Ruger Old Army - Page 2

Hawg · July 22, 2013, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Wap41, certainly you meant steel framed not brass

They make a brass grip frame for the ROA/Blackhawks. That's probably what he meant.

Bill, that Remington looks much better than any Ruger could ever hope for.

(Sorry, got to get my Ruger digs in

)

rclark · July 22, 2013, 08:34 AM

Quote:

find a 5 1/2 fixed sight SS for a decent price. And that will not be easy......

Mine cost me $800 ....

kwhi43 · July 22, 2013, 09:05 AM

wap41 · July 22, 2013, 10:04 AM

Yes as hawg said I meant brass grip frame,the grips are longer and fit my hand better.Also I really like the flat top front sight models but they are really tought to find,they made less than 800 of them in the first year of production.A 5.5" adjustable sight like phil's photo is one I like to find in S.S.

Dstarver · July 22, 2013, 10:44 AM

The ROA was in bad shape lots of pitting but still fires well. Not the prettiest thing in the stable. But the price was right.

kwhi43 · July 22, 2013, 10:57 AM

You won't find one like mine. It has a 45-70 barrel on it.

rclark · July 22, 2013, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Mine cost me new in 1971 125.00

How times change. Note, yours has adjustable sights.... I didn't think they had SS guns that early. Live and learn.

wap41 · July 22, 2013, 11:25 AM

Phil what a meant is a 5.5" high polish S.S.faux ivory grips with adjustable sights.By the way I finally got a chance to shoot your 36 cal.Only fired one cylinder full but so far looking real good.Hoping to get some time free real soon to put some serious powder thru it.

kwhi43 · July 22, 2013, 11:50 AM

Mine is not SS. The blueing has worn off after all these years.

Pahoo · July 22, 2013, 11:55 AM

Dstarver
Certainly not to be picking on you but want to thank you for posting these pictures on how Ruger SS can and will rust. This also happened to a friend of mine, on his Ruger S-6. As he said, it just snuck up on me. .....

Oil and;
Be Safe !!!

rclark · July 22, 2013, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Mine is not SS. The blueing has worn off after all these years.

Gottcha! That's cool. Makes more since! Pre-production? I see Ruger started manufacturing them in 1972 from the product history anyway .

kwhi43 · July 22, 2013, 12:26 PM

I do believe it was 1972 when I bought it. I forget. I do remember they had
Just came out. I was shooting lots of competition at the time and I was not
Happy with the 2-3 inch groups at 25 yds. I wanted them in one hole. I put a
45-70 barrel with a 1 in 22 twist and reamed the chambers to .465. Used a
.465 ball from a Lee mold. Finally got a load that would put them in one hole
At 25 yds. It was 40 grs of Hodgdon FFF black powder. This was made by
Curtis & Harvey from Scotland . Still have several pounds. I was young back
Then and could handle it. Still hold the record at our local club of a 99 shot
at 35 yds. We were the only club in the country with a 35 yd range. I can't
Shoot the old gun anymore, can't hold it out. Getting too old.

Dstarver · July 22, 2013, 08:04 PM

The Ruger was like that when I bought it. I don't know why it was pitted as bad as it was. I sometimes think it may have been part of Katrina damage since I picked it up in Slidel Louisiana. I cam with a leather Holster calvary type with Ruger stamped on it. Maybe some on shoot it and just stuck it back in the holster an several years went by. But it was a mess I cleaned it and oiled it down well. All the insides looked fine after they were cleaned. I will say this the Gun has a lot of history i wish i knew.

Erno86 · July 25, 2013, 02:02 PM

Ruger says, you can dry fire the Old Army without damaging it...but I suggest not dry firing it --- a least not the stainless steel ones. If you do...make sure you wear eye protection. I've cracked and broken off the near top thumb cocking tips of two Old Army stainless steel hammer's, while dry firing. They come flying off rearward at quite a speed, that it could take someone's eye out.

