1860 Army Blackhawk

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Dovetailing the front sight is as you've seen before. Ususally the dovetails are .1" or less deep and the Blackhawk .357 barrel is plenty thick for a dovetail.

Jig in place and squared with the frame, hacksaw, file and otherwise remove the metal layed out by the jig. Remember, the jig makes a dovetail a bit too small for a .375 sight base....that's intended. You file in a slight lead on the sight base and finish up the dovetail with a safe sided file that allows for a tight push fit 1/3 of the way and drift or sight pusher to fully seat the sight. Some folks piss and moan that the jig doesn't cut the right size dovetail....they gotta learn to use it. Cut small, fit tight, right the first try.

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If you were careful with the leveling and the layout and filing, you wind up with a nice clean dovetail that is going to give you a straight up and down sight blade out front.

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Clean up the sight undercuts with a safe sided file until the gib lock is a slightly snug tap in fit....center up the gib lock in the dovetail. A good dovetail has razor sharp edges. As evidenced by the blood and the smooth but snug fit of the giblock, this is a good dovetail. I'll break those sharp edges later before bluing.

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Test fit the ramp in the giblock and its wiggly, the screw is about a thread and a half too long. To get a nice square cut on a short screw that won't need any chamfering to enter the gib lock again, simply clamp gently in a wiring plyers and knock off the unwanted thread with a single cut bastage file.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Roughed in assembly. This ramp and sight gives me .552" height, it was about .530" on the factory. Should be fine as the rear sight provides 47 clicks of elevation bottom to top.

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As you can see, the Big Birdshead Ejector button required shortening the ejector rod one full segment....still plenty there for grabbing onto and even with the new ejector button, I can still dismount the Cylinder and Cylinder rod without removing the entire ejector assembly.

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Operational view.

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Rough front view. I didn't push the sight all the way over. It'll get broken down and reassembled a few times before its done. Also, don't use smasherwackers to install sights, especially on ramps. Use sight pushers. Smasherwackers will break screws and even shear off soldered on ramps. I've seen lotsa folks pee and moan cause they bonked their marlin front ramp off and its secured with two screws! Hammers is for nails and primers. Pushers is best for any sight that allows the use of one. Right tool, no broken parts.

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From above.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Wow...just lookin this over again this morning and some work to the grip frame and we're on final approach. Not that the grip frame work ain't significant but its looking mostly doable with patience and I'm feeling somewhat better about it.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Some careful measurements of the Story Steel ejector rod housing indicate a 1/4 part was sent in the 3/16 package. So, the lower hole is slightly under 1/4 which should allow me to use it on this old 3/16 bolt gun. I'll just make up a new bolt for the larger 1/4" housing I was sent. (I double checked package and my order sheet and I did in fact order the smaller size....but well make it work.)

Like the Lightning Blackhawk project I'll convert from ejector rod bolt to stud and nut. I think it saves fragile barrel threads over the long run.

First, I cut off a suitable section of round stock to make up a round headed nut. An old hand chambering reamer extension handle works fine. Its good steel.

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Over at the drill press I bring the nut to final diameter for a snug fit in the ejector rod housing outer hole but no pass thru on the ejector rod inner hole...the nut will pinch the housing to the barrel. I also center drill and tap the new nut 8-40 to match the threads in the barrel.

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The new nut is pressed into a tight fitting hole in a block of poplar and cross slotted for a screwdriver. This will let me drive the nut on and off the stud I will semipermanently install in the threaded hole in the barrel. The ejector rod housing will fit down over the stud and the new nut will pinch it into place. When disassembling, the stud will stay in the barrel and lessen the chance that the tender threads in that hole ever get boogered up.

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After installing an appropriately length section of 8x40 threaded rod (old screw with the head cut off) I check the fit in the ejector rod. Later I'll permanently mount the threaded rod in the barrel. This is #2 threaded screw and not strong enough for the long haul. I'll install a gun grade 8x40 (much tougher) at final assembly/after the final polish and blue.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Anybody can have a Story Birdshead ejector button. Dads gonna have a Ring or Bullseye ejector. Drill a bigger hole in it, taper the edges and blue it later.

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The Story rod and Ejector is on and cinches down nicely with the new made nut. Free nut too. Free stuff good....payin fer stuff bad.

