The RUGER OLD ARMY Club

Gotta love the ROA

I picked up a blued 7.5 inch ROA from circa 1981 a few months ago and finally got a chance to try it. This wasn't one of my brightest days as I forgot the variable powder measure (which restricted me to 25 grains of 3F), a screwdriver to adjust the sights, and the cornmeal for filler. The gun shot high but grouped well keeping 2 to 3 inch groups at 25 yards offhand. :D I'm not the most consistent marksman so to group this well says the gun is doing the job. Now I can't wait to get out there again with the means to work up a proper load and sight adjustment.

As far as I can tell, I'm the first to actually shoot this piece. For the gun to do this well "out of the box" shows what a quality firearm the ROA is. I love days like this.

Jeff (Member # 19)
 
Better Luck Next Time

So clean it up and next time no doubt you'll pack a few extra things for the trip.

I've had that happen. I have a range box that I pack up before I go with just the basic stuff. In the SUV I pack a Piano box with all the "just in case" stuff. The ROA is a heck of a range gun. I have several Colts and Remmies in my collection and some of them are real fun to shoot. But the ROA doesn't need a tune up job and is the gun that Mr Colt and Remmington would have made if they had the technology to do so.

Give us a range report on your next trip.
 
robhof

That's how I learned that 4f works in the ROA; brought it and my flinter to the range and used up my 3f sighting in my flinter, still had plenty of priming powder so I started with 25gr and worked up to 40gr and all was well, best accuracy was with 35gr though.:cool::cool:
 
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

Welcome martindl99!

We are definitely a more exclusive club than the Walker club. :neener:
 
After I got the ROA I also bought a Kurst conversion cylinder in 45ACP, I chose the ACP over the long colt due to the availability of ACP brass. I thought I was going to be somewhat limited in what I'd be able to load and shoot in the ROA with the Kurst cylinder, thinking lead/cowboy type loads.

Turns out that I can load some real accurate jacketed stuff and also can run some seriously hefty loads down range. 255 gn lead flat point at around 800 fps for example.

I can use any standard ACP load off the shelf the only exception is to steer clear of hot hand loads and plus P factory loads.

Favorite load is a 200 grain cast Keith semi wad cutter over about 4.5 gn of Red Dot or a 200 gn Montana Gold JFP over 5 gn of Bulls Eye.

Just plain fun to shoot it either way and I was shooting at a 12 inch bull at 100 yards and kept 5 out of 10 in the target, shooting from a rest of course, but a five inch spread isn't half bad with a revolver at that distance.

I sure love my ROA no matter which way I shoot it.:D
 
I guess you didn't bother to read the cautions that came with the Kirst Konverter cylinder or the ones posted on his website? :what:

"All Kirst Konverters are precision CNC machined in the USA from 4140 Steel and heat-treated. The cartridge conversions are rated "For Black Powder or equivalent loads only," which includes the current Cowboy Loads on the market.

Caution:
Ammunition must be loaded with lead bullets and a low-pressure, powder charge that DOES NOT EXCEED 1000 FEET PER SECOND VELOCITY!
NOT FOR USE IN BRASS FRAME REVOLVERS!
.44 and .45 caliber cylinders must NEVER BE INSTALLED IN A .36 CALIBER REVOLVER!"
 
Nothing special about mine, so here's a pic that hasn't been posted yet ;)
2ez7ep0.jpg

Be careful to not lose the hammer plunger pin. I was having a heck of a time getting the hammer back in position until after consulting the manual's diagram I realized the plunger pin had fallen out without me noticing. Luckily I found it. Notice it's not in the above pic because it was on the floor at the time!

Anybody have any tips for cleaning the forcing cone?
 
Last edited:
Also be careful that you dont loose or reverse the cylinder pawl plunger and spring, it's an itty bitty part and it's alao "Murphy" style part in that it can be installed backwards.

It needs to be installed with the plunger forward against the pawl.
 