If you take a look at the inside cracked part of the hammer...you can tell that Ruger used some kind of inferior soft steel for the hammer. Ruger discounted my claim of inferior soft steel.

About a year later from my complaint...Ruger discontinued manufacture of the pistol.

My ROA likes 17 grains of Triple 7, triple F powder {water cleanup}, .457 round ball, Cream of Wheat filler, and a mixture of: 1/3 beeswax/2/3 Butter Crisco for the chamber sealer.

rclark · July 25, 2013, 03:31 PM

Quote:

My ROA likes 17 grains of Triple 7,

That is quite a light load! I load 40g of T-7 (FF or FFF) in mine.

Erno86 · July 26, 2013, 02:15 PM

It's my most accurate load, at around the 25/50 yard range. I also use spent 38 Special shell casings, in order to pour the powder and Cream of Wheat into the cylinder's; along with the use of a lobster fork that makes it easier to pry out stuck caps.

Bill Akins · August 8, 2013, 04:44 AM

I've got a possible chance to get a ROA in highly polished stainless, FIXED SIGHTED VERSION, for about $500.00

I thought that was a good deal. What do you fellas think?

Also there is no writing on the sides of the barrel. It is all on the top. I recall that someone in some thread here knew that indicated a certain year/years production run. Can anyone remember what time period the SS ones with the writing on the top of the barrel were made?

.

Doc Hoy · August 8, 2013, 06:04 AM

500.00 is not a bad price.

**4V50 Gary** · August 8, 2013, 10:38 AM

[email protected] - time to reblue that Ruger.

swathdiver · August 8, 2013, 05:07 PM

The legaleze writing appeared on all ROA barrels in late '77 through '78 and on.

Bill Akins · August 8, 2013, 10:17 PM

But this one only has the warnings on TOP of the barrel rather than on the sides of the barrel. What era were the ones that had it on top of the barrel made?

.

swathdiver · August 9, 2013, 02:44 PM

All the ones I've seen have writing on top of the barrel whether before the warning or after, including the bicentennial guns.

Bill Akins · August 9, 2013, 10:17 PM

Did some of the ROA's have writing on the sides of the barrel? Or am I mistaken in thinking they did?

.

mykeal · August 11, 2013, 06:50 PM

This is the top of the barrel on my 1976 SS 7 1/2" ROA:

and this is the left side of the barrel on the same gun:

This is the top of the barrel on my 1998 SS 7 1/2" ROA (there is nothing on the sides of the barrel):

leeonious · November 21, 2013, 02:39 PM

I'm 56. Pardon me I am laughing HYSTERICALLY. I am a child of the 60,,,if you are offended by this, welllllll,,,,we all was young once.

I had no idea what the heck I had just been offfered. But man was it one HUGE Pistol in a beautiful Hunter holster. It came with a bag of cool stuff. The price was dirt cheap. I was 20y/o It was 4am and Saturday Nite live had long since been over. I traded 1/4gram of ENTERTAINMENT POWDER or $20 for mine.

Oh about 45 minutes later a .50 LYMAN Plains rifle & similar possibilities bag was mine for the same price. I would not take $5k for either.

Point is my youthful indescretions have provided a lifetime of having a BLAST!

Thanks fer having me. Yes I have grown up ,,,,A LITTLE

July 22, 2013, 09:05 AM	#28
kwhi43 Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2008 Location: Kansas City Posts: 1,393	Mine cost me new in 1971 125.00

July 22, 2013, 10:04 AM	#29
wap41 Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 2009 Posts: 99	North East Redneck Yes as hawg said I meant brass grip frame,the grips are longer and fit my hand better.Also I really like the flat top front sight models but they are really tought to find,they made less than 800 of them in the first year of production.A 5.5" adjustable sight like phil's photo is one I like to find in S.S.

