Installing the Largest 1860 Army Grip Frame

The 1860 Army Grip is the largest and closest to the trigger. Many sizes. The smallest are on the old Pietta/CVA percussion guns from the 80s and 90s.

The late model uberti's and piettas, are closer to full size, with the pieta being bigger/closer to original than the uberti.

But, as you'll see, all can fit the ruger single actions and in this case, i'll use the largest pietta steel backstrap for the most original size and the somewhat shorter uberti steel trigger guard because the pietta steel trigger guard is not readily available.

As usual, the Italian back straps, steel or brass are usually an effort free install on the ruger frame, here a vaquero 45. This one, a rough cast full size steel pietta 1860 Army with rifle stock cut is a bolt up with the original ruger screws, smooth off the sides and ready for final polish and blue.

As for the uberti steel 1860 army trigger guard, nearly the right thickness to match the pietta, rear holes took some light tweaking and as always, the front hole has to be relocated or the hole in the frame filled and redrilled, and the trigger slot widened for the ruger trigger. That, plus the 1860 uberti army grip is shorter than the pietta but similar in distance from trigger and the bottom screw will line up dead center with the pietta backstrap hole once a filler block of steel or brass is soldered into place.

To the photos.

What do you do for the mainspring seat?

That's the easy part. Bracket

Too hot to mow or otherwise be outside, so to the shop to get the hard work done. A brass plug sweated in place to fill a divot in the uberti trigger guard, then drilled at the right angles for the cylinder bolt plunger and spring. The trigger slot was opened by hand from narrow colt to wide ruger, then all the metal behind the trigger was plowed out by hand to make way for the trigger return spring and its cross pin. Some cleaning up to do but you get the idea.....plenty of work to go from flat spring to coil. As for the grip, a set of 50 anniversary Blackhawk grip panels over the 1860 army grip frame for reference.

I always enjoy your well photographed projects! Seems like installing a Super Blackhawk Hunter grip frame would serve the same purpose, though.

Nope. I prolly wouldn't do that.

Fun project!

Using a Ruger steel XR3 size grip trigger guard strap (the standard grip on the New Vaquero) cut from the one piece Ruger grip frame would save you an awful lot of time and fabrication. The steps eliminated are:

1. It'll fit the screw pattern of the Ruger frame, no relocating the front screw hole in the frame.
2. The modification for the trigger return spring isn't needed, it already has it.
3. You won't have to lengthen the front strap by cutting off the front of grip frame butt with it.
4. You won't need to fabricate a coil spring mount, just by leaving the Ruger mount attached to the front strap when cut off the Ruger grip frame.
5. You won't have to widen the trigger slot it already fits the Ruger wide trigger.
6. You won't even have to re-blue it because none of the cuts made are on the outside.

Here's one used to make a Cimmarron Colt style Birdshead grip, It's the closest to the trigger guard that Ruger makes, same as the Colt. That's why I prefer it. And why it sticks out from the grips. If you cut it from the XR3RED size grip frame it fits the grips. But I just made a new set of grips.

Cool. I am leaning towards using an original 1877 DA triggerguard on a project. I don't mind the work and it's pretty much easier to find non ruger steel parts. Lots of ways to customize and they are all pretty satisfying. I do have a 50th steel frame but it's no where the right dimensions to make an 1860 grip from.

True, you still need the 60 army back strap like you used. But the front part of the Ruger 50th steel grip frame front strap should be long enough by cutting off the front of its grip frame butt with it. Or maybe add a bit to the length.

Third pic in the post above shows the 50th panels in place over the pietta and uberti parts.......a cut off ruger 50th trigger tang would be too short by a larger margin, so, I'd still have to solder an even bigger spacer in there than mixing uberti and pieta parts. I'm glad the mix of pietta and uberti are at least right close in thickness, only about .010 difference so, no worries. Soldering in a lil shim is easy.

If I'da found a pietta steel trigger guard, it'd be a simpler bolt up job with no shim but ya go with whats available or ya wait months for parts to be in stock.....i'll have this done and shooting before parts are in stock most likely.

Also, you can see that the Army Parts are closer to the trigger both on the trigger tang and the backstrap.....looks small, makes a big difference even for big hands.

In any event, the point is, its very doable and the challenge is fun. It was suprizing how many folks said a flat to coil spring grip swap can't be done but several OM and NM (I think @tincanbandit did one or more as well) now wear several decades worth of Italian and original colt grip frames so......I won't argue the point with them. This thread is kind of a just because/for fun.

Gonna try a one piece wood grip on this one too. Should make for a solid Coltish look when the project is done.

Sharps40 said:

In any event, the point is, its very doable and the challenge is fun.

Click to expand...

That's the bottom line, doable and fun! Just takes cleverness.

Hoo Ahh Hondo44!

Continuing the trigger guard, readying it for coil spring conversion. remove the lower flat spring foot and thin the tang to .275" or so. plow out a well centered groove for the main spring as it travels down and forward on compression.

Experimenting with a one piece grip for this job.

I'dlike to see an original 1877 DA triggerguard on a project when you get around to it

xman9282 said:

I'dlike to see an original 1877 DA triggerguard on a project when you get around to it

Click to expand...

Of course it could be done but it would pose a few cosmetic issues;

The trigger mounting location on a SA is much farther to the rear in the DA trigger guard. The slot is way to long and too skinny.

The front grip strap would be short for even a standard plow handle back strap and take additional work to lengthen.

The sculpted top of the DA trigger opening therefore would not align with the trigger and look out of place.


If your purpose is a larger trigger guard finger hole, the Ruger or other brand SA Bisley trigger guard/front strap would be much simpler and achieve the same result. It would also be long enough to mate with an 1860 Army back strap.


Photo by G2.

The 1877 idea might happen. There appear to be few or no insurmountable issues and likely as easy to do as this.

Hondo -- That is why I would like to see how Sharps40 handles it. Apparently has some ides if he is looking at a project using that trigger frame (June 04 reply)

xman,

May resemble the USFA model with extra long trigger guard. I think they called it the double eagle or something similar.

Double Eagle trigger guard.

Try foot for the spring is installed. Full function and clearance between the spring and trigger guard tang is slightly greater than the thickness of a thick cleaning patch. On to modifying the one piece grip from flat spring to coil spring.