2 OM Ruger 22 Projects: Lightweight and Super SS

[Hondo44]

The owner of this OM originally with a 6 1/2" barrel, wanted to pair it with his OM SBH. The 7 1/2" barrel came from my shorty ss project elsewhere on this forum which was a 9 1/2".
I cut and installed that barrel. It tightened right up with address centered atop the barrel and ERH screw hole properly aligned. A NM single six ramp front site replaces the early SS 'hook' style front sight. When I drilled and tapped the barrel and attached the sight I contoured it to a SBH sight profile when I lowered it to the original sight height to shoot to point of aim. The SBH grip, wide trigger and hammer were installed. A SBH hammer normally looks way out of proportion on the small frame. This one has been recontoured and shortened in both length and height to improve its proportion.

This was a 1st variation Lightweight in filthy, sorry shape with virtually no finish left when found and won on Gunbroker for $195. It had been retrofitted with a transfer bar and the original Martin Hardcoat alloy cylinder apparently replaced with a steel cylinder when it was converted by Ruger. The bottom of the main frame is stamped with an 'R' under the grip frame. It was converted back with OM action parts. It took me extensive flat polishing to realign seams and remove dings.

The vintage Premier loading gate replacement for the flatgate that it came with has been retained until a flat gate is found and a more practical dimpled ER has been added. Screws, gate, front and rear sights, the trigger, ER and cylinder pin are blued. A new set of New Model .44 Spl Flat top grip panels were installed with a stainless screw and redrilled locating pin holes to fit the original XR3 grip frame pin.

 

[HAWKEYE#28]

8) I;m impressed with both of your revolvers! :wink:

 

[Aeroscout9]

Very nice indeed!!!!

 

[flatgate]

Good Work! I really like that Super Single-Six!!!!

flatgate

 

[oregon73]

Both guns look great. I really like what you've done with the Lightweight. I think it looks good with the Premiere loading gate, too. Nice contrast with the blued small parts and the rest of the gun. Oh, and those grips look pretty snazzy on that gun as well. Very nice work!!!

Rob

 

[deserttrans]

Those are very nice.

 

[Bucks Owin]

Cool beans! 8)

 

[Hondo44]

Thank you all for the encouraging comments. Rugers are tough, fun guns and even more satisfying when they are so easy to 'tweak' just to one's individual preferences and needs. And it's especially rewarding to rescue an 'ole dog' that's seen hard use and little care. They hardly ever get to the point where they can't be rebuilt.

 

[jimbo1096]

Good job on the Super Single Six, and the personal touches with the blued screws are nice. Wonder how it would look with a pair of stags?

 

[Hondo44]

jimbo,
I tried a pair of Ruger OM stags on it that were original to my NR4 shown below and should have taken a photo. They looked cool. But I sold the polished Lightweight to my best friend who owns the 7 1/2" Super above and put the black grips on it for him.

 

[street]

jimbo,
I tried a pair of Ruger OM stags on it that were original to my NR4 shown below and should have taken a photo. They looked cool. But I sold the polished Lightweight to my best friend who owns the 7 1/2" Super above and put the black grips on it for him.

There is something about a 4 5/8 in. Single-Six that I like. Even if one of them is a little shorter. :lol: :wink: Nice group of Single-Sixes.

 

[Hondo44]

There is something about a 4 5/8 in. Single-Six that I like. Even if one of them is a little shorter. :lol: :wink: Nice group of Single-Sixes.

Thanks Street, that short one is where the 9 1/2" barrel came from for the Super of this thread. It's completed now on a another thread.

I've always been a sucker for the 4/5/8" barreled Rugers. I like the looks and the handling but I think part of it is because the OM short barrels were produced in lower numbers. So since they were so hard to find and even harder to find now, it became an obsession. The NMs aren't as bad but I don't buy many NMs except New Vagueros and Flattops.

 

[americal]

I really like your RSS's & how you make neat customs that look so factory 8)

 

[Hondo44]

I really like your RSS's & how you make neat customs that look so factory 8)

americal,
Hey thank you, you've identified my prime objective. I like Rugers so I really don't want to change them. I just make versions, usually all steel, of them that the factory could have made so I stick to using factory parts as much as possible.