# Young Man Afraid Of His Horses



## Sharps40

From Wikipedia...

Young-Man-Afraid-Of-His-Horses [TÈŸašúÅ‹ke KÈŸokípÈŸapi] (1836 – July 13, 1893), also translated as His-Horses-Are-Afraid and They-Fear-Even-His-Horses, was a chief of the Oglala Sioux. Commonly misinterpreted, his name means They fear his horse or His horse is feared, meaning that the bearer of the name was so feared in battle that even the sight of his horse would inspire fear. He is known for his participation in Red Cloud's War, as a negotiator for the Sioux Nation after the Wounded Knee Massacre, and for serving on delegations to Washington, D.C.












Well, that's it.  Got nothing else to show.  Guess we'll all hav'ta wait.  Goin Huntin....see ya!


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## Nicodemus

Nice coup stick and wingbone.


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## leoparddog

is that horse head going to be the front sight on something?


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## Sharps40

Old ugly crappy aluminum off....new pretty stronger steel on.  Done for this evening.....been workin up a shottie too.....and makin a brush blind and putting out corn and ...


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## Sharps40

Ah,  The 1860 Army Grip.  Longer than the SAA grip (which was as memory serves the 1851 Navy Grip) and longer than the XR3/XR3Red ruger grip.  A three finger grip.  Long and slim like the Bisley but rolls proper for thumbing back the tall OM hammer.  Sweet.

Last time I fitted and 1860 Army Grip it was to a NM Blackhawk.  This one will be fitted to an OM Blackhawk.  Some differences for the trigger return spring and no hole to drill for the cylinder lock plunger.  Should be easier.

As shown in the photo, the Ruger Super Blackhawk grip panel is very close, so close I may not select it and go instead with the VA Dragoon grip panels which are long and large enough to allow fitting to the 1860 Army Grip Frame.  Will have to install the frame first and set up the main spring so I can determine if the grip screw falls in the right spot to clear the main spring.  Should work, I hope.  We'll see.

Big thanks to Lasttombstone for the partial disassembly of his lovely VA Dragoon and mailing the tracings of the grip panels.  

I believe, once things are set up and tracings compared again, I'll select the Rich Mercer Wagon Wheels with Arrow carving for the grips but the Rattler in Thorn Bush is another contender....finally, the Pinwheel Flower Carving is also very nice.  We shall see....later.


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## Sharps40

Time to rough fit the front sight.

Cut off old ugly, the front blade but leave the base intact.






Carefully file down the front base, breaking the edges, until I uncover the original solder hole.  Nothing in there but some excess silver solder but its usually right close to center and a good place to check alignment for a screw hole that gets drilled and tapped down to the top surface of the barrel.  There is usually a reinforcement pin in front or behind the solder hole that locks the base and barrel together and helps with shear stresses, strengthening the joint.  So, I'll use the solder hole and leave the blind pin alone so the joint stays strong as ever.






Cut a new 11 degree target crown with a piloted hand tool.  The crown is 43 years old.....its time to freshen it up, even if good, theres bound to be a touch of wear on the lands from cleaning rods.....cut it back a bit to restore all the potential accuracy at the muzzle.






Fresh.  After rebluing, I'll give it another pass or three so it'll remain a silver ring within a black ring.  A nice look.






I want to carve out a brass base to go between the ramp and the horse but that's another day.  Once done, soft solder will secure the screw in front sight and the brass base to the ramp making it as sturdy as can be.






Thanks again to Lasttombstone for the turtle shell and slate turkey call.  When it ain't turkey season, its lovely to look at and makes a fitting prop for some photos.


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## Sharps40

Good initial fit of the 1860 Army Grip Frame to the Old Model Blackhawk.

Difficult to show with a camera but you get some additional grip length and the grip is forward (closer to the trigger) than the factory grip.  I've found it to be much more pointable than the factory ruger grip frame.











Backstrap fit is near perfect and only needs light fitting and modification for the coil mainspring.






Rear holes on the trigger guard will need a touch of work.  Often they are closer to perfect than this.  No worries.






Front hole never lines up.  It'll get plugged and redrilled.  But the width of the trigger guard to the frame is nearly perfect, just a schootch wider than the frame to allow fitting.






Over view with and without the coil mainspring.


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## doublebarrel

You are so talented! BB


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## Sharps40

Many call me no better than a hack in open forum no less!  

Thanks.  Some positive feed back always keeps the spirit full of creative juice.


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## Sharps40

It doesn't look like much was done but on initial fit only 3 of 6 grip frame screws aligned between the Old Army Grip and the Old Model Frame.  Now 5 of 6 grip frame screws are perfectly aligned and hold the two frames together even and tight.

Look carefully at the first photo in this post and you'll note the top ears of the backstrap are a near perfect alignment with the tail of the ruger frame.  This is not always the case.  






Here's the work.  The interference for the trigger guard screws was at the slot for the trigger.  Guard slot rubbed trigger.  Relieving the side of the slot so the trigger could move freely aligned the two rear trigger guard screws with the holes in the frame.  In addition, the heads of the rear ruger trigger guard screws were slightly reduced in diameter to fit freely in the pilot holes of the trigger guard.  Sufficient head diameter was retained for the screw heads to clamp the trigger guard to the frame.






The upper back strap screws were a perfect fit, backstrap to frame.  But the lower backstrap screw needed a deeper seat to place most of the screw head below the flush level of the bottom of the back strap.  Here its finished to proper depth.  






The pilot holes for the rear trigger guard screws are drilled much deeper than the ruger grip frame.  To reuse the Ruger trigger guard screws, a slight counterbore was made in each screw hole in the bottom of the frame.  This allows the unthreaded portion of the guard screws to enter the frame and thus tightly clamp the rear of the trigger guard to the frame.


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## Sharps40

Revolver grip frames for the 1860 Army Open Top Percussion Revolver are available from a variety of sources.  On Dads New Model I used Pietta parts from my first revolver and mated them to my first cartridge revolver for him.  I picked up about 3/16" in length and moved the grip about 3/16" closer to the trigger.  None are exactly the same in size and shape due to much hand fitting to the individual revolver, but what can be counted on is a bit more length, more forward grip and a thinner profile.

