 59. Chazz 60. andrewstorm
61. Steel Wheels 62. Legionnaire 63. NineMilePete 64. 94RUGER 65. Acorn Mush
66. R.Ganister 67. Boom-stick 68. Buddy 69. Ghost Dog 70. BML
71. Cult of 1858 72. Jaymo 73. bigbore442001 74. Engineer Bill 75. azyogi
76. Dr. Leaky 77. Clermont 78. Indy4570

Welcome Clermont and Indy4570!

 

[ClemBert]

This is my Ruger Old Army I purchased from Sportman's Guide in 1996. It was a limited edition of 350 with polished stainless steel and simulated ivory grips with medallions. I'm a collector, not a shooter, so the revolver has never been cocked and the cylinder is unturned. All the accessories, wrappings and the plastic case and cardboard sleeve for the case are present. Any idea as to it's value?

I'd say around $700 +/- $50. It really depends on who wants to get it in their hot lil' hands. I'd be surprised if it didn't get at least $600 and I wouldn't be surprised to see someone give up $900 for it. It's really a wacky market for them right now.

 

[MCgunner]

I'm being lazy here when I make this comment but I seem to recall several who had tried conicals in the ROA and they were NOT impressed. Without me reading and researching all the threads on this topic perhaps someone with real experience on this question can chime in. It would seem that the primary advantage of the conicals for the ROA is higher projectile weight than the standard lead ball. Is this the reason why some of y'all want to use conicals? Or is it because you can do it therefore you will do it?

I like 'em for several reasons. One, they have a lot more contact with the cylinder which 1) helps keep 'em from creeping forward under heavy recoil even though they weigh more and 2) gives good insurance against flash over chain fires. I don't bother using any crisco over 'em. Of course, loaded lighter with a wad or cornmeal filler and a ball, I don't use crisco, either.

I get about 2" 6 shot groups from a rest at 25 yards shooting a full charge of Pyrodex with my 220 Lee hollowpoints. That's plenty good nuf IMHO. Shoots that well with a fulll charge of 777, too, but is sorta hard on my hand and I don't like shooting that load for play, prefer to either shoot a reduced load/ball over filler or shoot pyrodex with the hollow point cast bullets. I've not found a load that WON'T shoot well in my ROA, frankly. My new 5.5" Remmy is a little more demanding.

 

[ozarkguy]

I went to the Springfield gun show on both Sat and Sun. Saw one ROA on
Sat that was out of my price range. Went back Sunday and found one in the West hall. Finally bought it for $350. It had an extra set of black Ajax grips, a small bag of balls, a small powder measure, six extra nipples, a tin of percussion caps, box and manual. I was really glad to pick it up as I have been looking for one for quite awhile. It had some fine scratches and scuffs on it but overall was in great shape. Nothing that can't be polished out.

 

[Clermont]

This is a page from the 2006 Ruger catalog listing the Old Army with specifications and prices. In what year did Ruger cease manufacture of the Old Army? Were any 5-1/2" Old Armys produced with adjustable sights?

 

[arcticap]

In what year did Ruger cease manufacture of the Old Army?

The Ruger website lists the last serial numbers as being made in 2008. But it's possible that some were made after that using leftover parts. Ruger even states that the chart is only approximate.

The above chart shows the approximate first serial number shipped for the indicated year. This number should be used as a point of reference only. It is not necessarily the very first serial number shipped, but it can be used to determine the approximate year your Ruger firearm was shipped.

For exact information on your specific serial number, you can contact Ruger's Records Department ...

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

Were any 5-1/2" Old Armys produced with adjustable sights?

Yes, that was the rarest ROA of them all.

 

[Legionnaire]

Nice find, ozarkguy! And thanks for the catalogue page, Clermont; very interesting. By those numbers, I purchased both my 5.5" ROAs in the last six months for well under the 2006 MSRP, the blued specimen for WAY less than MSRP.

 

[arcticap]

I recently bought this lightly fired 1983 stainless ROA from a fellow ROA club member. It has a high gloss finish, and when he asked Ruger about it they said that it left the factory that way.
It's just like the mirror polish finish that Ruger applied to the 5.5" stainless models with the white grips.

 

[robhof]

That's amazing; I thought that the auction guns that say NIB were selling for way over retail price, and now I see they're actually a bargain compared to that list. My first ROA in SS was bought in the 80's new for less than $400, although the serial # puts it as made in the late 70's, so even then there were older NIB guns being sold as brand new, but with Ruger's warranty they were as good as new.