Fine sanding/polishing on the Ruger revolver...

[MikeChandler]

Am I Crazy? Or just obsessed?

Since carefully sanding and polishing (SP) all the internal parts did so much good on my Ruger Vaquero (the action is now smooth as glass, plus I added the 17lb/30oz springs), I decided to do the same on the rest of the parts...

So far:
SP ejector housing inside (now ejector is smooth as glass, feels like Freedom Arms ejector)
SP tooling marks from trigger guard (was super rough, now like glass)
SP bisley grip/frame backstrap joint (perfect fit now)
Polished every surface with mother's mag polish.

It's starting to look amazingly like my FA premier grade .44 magnum :P

I'd like to bevel the cylinder too, but I think I should leave that to a gunsmith.

Any other recommendations?

 

[Danjet500]

I recommend you post some pictures. :)

 

[JPGLSG]

I second that recommendation I'd like to see this Revolver also. You are crazy and obsessed, just like many of us !!!!!!!

 

[MikeChandler]

Pics? Sure thing 8)

 

[MikeChandler]

Seam on the backstrap keeps catching reflections... but in person it's just a fine line. Hard to get that in the pic.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

SWEET, You did well!!

 

[Joe S.]

looks nice!

how do you sand inside the ERH?

 

[muzzleloader]

Well done Mike! One suggestion tho? Ivory

 

[MikeChandler]

looks nice!

how do you sand inside the ERH?

Remove from gun. Wrap sand paper around the ejector rod, until it's the right fit into the housing. Slowly insert while turning. Continue turning, and change out sand paper as necessary. Do this from both ends. In and out motion is good too, you'll see it slowly remove all the rough tooling marks.

Mine is like glass now.

Well done Mike! One suggestion tho? Ivory

Uhmmm... I just bought a set of faux buffalo horn. I have faux ivory on my Bisley SBH hunter. I can't afford the really nice stuff right now. Of course if anybody wants to donate some luscious grips...

:D

Thanks all!

-----> So, bevel or not bevel?

 

[JPGLSG]

Mike Chandler

I have a few stainless that would enjoy your treatment, could you send me your address so I could forward some of my six shooters to feed your obsession. I'll even pay for all the supplies and lunch.

 

[MikeChandler]

Mike Chandler

I have a few stainless that would enjoy your treatment, could you send me your address so I could forward some of my six shooters to feed your obsession. I'll even pay for all the supplies and lunch.

Thank you for the very best of compliments, but I'd have to decline - I am neither an FFL or gunsmith, and I couldn't possibly be responsible for your treasures.

That being said, it really was more elbow grease than materials, and was easy to do. If you don't have some glass to use for polishing, you can get a 12" x 12" tempered one here. Just position the pieces so you can run the flats against the sandpaper on top of the glass. Work down from 400/600/800/1200. Stuff like the trigger guard or backstrap just do by hand & feel but go slow and check your work. I explained the ejector housing above. Lots of polishing with mother's mag wheel polish will make it all shine. I'm not especially smart or talented, so this is a very easy job - and fwiw - this gun started off looking so rough that I felt it was worth doing. I've seen rugers in the case at the store that look fabulous right out of the box.

Thanks again!

~mike

 

[FlyerTom]

That's almost too purty to shoot. Almost.
Well done!

 

[GIL]

NICE WORK!!! As stated above-almost to nice to touch / shoot now!!!

 

[win1894s]

Really nice work

 

[SPBhawk]

Very well done ! Yes I to think a set of Ivory grips would top it off very nicely.

 

[wproct]

Great job! Some home polish jobs don't look so good, but you took the time and did it right. Nice! :D

 

[Poco Oso]

Real fine job. Almost looks like nickel.

 

[rugerguy]

Nice job, just how they should really look, and YES you can shoot the heck out of it and it will clean up just as purty as she is now...... :wink:

 

[Singleshotneeded]

That's one fine job you did on that revolver...it's a work of art! Hope you're damned proud of yourself...now I'm looking at mine and thinking! :-)

 

[jstanfield103]

That is absolutely beautiful, job well done. You should be posting this and be very proud of the work and the gun. You may get complaints on the range that you are blinding everyone else but they all will admire it.
Good Job !

 

[WESHOOT2]

Nice, but won't it get all dinged up when you use it as a hammer? :shock:


I know mine do :mrgreen:

 

[whichwatch]

After reading your post and prior to seeing the pictures I would have said that you are crazy, but after seeing the pictures I'm impressed. Looks like you did a great job and it turned out well. Having a gunsmith bevel the cylinder is probably a good idea though.
Nice job!!

 

[steveodtw]

Very well done ! Yes I to think a set of Ivory grips would top it off very nicely.

Or American Holly grips.

 

[Put]

Well I now have my next project. I don't have a Blackhawk in SS but I do have a GP100. I can't wait to try this on mine. I hope it looks half as good as yours.

 

[steveodtw]

Well I now have my next project. I don't have a Blackhawk in SS but I do have a GP100. I can't wait to try this on mine. I hope it looks half as good as yours.

I don't know how hi-gloss finish you're after but you might try the Muthers Mag polish by itself first. I did so on my GP100 and was very pleased with the result. Somewhere between hi-gloss and satin. Of course it wont help tooling marks and scratches, but you might be surprised. Maybe I'm just lazy. :)

 

[welder]

Beautiful and very good work.

 

[coach]

The grips as shown look pretty good to me. I like the contrast of the wood to the stainless. A good job.
How's it shooting?