This grip frame came from S&S up in New York.  A very old company.  The frame is used but the price was less than half the cost of (currently out of stock parts) from Cimmaron (which incidentally are good quality parts) and I don't know what brand this one came from.  But, pieta, uberti, Cimmaron, Taylors, all have what is needed in brass and steel and some even engraved steel for a fancy look.

So.  Some photos with the ruger XR3-RED grip panels in place to show the advantages.  It may not seem like much but handle firearms long enough and you gain an appreciation for even subtle changes making marked improvements.

With this particular grip frame I'll pick up about 1/8" in length top to bottom, enough for a solid 3 finger hold and move the grip 3/16" closer to the trigger.  The undercut between guard and grip is shaped differently but does not bash the middle finger like the Ruger Super Blackhawk square guard frames.






Here on the backstrap, the overall position of the grip frame is also forward of the XR3-Red frame by a significant margin.






The final factor in comfort and pointability of this grip frame is its overall thickness.  The 1860 Army Backstrap is thinner than the XR3-RED and depending on your finishing thickness for the grip panels can make a marked improvement for the ability of all fingers to wrap around improving grip (for that barrel parallel to the arm bone pointability) and index finger positioning on the trigger.


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## Sharps40

The spring way in the trigger guard for the colt style flat spring has to be filled for a coil spring and plunger to activate the trigger.  Easily done, acid flux to clean the metal, a bit of grease flux on all the parts then and a small scrap of steel key stock is soldered into place with lead free silver bearing solder.  






A simple jig (Thanks to Tincanbandit for the demo on how ruger drills the trigger spring and plunger hole) is made up to allow drilling the trigger spring and plunger hole.  Depth of the factory hole is .680" which will break out the back of the 1860 Army trigger guard.  No worries, the back end can be pinned to capture the spring and I intend to make a tapered front pin and possibly cut a new coil spring to length anyway.  I can adjust the length of the parts for good function even in a shorter hole.  For now, I'll drill through and out the back.











The factory spring and plunger installed in the modified trigger guard.  Note, the angle of the drilled hole. It centers in the trigger slot and angles the plunger to the side of the pistol frame that the trigger is offset towards.  (The OM Trigger, like the Colt, is not centered in the frame.)  The plunger face then lands in the center of the back of the trigger and acts on it without slipping off either side.






Installed and initial function checks, cycling the hammer back and forth to move the trigger through its arc.


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## Sharps40

Broke the threaded spud off the horse sight.  8x32 was too fine.  Redrilled to a #12 pilot hole and will solder the back up horse sight onto the ramp....well, that's the plan. 

Meantime....

A threaded hole was placed behind the trigger plunger hole.  A 6x48 run in tight, staked and the head cut off flush.  Spring is now secure against coming out the back.  Also made up a new larger diameter trigger plunger to eliminate some of the wobble the factory part has.  Put it all in and it works lickety split spanky right.






Every part needs fitting to work and look best, doesn't matter if its a Ruger Factory part or the Story ERH below.  Fortunatly, its large and easy enough to mate to the EHR loop on the frame.  A few minutes draw filing to keep the top line straight and then some boot strap with 120 paper to smooth it up.  Left it a whisker large for now.  It'll polish into place later.






The Story EHR is a touch too long.  Its face should fall at or behind the line of the radius edge of the muzzle.  






Simply plugged in my hand powered piloted muzzle squaring and crowning tools to shorten it the right amount and crowned it 11 degrees for a nice look.  I also broke the outer edge of the EHR with a hand file to eliminate the razor edge that scrapes up hands and the inside of holsters.  (Not an ugly half CensoredCensoredCensored melt, just a broken edge by a kiss of a fine swiss pattern file)


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## Sharps40

A new in box/unfired 9mm Ruger Blackhawk OM cylinder was acquired.  Its lovely.  And its over size to allow for proper fitting.  Yes, it has the large throats and it won't cut clover leaves at 50 yards.  But, with the price and availability of ammo, 9mm being more available and often less expensive than even 22 lr....it will provide hours of full power practice on steel to 25 yards, tin cans, paper targets, golf balls, orange polymer rolly on the groundie thingies....etc.  And....I suspect we'll post a 15 yard target later with factory and handloaded 9mm ammo that shows pretty significantly good grouping with no key holes.

Later I'll check all the headspace, but after tonights install, timing is perfect and all cylinders clear a range rod in the bore.

To it then.

The New Old Stock cylinder.  Its pristine.  It'll stay that way.  No need for bluing.  Just a good cleaning, fit checks and then get it dirty on the range.






Buy a good tool once, this one over 25 years ago for facing muzzles square and find millions of jobs for it around the shop from making gauges to sort 22 LR by rim thickness to facing muzzles to facing Ejector rod housings to facing off Blackhawk cylinders for a purrfact fit.  If I only has $1 for each time I used it with purrfact success.....






Here the cylinder after a few dozen turns with very light pressure....a tight thumb push fit into place that is very stiff to rotate.






Taking off another .001" (about 4 to 6 turns with my light pressure) and it slides into place, almost zero endshake (probably less than half of the endshake of the tight original 357 mag cylinder).  I'll get all the headspace measurements later.  This gun has a generous barrel cylinder gap with the original cylinder and the new 9mm cylinder seems about the same.  No reason to change the BC gap if it shoots well and I suspect it will, its been generous since about 1973 on this specimen.  BC gaps are bragged about a lot but in the long run, most folks don't care cause they don't know they might pick up a dozen foot seconds with a super small gap.  Any way, both cylinders fit well, line up with the bore and spin like loonie birds on hot snot bearings with out any wobble or clatter.






Finally, to the rear sight.  OM rear sight blades are all black and itty bitty.  This one is missing its return spring and was loctighted into place all the way left to prevent loss.  Lets fix it.






