Barrels

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Joined
Sep 1, 2003
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7,095
Location
Richmond Texas USA
Hey guys,
One of the members is interested in putting an old model barrel on a new model.
I didn't want to sell him one if it didn't fit. I know with a little work you can put a NM on an OM. I assume it works both ways, but not sure.
Thanks,
Jim
 

Aggie01

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Joined
Oct 16, 2008
Messages
978
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Texas (DFW)
your post was all OM 357 barrels, IIRC.

A lot of work to put one on a NM 357.

for a NM full size, you have to set the barrel back to close up the B/C gap. Then the barrel is a smaller diameter, so plan on fabbing a custom ERH, or heavily modding an existing one.

for the NM mid size, see above + the ERH housing hole is clocked farther around than the one in the barrel. Again an ERH will likely need to be fabricated.
 

flatgate

Hawkeye
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Jun 18, 2001
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Star Valley, WY
Except for the New Vaquero and the 50th Anniv. guns the work should be straight forward.

The "shoulders" are slightly different, but a few minutes on a lathe will fix that.

Again, all you guys contemplating working on your Rugers really need to purchase Kunhausen's book.....

flatgate
 

Aggie01

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flatgate - jim was talking about putting an OM 357 barrel on a NM. its easy to go the other way, but it's hard to bump up the diameter of those shoulders, unless I missed something.
 

flatgate

Hawkeye
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I don't understand the diameter issue. Sure, the barrel's O.D. may be a wee bit small to "look right" but I'd certainly think it would work.

Page 133 in Kuhnhausen's book has an image of both styles.
He states that OM barrels should only be installed on OM frames.
I don't understand exactly why, though. As long as the barrel's shoulder
is adjusted so the barrel provides the proper cylinder clearance..

I need some help here, I guess...

flatgate
 

Aggie01

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I also see no reason that the barrel itself won't work. The issue is with the ERH mounting up correctly. IIRC There was a thread on the singleactions forum about a fellow who put an OM 357 barrel on his .357 anny and had to CNC machine a custom ERH to make it work.
 

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