Ruger Old Army 44 cal revolver

[MrChipShoulder]

I went to the dealer today who had the mint condition 1858, the gun was very nice, but in my mind my heart was set on the Ruger.

I told him about the Ruger I'd been offered and how I didn't know what it's condition was like, so he pulled out his brand new, nu-shot Ruger from his safe and let me have a feel

I immediately put it to full cock and felt for play, it had exactly the same as the one I'd been looking at!!

So I politely declined his 1858 down, turned tail and bought the Ruger that started this thread!

I've now pulled it apart (couldn't do that in the shop!) and checked the bore and all the workings, and everything is in order

So I now have Ruger and can't wait to shoot it, just got to get a 457 ball mould now.

Thanks.

[loiner1965]

I went to the dealer today who had the mint condition 1858, the gun was very nice, but in my mind my heart was set on the Ruger.

I told him about the Ruger I'd been offered and how I didn't know what it's condition was like, so he pulled out his brand new, nu-shot Ruger from his safe and let me have a feel

I immediately put it to full cock and felt for play, it had exactly the same as the one I'd been looking at!!

So I politely declined his 1858 down, turned tail and bought the Ruger that started this thread!

I've now pulled it apart (couldn't do that in the shop!) and checked the bore and all the workings, and everything is in order

So I now have Ruger and can't wait to shoot it, just got to get a 457 ball mould now.

Thanks.

lol........right pm address and i will sort the conical mold out for you to try.
thing is rob if you dont handle them often or know exactly whats right or not then its hard .
i just made myself look a tit this week when testing my tacs out for my brocock me38 magnum.
all my good tacs fill up lovely with no leakage even though they are 20 year old.
set up a safe place to shoot through a chrono and when it did decide to work each tac was shooting 120 fps
every one was more or less cock on and they even shot poi.
thought it could be the led indoor lights on top of defusers giving a false reading.....the label on the chrony led screen says FPS but i worked these speeds out to 400 fps if it was measuring in MPS.
unfortunately my hearing is blocked so i cannot hear the report too well so i was convinced its mps but not fps etc.
looked for manual online and it says if they is a dot between the A and L when flashing then its MPS lol.

never used chrono before even though i had it years lol
happens to all of us
in my opinion you have bought the better revolver and they are a joy to shoot.....keep us informed

[DesG]

I went to the dealer today who had the mint condition 1858, the gun was very nice, but in my mind my heart was set on the Ruger.

I told him about the Ruger I'd been offered and how I didn't know what it's condition was like, so he pulled out his brand new, nu-shot Ruger from his safe and let me have a feel

I immediately put it to full cock and felt for play, it had exactly the same as the one I'd been looking at!!

So I politely declined his 1858 down, turned tail and bought the Ruger that started this thread!

I've now pulled it apart (couldn't do that in the shop!) and checked the bore and all the workings, and everything is in order

So I now have Ruger and can't wait to shoot it, just got to get a 457 ball mould now.

Thanks.

I can bring some 457 down on Wed morning and your wax if you can get there. (sorry just checked- 454!)

[MrChipShoulder]

Thanks Des

I got a 457 mould on it's way, intend to get to the club in two weeks.

How have you found that wax, is it any good?

Cool fact,
I just looked up when my gun was made, mid hundreds, so was in the first production year, 1976-77.
So I was 7 years old when it was new

https://ruger.com/service/productHistory/RE-OAKBP.html

[Abasmajor]

Thanks Des

I got a 457 mould on it's way, intend to get to the club in two weeks.

How have you found that wax, is it any good?

Cool fact,
I just looked up when my gun was made, mid hundreds, so was in the first production year, 1976-77.
So I was 7 years old when it was new

https://ruger.com/service/productHistory/RE-OAKBP.html

Hello,

After all the discussion, it would be nice if you could maybe post some pictures of your new acquisition . The link below is to photo of my Ruger Old Army which I had converted to also shoot smokeless powder using 209 shotgun primers for ignition. As I carefully weigh my smokeless powder charges, I decided to do the same with the BP substitute (Hodgdon 777) rather than dispensing by volume. The best results I've had with the substitute was using 13grns of 777 with a .457 ball seated over a greased wad. The comparable smokeless load is 4.5grns of Herco with a .457 ball lubricated with Alox obviously without the need for a wad.
Both loads shoot to the same POI on a PL7 target at twenty five yards and easily hold the black if I do my bit.

https://imgur.com/33xXWRN

Brian

[MrChipShoulder]

Nice grips

Here is mine

https://ibb.co/R9BX0dW
https://ibb.co/2yVnQmp
https://ibb.co/7SxHjm1

[Abasmajor]

Nice grips

Here is mine

https://ibb.co/R9BX0dW
https://ibb.co/2yVnQmp
https://ibb.co/7SxHjm1

A very nice example which looks to be in excellent condition and should provide you with years of pleasure. Lets us know how it performs when you eventually get to take it to the range.

Brian

[Turnup]

Hello,

After all the discussion, it would be nice if you could maybe post some pictures of your new acquisition . The link below is to photo of my Ruger Old Army which I had converted to also shoot smokeless powder using 209 shotgun primers for ignition. As I carefully weigh my smokeless powder charges, I decided to do the same with the BP substitute (Hodgdon 777) rather than dispensing by volume. The best results I've had with the substitute was using 13grns of 777 with a .457 ball seated over a greased wad. The comparable smokeless load is 4.5grns of Herco with a .457 ball lubricated with Alox obviously without the need for a wad.
Both loads shoot to the same POI on a PL7 target at twenty five yards and easily hold the black if I do my bit.

https://imgur.com/33xXWRN

Brian

Nice looking gun. Interested to see the cylinder has a very different appearance to mine - like the stripey effect. Is that a special model of some kind?

[MrChipShoulder]

Mine carries a few grip marks.
I'd like to carefully sand and polish them out.
Are these guns plated or can I just get stuck in with very fine emery cloth and polishing compound?

[Abasmajor]

Mine carries a few grip marks.
I'd like to carefully sand and polish them out.
Are these guns plated or can I just get stuck in with very fine emery cloth and polishing compound?

Hi,

The Ruger Old Army is solid stainless steel and not plated, so polish away with care obviously.

Brian

[Abasmajor]

Nice looking gun. Interested to see the cylinder has a very different appearance to mine - like the stripey effect. Is that a special model of some kind?

The stripes to the cylinder side were applied by the gunsmith who added them to further identify the gun as a nitro conversion. It obviously also has nitro proof marks and the stamped name of the converter (Falcon Gun Company) who kicked off these conversions just after the breech loading pistol ban in 1997.
Brian

[loiner1965]

lovely looking revolvers......