i TRIED THE NEW RUGER OLD ARMY TODAY

flintforever

New member
well I tried the ruger to day at 20 yards seem to shoot a excellent 2" group 2 hand hold no bench rest.
I went with 25 grains of goex 3F and 25 grain of cream of wheat I then used my 60/40 beeswax @ lard (no salt )
I was very happy for the first time out I went threw about 25 rounds No jams ,cleaning WAS about 45 min:
 
robhof

Be very careful with the ROA, since getting mine about 6 years ago many more b/p guns have followed me home and countless pounds of powder have:D gone up in smoke.
 
I been shooting my flinters for years :I started in 1969 did a spread until he middle 80's with flinters,percussion.and 2 handguns.I got back into to it about 10 years ago and all I can say it a great sport and fun to shoot.I have a few centerfire rifle but onece you get them sighted in and shoot 3 shots under under 1/2" they spend most of there time in the gun safe.I have 2 flinters that see the range and field each year .I would say I run threw 3 to 4 pounds of black powder each year :D
 
ROA

Mine came in the mail yesterday around noon. I took her apart and took a quick peek. In excellent shape for a gun made in 1976. Built like a rock. The loading lever fell apart and I was doing a jig saw puzzle for a while getting it back together.

Thanks for the range report.
 
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Slowhand

This loading lever and plunger arrangement has been a peave since the first one was made. The ROA shooter develops a knack for taking the cylinder out without dropping the plunger on the ground.

The pistol seems to have been designed to be able to quickly change the plunger. When I am shooting light loads, the plunger and lever always bottoms out against the frame before I have confident compression. (No wad and no cornmeal used) I thought of making a longer plunger to overcome this problem but the plunger would have to be interchangable. In this case the existing design would be essential.

I saw the photos of your latest acquisitions. You have very good taste.
 
Slowhand: I see your ruger over at the highroad looks like we got a matched pair in the same condition same year 1976
were in S.C are you ?
I spend my winter months down in N.C. Calabash 3 mi from SC border or little river.
 
Comments

Flintforever...
I'm in Irmo, SC a bedroom community for Columbia these days. In the old days Irmo was where all the rail road tracks from in town met the main line heading out. Lake Murray is just down the road from my house. So in a couple of years it's fishing boat time.

Doc Hoy

I've seen some of your collection and you work projects. You are of course way ahead of me on experience and volume when it comes to BP Revolvers.

I'm fortunate to have a few decades of experience in modern firearms plus the Ruger Owners Manual, in PDF for the ROA. I gather the loading lever and plunger are one of those quirks about the ROA best found out in the den than on a range. I will be keeping my eye on that in the future. Any other heads up information would of course be appreciated. I'm going to do a complete disassembly and reassembly when I get a chance, before a range trip. Old Bill Ruger put a lot of thought into his entry into BP Revolvers.

I have a Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan that I've did some after factory clean up, plus polishing and tune up on which give me some experience with the basic design of the ROA, sans the BP additions/changes to it. First time out she's getting a less than full charge, plus some corn meal I'm no glutton for recoil. Later on I'll have to of course go a few full loads just for the heck of it.

Thanks for the comments gentlemen.
 
Slowhand

I am the first and only guy to gripe about the lever bottoming on the frame when using light loads. Maybe it is not a problem to others. I have seen nothing about longer plungers for the pistol and I think that no such part exists.

I think others are solving the problem with either cornmeal or wads.

I solved it by loading with a press. I was once a rather boistrous critic of loading presses. Now I swear by them.
 
I like to ask some guys like cream of wheat other say corn meal any difference between the 2 is one better then the other?
Are you a real nit picker about having the ball up front, or are you just trying to get enough in the hole so the ram doesn't run out of travel before the ball is seated? If it's the latter, consider a felt wad or a loading press (I do both), IMHO it's easier than messing with meal.
 
Yes Dr. Hoy, there have been longer plungers made for years. I forgot who
made them, but quite a few of my friends had them back in the 70's.
As to the cornmeal/cream-of-wheat thing, use cream-of-wheat. I am not a
fan of wads except for hunting. Nobody fools with them in competion shooting.
 
ROA Virgin

I just found out today from the previous owner's son that the Montana ROA I bought is a 34 year old virgin. My initial look over confirms that. I hope the second one coming from California had a few put through because one of the ladies in going to the range. I'd hate to fire a 34 year old gun for the first time but..... I have enough Safe Queens in the house.
:D
Make up your minds guys is it corn meal or cream of wheat?
 
I have on occasion used quick grits. I like them cooked before they hit the target. :D

Photo0054-1.jpg
 
Instant Grits

:)
OK... so now it grits flying down range. I went out to the outdoor gun club that I joined last week and got my safety briefing this afternoon. Next week, I should get my access card, so I can get into the place. Then I'll make some time to get out there and blow some targets away.
 
Filler are one of those argument starting issues.
I side with those who claim it makes not difference. The ball/bullet seated down a bit or raise it with filler.
My preferred method was a lubed felt wad under the projectile. Easier and cleaner to use than filler under and grease over, IMHO.
For those who argue lubed wads are expensive, I reply "Who buys them?" Just cut yer own from cardboard, old hats, whatever else you can find in the trash. Melt just about anything that will melt, put wads in for a while, take out let cool and shoot.
 
Doc Hoy said:
I have seen nothing about longer plungers for the pistol and I think that no such part exists.

Banana River Outfitters makes a threaded ram extension for the Ruger Old Army:

http://www.bananariveroutfitters.com/

Custom-built rammer extensions available for your Ruger Old Army. $25 on your rammer. $35 on our stainless rammer. Free shipping!

Image:
http://www.bananariveroutfitters.com/images/roarammerext.jpg

There are also some further details about the ROA rammer and ramming lever extensions on the following page:

http://www.curtrich.com/frontiersmen2.html
 
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