Vermonter said:
Nothing special about mine, so here's a pic that hasn't been posted yet ;)
2ez7ep0.jpg

Be careful to not lose the hammer plunger pin. I was having a heck of a time getting the hammer back in position until after consulting the manual's diagram I realized the plunger pin had fallen out without me noticing. Luckily I found it. Notice it's not in the above pic because it was on the floor at the time!

Anybody have any tips for cleaning the forcing cone?
Click to expand...
Yep, A Lewis Lead Remover.....
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/sid=19645/pid=21587/sku/Lead_Remover_Kit___45
 
I couldn't help but notice that you didn't put a small nail or pin to hold the main spring on cock. Done that myself. It's a bugger to depress that spring by hand.
 
There's a pin holding the main spring, but it bent. Luckily I was able to put a small nail in there and pry it back into proper position.
 
I have one of the original ROA's purchased when they first came out. I shot a lot of black powder matches during those young age years. I found that 45acp 200gr cast lyman swc bullets sized ,452 and lubed worked wonderfully in this revolver. I cast the bullets out of pure lead. and found that wheel weight lead worked ok too. At 25 yds it would shoot as well as my colt 68 gold cup using the same bullet.
 
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

Welcome Vermonter! :D Now lets see if you can remember how to put all the parts back in the right sequence. :p
 
New pictures will be required soon. So after David Clement fit the Power Custom stainless billet Colt grip frame...perfectly. I sent it off to have grips made for it. I asked for something really rugged and utilitarian. Micarta was suggested. I could have black or white. I chose black to set it apart. White micarta was what many 5-1/2" ROA's came with so I thought it should at least look a bit different. I asked that he use a blind screw so the right grip would be completely smooth. The grip maker started asking me for my hand size and other preferences. I did the best I could on the phone.

So the good news is that he started them Wednesday. I sent a check Friday. I expect...hope I'll get them this week.
Forgive me for not giving the grip makers name. I will after I get them. Since he was recommended by David Clement I have no doubt they'll exceed my expectations.

I think this will be the last thing I do to my ROA. I'm a serial gun modifier. I've done a fair amount to my ROA and this will likely end it...'Course I do like those octagon barrels.
 
Can't wait for the pics AbitNutz! I gotta admit, there's something about the ROA that makes me want to mod it more than others. Not that I think there's anything wrong with it, just the opposite. It's my first C&B and will definitely not be the last! Something about the tinkering with the loads and the immediate feedback is very fulfilling. I've always been one to fix my own stuff and enjoy learning new skills.
 
There's something that makes sense about a C&B revolver. It's like a bit of a paradox. It's a muzzle loader that fires through the breach of the barrel.
 
Oh lord! That is quite a family portrait...I'm envious of you and your beautiful children.

Please tell me about the squared off trigger guard...it looks absolutely awesome.

Besides the aesthetics, does it offer a better handling?

How was it done? What parts? Who did it...all the juicy details. I'm waiting for my ROA to get back from the grip makers. Should be tomorrow...hopefully no later than Saturday.
 
Frames

The blued and stainless frames come off old model (three screw) Super Blackhawks.

The brass frames came on early ROAs and could be bought from Ruger in the early seventies as an accessory. The brass frames are very pricey now a days if you can find them. I have seen folks pay as much as $500 for just the frame.

As for handling, they are longer than the XR3 Red grip frames that normally come on ROAs. You can get a full four finger grip with them.

I do all my own smithing, find it kinda fun.

Wasatch
 
ROA at last

I found this one at Cabelas in Kansas City, Kansas. Had a little rust on the hammer and a couple of little spots on the cylinder. After I had it shipped here, I disassembled it and it appears it hasn't been fired. When I assembled it, I did make the mistake of installing the cylinder pawl plunger backwards. I was able to salvage the spring. Will replace it later.
IMG_3190.JPG

IMG_3188.JPG
 
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