New Single Six Project

[REP1954]

Started a new Single Six project gun this last week. Started with a 50th Anniversary and replaced the ejector housing with a steel model. I bought a in
the white 4140 steel XR3-RED Short Frame and fitted it to cylinder frame. Sunday I ordered a set of Moose Gunfighter grip panels from Patrick Grashorn and will fit them and the frame together for a flawless fit before the gun gets finished. This afternoon I ordered a four click three position hammer and trigger kit made by Ron Powers. I've used this kit before on the Blackhawk series a couple of times and was very satisfied. The kit comes with a harden hammer and trigger that are CNC produced and the sears are match fit to each other and produce a very crisp and clean breaking trigger. Also included in the kit are a series of Wolff springs if you choose to use them. I'll use the lighter trigger spring but keep the factory OEM hammer strut spring to keep a faster lock time. After installation of the kit the cylinder also lines up with the ejector rod for ejecting spent cases. When I was matching the two frames together I also polished down the burr on the roll engraving on the barrel. My first intention was to remove it altogether but after getting it down to the barrel smooth it didnt look so bad plus I like the idea of the 50th Anniversary logo still being there. After I get all this taken care of I'm going to build a drift adjustable dovetail front sight and install it. Then off to the gunsmith for final polishing, bluing, and CCH. This is the first time I've taken a Single Six this far and I'm getting pretty excited to see it finished. Not much to look at yet but I will post pictures as it goes.

 

[REP1954]

Well I guess the postman does ring twice. I got my grips from Patrick Grashorn and my Ron Powers action parts today just in time for the long weekend. For sure no sleep tonight.

 

[flatgate]

Looking Good! Real Good!

flatgate

 

[REP1954]

I smoothed up the areas on the frame where the moving parts rub and installed the new hammer, trigger, and the lighter trigger spring. This is the third Ron Powers kit I've used and the first for a Single Six. I have not measured the trigger for pull weight but I would guess about 3 lbs. and just breaks as clean as can be. You have to file a little material off the hammer strut and it is in the instructions how to do it. Now the gun has a half cock position that you engage and then open the loading gate and the cylinder will stop in the correct position to line up with the ejector rod. I roughed the grip frame down to the grip panels that I got from Grashorns and still have a little work to do yet. I also roughed in a black powder chamfer on the cylinder. Next I will take it all apart again and clean and lube it so I can take it to the range to see where and how it shoots now. It shot right on at 15 yards with standard high velocity ammo before I started but group size was not satisfactory and I prefer the balance of the gun when it's all steel. The old trigger pull was long and heavy along with the lighter weight was not a good mix. If the gun shoots to the point of aim at 15 yards I will fore go the dovetailed front sight. I'll show more when I get more.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Hey, that's a neat project. You do good work.

And no Old Models were harmed in this effort.

 

[americal]

WAY 8) Hope to see the final outcome

 

[Hondo44]

I like your project and the outcome so far. Great ideas. I have in the past removed the 'safety manual' from the side but left the Anniv. message on top of the barrel. You might think the barrel would look egg shaped in cross section but it really doesn't show. On my dad's SS Redhawk I actually removed the 'manual' top line and left the Ruger address lower line.

I've installed a short grip on my fixed sight NM 22 as well. It makes a nice pair with my 'Baby Vaquero' .32 Mag.

I'm currently putting a short grip on an OM .22 mag Single six flat top with a 2" barrel for use as a 'Kit Gun'. No ejector but with a pin installed in the center of the cylinder base pin to use for knocking out the fired cases. I'm planning a spring retention similar to the takedown pin on a Winchester Mod 97 and Model 12 shotguns.
The Ron Powers parts are top notch. I recently installed his 1/2 cock hammer in a New Vaquero whose owner wanted the transfer bar removed. Had to weld it up a bit to contact the firing pin but it works perfectly.

 

[REP1954]

I like your project and the outcome so far. Great ideas. I have in the past removed the 'safety manual' from the side but left the Anniv. message on top of the barrel. You might think the barrel would look egg shaped in cross section but it really doesn't show. On my dad's SS Redhawk I actually removed the 'manual' top line and left the Ruger address lower line.

I've installed a short grip on my fixed sight NM 22 as well. It makes a nice pair with my 'Baby Vaquero' .32 Mag.

I'm currently putting a short grip on an OM .22 mag Single six flat top with a 2" barrel for use as a 'Kit Gun'. No ejector but with a pin installed in the center of the cylinder base pin to use for knocking out the fired cases. I'm planning a spring retention similar to the takedown pin on a Winchester Mod 97 and Model 12 shotguns.
The Ron Powers parts are top notch. I recently installed his 1/2 cock hammer in a New Vaquero whose owner wanted the transfer bar removed. Had to weld it up a bit to contact the firing pin but it works perfectly.

I have removed the billboard many times with good results but this roll marking didnt look so bad after the burr was removed. It's to late to keep it now I removed it last night. I would like to hear more about your latest project with the short frame and 2" barrel and would really like to see some pictures of your progress. Originally this project was going to be a 2" ejectorless but after screwing on the grip frame the gun just felt to good and then with the steel ejector housing I just had to leave it as it was because it just felt right. I am still going to do a 2" fixed sight but this time I will start with the barrel and frame so I cant go off on a different tangent. Post some pic's if you can please.

 

[Hondo44]

I should be making some progress on my .22 snubby this week. Will post pics as soon as I do; at least a mock up and then when finished later.
Thx for your interest.

 

[REP1954]

I had this Single Six for a little while. It's a 50th Anniversary. It was a good shooter The barrel never leaded up and it had a good looking forcing cone that stayed clean. Accuracy wasnt bad but I felt a good trigger and some grips that fit my hand better could improve it. I got a in the white XR3-RED short frame from a guy on the Ruger Forum and a set of thin Elk grip panels from Patrick Grashorn. I fit the grip frame to the cylinder frame and then the grip panels and grip frame to each other. I took the bilboard off the side of the barrel and the roll maks from the top of the barrel. I've never been completely happy with any trigger jobs that I have done on Ruger New Models except for 2. So I did what I do on all NM's and put in a Ron Powers hammer and trigger kit. I used the Wolff trigger spring that came with the kit but kept the OEM strut spring. Then I did a black powder chamfer on the LR cylinder. It turned out to be a really great little shooting gun and much more comfortable to shoot. My plan was to CCH the frame, hammer, and loading gate and blue the rest which I will do eventually but my local gunsmith wont do CCH on Rugers because he said he hasnt learned to get control of Rugers frames yet and make it come out like how he wants so I will have to send it to Turnbull sometime. For now I did something I said I would never do and did a quick antique looking finish on it. It was all buggered up from filing,stoning and emery paper already. I kind of like it this way and may shoot it like this for awhile before doing the final finish.