Installing the Largest 1860 Army Grip Frame

[Sharps40]

The 1860 Army Grip is the largest and closest to the trigger. Many sizes. The smallest are on the old Pietta/CVA percussion guns from the 80s and 90s.

The late model uberti's and piettas, are closer to full size, with the pieta being bigger/closer to original than the uberti.

But, as you'll see, all can fit the ruger single actions and in this case, i'll use the largest pietta steel backstrap for the most original size and the somewhat shorter uberti steel trigger guard because the pietta steel trigger guard is not readily available.

As usual, the Italian back straps, steel or brass are usually an effort free install on the ruger frame, here a vaquero 45. This one, a rough cast full size steel pietta 1860 Army with rifle stock cut is a bolt up with the original ruger screws, smooth off the sides and ready for final polish and blue.

As for the uberti steel 1860 army trigger guard, nearly the right thickness to match the pietta, rear holes took some light tweaking and as always, the front hole has to be relocated or the hole in the frame filled and redrilled, and the trigger slot widened for the ruger trigger. That, plus the 1860 uberti army grip is shorter than the pietta but similar in distance from trigger and the bottom screw will line up dead center with the pietta backstrap hole once a filler block of steel or brass is soldered into place.

To the photos.

 

[Fox Mike]

What do you do for the mainspring seat?

 

[Sharps40]

That's the easy part. Bracket

 

[Sharps40]

Too hot to mow or otherwise be outside, so to the shop to get the hard work done. A brass plug sweated in place to fill a divot in the uberti trigger guard, then drilled at the right angles for the cylinder bolt plunger and spring. The trigger slot was opened by hand from narrow colt to wide ruger, then all the metal behind the trigger was plowed out by hand to make way for the trigger return spring and its cross pin. Some cleaning up to do but you get the idea.....plenty of work to go from flat spring to coil. As for the grip, a set of 50 anniversary Blackhawk grip panels over the 1860 army grip frame for reference.

 

[DeletedMember275]

I always enjoy your well photographed projects! Seems like installing a Super Blackhawk Hunter grip frame would serve the same purpose, though.

 

[Sharps40]

Nope. I prolly wouldn't do that.

 

[Hondo44]

Fun project!

Using a Ruger steel XR3 size grip trigger guard strap (the standard grip on the New Vaquero) cut from the one piece Ruger grip frame would save you an awful lot of time and fabrication. The steps eliminated are:

1. It'll fit the screw pattern of the Ruger frame, no relocating the front screw hole in the frame.
2. The modification for the trigger return spring isn't needed, it already has it.
3. You won't have to lengthen the front strap by cutting off the front of grip frame butt with it.
4. You won't need to fabricate a coil spring mount, just by leaving the Ruger mount attached to the front strap when cut off the Ruger grip frame.
5. You won't have to widen the trigger slot it already fits the Ruger wide trigger.
6. You won't even have to re-blue it because none of the cuts made are on the outside.

Here's one used to make a Cimmarron Colt style Birdshead grip, It's the closest to the trigger guard that Ruger makes, same as the Colt. That's why I prefer it. And why it sticks out from the grips. If you cut it from the XR3RED size grip frame it fits the grips. But I just made a new set of grips.

 

[Sharps40]

Cool. I am leaning towards using an original 1877 DA triggerguard on a project. I don't mind the work and it's pretty much easier to find non ruger steel parts. Lots of ways to customize and they are all pretty satisfying. I do have a 50th steel frame but it's no where the right dimensions to make an 1860 grip from.

 

[Hondo44]

True, you still need the 60 army back strap like you used. But the front part of the Ruger 50th steel grip frame front strap should be long enough by cutting off the front of its grip frame butt with it. Or maybe add a bit to the length.

 

[Sharps40]

Third pic in the post above shows the 50th panels in place over the pietta and uberti parts.......a cut off ruger 50th trigger tang would be too short by a larger margin, so, I'd still have to solder an even bigger spacer in there than mixing uberti and pieta parts. I'm glad the mix of pietta and uberti are at least right close in thickness, only about .010 difference so, no worries. Soldering in a lil shim is easy.

If I'da found a pietta steel trigger guard, it'd be a simpler bolt up job with no shim but ya go with whats available or ya wait months for parts to be in stock.....i'll have this done and shooting before parts are in stock most likely.

Also, you can see that the Army Parts are closer to the trigger both on the trigger tang and the backstrap.....looks small, makes a big difference even for big hands.

In any event, the point is, its very doable and the challenge is fun. It was suprizing how many folks said a flat to coil spring grip swap can't be done but several OM and NM (I think @tincanbandit did one or more as well) now wear several decades worth of Italian and original colt grip frames so......I won't argue the point with them. This thread is kind of a just because/for fun.

Gonna try a one piece wood grip on this one too. Should make for a solid Coltish look when the project is done.

