# 1860 Army Blackhawk



## Sharps40

This may be premature.  I ain't made no measurements yet.  And I see that #1 Tardeddoggy has given both a healty slobber snort while I had my back turned.....but, with a bit of luck I hope to marry the Slimmer Finer 1860 Colt Army 44 brass grip to the new model Ruger Blackhawk.  I think we'll be leaving the barrel around 5 to 5.5" for use as a hunter.....5 being the minimum length for handgun hunting deer and such in many states.  If this 2 piece/flat spring grip is a no go then perhaps a true Birds Head grip or better, a custom birdshead shape.  Grips I'm leaning towards redwood burl or bloodwood.

So, as a place holder while I sip good Bourbon and think over the road ahead.....


----------



## Sharps40

The overall condition seems great.  Plenty tight and timed well.  A few freckles but the bluing is pretty darn good.  Number one on the list was peeling back them dayumed ugly pachmeyers, why anybody'd put em on a single action while still sober is beyond me.  But...there ain't no stupid locking mechanism under there so I'm happy!....


----------



## Sharps40

Born on date is......drum roll......1974.  So this one is just barely a New Model.


----------



## biggdogg

I love reading your threads. You can't help but learn a thing or three.


----------



## Sharps40

Rough measurement of the frame and grip with calipers indicates the widths and heights are close, may work.  The trigger guard area is wider than the Ruger Frame too, so we should be able to fit the cheep part to the spensive part.

Eyeball wise, screw holes appear close....I'll know more when I try to fit some parts for the first time.

Looking at the two grips together.....I like the 1860 and beat up walnut lots more than the rubber Stinkmeyers.

No medallion and no grip screw....smaller and rounder too.






Here the 1860 overlaid onto the New Model Blackhawk and the Suckwilies rubber grip....






And here, the 1860 compared to a vintage and near like new in box Old Model (3 Screw, 1968) 357 Blackhawk.  The 1860 grip is rounder and a scooch longer, more pinkie wrap friendly and what you can't see.....when installed it should be a bit closer to the trigger....


----------



## Sharps40

Its a forgone conclusion, if the grip fits, a Stainless Bisley hammer is gonna be needed.


----------



## hayseed_theology




----------



## Sharps40

Step one is seeing if the 1860 Army Colt brass grip frame will fit the New Model Blackhawk frame.  Whether is does or not....a fit is no guarantee it'll work in the end.  I still need to make up a plan for cylinder bolt spring and plunger, trigger return spring and coil mainspring assembly.  That plus see if I have room left to make up true one piece grips or if I have to default to a two piece grip.....lots of sittin on the milk crate sippin bourbon without getting drunk.

But for now, we see that the back strap is a direct bolt up.  The slot for the hammer notch is a bit wide and we might either rebush the frame screw holes for the small head ruger screws or get some screws with bigger heads that will fit the ruger....but first touch is a good one and two screws home free.






The trigger guard and lower grip strap...two of three ruger screws driven home thru the Colt Army holes.  Again, could consider either bushing the holes or larger headed screws.  The front screw hole is as I thought, a bit out of line...so I'll have to fill that and redrill the brass trigger guard to match the ruger frame.  But this is good....4 out of 5 ruger grip screws in place and snugged down and the brass parts are a whisker proud of the steel frame...so room to fit the width to perfection.






Final rough assembly looks pretty spanky good.


----------



## Sharps40

Some size comparisons between the 1860 Army Colt grip frame and the New Model Ruger grip frame.

The grip is not as thick front to back and the trigger guard is closer to the grip than the ruger.






This is the rough positioning of the ruger mainspring assembly in the 1860 Army Colt frame.  Close and may need a bit of relief along the lower loop.  In addition, the original 1860 Army Colt flat spring mounting screw should make a nice spot for a mainspring bracket....something for it to push on.  Its going to be a tight fit for sure.


----------



## Sharps40

Here are some comparisons of the assembled 1860 Army Colt grip on the Ruger New Model Blackhawk as compared to a pristine and bone stock 1968 Ruger Old Model 3 Screw Blackhawk.  (Comparisons to the 3 screw are made cause I don't have wood for the New Model frame....just an ugly Pacmeyer and I don't want my old model wood buggered by movin it around on frames.  But, the comparison's below to the Old Model frame should be close enough to the New Model to give one an ider of the changes.)

