Mr. Belly Gun

[Hondo44]

Very cool project and thanks for the step by step. The Indian head nickel is a cool and unique front sight idea; that's the Cheyenne Chief the white eyes call 'Two Moons' by the way, (but his name actually translates to '2nd Moon'). He was at the Battle of the Greasy Grass (The Little Big Horn).

I've had fun doing a few of these. One thing I discovered, by tapering the ejector slot in the housing, the roid can be moved over far enough to let the cylinder pin be removed and also go around the cylinder pin head for more ejector throw.

I've made several of these to adapt new model steel grip frames to old model triggers until I figured out that a .22 shell case works just as well with a groove filed in the case head to nest against the new model GF trigger spring retaining pin.

Finished snubby:

Here's a shortened and homemade flat Top .22 with steel XR3 NM grip frame and Bisley trigger:

Waiting to see yours done! Have fun,

 

[Sharps40]

Also chiefs big tree and iron tail. It was a composite portrate.

 

[Hondo44]

Yeah, there's always controversy about these things. Sure looks like 2nd Moon though. But I haven't seen Chiefs Big Tree and Iron Tail. Maybe they all look alike to the white eyes. :wink:

 

[Sharps40]

Grip frame and grips are done....99%. Ready for final cleaning and I'll put them away till the entire gun is completed.

Final finish on the stainless steel is 220g satin and the finish in the wood is hand rubbed urethane, satin also.

 

[Slenk]

Beautiful

 

[Sharps40]

First rust on the completed parts. Black is on the way.

All polished thru 120 and or 220g

Building a head of heat and humidity in the inaugural run of the rust bluing damp box.

Parts, thoroughly wetted with pilkingtons are in the cabinet for the first one hour rust cycle.

 

[Sharps40]

Iced in for a day here in Central NC with nary a snow plow in site so.....rust. To say I'm pleased with the first 18 hour run of the new damp cabinet is an understatement.

 

[Sharps40]

After carding with 0000 steel wool.....first run in the rust looks good. Great initial color and the only dark spots are the bottoms of the freckles that did not polish out of the cylinder. The worst part of any rust bluing job is actually rust bluing and carding screw heads and the through pins.

This will probably take three passes on the pins and screws. 4 to 6 passes on the cylinder.

 

[Sharps40]

Scalloped recoil shields are an expensive gunsmith job....or not. If you have practice hand filing skills, like any good gunsmith should, file them in yourself. Its a 30 minute job from rat tail to half round to final shape on the press mounted sanding drums.

Left side, laying out the first cuts with a rattail, halfway from standing breech to tail of the recoil shield and far enough down so the tops of each scallop will be at or just below the top edge of the loading gate. All eyeball, no layout lines needed. Done slowly and with care they will match up fine. The thickness of the loading gate is the limiting factor, I plan to back cut the gate for finger access. So, to prevent a knife edge on it and loss of its round countours, the scallops will be shallower than one that penetrates both the top and bottom of the loading gate side recoil shield.

Begin opening the rattail cut with the half round file. when the rattail cut (at the bottom) disappears, I'm done except for final adjustments and polish on the press mounted drum sander.

Rattail first on the loading gate side. Not cutting into the top of the recoil shield at this time.....we'll see how steady I am and if they line up (top and bottom and depth) when all is said and done.

Finish up the loading gate side with the 1/2 round file....still not into the top of the recoil shield....both tops and bottoms should be fairly well in alignment. Off to the drum sanders next to finish this side too.

Not bad. Eyeball says tops and bottoms are about perfect in alighment....depth is about the same, angles are about the same. Very close and very attractive when done.

No knife edge on the loading gate, plenty of meat to back cut it for finger access.

Time to head for the cold cold freezing workshop to finish the deal....meantime, getting close to second boil on the cylinder and screws.

 

[Sharps40]

Scallops are straightened and completed on a drum on the drill press. Also, the back side of the loading gate is relieved at the same time for cold/gloved finger clearance.

About as good as it gets. And, I am quite pleased.

 

[Sharps40]

If yer still painting guns....stop it.

Why?

Because bluing is better and you can't easily remove dog hairs from a painted gun.

Cylinder and screws, etc are done and in the bag coated in oil and Rig grease awaiting completion of the frame and barrel....probably finish this one, except for the rear sight, this weekend. I need to order a rear sight.

 

[Hondo44]

The Sharps40 Ruger Custom takes shape. Nic work!

The undercutting of the loading gate seems like a very creative improvement and unique as well! Haven't seen anyone think of that before.

Doesn't that casting shrinkage spot on top of the frame just get your hair on fire? I had the same experience on mine. Almost all Rugers have it.

Are you opting for the new all steel rear sight now supplied on the current Rugers (not to be confused with the Micro marked sight on the new flat tops with rounded front tab)? There a drop in on Rugers made since about the mid 1980s, but will take some fitting on the old models that don't have the cut out for the hump underneath. And will get the tang lower in your top strap and be flush with a lowering of the pin hole.

 

[Sharps40]

Getting ready to send the barreled action in for the overnight rusting. At this point, its carded after its third cycle. Looking just fine satiny velvety purty. If all go's well, bluing will be completed tomorrow evening.

 

[Sharps40]

The Sharps40 Ruger Custom takes shape. Nic work!

The undercutting of the loading gate seems like a very creative improvement and unique as well! Haven't seen anyone think of that before.

Doesn't that casting shrinkage spot on top of the frame just get your hair on fire? I had the same experience on mine. Almost all Rugers have it.

Are you opting for the new all steel rear sight now supplied on the current Rugers (not to be confused with the Micro marked sight on the new flat tops with rounded front tab)? There a drop in on Rugers made since about the mid 1980s, but will take some fitting on the old models that don't have the cut out for the hump underneath. And will get the tang lower in your top strap and be flush with a lowering of the pin hole.

Nah, I ordered the hunter sight to get the taller white outline leaf (to go with the much taller Indian Head front sight) and the new hardware. I have a good condition unmarked (no squashed chicken) aluminum rear sight that will sit flush in the flat top (the hunter will sit above a flat top) and I'll just rebuild it with the new parts and install it.

Casting spot is what it is....just wish it was centered....seems its always off center to the right side!

 

[Sharps40]

Resting in oil. Looks like tonight will be cleaning and assembly. Sooner if ice prevents Ol John Lee from getting up the driveway to work again!

 

[tookalisten]

Can't wait to see this one put together.

 

[Sharps40]

Still greasy and the dog licked it and I'm still waiting on the rear sight leaf and figgerin on the ejector rod but it sure went together nice. The out of spec grip frame was the worst part of the fit....lots of hand work to move the durn screw holes down and in to match the frame!

But, here it sits at the 95% level and if it were warm enough and I hadn't frozen a brake drum by applying the Ebrake on a durn cold day I'da might coulda done more with the ejector rod housing tonight. But we'll see, a steel one is not off the shelf yet either....might just need steel in the final analysis. But, should be shootable if its nice this weekend!

 

[ncrobb]

Very nice.

Robb

 

[Sharps40]

Almost done. Need to swap out the rear sight and/or leaf and finalize the EHR tube and the EHR Button.

 

[Hondo44]

Almost there!

The curvature of the nickel makes the Indian head sight appear bent.