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Little better symmetry out front....three holes now....not two holes and a lil tiny peep hole.

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Yep, the Story Birds Head ejector button is big enough that you can almost drill it out and the ejector rod will slide thru the hole. But if ya really want to go that route for rod removal with out housing removal, ye'll have to reduce the diameter of the tip of the rod so ya can leave enough meat in the ring for strength.

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There. Front is completely roughed in. Time to knock off ears and finish the top strap and loading gate. Then I'll attack the last work on the 1860 Army Colt grip and see if its doable. Its lookin like the drop dead date for this project is mid Oct to allow for sight in. Dad's comin down for the first of thee Oct and Nov hunting trips and I want this one ready for him to shoot and take along.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Please. This is the part of the project (next post or three) where I don't WANT OR NEED your opinion on what constitutes a strong revolver top strap/frame/barrel/recoil shield/gate, etc. This will be fine. Numerous 357 and heaver guns have less in the way of both barrel steel, top strap, recoil shield, etc, etc, etc. That aside. Its not your gun. You won't be using it. The owner/users will be perfectly safe using this firearm forever and ever with SAAMI specification factory or equivalant handloads. So...watch and enjoy.
 
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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Smith J frame or J frame 357 noseing and initial shaping of a similar undercut on the fat bull nose of the Ruger. More to do in smoothing and shapeing but for now, ears to remove out back.

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M Taylor

Guest
Please. This is the part of the project (next post or three) where I don't WANT OR NEED your opinion on what constitutes a strong revolver top strap/frame/barrel/recoil shield/gate, etc. This will be fine. Numerous 357 and heaver guns have less in the way of both barrel steel, top strap, recoil shield, etc, etc, etc. That aside. Its not your gun. You won't be using it. The owner/users will be perfectly safe using this firearm forever and ever with SAAMI specification factory or equivalant handloads. So...watch and enjoy.
I suspect around the post where you were admonishing everyone about the use of the sight pusher would have been where someone would have gotten you if they were going to do it. I mean someone that uses hacksaws, files etc to work on guns then takes the time to admonish people about using the proper tools you left the door wide open.

We aren't even going to start about welding loose fitting ball joints in vehicles.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
You miss the point of my threads entirely and it shows in your comment. Next time I'll use the magical barrel shortener wand (instead of a saw) like all good gunsmiths had before lathes and mills were easily avaialble. As for the ball joints, Buick/Dodge/Ford and many others have been and are often still tack welded from the factory. No worries and not an issue for rebuild. Its much stronger than press fit, keeps the ball joint shell from bobblin around like it can in a simple press fitted or stake fitted control arm.
 
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M Taylor

Guest
You miss the point of my threads entirely and it shows in your comment. Next time I'll use the magical barrel shortener wand (instead of a saw) like all good gunsmiths had before lathes and mills were easily avaialble. As for the ball joints, Buick/Dodge/Ford and many others have been and are often still tack welded from the factory. No worries and not an issue for rebuild. Its much stronger than press fit, keeps the ball joint shell from bobblin around like it can in a simple press fitted or stake fitted control arm.
I get the point alright, I am anxiously awaiting you to to change something over say from 45 cal to 50 an re rifle it with a file and hack saw like all good gunsmiths did back in your day before lathes and mills were readily accesable. Yet was a quite common practice, probably when you were in your apprenticeship.
 
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Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I can and do appreciate an artist at work who does with what he has. I too was trained in the art using the same type, and often the exact same tools that you use so I can appreciate all the imagination and work that goes into each of your transformations.
I came up working in a gun shop with a 80+ year old Master Gunsmith who wouldn't know what some of the new tools were for and had hand engraved pistols that sold for the 5 digit realm...he would have looked down his nose on some of these modern practices that take the human factor out of the smithing altogether.
I have several rifles at home that he and I built that I wouldn't trade for anything, and each is unique and was built using the same techniques and tools that you are using, if not even more primitive at times. We used a curved gouge to scrape stocks that was made in the 1800's, that was just part of what a customer got when he purchased his rifle or pistol....a gun that was unique and would shoot well and made just for that person.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Its alright. I'm sure I now own his goat. In a day or three we'll get back on track with tweakin this one with techniques and tools anybody can get and learn to use.
 