 

[Hondo44]

In any event, the point is, its very doable and the challenge is fun.

That's the bottom line, doable and fun! Just takes cleverness.

 

[Sharps40]

Hoo Ahh Hondo44!

Continuing the trigger guard, readying it for coil spring conversion. remove the lower flat spring foot and thin the tang to .275" or so. plow out a well centered groove for the main spring as it travels down and forward on compression.

 

[Sharps40]

Experimenting with a one piece grip for this job.

 

[xman9282]

I'dlike to see an original 1877 DA triggerguard on a project when you get around to it

 

[Hondo44]

I'dlike to see an original 1877 DA triggerguard on a project when you get around to it

Of course it could be done but it would pose a few cosmetic issues;

The trigger mounting location on a SA is much farther to the rear in the DA trigger guard. The slot is way to long and too skinny.

The front grip strap would be short for even a standard plow handle back strap and take additional work to lengthen.

The sculpted top of the DA trigger opening therefore would not align with the trigger and look out of place.


If your purpose is a larger trigger guard finger hole, the Ruger or other brand SA Bisley trigger guard/front strap would be much simpler and achieve the same result. It would also be long enough to mate with an 1860 Army back strap.

Photo by G2.

 

[Sharps40]

The 1877 idea might happen. There appear to be few or no insurmountable issues and likely as easy to do as this.

 

[xman9282]

Hondo -- That is why I would like to see how Sharps40 handles it. Apparently has some ides if he is looking at a project using that trigger frame (June 04 reply)

 

[Hondo44]

xman,

May resemble the USFA model with extra long trigger guard. I think they called it the double eagle or something similar.

 

[Robb Barnes]

Double Eagle trigger guard.

 

[Sharps40]

Try foot for the spring is installed. Full function and clearance between the spring and trigger guard tang is slightly greater than the thickness of a thick cleaning patch. On to modifying the one piece grip from flat spring to coil spring.

 

[Sharps40]

Great progress, all together but the transfer bar and hand and it all works, coil spring conversion completed, one piece grip keyholed for coil spring conversion and found a nice place to hook the new model trigger spring feet on....I used the bear cat locking bolt plunger and spring because though the same diameter, they are shorter and work much better with the converted flat spring uberti trigger guard. Rough, gritty and clunky right now but I'm all in but for the finesse work.

The photos show the keyhole in the grip making room for the coil main spring and its foot. The legs of the trigger spring pulled up and over the center of the one piece grip assembly in order to tension the trigger. The rough but assembled grip and grip frame with the hammer at the ready and the locking bolt fully functional/locking the cylinder in preparation for firing.

 

[Sharps40]

First test. 6 yards. 45 Colt. Starline, CCI LP, 6.3g Bullseye, 260g LEE REAL sized .454.

6 shots.

1 hole.

Good enough.

 

[TucsonDirt]

Nice!
I always love your projects, thanks Sharps40!

 

[Sharps40]

Sorry I havn't posted more here. The forum is down more than its up and the forums picture loading (aside from outside hosting) steadfastly defies my attempts to use it. Outside hosting of photos proves unreliable as I lost lots of pics in the past but these are hosted, perhaps they'll last a bit. Plus, I live in a country area with no hard line phone service, no cable service, no satellite service so everything go's over the 2.22456 regularly available (of 5) bars on the Verizon hotspot. But, to the project......

Functionally, 100% with a consistent trigger measuring about 3 lbs prior to finalizing the location of the legs of the trigger spring. Grip fit and shape is about 90% and the feel is wonderful. Love it for a medium and larger hand, filling without being too big. Plenty of room to wrap around the little finger and the Bisley hammer is low and wide and easy to find.

Probably time to move on to cleaning up the action and shim the space between the locking bolt and trigger.

Not a bad mix coming together well. Bearcat locking bolt plunger and spring (cause its shorter) Ruger frame, Pietta backstrap and Walnut grip With Uberti steel trigger guard.

The barrel, cylinder and grip will be rust blued. For the frame, I'm not sure. It still needs a lot of work to remove the pitting and I like the dull grey that comes with age.....perhaps after polish a simple grey vinegar tarnish to go with the satin black components.

 

[Joe S.]

Did I miss how you attached the brass at the top of the front sight?

 

[Sharps40]

Just a simple cut and solder.

 

[Robb Barnes]

The new grip frame looks like it is about the same size as the one on my TLA West Texas Flattop Target.

 

[Sharps40]

A true right handers single action there. Colt was a leftie.

 

[Hondo44]

Mason was a righty and he designed the ejector. But maybe he was dyslexic.

 

[Sharps40]

Heading towards the finish. Finalized the main spring foot. Finished up filing the trigger guard and back strap to the frame. Started the removal of pitting and blending the mating surfaces to a perfect fit by filing and initial sanding at 100g.