Fitting a steel grip frame to a New Model Blackhawk

[J.Johnson]

I am thinking of putting a steel XR3 - RED on my 45 Blackhawk. I think it would improve the balance and the little extra weight would help tame some heavier loads, but I mostly want to do it because the factory aluminum grip frame is very poorly fitted. I would probably purchase a new, unfitted frame in the white from Midway and have a few questions.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/151448/ruger-grip-frame-ruger-super-blackhawk-vaquero-large-frame-steel-in-the-white

1. Has anyone done this and could they describe the process of fitting it?

2. Is this something I can handle with a file and sanding, or should a pro do it? (I am pretty handy in a shop)

3. This grip frame looks bare. What other parts would I need to order? Also, my Blackhawk is a lock model, so do I need a new mainspring strut or will mine fit?

4. Roughly what would it cost to get the grip frame blued, and is there a chance it will match the bluing on the cylinder frame? Or is a entire reblue in order?

Thanks in advance for the help!

J.Johnson

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

I have fitted several; of the stainless ones to NM BH`s.
They all were easy to fit as far as the interface between grip frame and cylinder frame fit goes there was no fitting required other than matching the width. The new grip frames come over size in width and the frame ears have to be shortened a little also to fit.I blackened the face of the GF and installed it so I could scribe the sides with a razor blade to give a line to draw file down to. Filing of the exterior,sanding and polishing before bluing and you should have a nice fitting GF. Order a new Main spring strut and anchor when you order the GF. I also replaced my main spring and trigger return springs with reduced power Wolf springs.
Not a difficult project at all if as you say you are handy with tools.

 

[J.Johnson]

Thanks for the advise Chuck.

Does anyone have an idea what it would cost to have the grip frame blued? Or how difficult is bluing at home?

 

[eveled]

If I were going through the trouble, I'd want to do it with a brass frame. Easier to work with, and I wouldn't have to blue it, and it would look sweet! Does anybody make a brass grip frame anymore? Ed

 

[BlackEagle]

If I were going through the trouble, I'd want to do it with a brass frame. Easier to work with, and I wouldn't have to blue it, and it would look sweet! Does anybody make a brass grip frame anymore? Ed

+1
If you want a brass gripframe I've got one I'll sell for $200. It is a Super Blackhawk dragoon type frame but will work fine.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

I like the two tone look but don`t like to polish brass. I had enough of that in the Army.

 

[shorty500m]

I like the two tone look but don`t like to polish brass. I had enough of that in the Army.

fabulous gun chuck

 

[BlackEagle]

I never polish any of mine. Just clean like you would any other gripframe.

 

[Hondo44]

I am thinking of putting a steel XR3 - RED on my 45 Blackhawk. I think it would improve the balance and the little extra weight would help tame some heavier loads, but I mostly want to do it because the factory aluminum grip frame is very poorly fitted. I would probably purchase a new, unfitted frame in the white from Midway and have a few questions.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/151448/ruger-grip-frame-ruger-super-blackhawk-vaquero-large-frame-steel-in-the-white

1. Has anyone done this and could they describe the process of fitting it?

2. Is this something I can handle with a file and sanding, or should a pro do it? (I am pretty handy in a shop)

3. This grip frame looks bare. What other parts would I need to order? Also, my Blackhawk is a lock model, so do I need a new mainspring strut or will mine fit?

4. Roughly what would it cost to get the grip frame blued, and is there a chance it will match the bluing on the cylinder frame? Or is a entire reblue in order?

Thanks in advance for the help!

J.Johnson

1. & 2. Chuck covered fitting well, it's not hard; with hand tools it will take you some time though. You'll also have to finish and polish the entire surface as they just come rough ground finished and some surfaces are right out of the mold, like the sides.

3. need a trigger return spring retaining pin and pivot pin. Grip locating roll pin. Hammer spring, spring strut and spring seat.

4. the blue will match the best if your final finish is the same grit as the gun. If put a high polish on the grip frame, it will be too glossy and not match at all. The Ruger has a satin-like finish. Cold bluing won't last long on a grip frame. Brownells has some hot bluing kits, but lots'a work and additional cost. Gunsmiths usually have a minimum charge like $50 to $100 bucks for one part.

Suggestion: you'll save at least have the cost or more shopping for a "take off" blue steel grip frame on this forum's 'classifieds'. The fit will be close enough. The 'ears' fit depends on the vintage of your gun and that of the grip frame you find. Most will need fitting if you like the hammer base flush with the ears.

 

[eveled]

If I were going through the trouble, I'd want to do it with a brass frame. Easier to work with, and I wouldn't have to blue it, and it would look sweet! Does anybody make a brass grip frame anymore? Ed

+1
If you want a brass gripframe I've got one I'll sell for $200. It is a Super Blackhawk dragoon type frame but will work fine.