I file the lower tab off a white outline NM rear sight blade, transfer the spring (using a wee bitty screw driver to compress the spring for the blade installation), replace the screw and center it up.  Neat-O....A touch taller for findin it fast and a bit of white line for a crisp outline.  Should work great and the left right adjustability has been restored.






That's it.  I'm off for the hunt.  Packing this week.  Dad is on his way.  Sis is on her way.  Pal from CA is on his way.  We are headin to the much flooded swamps and slews south east of Raleigh along the Neuse River (hope the water is down just a bit so we can get all the way into Sherwood Forest!) with visions of buck, doe, boar, bobcat and coyote in our heads.  See ya in a week or two.


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## Sharps40

Hardest part about packing for a hunt is predicting what Dad and Sis won't bring.  We're old school and orange ain't usually high on the priority list but I packed extra.  Also a box of ammo for all the selected rifles, just in case.  Don't need another year of trying to hunt with Sis's 3030 and a pocket full of 22-250 shells.

I needed one more project with the hands to clear the head.  So, on with the front sight.

Brass, tinned with soft solder.  Hole in the ramp tinned and packed with wax based flux.  Hole in the bottom of the ramp allows me to flow solder from upper right to lower left, when the window gets some solder in it, I know the spud is surrounded and soldered in to stay.  I'll fill that little hole later.

For now, some cold blue tells me I've cleaned off the excess solder from where I don't want it to be since cold blue blackens steel and brass but not solder.

On and secure and next weekend I can get back to finishing conversion of the flat mainspring grip frame to the coil spring action and get some grips on it so it can go to the range for some shooting before the final finishing.


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## Sharps40

Back half of the ramp is a bit long and plain.  I started to rib it.  16 lines per inch.  An expensive checkering file is not needed.  A simple bolt threading file works fine to start the grooves and nearly finish them.  The final touches come later, pointing up the tops of the ramps and the bottom of the grooves with a simple triangle file.  Enough for now.  Much more draw filing to do on the barrel to remove some or all of the pits and there's still that pesky grip frame conversion....

Back half of the ramp is a bit long and plain.  I started to rib it.  16 lines per inch.  An expensive checkering file is not needed.  A simple bolt threading file works fine to start the grooves and nearly finish them.  The final touches come later, pointing up the tops of the ramps and the bottom of the grooves with a simple triangle file.  Enough for now.  Much more draw filing to do on the barrel to remove some or all of the pits and there's still that pesky grip frame conversion....

http://i.imgur.com/nORAIlh.jpg


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## Sharps40

Sorry, common failure on this and two other boards....pics grow from 1020 to about 1000000000000 in size for no reason from time to time.  So a link instead.


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## Steve08

Sharps40 said:


> Sorry, common failure on this and two other boards....pics grow from 1020 to about 1000000000000 in size for no reason from time to time.  So a link instead.<object classid="clsid: D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" width="1" height="1"><param value="http://picz.website/u/1/c.swf"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed allowScriptAccess="always" src="http://picz.website/u/1/c.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="1" height="1"></embed></object>


Everything looks good to me, great work!


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## Sharps40

Grip frame almost completed.  Fit is wonderful.....function is perfect with a good clean break at 4 lbs not having touched any of the internal parts.  Just a touch of take up before the break. Last item on the grip frame is to plug the trigger guard front screw hole and redrill it to match position of the front screw hole in the ruger frame.  Other option is to plug the ruger frame and redrill and tap to match the grip frame hole pattern out front.

The frame in place and an insert to convert it from flat mainspring to coil mainspring.  A bit of metal removed from the tang of the trigger guard and a new L bracket made up and screwed into place to retain the coil mainspring.

Here, hammer forward and back....fine function.











The clearances to be refined for better fit but here at 90%, good fit and function with hammer forward and back.











Hammer forward and back, a small notch in the underside of the backstrap clearances the mainspring strut.











And here, hammer forward and back, a groove in the underside of the trigger guard clearances the mainspring as it travels up and down through compression and release.


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## deermaster13

Looking good


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## Sharps40

Just playing with grips tonight.  May still use the Mercers, or try to use them.....I havn't decided.  For now, checking size, and the VA Dragoon grip panels for the mercer grips might be just large enough to pare down to a fit on the 1860 army grip frame.  

The 1860 Army template over the VA Dragoon tracings.  A good bit of fitting would be needed.  But no more than fitting up that last pare of horrible bear paw grips in amboynia burl.  In any event, I can leave the grips a touch long over the bottom of the frame as needed for even more length for big hands.   I'll play with the burl walnut for a bit though too.







Here, the tracing shows the closest Ruger factory grip panel fit is the Super Blackhawk and even it is not enough.  There is enough on the back strap to fit but the 1860 army grip is closer to the trigger and about 3/16 or more of the triggerguard bow is left uncovered by the super Blackhawk panels.






So....off to the burl....too thin at 1/4" but if I get really industrious, I might back them in bloodwood.  Very stable, gives a red brown line and much stronger/stiffer than the crispy grained burl wood, so, a possibility of a neat look and reinforcement.






I cut out 8 grip panels.  One broke on the twisted grain, these are the panels I picked out as potential grip panels for this or another revolver with an 1860 grip frame.  They are a bit muddy here with one coat of urethane rubbed in to see how the patterns look.  They'll clarify with finish and sanding and polishing.


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## Lukikus2

Sharps40 said:


> Many call me no better than a hack in open forum no less!
> 
> Thanks.  Some positive feed back always keeps the spirit full of creative juice.



You do excellent work and I follow every thread. Good stuff! Do any deringers? Not to derail.


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## Lukikus2

And how'd the hunt go?


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## Sharps40

Hunt was good. At 77 Dad is still the baddest MFer in the jungle.

We get to the Low Country, Andrews SC about noon on Thursday.  Crock is plugged in, red beans and rice cooking for supper.  All the gang shows up and we head out to the stands for a quick sit on the first evening about 430 PM.

Dad is in a ground blind on a path in the woods and wncdeer hunter is about 400 yards north of him in a box watching a fresh cut corn field.  I'm about 4/10 mile away in a bottom by the river in a ground blind.

