The one thing I don't like about the Ruger Old Army is the base pin retaining pin design that requires you to use a slotted screw driver or something flat like a penny to turn the retaining pin. It is impossible to apply enough finger pressure to turn it. For the most part this isn't a big deal. After all, who is going to need the convenience of turning that thing in the field using just your fingers. Clearly, though, when you talk about having the ability to change out cylinders in the field I can definitely see the advantage of not having to use a tool to turn that retaining pin. Who wants to fumble with a penny or screw driver in the field? Not me! This is one of the advantages that the 1858 Remmy design has over the ROA in my opinion.
I decided not long after buying my first ROA that I wanted to shoot 45 Colt black powder cartridges from it. To do this, as most people know, you need a conversion cylinder to allow for shooting cartridge ammo. To load and reload a conversion cylinder you have to remove the cylinder from the frame each and every time after going BANG-BANG six times. The last thing I want to do is fumble for a screw driver every time I want to pull out the cylinder or put it back in. Murphy's law will tell you that screw driver will disappear in no time flat. As they say, "necessity is the mother of invention". So into ClemBert's Frankenstein lab I went to solve the problem. I just crawled out of the lab with my new invention. The "screwdriverless ROA base pin retaining pin", now known as a "ClemBert pin". Without further adieu here it is:
I purchased a spare ROA stainless steel base pin retaining pin from MidwayUSA. I ground the tip flat then soldered a big ol' giganto stainless steel washer to it. I used a high silver content solder and a propane torch. This is a first pass pic of it. Purty, ain't it?
Then I proceeded to chop up that washer and grind and file and polish that sucker until I had something that would fit my fat fingers. Here's a pic of the new invention next to an original ROA retaining pin.
This is what it looks like installed. That's a stainless steel Belt Mountain base pin with the knurled end.
Another closeup pic. Yes, those are special tracer rounds installed in the cylinder....j/k....those are dummy snap caps....hehehehe.
This pic shows it rotated to allow the base pin to slide out. It takes very little effort to turn it.
Finally, a pic showing my 45 Colt conversion cylinder installed complete with the ClemBert pin. Note the other original cylinder parts in the background.
I decided not long after buying my first ROA that I wanted to shoot 45 Colt black powder cartridges from it. To do this, as most people know, you need a conversion cylinder to allow for shooting cartridge ammo. To load and reload a conversion cylinder you have to remove the cylinder from the frame each and every time after going BANG-BANG six times. The last thing I want to do is fumble for a screw driver every time I want to pull out the cylinder or put it back in. Murphy's law will tell you that screw driver will disappear in no time flat. As they say, "necessity is the mother of invention". So into ClemBert's Frankenstein lab I went to solve the problem. I just crawled out of the lab with my new invention. The "screwdriverless ROA base pin retaining pin", now known as a "ClemBert pin". Without further adieu here it is:
I purchased a spare ROA stainless steel base pin retaining pin from MidwayUSA. I ground the tip flat then soldered a big ol' giganto stainless steel washer to it. I used a high silver content solder and a propane torch. This is a first pass pic of it. Purty, ain't it?
Then I proceeded to chop up that washer and grind and file and polish that sucker until I had something that would fit my fat fingers. Here's a pic of the new invention next to an original ROA retaining pin.
This is what it looks like installed. That's a stainless steel Belt Mountain base pin with the knurled end.
Another closeup pic. Yes, those are special tracer rounds installed in the cylinder....j/k....those are dummy snap caps....hehehehe.
This pic shows it rotated to allow the base pin to slide out. It takes very little effort to turn it.
Finally, a pic showing my 45 Colt conversion cylinder installed complete with the ClemBert pin. Note the other original cylinder parts in the background.
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Hey, when your buddy perfects that thing ya gotta post some pics.