Ruger Old Army base pins - NEW manufacture.

[tacfoley]

To all of those who have expressed an interest in getting a replacement stainless steel base pin for their ROA after either bending it, or having it bent, I am now in the position, via a local precision engineering company, to supply EXACT replications of the original part made in the highest quality precision-instrument grade stainless steel. I would respectfully remind you that Ruger has abrogated ALL responsibility for providing ANY parts for this very popular handgun that are not common with its cartridge-firing counterparts, in spite of their promise to support OOP products for ten years after cessation of the run.

As with everything custom-made in small numbers, they will not be exactly cheap, but they WILL be perfect replications. Considering that they are otherwise unavailable, the cost - IMO - is not unreasonable. To ensure this, I'll be 'trying' each and every one of them on my own revolver to ensure that the fit is in manufacturing tolerances of my own otherwise perfect sample, although, bearing in mind the high regard and reputation of the company concerned, I have no doubt of their engineering exactness.

If this venture is a success, I might be moved to ask for other small non-pressure-bearing parts to be made, in particular, those that are susceptible to wear and/or accumulative damage, such as the rear-frame securing screws.

Before I go any further in ordering, I must know how many of you are still interested - by PM, please - I do not intend to discuss costs on a public forum.

I need nine of you [the tenth one is for me] to make it a worthwhile enterprise. Obviously, more is better....

TIA

tac

[tacfoley]

in the form of a well-respected gun-maker in the USA, who also heads up the foremost BP/muzzleloading site over there. He has expressed some concern over the nature of the material that will be used to make these new components. Having assured him that it is not the intention of the company concerned to use old six-inch nails filed down to fit, I sent his this missive, which those of you with any reservation can read and make up your own minds.

OK - bin there and talked to the man. He intends to use 316 Stainless steel, which has a tensile strength of between 72,000 and 75,000 psi. In MPa it is between 515 and 517. Developed for the paper industry, it is suitable for the following applications -

1. Food processing equipment.
2. Brewery equipment.
3. Chemical & Petrochemical applications - valves etc.
4. Laboratory equipment.
5. Heat exchangers.
6. Mining screens
7. Nuts and bolts
8. Springs
9. Medical implants.

It has a RH of 95, and can put up with intermittent heating up to 870C and continuous heating to 925C. 316 cannot be hardened by heat treatment. Solution treating CAN be done by rapid after heating to 1010-1120C.

I'm happy to have my pins made from this material. A point I'd like to make here is that MY ROA is 26 and a bit years old and has seen almost constant weekend use since the day I bought it. The material of which the pin is made HAS been polished by use where the cylinder revolves around it, but that is all. As for testing the material itself for its suitability to make a non-moving part of a 150- year old design firearm using modern materials, the shock loadings of such a component [a combination of radial and compressive shock] are not readily measurable without destructive testing or radical 'surgery' of the component concerned. However, in shooting MANY thousands of rounds through my ROA, the pin has failed to disintegrate into any form of metallic powder, and until it got bent, it was no doubt set to carry on for another 26 years.

The boss DID mention another grade of s/s, namely AL 17-4 [UNS S17400] and surprisingly, a local stock-holder actually had it to hand. However, it is notoriously difficult to machine in small component size, and would easily increase the proposed current price by ca.130%.

If the American maker of these pins ever gets around to making these replacement pins, I wonder which one HE will use at his $50 retail price? Plus shipping, of course...

Over here in UK we do not have the luxury of cheaper future costs - and something you CAN have today has a real resonant superiority over something that is, as yet, made of unobtainium. Here in far-off UK we have to live with what can be done now. For us over here, without the benefit of Uncle Sam's massive industrial might, right now my show is the only one in town.

tac

[JB911]

Did you ever get around to having the base pins manufactured? Only ask as I could do with one.
Many Thanks JB911

[lostcat]

Grip frame screws are not unique to ROA.
I got screws for Super Blackhawk,they are the same dimensions and include the insert,overpriced by far though from the US.
The hand would be a part that I would be interested in,if the hand is too short the action can lock up on half cock as well as the bolt dropping early and dragging on the cylinder.
Hope not to need a base pin but would have no concerns about the proposed grade of SS.

[tacfoley]

In the end I gave up on the project. I only got six prospective customers, and at the cost of £40.00 each I'm not surpised.

Yup, I'm sure that the screws mentioned are the same, after all, the frames are identical, but those in the ROA parts bin have all gone - I know, I bought the last four at $6.75 each. I kept two, and another poster here had the other two.

I'll ask Rosemary about the hand and other internal parts - might be worth bothering about. My ROA is almost thirty years old now, and so far [TW] the internals are holding up really well.

I'm over in OR soon, and have a good pal there with a gunstore that is 95% old and original BP firearms. He might have a better idea than I have, for sure, he couldn't know any less.

tac