The 1860 Army Colt grip has a lot less wood down the back than the Old Model, effectively allowing smaller hands to reach the trigger.






The 1860 Army Colt grip has a lot less wood all the way around than the Old Model.  It'll be more pinkie wrap friendly for everybody.






The 1860 Army Colt grip is lots longer than the Old Model.






From above you can see the 1860 Army Colt grip is smaller and slightly more forward than the Old Model.











With the faces of the recoil shields lined up we can see some differences in the thickness and length of the trigger guard loop and plate where it attaches to the frame.


----------



## Sharps40

Time to fix the number one flaw in every New Model Blackhawk.  Ya can't pull the cylinder pin out of the frame cause its a couple of fingernails thickness too long.






Nice big bulbus rounded end smacks into the ejector button and ya can't get the cylinder pin out for cleaning....at least not without unscrewing the ejector rod housing from the barrel which leads to boogered screw heads and in short order a set of stripped threads in the barrel and yer off to the gunsmith hopin for a repair an not a new barrel.  






Grind off the bulbusness, smooth it over slightly round....






Slip it in past the ejector rod button, nice, lotsa room to swing it in and out now, then stab it home and yer done.











Way too long barrel with ugly front sight is shortened a bit.  I'll leave the factory barrel 5.1" right now and square, chamfer and crown it.  That clears the Ruger Instruction Manual on the Left side.....havn't decided if I'll polish it off for a clean look.  But, 5.1" is a good length for a hunting handgun and like I said, a minimum hunting barrel length in several states.  The Ruger Lightning on top has a 3.5" barrel and ejector rod assembly....its also set up so that the cylinder pin can be removed without taking off the entire ejection system.  Ya should be able to clean and inspect the major components of a Blackhawk without tools and touching up the length of the cylinder pin gets you 100% there.






Initial square, crown and chamfer, done with piloted hand tools as described in my many threads on gunsmithing.






So, todays work....a quick look.  I think its coming together nicely.  Still need a front sight selection and some other cosmetic metal work....and naturally, some long hours with the 1860 Army Colt brass grip frame.


----------



## Sharps40

Boy O....the New Model Blackhawk frame is noticeable longer than the Old Model.  Like 3/16" or so on the calibrated eyeball.  

A quick look at the trigger to guard relationships.  Mainspring too.  Hammer to complete the picture and kinda help rough in the locations of the parts.

This is lookin good so far, some work, but perhaps not insurmountable.

The feel of that grip is pretty excellent.  I'll have to get it together and put on a try sight for some shooting.  I'm wondering if a bisley hammer is going to be so low when cocked that the hand will be in its way.


----------



## Sharps40

Getting some of the front end stuff done cause its gonna be the same whether its 1860 Army Colt or Birdshead out back.

So.  A pic of where its at and usein my standard methods, duct tape a try sight, in this case a shortened Williams ramp into place with a 3/32" brass bead....just to start getting a feel for how a slimmer trimmer ramp sight with removable blades might look.  May have to epoxy this into place for a shooting test before going final.






Did the cylinder chamfer.  Not much to it.  Run it both ways in the drill press or if not reversible, run it one way up and one way down to get an even chamfer on both sides of the flutes.  (the file cuts hardest at the leading edge of each flute, so your chamfer looks tapered wide to narrow between the flutes unless you reverse directions to even it up....it ain't no lathe remember?  Also, not too deep, so as not to uncover the back of the barrel, just to the bottom of the flute or shallower is fine.)  Then some work with 120 grit backed by a file to remove almost all o the pitting on the cylinder.  Just a touch left near one locking notch.  I don't know iffin it'll come out or not.  I'll get back to it later....this cylinder may get an experimental home caustic blue before final polish and finishing out the entire gun.  We'll see.






A quick tour around the rough assembly as it stands now.





















The lettering sure is ugly and the back of the ramp could use a bit of thinning.






But the Operational View is pretty spankey right on....


----------



## Sharps40

We should know more in a few weeks. I want to get all the front half metal work done to about the 80% level and then pull the wood stock and see how much trouble I'm gonna be in with the Colt grip.  Theys a lot of butt scratching and head rubbin to do back there if it stands any chance at all of comin out functional an reliable.

