My single ten bisley bird. Thanks to those that helped. pics

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roylt

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So got a deal on a single ten then was wondering about bird and bisley style revolvers. After a few PMs and posting a want ad, I got some project parts.

I still have questions that I'll need help with and the grip frame has not been fit 100% incase I switch to a fatter gun. (blackhawk)

Here was the first problem I had. The grip frame had these extra protrustion. Dremel helped.

 

roylt

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If anyone knows what these are for please let me know. Is it just a bird head thing or ??
 

medicdave

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The older guns used it for extra support with the aluminum frames and Rugers gradually moved away from using it at least on the stainless guns. Not sure on the blue, haven't bought a new blue gun in quite a while. You can see the recesses in the main frame below. As an aside the new grip frames bolt up just fine to the old main frames and vice versa as you've seen by removing the protrusions from an old grip frame.

 

roylt

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So the hammer pin when the grip screw is tightened moves over to one side. How can this be fixed? Or am I doing something wrong? Also thanks Dave for explaining.

 

roylt

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So here it is. with the bird grip. Bisley parts waiting for next project and factory parts for reference.

 

roylt

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I changed my mind and went bisley hammer. Here you can see the polished hammer and the small mod to the loading gate.

I still may play with the bisley idea but think the bisley will end up on a Blackhawk at some point.

 

roylt

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Fun little project. Hope it may help or inspire others to tinker a little.

Feel free to post comments and pointers etc.
 

roylt

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Something I forgot to ask. On the hammer swap I have seen where people fit the hammer to the transfer bar by grinding the face of the hammer. I don't get that really. I cycled the action with the cylinder out so I could feel the firing pin hit the tip of my finger. All seems to work well but though I should ask.

Not a smith just a guy tinkering / changing parts.

Thanks,
P.S. Maybe I should cross post this in the smith section?
 

Hondo44

Hawkeye
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Roylt,

Great job, I can tell that you're having fun! I have some project guns that are never done. I'll do something new on a new gun and then go back and do the same thing on previous project guns. It's a new sickness I have. But all fun.

1.) Just as medicdave posted: The grip projections were designed for extra strength when all Ruger Grip frames were aluminum alloy, up until 1959. Now Ruger model grips frames are roughly half steel and the other alloy on blue guns and of course all stainless steel guns have steel GFs. So starting in 2005 with the 50th anniversary models and the New Vaqueros, which both only use steel grip frames on all blue and SS guns, the projections were unneeded, took extra machining, and were an added cost.

So special editions using birdshead grips frames which can be almost any regular production model, had projections from the mid 1990s when first offered until 2005. After 2005 BH GFs have them deleted. Even if the main frame has the milling cuts for the projections, you can use a steel grip frame w/o them.

2.) Hammer swaps seldom need fitting to the transfer bar. Only if ignition is unreliable or the safety bar function doesn't work. Here's my tutorial for checking all hammers after a swap for both issues (one of which you already verified):

AFTER CHANGING HAMMERS in New Model Rugers, the first thing to check is the transfer bar clearance with hammer for reliable firing pin function.
TO TEST HAMMER/TRANSFER BAR FOR MISS-FIRES:
With hammer fully cocked, press on the transfer bar to extend the firing pin and observe how far thru the recoil shield it protrudes. Now keep the trigger pulled back, drop the hammer and observe the firing pin again. If firing pin protrudes the same amount, you're good to go. If it doesn't protrude the same amount, you need to remove just enough metal from the top face of the hammer nose so the transfer bar is pushed tight against the firing pin and the frame. If you remove too much, the transfer bar will not perform its safety function and will be pinched. Also make sure hammer has no friction or contact with grip frame ears around its base to slow its fall and you may have miss-fires; another potential issue when making hammer changes.

IF TRIGGER DOESN"T RETURN, SAFETY IS NOT WORKING:
If the transfer bar is hanging up under the hammer face, since it's connected to the trigger, it prevents the trigger from returning. The transfer bar is slightly too thick. If both ends of the trigger return spring are connected (under the grips), or even if you have only one leg of the spring connected it should pull down the transfer bar if it's the correct thickness. When this happens, the transfer bar safety function will not work. If the gun were dropped, and a live round in the chamber under the hammer will fire.

This is not uncommon however, and it's a very simple fix. File the second step of the hammer face, counting from the top, just a bit until the bar no longer hangs up. Don't take too much off or you'll have miss-fires. If that happens file a little more off the top step of the hammer.

IF YOU HAD TO MODIFY HAMMER NOSE:
At the range, double check the safety function by loading a live round under the hammer, point down range, cock the hammer, hold with thumb, release the trigger to uncock the hammer, take finger off trigger and release your thumb so the hammer falls. The round will not fire if safety transfer bar is functioning correctly.

Jim
 

roylt

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Thanks Jim,
I think I get it now. I read someplace that if this is not right it will break parts over time. I think it was the transfer bar that failed because of being pinched etc. Not sure where I read that. I think it was a Sharps40 post.

Also any input on: (from above)
So the hammer pin when the grip screw is tightened moves over to one side. How can this be fixed? Or am I doing something wrong?
 

Hondo44

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Roylt,

Sorry I forgot to answer your question about the hammer pin. When you install the screw, it will align itself with the pin groove and move the pin, which will usually fit flush with the frame, one way better than the other. It can be installed with the groove on either side, as long as you change the long screw to the same side as the groove. Try the other way from how you have it and that should fix it. Sometimes the pin just needs to be polished off a little shorter on one side if it isn't sunken on the other side.

Yes, pinching the transfer bar over time can lead to breakage.

Jim
 

roylt

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The hammer pin doesn't bother me that much but will try to flip it around at some point for sure. I did smooth the end of the bolt some because there were marks on it from who knows what. Part of the fun when buying used. Of course if it was new I probably wouldn't want to tinker on it.
 

Hondo44

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One of my standard new acquisition protocols.

I don't mind the cyl ring but I do mind an excessively rough cyl stop bolt (many are rough on new guns right from the box) from gouging a groove into the cyl.

So I simply polish the bolt on all revolvers when I first get them. Takes one minute with a Dremel tool and goes a long way towards mitigating the ring. After that, I never think about the ring again. Sometimes I have to adjust the bolt curve at the same time to get the line in the center of the approach. Because if it's not, the bolt isn't reaching full depth in the cyl notch. A 'good' way to get premature notch wear!
 

Hondo44

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Hi George,

Yes polish right in the gun. I mask all around the bolt to keep metal dust and rouge from getting in the gun or in case the bit accidently slips off and touches the recoil shield. Smooth the top surface with a super fine polishing bit but don't touch the edges with it. Then use a felt buff wheel with white rouge to polish the surface and just break the sharp edges w/o rounding them off.
 

roylt

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Sep 21, 2010
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I'm pretty green when it comes to guns really. I "field strip" them and clean them and look for burrs etc. that is about the gist. I'll start taking a look at that part too.

After my kids get bigger and I get more free time I'll have to find more gun nuts around where I am. Sure would be fun to see others projects first hand. Should try to look up Chet at some point. He is not that far.
 
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