July 22, 2013, 11:55 AM	#35
Pahoo Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2006 Location: IOWA Posts: 8,783	SS will rust !! Dstarver Certainly not to be picking on you but want to thank you for posting these pictures on how Ruger SS can and will rust. This also happened to a friend of mine, on his Ruger S-6. As he said, it just snuck up on me. ..... Oil and; Be Safe !!! __________________ 'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.

July 22, 2013, 08:04 PM	#38
Dstarver Junior Member Join Date: February 19, 2013 Posts: 13	ROA SS Rusting The Ruger was like that when I bought it. I don't know why it was pitted as bad as it was. I sometimes think it may have been part of Katrina damage since I picked it up in Slidel Louisiana. I cam with a leather Holster calvary type with Ruger stamped on it. Maybe some on shoot it and just stuck it back in the holster an several years went by. But it was a mess I cleaned it and oiled it down well. All the insides looked fine after they were cleaned. I will say this the Gun has a lot of history i wish i knew.

July 25, 2013, 02:02 PM	#39
Erno86 Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2012 Location: Marriottsville, Maryland Posts: 1,739	Ruger says, you can dry fire the Old Army without damaging it...but I suggest not dry firing it --- a least not the stainless steel ones. If you do...make sure you wear eye protection. I've cracked and broken off the near top thumb cocking tips of two Old Army stainless steel hammer's, while dry firing. They come flying off rearward at quite a speed, that it could take someone's eye out. If you take a look at the inside cracked part of the hammer...you can tell that Ruger used some kind of inferior soft steel for the hammer. Ruger discounted my claim of inferior soft steel. About a year later from my complaint...Ruger discontinued manufacture of the pistol. My ROA likes 17 grains of Triple 7, triple F powder {water cleanup}, .457 round ball, Cream of Wheat filler, and a mixture of: 1/3 beeswax/2/3 Butter Crisco for the chamber sealer. __________________ That rifle hanging on the wall of the working class flat or labourer's cottage is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there." --- George Orwell Last edited by Erno86; July 25, 2013 at 02:08 PM.

July 22, 2013, 10:57 AM	#31
kwhi43 Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2008 Location: Kansas City Posts: 1,393	You won't find one like mine. It has a 45-70 barrel on it.

July 22, 2013, 11:25 AM	#33
wap41 Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 2009 Posts: 99	Phil what a meant is a 5.5" high polish S.S.faux ivory grips with adjustable sights.By the way I finally got a chance to shoot your 36 cal.Only fired one cylinder full but so far looking real good.Hoping to get some time free real soon to put some serious powder thru it.

July 22, 2013, 11:50 AM	#34
kwhi43 Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2008 Location: Kansas City Posts: 1,393	Mine is not SS. The blueing has worn off after all these years.

July 22, 2013, 12:26 PM	#37
kwhi43 Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2008 Location: Kansas City Posts: 1,393	I do believe it was 1972 when I bought it. I forget. I do remember they had Just came out. I was shooting lots of competition at the time and I was not Happy with the 2-3 inch groups at 25 yds. I wanted them in one hole. I put a 45-70 barrel with a 1 in 22 twist and reamed the chambers to .465. Used a .465 ball from a Lee mold. Finally got a load that would put them in one hole At 25 yds. It was 40 grs of Hodgdon FFF black powder. This was made by Curtis & Harvey from Scotland . Still have several pounds. I was young back Then and could handle it. Still hold the record at our local club of a 99 shot at 35 yds. We were the only club in the country with a 35 yd range. I can't Shoot the old gun anymore, can't hold it out. Getting too old.