Challenges include:

a. Room and fitting the mainspring assembly and its foot.  
b. Fitting either of two possible trigger return springs, new or old model style.  
c. Opening the trigger slot in the guard and/or thinning the trigger.  
d. Drilling the trigger guard for the locking bolt spring and plunger.  
e. Filling one hole in the trigger guard and redrilling it to match the forward most grip screw hole.  
f. And, modifying the original wood grip for clearance of all the new guts in the grip or making up a two piece grip panel or both.


----------



## JBranch

That is going to be one amazing piece if the Colt lower works out!!!


----------



## Sharps40

I sure hope so!


----------



## Sharps40

I was asked to explain the purpose of the black powder/colt style cylinder chamfer I put on this cylinder and the Blackhawk Lightning.  My response is as follows.....

Its up to an expensive custom touch that if you can say it does anything of value, it nominally accomplishes the following three things....

1. may mimic the look of a Colt cylinder

2. may ease transition into a tight leather holster

3. may empty yer wallet against more useful customization (sights, grips, trigger job, etc.) if you pay to have it done


----------



## hayseed_theology

I like the look of the white steel up against the bluing in the flutes and cylinder stop notches.  Obviously it doesn't fit the classic look of a Colt, but the cylinder looks pretty cool by itself to me.


----------



## Sharps40

The gun will get reblued....but the barrel and cylinder may be black and I am toying with strippin the blued frame back to grey.


----------



## Sharps40

Time for the big reveal and the photos that inspire this project.  Though there is no hard and fast build data for an 1860 Army Colt grip on a Ruger Blackhawk....here are the inspirational photographs lifted from the web.

Up first is the Uberti 2 piece grip frame set up for coiled main spring.  Missing here is grip frame mounted provision for trigger return spring.  However, the foot of the main spring is robust if not allowing for easy compression and handling of the mainspring assembly out of the frame.






And here, from Bowen naturally, the Keith #5 grip assembly for the Blackhawk.  Though a bit larger than the 1860 Army Colt, a well thought out design, both foot, easily removed mainspring and provision for the new model trigger return spring. 






Some study and try fit time will be requried before determining whether to use one or the other methods or some hybred of the two (and whether to use one system for the mainspring and reverting the 1860 Army Colt grip frame to Old Model Blackhawk pin/plunger trigger return mounted low and behind the trigger in a hole or mounting block)


----------



## Sharps40

Unfortunatly, the Bowen #5 Keith Grip Frame uses, two piece grip panels with screw and eustucean.


----------



## Sharps40

Since I'm sure now this will be Dads for Christmas, likely early during hunting season...Went ahead and ordered everything for the front end.  This will get the overall picture complete while I vet out the possible grip frames.

Williams giblock for dovetails.  Allows Dovetailing the barrel for the frontsight and options to go with ramp and dovetail beads or a simple dovetail sight like the lightning project.
Williams shorty ramp, steel, 9/32" high.
Williams brass 3/32" bead, .250" high.
Story blued steel Birds Head (looks like a bulls eye) ejector rod.
Story blued steel Ejector rod housing.
I know I said I prolly wouldn't need it but it'll sure look fine....stainless steel Ruger Bisley Hammer.

Dayum....gonna be a nice gun....


----------



## Sharps40

Tweaking and tuning on the Blackhawk last evening and found out the rear sight adjustment screw is a bit long. When ya run the sight all the way to the bottom, it binds on the back of the cylinder. A kiss from a file fixed it for good...so later there won't be a sticky cylinder or worse, ugly mark in fresh bluing and the rear sight will go fully up and down with out worries.


----------



## Sharps40

Thanks again to UPS, parts will be delayed another day or two since they inventively drop small packages off at USPS for extra handling and delayed delivery.

So, to the grip, specifically, making some room for the mainspring to function fully and without bind.

The inner loop is reground (between the black hash marks) slightly flatter, much like the Keith #5 grip frame.  Still leaves about twice the metal as the rear loop so plenty strong....no worries.






Looking inside the lower loop of the grip, additional clearance for the spring is available when a concave groove is ground and this also leaves as much metal in the grip as possible for strength.  I think its more than adequately strong and will last the long haul.






Looking at the top of the outer loop, a very slight bevel is filed in to allow the mainspring strut to swing in its arc unbound no matter where the foot of the mainspring is positioned.  I have a bisley hammer on the way and given I'll probably fit the grip frame to the larger base of the bisley hammer, this bevel may be unnecessarily....i.e. disappear in the fitting of the grip loop to the fat bottomed bisley hammer.