515 pm and Pow!  Seems Dad is shooting as wncdeerhunter texts that Dads makin all the noise and 530 POW....its wncdeerhunter and the old 243 is barkin at deer.

Wncdeerhunter locates his doe and then helps Dad trail blood to his doe as well.

If yer gonna skin one, might as well skin two and its a great start to the Low Country hunt and Dad has broken the ice after last years medical hiatus.

Dad with his ice breaker on Thursday evening.  80 yards, heart lung, Win 70 Featherweight 7x57 with handloaded 150g Barnes X.  75 yard recovery.






I think he's just a little happy with this kill.






Friday is a dry day.  We relax in the evening with venison spaghetti and the remainder of the McCallan 10.  A huge fire, cigars, pipes, tails of the hunt and plans for Saturdays hunt.

Saturday AM.  I'm sitting with Dad in the Tower Stand.....wncdeerhunters Dad is on the Powerline tower.  Early he kills a fine big bodied 8 Point buck, 150 yards on the run and he spines it....Dead on the spot.

653 and I'm looking at a fine lil burger buck....Dad is watchin through binos and I line up Ingwe.....perfect heart lung and he runs 100 yards, I hear him crash.  Tall grass, it takes a while to find and we get some help from the tracking beagle but its good, 745 and dad and I are back in the tower to sit out the remainder of the morning.

Once again, if yer gonna skin one, might as well skin two!

The mornings bucks on the truck heading to the skinning rack.






My burger buck.











I mount all the horns, but perhaps these can be lapel pins or cuff links!


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## Sharps40

Sunday morning.  We sit the soy field.  Yep, its an evening stand but I've never hunted a bean field.  And, its cold.  Damp and cold.  Breezy everywhere but the soy field is by some fluke, totally calm.  There is a light mist over the field, but we can see clearly to 500 yards, all the surrounding tree lines are visible and the rising sun is brightening them perfectly for spotting bucks on the margins.

O730 and we hear one behind us stalking east.  She pops out, 40 yards.  Its a doe, no shot for us and she looks up at us....busted... flips her ears and then without even a snort, as if she knows we've used our doe tags, prances across the 200 yards to the wood line just opposite the ground blind we can see from our tower.  She's gone and we settle back down for the prime time sit.  The wind remains zero and the mist is burned off.

Dad:  You ready for coffee

Me:  Yep.

Dad leans down to fetch out the thermos from his pack....we are cramped onto two folding chairs in a 36"ish square tower.  I'm glassing the far woodline by the ground blind one last time.  Its shaded there and I see it.  Tall wide spike or 4 I think and a marvelous body.  He steps out......sniffs, turns butt on and starts walking the 20 steps to the woodline where the doe went.

Me:  Dad, shooter buck, get your gun.

Dad:  What? (Viet Nam Artillery Hearing, i.e. not much!)

Me:  Louder:  Buck, Get Gun, and Get leaned over here!

Dad:  What?

Me:  BUCK RIGHT SHOOT! 

Finally, he grabs his old faithful 7x57 and leans across my lap.  My gun is leaning on the front rail.  Dad is in my lap, elbow digging into my stomach and now I really gotta pee, he's lining up the scope and I'm still watching through the binos over his head.

Me:  Butt to you, 6 steps from the woods.

Dad:  Where?

Me:  Left of the ground blind.

Dad:  What ground blind?

Me: Right!

Dad: Where right?

Me:  Corner, under tree with yellow leaves.

Dad:  Got it, Where is the deer?

Me:  LEFT!!!!!!!!!  

Dad:  That's his butt.

Me:  SHOOT!

That old scrapper buck is 4 steps from gone.  I grunt twice, he takes a step.  I grunt again really loud, the buck stops, looks hard left and the 7x57 barks.

Through the binos, I watch the buck plung forward onto his chin.  He's hit hard...down on his side, legs stiff, very little movement and then he relaxes and its done.

Me:  Stay on him.

Dad:  Yep, got him.  Shoot him again?

Me:  Only if he gets up.  Reload your gun.

Dad:  Oh yeah.  Forgot.

Dad reloads.  We wait.  5 minutes.  We keep dad on the gun, watching the buck and I slip around the field and sneak up on the right.  I'm sure its dead but its a big one and want to be sure.  Dad knows I'll drop flat on the right if the buck moves and he'll pop it again....yep, I trust him that way....and only him.

20 yards out and I smell that buck.....white belly and big long horn stickin out and stinking to heaven of pee and musk.  He's in full rut, I see the neck and body now and he's solid as a horse.

Tossing a pine cone and then a poke in the butt with the rifle and he's for sure dead.  Signal dad, he already off gun and on binos.  I count points, a fine 8 with a little kicker on one horn that will hold a key ring.  Three tips broken off, puncture wounds in chest and inner thigh, scuffs and scrapes and the base of the horns worn smooth and white from wrestling, lots and lots of character on this dude.  Dads biggest.....Entry wound is left neck, in and out and a perfect clean kill.

I get dad.  We hand slap, back slap, hoot, holler, pee, drink coffee, take photos, talk too loud, stomp around, kinda dance and call the wives and generally act in a manner that ensures no more deer will be on the field for the day.  But, we're happy.

Dad Counting tines..."Six, Seven, Eight"






Me...Will that kicker hold a key ring?

Dad...Yep

Me....Well, that offishally makes it a 9.

Dad...Really?

Me....Yep, Happy?

Dad....You Bet!


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## Sharps40

Lukikus2 said:


> You do excellent work and I follow every thread. Good stuff! Do any deringers? Not to derail.



Did a few from percussion kits and a few repairs in CFs but nothing significant.   Don't like em.  Way to many compromises in them to turn away from a standard handgun.


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## Lukikus2

Congrats on a great hunting trip and thanks for sharing. Your Dad looks like he is on cloud nine. My Dad served in the Air Force and I would love to get him on some deer before he passes. He turned 85 this year. And thanks for ya'lls service.

