The RUGER OLD ARMY Club

I agree I don't want the bolt dropping way early.. I do think the lead cuts are primarily so the bolt has no chance of missing the slot because of the momentum of the cylinder during normal shooting and are not cosmetic so you don't get the mark on cylinder.. I also think the bolt should drop just before the lead in cut or at the very beginning of it so the latch has the tendency to scrape out any debris that might get in the cut out instead of compacting it down... The main concern here is that the cylinder locks tight. ..Just my opinion..
 
Jackrabbit, you can lengthen the "dwell" for the drop by lengthening the "clearance" cut (for the keeper pin) of the hammer plunger. This will allow more "reach" for the plunger and give a later drop for the cyl latch. Of course, there is an operational limit for the length so if you go too far, you can shorten the length as needed (of course new plungers are easily made from drill rod).

Mike
 
45 Dragoon said:
Jackrabbit, you can lengthen the "dwell" for the drop by lengthening the "clearance" cut (for the keeper pin) of the hammer plunger. This will allow more "reach" for the plunger and give a later drop for the cyl latch. Of course, there is an operational limit for the length so if you go too far, you can shorten the length as needed (of course new plungers are easily made from drill rod).

Mike
Click to expand...
I didn't think of that Mike.. Im going to try that... In fact Im going to make a test plunger just to play with that while I wait for the stainless rod...

UPDATE: I made a new plunger from a 1/8" drill bit to play with.. My little dremel drill press, Wilton XY vise and a diamond wheel worked very well... I duplicated the original but added .030 to end that contacts cylinder bolt and left a little extra on end that contacts spring in case I wanted to open up the slot as Mike suggests... I also spin polished the cylinder with 800 grit so I could see new marks left by the bolt... Well to my disappointment I see virtually no difference in bolt drop.. I guess the bolt arm is just shoving the extra plunger length back into hammer instead of holding bolt longer... It doesn't seem to have any detrimental effect though.. Pic below was during construction of plunger... plunger2.jpg ...It's late and I just got the gun back together so I will look into this more tomorrow..
 
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Thanks Mike, I appreciate your advise. Might try it when I dredge up some ambition to strip down my 2 new model Rugers. One of my ROAs is also dropping early.
 
The plunger finally worked, thanks Mike for your input.. It took a lot though.. On my last post the plunger was about .030 over length and I still had a .170 long bolt mark on cylinder before lead in cut... So I added some metal to end of test plunger and made it a little over .100 over length to start.. That was definitely too long and jammed hammer.. Well I backed it down .010-.020 at a time until the action functioned.. The plunger is now about .070 over and the bolt drops in the cutout (not sure how far yet but definitely in there). The bolt still releases nicely before hand starts to rotate cylinder when cocking and you can hear the little plunger reset about half way between half cock and all the way down, seems okay ... Hopefully I can shorten the plunger a little more and get the bolt drop right at the beginning of the cutout just so I feel better about having plenty of clearance inside mechanism (Yes Mike that gnats ass again which I prefer not to have....lol)...... As far as modifying slot in plunger to reach out further is fine if your not too far off but I would personally make my own plunger (better than original)...Pic is where I started .100 over on bolt end, rest basically unmodified.. Now I can just duplicate my test plunger with 304SS rod and make it perfect... plunger3.jpg
 
Yep, you'll find (over time) "gnat's ass" gets er done! A lot of times its not much more than "gnat's ass" that determines "new" and "worn out".

Mike
 
45 Dragoon said:
Yep, you'll find (over time) "gnat's ass" gets er done! A lot of times its not much more than "gnat's ass" that determines "new" and "worn out".

Mike
Click to expand...
True but my PREFERENCE is "Not even close" versus "gnats ass".. Doesn't take much to kill a gnat..LOL.. But if necessary then gnats ass is ok but certainly wouldn't be in any design of mine...:)..
 
Understand but "not even close" wasn't good enough for Sam Colt , or Bill Ruger, Smith&Wesson, Browning . . . not even little'ol me!! Exact is exact (per plan) and perfection is a goal. It's like conducting a symphony with each individual revolver . . . they are so individual . . . but when it's right, it's amazing!!!