Thanks for the offer, but it is not in my budget right now.

 

[Hondo44]

J,

You might want to consider a stainless grip frame either new or used. In either case you can do the fitting and not have the added expense of bluing. Or just leave a steel frame "in the white", a nice contrast.

The best way to 'hog' off the majority of the excess metal is a belt sander, if you're confident in your ability to maintain flat surfaces. Or start with a mill file. Leave enough extra material after the coarse filing to be able to fine file and sand all the file marks out without making it below the level of the main frame.

Then draw file with a relatively fine flat file using chalk in the teeth to prevent galling (gouging) since SS is a lot like filing aluminum alloy.
Then flat sand with a true flat surface small metal sanding block starting with 400, then 600, then 1200 then 2000 grit. The finer the grit you end up with, the less polishing or buffing and therefore less risk of rounding the edges. Go slow and check fit often!

You'll need to do the entire surface of the grip frame with the same grit progression since the grip frame as it comes from Ruger is still in a fairly rough sanded state. For curved surfaces like the backstrap, trigger guard etc.; use a large eraser for your sanding block to avoid leaving flattened areas. It will conform to the curved surfaces.

You may decide to stop with the grit that most closely matches your gun's satin finish. If you decide on a high gloss finish you'll need to buff slightly after the 2000 grit.

Use a power buffer with white stainless steel buffing compound but don't use the buffer on the side surfaces that you fitted to your frame. The buffing wheel is too large for your work surfaces and your nice sharp edges mating to the frame can get rounded! Use a felt buffing bit in a Dremel tool with the white rouge and stay away from the sharp edges. Buff parallel to the edges.

 

[J.Johnson]

Hondo, that's a sharp looking Hawkeye!!!

What are the odds of a factory take off grip frame fitting real nice? I guess what do you mean by close enough?

 

[Hondo44]

Sorry for not being more specific. I have acquired close to a dozen old and new model steel frames and installed them on guns that came with aluminum. They all fit better than the aluminum frames the guns came with, some slightly proud and some slightly not as wide as the frame. Some were exceptional fits, perfect or near perfect. But always good enough that I wouldn't bother fitting if it were
blued steel and sometimes touching up a little if stainless.

When Ruger makes the main frames and grip frames they are pretty apparently within a certain "tolerance" that doesn't vary much. As I mentioned, the ears are what vary due to factory changes such as this:

1. Below is a photo of the ears around the base of the hammer. To simplify production in about 1997, Ruger increased the height of the cylinder frame mating surfaces on both sides of the hammer to match the Bisley models. Therefore the 'ears' on the standard grip frame had to be made taller as well. So there's basically two sizes: short pre 1997 and tall after 1997. That's why it's important that any acquired grip frame match the vintage of your Ruger that you want to put it on. Also, it took Ruger awhile to get the base of the hammer enlarged to match the taller ears. So a proper vintage frame will also match your hammer base. See HAMMER BASES BELOW.

2. Side note: Pre 2005 steel and all of the aluminum grip frames have two projections just below the ears in the photo above, that stick forward into recesses in the Main frame. They can be cut off with no ill effect to fit a newer main frame w/o recesses.

As a general rule, all Ruger SA grip frames will interchange from the standpoint of the screw pattern from single six to Super BH and from Old Model to New Model.

The ejector rod housing which is also aluminum alloy on your gun is available in steel for additional recoil dampening. No fitting required.

HAMMER BASES
The left and center small base hammers 1.071" – 1.076" predate the ca. 2000 new large base hammer production. Measured on the centerline of the two large holes from back of hammer base to top of full cock notch.
Left hammer is large frame Blackhawk/adjustable rear sight.
Center hammer, thin topped is original Vaquero.
Right hand hammer is the latest production with large base 1.122" – 1.130" and narrow shank.

The large base hammer followed Ruger's decision to simplify production about 1997 in the serial range 56-XXXXX. Ruger raised the cylinder frame mating surfaces of the non-Bisley SAs (Blackhawks and Single Sixes) on both sides of the hammer to match the Bisley model frames so they could be assembled to any style grip frame.

But it took Ruger awhile to use up existing small base hammer inventory before the enlarged base hammers that matched/fit flush with the taller grip frame ears were put into production. So for a few years guns were shipped with some ugly hammer/ear fits.

 

[J.Johnson]

Thanks for all that info Hondo. Learned a lot from that. I wasn't aware of the different vintages of grip frames! I'm thinking now that I might try and find a grip frame off a post '97 Superblackhawk in blue and see how it fits. If I'm not happy with it I figure it won't be a problem to get my money back out of it and put it towards are new unfitted grip frame. Thanks for all of the help.

I won't be starting this project til this winter after harvest is done, the cows are home, and of course deer season is past! But I will keep you all informed as I move forward with it!!

J.Johnson