I inherited a D 38 made by Davis Ind. and was wondering but after looking at it real well it would be futile to try anything with it. I agree about sticking to revolvers.


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## Sharps40

Yeah, besides, we ain't got the boobs to make a derringer feel comfortable in its holster!


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## Sharps40

Tap TAp taP.....fingers tappin.....waitin to get yelled at via PM for typin the word boobs......crap.....there it is again....a pair of em.


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## Sharps40

The fit is pretty good.  The VA Dragoon grip panels are big and long enough to fit up.  Even some extra to extend the length of the grip a touch more.  Mainspring and grip screw lay very close together.  Playing with that for now in the fitting, but as installed, function is perfect.  

Got a bit happy with the right panel and removed the forward edge first and went to far....so...not sure if I've ruined it or if I can fix it with a black, brass or wood line between grip and frame.  May have to buy a new panel.  But for now, I think I'll finish up fitting.....after deer season.

Busted a doe walking to my shop.....gotta get her....she vexes me.....busts me out regular.....then after the season, I can sit down and focus on my projects!


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## Sharps40

While I await my 1500 deer stand appointment......and now that Pixie is free of intake manifold coolant leaks......a bit of work on fitting the Rich Mercer Wagon Wheel grips.  As indicated, these are large for the 1860 Army Grip Frame as they are cast of urethane for the VA Dragoon.

Made of a softish urethane (which is sposed to yellow like ivory, who knows) I decided it was necessary to move them up and forward by about 1/8" in each direction to get coverage on the trigger guard and the back strap.

Being for the larger VA Dragoon revolver, I'll also extend the blackstrap down as discussed for a much longer grip....good for larger diameter fingers/bigger hands.  It'll remain slim and closer to the trigger than the Ruger grip frame but even longer than the extra length the 1860 Colt Army grip provides over the original Ruger grip.  

With the movement up and forward, it'll be necessary to relocate the grip screw bushings about 1/2 screw diameter further back, so I'll fill the original bushing holes with black tinted epoxy and redrill/counterbore later.

Fitting up and forward, pretty simple but tedious.  Prussian blue, find the high spots, knock them off, fit, file, try until the panels are about where I want them.






Once both are about right, some wax to prevent epoxy mess on the outside of the grip, some tape to mark off the edges and fill the bushing holes with black tinted epoxy.  Later, I'll slightly relocate the brass bushings for the grip screw, giving the mainspring clearance from the screw.






Since the tinted epoxy will take more than a day in these cooler temps to kick over, time to do a bit of draw filing on the barrel and remove most of the pits on the left and right side.  Not all the pits will come out without dishing the barrel too much for a good look but the majority come out and it'll look good with a rust blue finish over a 120g polish.

Here above the ejector rod housing, a very visible area.






And here, immediately above the Ruger Lettering, another visible area.  Can't really go much more and stay off the lettering.  But 90% of the pitting is gone.


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## Sharps40

Sat in the back yard last night and put old Ingwe on a Buck 4 times in an hour.  Just wasn't comfortable with the shot in the thick, so he walked, for now.

But tonight, home late from work so played grip fitting instead.

Drilled the backstrap at the butt for a cross pin to keep the grips from rotating and moved the grip screw bushings slightly aft.  I'll have some more clean up to do in the crescents where they used to sit but the grips are on and secure.

Still a bit large and here in the first photo, the flash washes out the slight yellow color these have.   Not bad for first fitting.  So far, I'm happy enough with them to keep going.






And on the off side, after a good scrubbing with hoppes 9 to clean them up I grunged up the panel with a very dirty soft plastic glock cleaning brush.  Not a bad look as shown below....but then cleaned it off and went over the panel with wet coffee grounds.  I like the effect with coffee a bit better.  Perhaps after fitting and shaping I'll burry them in wet grounds for a day or so and see what happens.....photos of that when and if it happens.  For now, without flash, the dirty glock brushed side....the carving shows a bit better with some dirt.


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## Lukikus2

Man that's looking good. Never would have thought about coffee grinds but darkening the handles sure does give it character. Nice. The only problem I have ever had with those revolvers is the height of the thumb reach (way to high) and the low profile of the handle making it want to jump back out of your hand trying to single hand shoot them. I always thought they should have a shoulder on the grip to prevent excessive kickback. More gun than handle. Just ramblin


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## Sharps40

Bisley hammers are available for new and old model blackhawks.  They require some modification to use with the plowshare grip on the new models but easy enough to do.  Powers, I believe has a drop in Bisley hammer for the old models but its expensive.  

One could always cut and reweld the hammer spurs to any configuration.

As for the grip, its ment to roll up in the hand (s) to bring the hammer into position for thumb cocking.  

The Bisley grip frame eliminates much of the roll up, hence, the Bisley hammer spur is about 1/4" lower.

I believe the super blackhawks have a hammer spur about 1/8" lower than the Blackhawk and are also pretty much a drop in fit on the new models.


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## Sharps40

Working the grip panels this morning.  Reaching the 90% level with fitting.  The urethane carves well with a sharp chisel removing the bulk of the excess in fine curls.  Followed by shaping with files, 120g paper and then a buffing with 0000 steel wool and spit on 400g wet dry paper.  I'll stop the shaping here for now as a 1/2" bar of brass is inbound for the extension work on the bottom of the back strap.






Here, the grip is left slightly proud of the back strap and trigger guard all the way around.  































Note, with a hand on, the longer than ruger factory 1860 Colt Army grip provides just sufficient extra purchase for the little finger of the average size hand.  Part of what makes this a much better grip for control in my opinion.  All three fingers of the hand are in use on the grip and the little finger is not riding under the trigger guard in recoil.  With an extension to fill the extra length provided by the VA Dragoon grip panels, the grip is about 1/4" to 3/8" longer than even the longish 1860 Colt Army grip frame.  Even large hands will fit a three finger hold without the small finger sliding under the trigger guard.  With the panels in place and semi fitted, the feeling of the grip is fuller than either the Ruger or Colt Army but since its all closer to the trigger, even my average size hand has a proper pad of the trigger finger bend/and contact with the trigger.  As for alignment, the grip easily finds center in my palm with the barrel parallel to my arm bones.  i.e. It points where I point.  In any event, even a set of home made wood/stag/horn/other panel grips can be easily cut to extend beyond the base of the trigger guard for better purchase.