Mike
 
I mean "Not even close" in the context of a FAILURE.. I dont want my gun a few thousandths from jamming if I can help it (like the plunger only being a few thousandths from blocking hammer)... I get the symphony and the exact gnats ass when your talking the revolvers operation.. We only disagree in one respect.. I think the half cock fix for jam problem is great because it gives you more robustness and I would add the half cock fix even if I was to time every chamber perfectly (your single click).. Why, because it makes it more robust as far as jam failure.. No more a few thousandths from a jam when its not necessary..
 
If it only takes a tiny stretch on the hand to fix jam problem then it only takes a tiny bit of wear on the same hand to get jam problem back... Thats were half cock fix comes in...:)
 
I learned something interesting about metals today... I extended my test plunger using 56% silver brazing on the end that contacts the bolt arm... I then shaped and polished it (Up to 800 grit).. Mirror finish and I noticed it seemed very slick.... Well I was just doing some research and it seems silver against other metals that are harder, especially SS have an extremely low friction coefficient.... It seems a tiny bit of silver deposits on the harder surface making it very slick.. This may be the perfect end coating for the plunger (maybe trigger) and easy to do... I may go into the oversized plunger business....lol..
 
I just finished up on my Single Six with Mikes suggestion with lengthening the slot on the hammer plunger, all it took was a few strokes with a round needle file and the bolt drops right at the beginning of the lead slot. I didn't do much measuring so can't tell you how much was removed. Got lucky and hit it the first time.
 
Jackrabbit1957 said:
I just finished up on my Single Six with Mikes suggestion with lengthening the slot on the hammer plunger, all it took was a few strokes with a round needle file and the bolt drops right at the beginning of the lead slot. I didn't do much measuring so can't tell you how much was removed. Got lucky and hit it the first time.
Click to expand...
So bolt drop went from "2 of my new models drop halfway between the recesses" to right at the beginning of the lead cut with a few strokes of a file in the slot..Thats sensitive... I looked at the difference in the new model and old army and it looks like the plunger and bolt are a little different then old army and oriented different.. I couldn't find a good internal operation video like on the old army though...
 
I'm late to this party. I'm new to the High Road, too. Can I still join up?
20191228_132313_HDR.jpg
I actually own 2. No pics of the other. Its in my truck with my hunting gear. It has a Kirst Konverter in it.
 
It's interesting the difference in the Old Army and the New Model Ruger's.. Jackrabbits post got me curious.. I did a little drawing comparing the two.. They changed the fulcrum point which it seems makes the plunger length much more sensitive (on its effect on bolt drop).. Im still studying levers and fulcrums...lol.. ruger diff.jpg
 
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Welcome Michiganmuzzy! :D


 
Michiganmuzzy said:
Mine are mostly used when hunting. I shoot 30gr t7 3f under wool wad and some 220 grain lead i cast myself.
Click to expand...
How do you like the loader? I have been thinking about one like this for a while, seems like a very uniform seating depth and pressure could be achieved.
 
I absolutely love it. It takes just a couple minutes to load up everything. I have 3 cylinders that i load up and take hunting or to the range, plus the kirst cylinder. 18 shots is plenty for me at the range. First time i bent the loading lever on the gun was the last time i used it and decided to buy the loader.
 
Michiganmuzzy said:
I absolutely love it. It takes just a couple minutes to load up everything. I have 3 cylinders that i load up and take hunting or to the range, plus the kirst cylinder. 18 shots is plenty for me at the range. First time i bent the loading lever on the gun was the last time i used it and decided to buy the loader.
Click to expand...

Thats some loader. What brand is it I never seen one like that? It must take quite a bit of force to start 6 cast bullets at once..
 
scuubbs said:
Thats some loader. What brand is it I never seen one like that? It must take quite a bit of force to start 6 cast bullets at once..
Click to expand...
I can't recall where i got it. When i get home tomorrow night I'll find out. Loading isn't too bad. I size my bullets down to .452 before i load them, they have a grease groove, then i cover them in a bit of lube. They are 40:1 alloy not pure lead. That helps keep the bullets in place. And still perform well.
I usually have the loader in a vice so i can get decent leverage.
 
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