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M Taylor

Guest
I have an acquaintence that recently bought one of your goats that you did as a project on here. You claimed it as a great shooter, a couple members here passed it around quickly, he wound up with it. Didn't shoot anything like the pics you showed here, luckily a new barrel fixed your shortening job.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
What we left off with is a simple back bevel on the nose of the top strap.

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Bringing the new nose shape up to about 90%. Some work rounding over the bevel previously laid on. Trim the ears of the back next and finish up the shaping of the top strap front to rear.

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Its good to have photos. Ya can zoom in a bit and get an idea where more or less work needs to be done. In this case, a bit more work is needed at 10 oclock.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Ears gone off the back. Flat Top now. With the original deck as a guide, simple draw filing removes the ears. Stop when the bluing just disappears across the top to keep it level and straight. No need for a mill, its no different than draw filing a barrel or flat action receiver to remove pitts.

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The edges will need some scribed lines and then break over the edges front to back. No need for such a chunky look. The limiting factor is the cross pin hole for the rear sight. Rounding or beveling that gets aggressive and you need to shape with the pin in place since it'll have an oval face when done.

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A bit closer look at the new nosing and the new flat deck...

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Not all Blackhawks are drilled low enough in the rear sight to allow full removal of the ears. This one is so.....no more ears.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
The original flat spring is annealed and drilled and bent to shape to form a try foot for the ruger coil mainspring. Here is the initial fit.....

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A little upward bend to find the proper position for the foot with the hammer fully forward.

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With the hammer back we'll still be able to capture the mainspring and strut for disassembly and cleaning.

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And with the hammer fully back the try foot shows no interference with the lower loop of the grip.

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So far so good. I'll finalize the mainspring foot before moving on. The New Model Blackhawk has three springs mounting in four places in the grip frame. It'll be simpler to tackle them one at a time and make sure each works right and in concert with the next by going one step at a time.
 
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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Try foot worked fine and will serve as a template for the working foot. Over to the junk box and pull out an old Makata router wrench......router burned up but the wrench is still good steel and the right thickness to allow me to bend and fit up a sturdy working foot for the mainspring.

The head cut off and the screw hole drilled on center.

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Its good thick metal so heat and bend to follow the Try Foot as a template.

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After the bend a double hole is drilled and then worked with jewlers files to make a slot for the mainspring strut.

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First trial fit of the roughed in working foot....all seems well but it needs some thinning and shaping.

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After some shaping and thinning of the foot and the brass mounting point, the mainspring is closer to the lower loop and with it all assembled, I'd say this part of the job is 90% and time to see about fitting in a trigger return spring.

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So far so good. With luck and a bit of skill I'll be marchin forward with some kinda mounting spot for the trigger return spring in the next few days. Though it might be good to check the fit of the fat bottomed bisley hammer first.
 
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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Its okay. Arguin over stuff don't work mostly, specially when folks are pickin fights. Ignor list does work mostly and pretty darn good too.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
For the evening, I sat down and finished shaping the top strap a bit. Just breaking over the long edges back to front. I also refined the nose a bit so it looks a bit more like a ring around the barrel with the top strap growing out of the ring. I got a bit more work to do with the jewelers files then put the rounded nose on the buffer and smooth it up. Its one spot where a buffer with a cutting abrasive is friendly.....compound shapes like a bull nose in a tight spot.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Compared to the original hammer, the Bisley hammer is like a lead sled, wide, fat and low. Most will grind the Bisley hammer to the shape of the Blackhawk hammer in an effort not to have to refinish a anodized aluminum grip frame. Nice, and it allows switching between tall and low hammers but.....I'll fit the brass grip frame to the bisley hammers fatter bottom.

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While the Bisley hammer is lots bigger in the butt, its not much metal to remove from the grip. Some rough outlines to start with.

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Finishing up, from the underside, not only a slot opened for the hammer, a groove inlet for the hammer strut.

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The initial fit is not bad. The 1860 Army Colt backstrap being just a whisker lower than the aluminum ruger and a touch of the tail of the hammer is uncovered. But its not a bad look and at this point, pretty much gotta live with it.