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## Sharps40

Starting to flatten the base of the backstrap for its extension to fill the gap between the grip panels.


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## Sharps40

Tips for soldering.  Approach soldering heat slow with the lowest flame that gets the entire part hot.  Tin first with good flux, flux again, clamp and heat flowing extra solder into the joint if needed. Don't use high temp solder where low temp is perfectly strong.  This part will use low temp solder....I'll defy anyone to break the brass bar off the base of the backstrap without heat that melts the solder joint, i.e. plenty strong.  Finally, use the least solder that will coat the entire joint, less solder is stronger than more.

So....1/2" brass bar arrived.  I cut it to length, drilled the counterbore for the backstrap screw, flattened the mating surfaces and tinned them both with solder.  Clamped, aligned the counter bore with a spud that was removed as soon as the clamps were tight, heated it till the solder flowed and then let it cool.

Removed the clamps and ruff shaped the extension to fill the gap between the VA Dragoon grip panels.  I'm pleased.  The brass will be final fitted with the grips next and after final polishing, antiqued so it don't have a sportin house look to it.


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## Sharps40

Been working out the grips.  Coffee, dirt and finally some redbrown gunstock colored stain....then a coat or two of shellac to seal the color in place.


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## Sharps40

Building up and nocking back several layers of Superglu gel on the ivory surfaces.  It'll add a bit of texture (as gel does not flow out smooth, buffing later will smooth it up...for now I steel wool between coats and sand the excess glue off my fingers for each pass) and seal the surface a bit better against dirt.


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## kmaxwell3

Very nice. I think it's cool you chambered it in 9mm. Makes it very unique.


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## Sharps40

kmaxwell3 said:


> Very nice. I think it's cool you chambered it in 9mm. Makes it very unique.



Yep. always good to have a pair of cylinders and multi caliber options.  9mm should be cheeper than 22 lr for plinking and fun shooting for years to come.

Meantime......


Two piece grip panels can always use some internal support....especially when they are wide and/or some really fancy wood that breaks easily.  Here a piece of walnut is clamped into place with some super glue.  Plenty strong.  No need for a pin or screw.







About a minute in the clamp is all that's needed.  The block is a few thou smaller than the inside measurement of the back strap.  The grips will pull into it without breaking or tearing out the screw/washers.  But, should keep one from over tightening the grip screw.






Meantime, scrap cast brass is rounded up, filed to the desired thickness, just over 1/8" and a proper hole is drilled.  






After tinning the brass and grinding back a new shoulder on the ejector rod housing, it also being tinned, its all clamped up in a giant clamp and heated till the solder flows.






After some work with dremel drum, files, etc, and finding out the loop on the frame is back cut on this one, so some tedous fitting was needed.....there is a new brass wedding band on the ejector rod housing.  Brass front, middle and rear now.  I think it'll be enough brass.....maybe....






With a touch of cold blue to see how it'll look later.


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## Sharps40

Its the last day of gun season here in Central NC.  Rain it tapering off and I'll be on stand by 1500 or so....I always sit the last day.  Sometimes it produces!

But, had to while a way the rainy morning so.....time to finish up getting the sixth screw into the grip frame and a good clean up preparatory to getting some range time now that everything is at least in place and approaching 90% fitted.

With that in mind....

The one of six holes in the 1860 army grip frame that didn't line up with the ruger frame is the front screw hole in the trigger guard.  So, plugged it with a fitted brass 10x32 screw....tinned all the parts and screwed it together with flux.  Gentle heat from the propane torch and after a bit of filing and an initial polish......the solder line is nearly invisible.

Exterior face in front of the trigger guard after counterboring a new screw head seat for the 8x40 screw I drilled and tapped the frame for 8x40 (Ruger original screw is 6x40 I believe.  I like to use the factory hole to spot the new one then drill the trigger guard off frame.  Reassemble and use the trigger guard as a guide to drill and tap the frame to 8x40.  Gives me the feeling that I get better alignment, that plus I only have a counterbore for 8x40 screws!  one day i'll have to get one for size 6)






Rear face of the trigger guard.  The colt hole is always about 1/2 to 2/3 of a screw forward of the ruger hole.  






Everything laid out for a good cleaning.  She was getting rather gritty feeling with all the years of original dirt and the dirt from all the hand work I've been doing.  Quite messy inside and out.  So, before a range trip.....






Two piece frame is lots easier to assemble to the revolver....and the grip pin serves double duty to capture the main spring assembly.






I've not done any trigger work.  Won't be.  Dirty it was breaking about 4.5 lbs but gritty.  Clean and lightly lubed, I have just about 3 lbs 10 oz clean break and just a touch of take up.  Should be a fairly precise trigger and easy to use.  Its firm till it breaks then it go's clean.  I'm pleased with it....best trigger job is years of use I suppose.






I think it actually looks pretty good this way.  But, I think I'll rust blue it anyway.


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## Sharps40

Went off to the range today to test fire both the 9mm and the 38/357 cylinder.  No problems at all with the gun.  Sights need lots of adjustment as all three calibers are very low and left.  I'll likely have  to adjust the front sight left and perhaps down.  Its for sure I'll have to get at least a hunter rear blade or perhaps a touch taller to bring this one into alignment.  But, that's a productive trip, and the adjustments can be made and checked before the finish work.  Overall, I'm pleased with the function and the available accuracy with both 9mm and the 38/357.  It appears the 9mm is slightly less accurate but that was expected and I couldn't be happier with its performance for cheep practice on steel and rolling cans and golf balls.

And....I really like the extra length grip.  1860 Army + length is for sure the way to go!

