sc1911cwp
Single-Sixer
Is it better to just modify the Ruger or buy the FA which has ALL the attributes I want instead of the wait and added expense of modifying the Ruger? I will only shoot 45 Colt but will it harm the FA 83 at all? TNX
sc1911cwp said:Is it better to just modify the Ruger or buy the FA which has ALL the attributes I want instead of the wait and added expense of modifying the Ruger? I will only shoot 45 Colt but will it harm the FA 83 at all? TNX
Timber Wolf said:What attributes do you want that a factory Ruger does not have? There is a whole lot of gun/fun wrapped up in a stock Blackhawk!
JimMarch1 said:The newer Ruger SAs (I'll lay out just which in a sec) have cylinders made with an improved process. It's not "line boring" but it's kinda "halfway there".
Ruger SA cylinders used to have all six chambers reamed at the same time, with six bit/reamer sets all going at once. This led to variances between chamber bores and throats.
The new process has each cylinder bore done one at a time with the same bit/reamer set. This is also why we're now seeing stuff other than sixguns, like the 8-shot 327 on the large frame, the new 10-shot Single Six, etc. We now at least have much better uniformity between chambers, and average accuracy has climbed past most of the Italian guns (at least on average) and isn't far at all from USFA's group sizes. They're not up to FA spec of course, but in my opinion these newer-cylinder Rugers are a better starting point for a custom than we've ever had available in years past.
The guns with the "new process":
* New Vaquero (ALL, 2004-forward).
* Ruger 50th Anniversary 357 Flattop Blackhawk (2005).
* Ruger 50th Anniversary 44 Flattop Blackhawk not marked "Super" (2006).
* Everything in 44Spl, without exception, fixed or adjustable.
* Montado.
* All large-frame SAs with the "Ruger's lawyer's warning label billboard" UNDER the barrel instead of on the side. Which means roughly 2007-forward. The 50th 44 mentioned above is the exception: it has the new cylinder on a side-warning barrel.
UNKNOWN: I don't know when any of the Single Sixes or DAs changed, or if they all did. The existence of the 7-shooter GP100 and 10-shot Single Six suggests that the new process has in fact migrated elsewhere. Reported quality control levels on both from "after the Great Obama Gun Rush" period (call it mid-2010 forward) appear to be pretty good, at least based on forum complaints or lack thereof . Ruger QC appears to be back up from the 2007-2009ish dip.
I still consider the period 2004-2006 to be among the best Ruger "vintage years" ever, and if I was buying a NewVaq in blue I'd consider seeking out a fake-case version even though I hate the fake case colors - because that puts it in the peak QC control period prior to the crunchtime when everybody thought Obama was going to go on a rampage.
(Political side-note: at least where USSC appointments are concerned, he actually has, but none of "our five" have croaked yet...)