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Good range of motion on the Bisley hammer with the new mainspring mounting so I believe the Bisley hammer install is now 90%. We'll get a lot of 90%'s. It'll be all the lil 10% to close the project that will cost all the effort and time.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Using the scissors drill jig to find the center.....a chore on a tapered piece of trigger guard....I spot and drill successively larger holes to make a spring seat for the trigger return spring. Final hole is just at .3" diameter and about .2" deep.

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Then, using the same jig a series of overlaping #29 holes are drilled about .1" deep to plow out the initial trough for the trigger return spring. From here its several hours of tedious filing to open the trough and widen the trigger slot (The New Model Blackhawk trigger is a fat girl compared to the Colt trigger.)

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
This 90% took mosta the day. A mill or lathe with cross slide woulda been wonderful. But its handwork. A lot of it, makin room for the trigger return spring and widening the colt trigger slot for the giant fat ruger trigger.....think I'll thin that dude down a bit, where it rides below the brass....its huge! I think next one I'll investigate a home made jig to drill a single hole and install the old model style pin and spring trigger return. But, this'll work. A bit of effort is still needed inside to pretty up the spring way and then I'll drill and install the trigger return spring cross pin. But for now, everything goes back and forth without a bind.

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Stays back, no binding.

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Fired position.

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The package coming together. Time for clean up and supper and a break. Its been a long day of fit and try. Will finish the trigger spring up (both ends) a couple nights this week I think.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
I can't wait to get wood on the grip. Thumbin the bisley hammer back and hell, I wrapped a balla tape around the grip tonight.....this ones gonna be a pointer I think.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
The springway is now completed. Cross drilled tonight for the retention pin and installed the try spring. Its sits in good and dosn't bind or pinch.

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For assembly and test function, the current main components of the grip. Two piece grip frame and two of the three springs needed to function the weapon.

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Install the trigger guard with the return spring on the pad of the trigger.

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Install the mainspring and its foot.

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Install the back strap.

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Even without a permanent anchor point for the trigger return spring, we have perfect function. Now to decide on the shape and size of the returnspring rear anchor and whether to silver solder or affix it to the back strap by another means. Also I have two spare springs so I'll try making up a one legged spring for better trigger pull.
 
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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
For the nonce, no fancy silversoldering or making up extra brass widgets to afix as the trigger return springs rear mount. Ruger uses a pin and hooks the legs over. I decided to use two simple holes in the backstrap. Clip the ends of the spring and once the strap is in place, slightly bend and put the spring legs in their respective holes. They are always under tension. The angle and location for them to mount up is just slightly higher up than the factory grip.

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Some test firing is in order. I suspect with the tension and depth of engagement, there will not be any slip out. But if there is any doubt later I'll solder on a pin and hook the legs over it ala factory mounting point.

In any event, two spring legs and an unburnished hammer notch gives me a pretty consistent 4.5 lb break on the trigger with positive reset each time.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
One spring to go and one hole to fill/relocate and its lookin like I'm going to have to order bluing and screws and grip wood here pretty quick.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Well. Bungholio and Von Stinkenheimer both said it couldn't be done. Glad I didn't listen cause here it is. Last Ruger Spring assembly in place in the 1860 Army Colt brass two piece grip frame, installed and initial function checks completed. Full function, complete rotation, lock up, unlocking with loading gate, no hitch in the trigger or hammer assembly, I see no reason not to pronounce the adaptation of the 1860 Army Colt grip frame to the New Model Ruger Blackhawk a "Success So Far" and predicting successful trials with dummy and live ammunition in the future.

For now.....bloodwood and Pilkingtons is inbound. Short of one hole in the brass triggerguard to relocate, there is nothing left to do on this gun but tweak mechanicals and commence cosmetic restoration.

Drilling the cylinder stop spring hole was an exercise in multiple angles. It is a 1/8" hole deep into the front bow of the triggerguard. Once located I drilled successive hole diameters adjusting angle of attack as I went to approximate the lean to the right and to the rear of the Ruger spring and plunger assembly.

In these photos you see its pretty close....given the successful function, close seems to be close enough.

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The third and final ruger coil spring to be installed on this old flat spring grip frame....

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Cylinder stop held upwards under spring power!

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Many cycles of the now fully assembled 1974 Blackhawk with the 1860 Army Colt grip frame and the boltstop and every part functions as intended!

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Finally, a well deserved tipple. And thank the Gungods I didn't listen to the Doomsayers.

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