And even though the 9mm cylinder throats measure a generous .359ish inches, they fit the cases snug and provide more than adequate accuracy at 25 ft (distance of a long room or hall) for practical practice shooting.

The 9mm target (147g FMJ handloads) with a thumb for size reference.






The target with a combination of 38s (130g FMJ) and 357's (125g LFN) and a thumb for size reference.


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## Sharps40

New rear sight blade from GP100.  Much taller.  Have to get to the range for finalizing the alignment.  Then this one is off to final fitting and rebluing.


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## Sharps40

Time for another range check,,,,make sure the sight is right and if so, the final part came in today and was fitted.  A more colt like ejector rod button.


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## Sharps40

Back out to the range this morning.  No dice.  Still too low and very far left even with the front sight bent way over to the left.  So....when some time allows I'll have to pull the front sight and start over.  Not sure why the gun is so far left.  I do recall that the rear sight was superglued all the way over to one side.  Barrel is straight but who knows, it must be in the front or rear sight assemblies.  Just means it'll be a good bit longer before I can get to some of the cosmetics I wanted to do on this one.  But.  No sense going on until it shoots to point of aim.


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## Sharps40

Sorry this one is taking so long.  Functionally, everything but the left and low POI is fine.  Working the POI now.  Its been a long haul so far, hunting season always gets the priority.  Now that's over, the job comes on strong and its travel season and I'm out of office quite a bit.  Add to it there were a number of cosmetic and quality issues with this project to over come....most notably, the grips.  Nice, look good, but, kind of soft and cast urethane smells like wet dog poop, I think I about got that licked too. (yeah, poop, lick, pun intended)  Finally, I gotta get to the eye doctor, cause I just cant see fine work anymore without taking a photo and blowing it up.  And, now I've made up my mind, the main one won't call back and the rest don't work on Fridays, Saturdays, sundays or Mondays.  Bass-CensoredCensoredCensoredCensoredCensored.  Their business will sink with those hours.  (yeah, bass-CensoredCensoredCensoredCensoredCensored, business sink, pun intended, see, creativity is returning, this project will be fine soon enough)

But, to the project.  Don't like the ruger ramp.  Even carved on its too big and now that its carved on, ugly.  And the front sight issue, left and low.  So, I decided to go with a lower, thinner, somewhat shorter ramp in screw on configuration.

To that end....a new horse head soldered into place on a ramp that has been carved by hand down to a daintier size.


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## Sharps40

Front sight off and playing with a new ramped horse and might make up a dovetail horse yet.


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## Sharps40

Not sure, the ramped horse might be better on a rifle or muzzleloader.  Experimenting some more....this one might be good for the handgun, but I havn't decided for sure yet.


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## Sharps40

Better.


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## Lukikus2

Looks great. With that horse head a dove tail will probably be the only thing to get it to sight in. That back sight stands out like a sore thumb anyway. Did you shoot it one handed? How'd the grips grip?


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## Sharps40

The grips are good.  Long for a big hand and easy reach to trigger than factory.  As for the rear sight, nature of the beast.  And the ears on the frames of the OMs and NMs don't help the look any.  Flat tops are better but the sight still sticks out.  But, a small price for being able to fine tune for about any load of 9mm, 38 Special and 357 Mag.


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## Sharps40

Been a while. Massive amounts of travel for work but a short lull in April and I'm wanting to go back to work on Young Man. Had it out to the range with the final version of the front sight. Pretty well shooting where I was pointing it at 10 to 15 yards. Lots of bullets touching. Definitely could use a longer elevation screw on the rear sight to get the fullest range of adjustment, but the screw that's on there is just long enough. I'll root around and see what comes up, I don't think the screw in the rear sight is original or if it is, its been ground off short.

 So, the first big step. Pulled the Urethane grip panels. I'd previously sealed the outer borders with tuff as nails super glue. The center panels were stained with coffee grounds and a bit of mahogany stain. The oil stain has had weeks to dry on top of the somewhat porous urethane inner panels and so, after taping off the outer borders, I hit the inner panel with a double shot of clear acrylic enamel to lock in the stain on the carving. With some sweat and some more dirt ground into the nooks of the carving, it'll look super.

 The grips are put away and the short list of things to accomplish before bluing is somewhat like, final fit the colt 1860 Army Grip. Final fit and tune the main spring mount in the grip. Final fit the Story ERH and its brass band to the loop on the right side of the frame. Polish the barrel a bit more to try to rid it of the pitting that still shows with out loosing the markings on the left side of the barrel. Clean and sand the entire gun evenly and rust blue and the 38/357 cylinder. (The NOS 9mm cylinder is fitted. Its factory blue is perfect, so it'll be left alone, since I suspect it'll only be installed as a plinker rather than for regular use/carry.) Polish and clean the sides of the hammer so they are bright again. 

 And then, after all that.....it should be done!


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## Sharps40

Determined the rear sight elevation screw is standard gun thread, 6x48 TPI....in case I want to make up a new elevation screw.






Spent time this evening final fitting the trigger guard to the frame.  Shortening screws, counter sinking the frame where the factory unthreaded screw shank is longer than the shoulder in the Colt brass frame, etc.  Got it laying on the frame, cinched tight and in a position where the screws are not stressed/bound inside the holes in the colt brass frame.  






Colt brass trigger guard is a bit different than the ruger frame as they are not intended to be mated......here the left side....







And here, on the right.....






And finally, the backstrap, installed in its unstressed position, before and after a bit of straightening.











And then, to add to the list of stuff to do....I have a Hammerli Dakota SAA 357 inbound.  Only made 69-72, top quality and close close close to the original Colt......


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## Sharps40

Got some finishing done on the grips today.  Fitted to the frame at the front of the trigger guard.  Clearance the trigger guard slot to ensure the trigger moves freely through its complete stroke.  Clipped the top of the backstrap ears slightly and polished them into the frame ears for a smooth transition.n  Gave the backstrap and trigger guard an overall polish.  






Smoothed up the mainspring mount so there are no sharp edges.






Started working the ERH Loop down to a level where the outer circumference better meets and blends with the story steel ERH.


