Will Old Model Barrels Fit On A New Model Frame?

[my username]

Newbie question, but couldn't find the likely obvious answer by searching anywhere: Does anyone know if an old model barrel from a Blackhawk (of any its colors or configurations) or Super Blackhawk (or old/original anything) fit on a new model Blackhawk, SHB, Single-Six, (large frame) Vaquero, or anything new? Or vise versa? Seems that I've read that the OM Blackhawk-sized frame is now the universal "large frame" for both BH and SBH, et al? (the year 2005+ New Vaqueros being a medium frame now for the cowboy shooters, as is the 50th anniversary guns and likely a few other special off shoots). I guess the real question is, despite any frame size differences, have the threads and/or tap/thread cavity (on the frame) changed over time? Thanks.

 

[Hashknife Hartley]

Before the new medium frame New Models came out, you could put NM barrels on OM guns but not visa versa. You had to machine off a shoulder on the NM barrels so they'd go into the OM frames, both medium and large frame. On the NM medium frame guns, the barrel threads and confirmation are the same as the OM's and will interchange either way. Here's a picture of a NM stainless steel barrel off a 44 Special Flatttop that I put on a OM, and it fit just fine; it's compared to an OM 357 barrel stub that I had made for a bushing. I've also put a NM 327 Fed Mag barrel on a OM 30 Carbine and it's made the same way. Hope this helps.
HH

 

[my username]

Thank you sir! I believe this is exactly what I was looking for: NM-->OM = okay. OM-->NM, only if frame sizes are the new medium's (i.e. medium-frame anniversary Blackhawk flattops, New Vaqueros, etc, mated to OM Blackhawks). Otherwise an OM anything will not (without machining) fit in a NM anything, (e.g. OM Super Blackhawk won't fit in a NM SHB, despite - I think - both always being large frames, but a no go due to the shoulder issues). If I missed anything please feel free to chime back in. Thankx much again.

 

[flatgate]

http://www.gunbooks.com/ruger_sa.html

THE BOOK!

flatgate

 

[my username]

Gee, is two whole volumes all I missed! :mrgreen: Thankx!

 

[Hondo44]

Not withstanding what Hashknife Hartley said which is correct, as a practical matter all Ruger barrels old to new, new to old or Mid frame and large frame will interchange. With the exception of the Hunter model barrels, all are threaded 24 TPI.

Whenever changing barrels the shoulder will need to be "turned" aka adjusted on a lathe in any case to 'clock' the front sight at 12 o'clock, so the minor shoulder adjustment Hashknife correctly addressed for those applicable applications is almost a moot issue. In fact my old model 44 mag large frame barrel needed that slight shoulder adjustment Hashknife pointed out, to mount in an old model 357 mid frame as well.

All single six .22 and .32 barrels are 20 TPI and will interchange and also interchange between old and new or new and old models. Again the shoulder adjustment to clock the barrel applies.