July 26, 2013, 02:15 PM	#41
Erno86 Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2012 Location: Marriottsville, Maryland Posts: 1,739	It's my most accurate load, at around the 25/50 yard range. I also use spent 38 Special shell casings, in order to pour the powder and Cream of Wheat into the cylinder's; along with the use of a lobster fork that makes it easier to pry out stuck caps. __________________ That rifle hanging on the wall of the working class flat or labourer's cottage is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there." --- George Orwell

August 8, 2013, 04:44 AM	#42
Bill Akins Senior Member Join Date: August 28, 2007 Location: Hudson, Florida Posts: 1,135	I've got a possible chance to get a ROA in highly polished stainless, FIXED SIGHTED VERSION, for about $500.00 I thought that was a good deal. What do you fellas think? Also there is no writing on the sides of the barrel. It is all on the top. I recall that someone in some thread here knew that indicated a certain year/years production run. Can anyone remember what time period the SS ones with the writing on the top of the barrel were made? . __________________ "This is my Remy and this is my Colt. Remy loads easy and topstrap strong, Colt balances better and never feels wrong. A repro black powder revolver gun, they smoke and shoot lead and give me much fun. I can't figure out which one I like better, they're both fine revolvers that fit in my leather". "To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target".

August 8, 2013, 06:04 AM	#43
Doc Hoy Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Naples, Fl Posts: 5,440	Bill, I'd say for that model 500.00 is not a bad price. __________________ Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath.

August 8, 2013, 10:38 AM	#44
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,832	[email protected] - time to reblue that Ruger. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

August 8, 2013, 05:07 PM	#45
swathdiver Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2012 Location: Treasure Coast, Florida Posts: 335	The legaleze writing appeared on all ROA barrels in late '77 through '78 and on.

August 8, 2013, 10:17 PM	#46
Bill Akins Senior Member Join Date: August 28, 2007 Location: Hudson, Florida Posts: 1,135	But this one only has the warnings on TOP of the barrel rather than on the sides of the barrel. What era were the ones that had it on top of the barrel made? . __________________ "This is my Remy and this is my Colt. Remy loads easy and topstrap strong, Colt balances better and never feels wrong. A repro black powder revolver gun, they smoke and shoot lead and give me much fun. I can't figure out which one I like better, they're both fine revolvers that fit in my leather". "To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target".

August 9, 2013, 02:44 PM	#47
swathdiver Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2012 Location: Treasure Coast, Florida Posts: 335	All the ones I've seen have writing on top of the barrel whether before the warning or after, including the bicentennial guns.

August 9, 2013, 10:17 PM	#48
Bill Akins Senior Member Join Date: August 28, 2007 Location: Hudson, Florida Posts: 1,135	Did some of the ROA's have writing on the sides of the barrel? Or am I mistaken in thinking they did? . __________________ "This is my Remy and this is my Colt. Remy loads easy and topstrap strong, Colt balances better and never feels wrong. A repro black powder revolver gun, they smoke and shoot lead and give me much fun. I can't figure out which one I like better, they're both fine revolvers that fit in my leather". "To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target".

August 11, 2013, 06:50 PM	#49
mykeal Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,772	This is the top of the barrel on my 1976 SS 7 1/2" ROA: and this is the left side of the barrel on the same gun: This is the top of the barrel on my 1998 SS 7 1/2" ROA (there is nothing on the sides of the barrel):

November 21, 2013, 02:39 PM	#50
leeonious Junior Member Join Date: June 2, 2013 Posts: 1	AMAZIN what folks would trade at 4am in the 70's I'm 56. Pardon me I am laughing HYSTERICALLY. I am a child of the 60,,,if you are offended by this, welllllll,,,,we all was young once. I had no idea what the heck I had just been offfered. But man was it one HUGE Pistol in a beautiful Hunter holster. It came with a bag of cool stuff. The price was dirt cheap. I was 20y/o It was 4am and Saturday Nite live had long since been over. I traded 1/4gram of ENTERTAINMENT POWDER or $20 for mine. Oh about 45 minutes later a .50 LYMAN Plains rifle & similar possibilities bag was mine for the same price. I would not take $5k for either. Point is my youthful indescretions have provided a lifetime of having a BLAST! Thanks fer having me. Yes I have grown up ,,,,A LITTLE