I performed this modification last year with my stainless .45 New Vaquero- and I liked it so much I decided my blued .357 needed the same treatment. I was a bit hesitant as the .357 was the tightest, smoothest, most perfectly timed out-of-the-box Ruger I have ever purchased. Oh well, time to test my skills.
I decided to use the Stainless Super Hunter grip frame again with the lower front corner straightened off. I also decided to use the Power Custom free spin pawl. I've read about how hard it is to get it right- well, it's easy compared to trying to recreate the gripframe notch for Ruger's poorly (IMHO) designed free spin pawl. Power Custom's pawl does not interface with the grip frame at all, so once it's installed there's nothing further to do. I also installed a Super Blackhawk hammer. Some filing on the pawl, stoning on the lower tooth, polishing of surfaces- and I've got a great trigger pull with timing that is spot on perfect.
Fitting the grip frame was typical, once I got a good one. The first one from Midway didn't fit right, then one direct from Ruger fit worse- finally a couple conversations with one of the Techs at Ruger and a few weeks later he found one for me that would fit. (Long story, but he dug through the parts bin and tried a bunch of gripframes on a New Vaquero frame until he found one that would fit properly. He even offered to fit it for me, but I declined. )
Lots of time was spent on the polishing wheel to get everything nice and shiny.
Grip panels are Desert Ironwood Burl from Chigs. I had them shipped unfinished and after I recontoured the front edge to my modified grip frame I decided to finish them with Danish Oil but no poly finish coat. 3 coats, soaked in then rubbed off, dried for a month and then hand polished. They feel great and are really tactile in my hand. We will see how they hold up.
I added polished stainless kibbles and bits and here she is- I think she's a beauty.
With her big sister .45-
I decided to use the Stainless Super Hunter grip frame again with the lower front corner straightened off. I also decided to use the Power Custom free spin pawl. I've read about how hard it is to get it right- well, it's easy compared to trying to recreate the gripframe notch for Ruger's poorly (IMHO) designed free spin pawl. Power Custom's pawl does not interface with the grip frame at all, so once it's installed there's nothing further to do. I also installed a Super Blackhawk hammer. Some filing on the pawl, stoning on the lower tooth, polishing of surfaces- and I've got a great trigger pull with timing that is spot on perfect.
Fitting the grip frame was typical, once I got a good one. The first one from Midway didn't fit right, then one direct from Ruger fit worse- finally a couple conversations with one of the Techs at Ruger and a few weeks later he found one for me that would fit. (Long story, but he dug through the parts bin and tried a bunch of gripframes on a New Vaquero frame until he found one that would fit properly. He even offered to fit it for me, but I declined. )
Lots of time was spent on the polishing wheel to get everything nice and shiny.
Grip panels are Desert Ironwood Burl from Chigs. I had them shipped unfinished and after I recontoured the front edge to my modified grip frame I decided to finish them with Danish Oil but no poly finish coat. 3 coats, soaked in then rubbed off, dried for a month and then hand polished. They feel great and are really tactile in my hand. We will see how they hold up.
I added polished stainless kibbles and bits and here she is- I think she's a beauty.
With her big sister .45-