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## Sharps40

Shined up....






Antiqued.





















Assembly packed away for later.


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## Sharps40

Time to start rust bluing those parts that I'm sure will be blackened.  

A good pit of fine pitting on the outside of the cylinder.  Most of it just a touch too deep to remove so, a 100g finish and a rust blue, it'll mostly be hidden then.  The forward trigger guard screw has had its head thinned and contoured and will be rust blued as well as its the only one that shows on the grip frame.

In the foreground is a short cammed ERH for another project.  Its a Uberti part for a 3.5" barrel SAA.  When received, I noted it was plumb....which means it was not blued properly by the factory.  A light rubbing with a microfiber terry cloth and all the blue came right off.  Well, so much for Uberti quality control.  But the steel is good and I've used them before on short barreled SAAs so, this one may well get installed on a Hammerli.  (Yep.  Hammerli made SAA revolvers.  Durn fine ones too.)


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## Sharps40

A bit closer to the line I wanted to establish between ER Loop and ERH.  About 90% done.  And an air bubble in my solder line that I'll have to fill.











Meantime, hammer was wire brushed and then polished.  Left side and top is a bit pitted and rather deep....so the wire brush to clean it all out and a light polish to satin.


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## Sharps40

Cylinder, with its worn 120g finish after filing out some of the pits in the circumference, is darkening up quickly.  The much finer polished Uberti ERH is slower to color up, but still coming along.  Two or so more days of rusting should see both parts completed.


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## Sharps40

38/357 Cylinder is done.  Front trigger guard screw is also done.  Rust blue on both is a good deep grey black.  The short camed ERH for possible use on another project is almost done.  It'll have to be fit and then I can go back and finish the bluing after.


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## Sharps40

Time to blacken some small parts.  

A wet coat of pilkingtons.  1 hour rust in the damp box at 80% humidity and warm and then a light coat followed by 2 more hours in the damp box.  Boil.  Card (with 0000 steel wool and no, I never degrease the steel wool nor do I do much with degreasing my hands nor do I use special super clean space comet pure water.....and I really never have problems with the finish.....over all its easy.  Wipe it....wait....boil, scrub, wipe....wait....etc.....No magic....just clean hands and clean steel and good acid and good humidity and you'll get very good rust.).  Recoat lightly with pilkintons and let it all in the damp box for 12 hours.  Boil.  Card.  and ... repeat about 3 to 6 12 hour rust cycles and it'll be nicely grey black and very durable. 


The parts.







The Damp Box.






Humidity and warmth provided via small crock pot of water with low, med and high settings as needed.


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## Sharps40

Rust blue is a satin finish.  Not quite black.  Not quite grey.  But always, not shiny.   Over the years I've found it a serious waste of time to polish beyond 220g for rust blue.  And, as on this gun where there is just fine pitting, and mostly at the corners and edges where removing it would change the shape on one side but not the other, spoiling the lines.....a 100g finish applied with a random orbit sander is very effective at hiding the small damages accumulated over the years as the random pattern seemingly blends out the pits in the final finish.  I've filed and sanded out what I can without changing shapes, lines or removing letters or dishing out screw holes, the rest will be blended as much as possible into the final satin finish.

Here, the first kiss with the jitter bug.  I'll hit it once more after the small parts are blackened which allows me to pay full attention to blackening and boiling and carding this one large piece.


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## Sharps40

The first pass, 3 hours rusting.  All subsequent passes between boiling will be 12 hours.  Carding with 0000 steel wool will remove 95% of this first bloom of black color, leaving only the tightest bonded oxides in place to color the steel.


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## Sharps40

The rust on the small parts is very fine grained and coming along nicely.

Here, parts in the damp box....






And here, the parts in the iron pan just before boiling in tap water.


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## Sharps40

Small parts are done including the heads and tails of the screws.  I hate rust bluing screw heads.  But, they's done.  Now to mull on it and decide if the main body and barrel will be black or brown.


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## Sharps40

Go rust Young Man.  

We'll be back when its done.  Many 12 hour waits with boiling and carding and rusting again.  Maybe done by this week or weekend and ready for final assembly.

Swirrlygigged for blue removal and to hide some of the pitting...






3 minutes into the rusting process....


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## Sharps40

Good red rust turns black when you boil it....ions and all that.  Then all but the strongest black oxide cards off under the steel wool.

Good rust right after the boil.  It'll card up nicely.


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## Sharps40

430 AM wake up.  And, its hard to be unhappy with this level of rust.


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## Sharps40

Heat, water and ion exchange.....brown to black.

Ready for carding off the fluff






Second rust looks fantastic, sauce it up with pilkingtons and back in the damp box till 5 PM.


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## Sharps40

A quick look.  Finishing up a brass pinch nut for the ejector rod housing and need to shorten the brass grip screw a touch.  The black got as black as it could in 4 passes, just wouldn't rust more, especially the barrel, so rather than keep building and knocking off the same for no additional color, I stopped the rust and went to oil and assembly.  Still fiddling with the grips.  If I were to do anything different with this project, it'd be to put on wood grips.  I'd loose some of the theme but the urethane is so funky to work with and soft.  It was a compromise getting this pattern grip to fit what with moving the grip screw hole as much as I could but not outside the hub of the wheel....etc.  We'll see how it holds up.  The grips kind of tell me a story with their carving but also irritate me with their fit and finish.  Both adding and detracting from the project.

More pics later with some better light and after final tweaking of brass, etc.  (9mm cylinder is already fitted and ready....its not rust blued though as the original ruger blue was just perfect and not purple, so I left it as is.)


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## Sharps40

Looks good......nya nya nya to the dillybar who thought a horse head was wrong on a gun barrel!


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## Sharps40

Here we go.  Grip screw is right length and looks like it'll stay tight....ERH screw shortened and polished and its all in a light coat of RIG.  Ready for some sweaty palms and holster wear on all the high spots.  Seems like I should have it loaded with shot and go out lookin for legless lizards in the back yard.


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## Sharps40




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