Another view of the concave clearance channel ground into the lower grip loop....the old flat mainspring screw hole at the bottom should make a fine spot to mount a z-bar for the mainspring to push against.  (For now, I'll probably make up an oak block to start checking function and range of compression then convert to a steel z-bar using the wood block as template.)






I have enough space now to run the mainspring rather close to the lower loop or anywhere in between.  I may well just go with two piece grips as it'll be about the easiest for installing the new model trigger return spring and allow positioning the foot of the mainspring more centered in the grip.  Photos below show the compressed mainspring assembly wagged into place hammer back and hammer forward.


----------



## Sharps40

The Ruger banner, bane of the New Models.  Full instructions on being careful.  It goes all the way out to the newly cut end.....5.1" inches of unnecessary roll mark.







Dad and I been around a good bit.....we are not likely to need the caution to be careful or write Ruger in CT for a copy of the instruction manual.....so....

A few minutes work draw and cross filing with a single cut basterd file (note its lightly filed/blended nearly to the frame and all the way to the muzzle) and though it'll need some good polish work later.....ugly Ruger Banner is gone and the gun will look all the better for it later.  Its a few thousands removed, like draw filing out pits.  Some bootstrapping with sandpaper later will blend the circumference and finish the entire barrel nicely for bluing.....for now.....still waitin for parts so I can dovetail the barrel and install gib lock for the ramp or a tall dovetail front sight.










[/I]


----------



## Sharps40

Good sharp files, pushed and not pulled leave little work for sanding and polishing.  A few minutes bootstrap with 120g to blend the barrel and initial polish out the age marks all around...

and, the Former Ruger Banner side looks clean and fine.






The ejector side looks pretty good too.  Good threads in the barrel and the ejector housing screw so no repairs to do there....a dollop of blue locktite will be all it needs at final reassembly now that the cylinder pin can be removed without having to entirely remove the ejector rod and housing assembly.






Initial back bevel is started at the frame to get rid of that ugly Bull Nose over the barrel.  This can be left sloped back or under cut slightly to look a bit more like a Smith and Wesson frame.






Backing out just a bit to look at the nose job.....coming together a bit at a time....once the ears are off and the lengthwise edges broken/softened, I think it'll pull together nicely.


----------



## Sharps40

Parts arrived.  Good and bad...but the bad are useable and their flaws lend opportunity for a custom touch.

Steel Story ejector rod tube bolts right up....fits nice, ejector and spring function without bind.  However, I ordered the 3/16 size for my 3/16 screw.  The screw hole is bored over 1/4 straight thru...i.e. no shoulder on the bottom for the screw to hold the housing to the barrel...the screw drops thru.  But its pretty.






Ruger alloy housings are not bored straight thru...the hole next to the barrel is smaller so the ejector rod screw head pinches the ejector housing in place.  Not so, this Story part.  The Big Round Birdshead ejector looks nice....wonder how it'll look as a Ring Ejector....still a bit peeved about the housing but its customizable.






I think rather than fight and spend to ship and receive and wait for another part to come in that may have the same straight thru bolt hole....I'll just fill the end with a nice steel rod or better, brass rod....step bore the rod my ownself and reinstall the ruger bolt and done.  If I use brass I'll get a nice brass bullseye out front in the center of the black ejector rod housing.  Nifty.  More work but better than the hassle with parts.  Hmmm....I wonder if I can simply bush that with a nice brass or copper sleeve and then step bore it....then it would have a brass ring like the steel ejector rod button....







Stainless steel Bisley hammer looks nice.  Probably needs polished and some engine turning on the sides.






The ramp front sight base.  Gib lock and screw are options.  I can solder, screw or screw and gib lock into place.  I may screw and gib lock using a dovetail.  Its plenty strong and allows for changing front sights from ramp with no windage to dovetail blade with windage.  However, it may not look as neat as a whisker of dovetail will likely show on each side of the ramp.  Still thinkin it over, but cutting a dovetail is simpler with a hand jig and file for a home smith than jigging up Top Dead Center and drilling and tapping a hole or silver soldering the ramp in place.






Getting an ider of how the ramp will look out at the end of the barrel.  Needs a bit of fitting to match the barrel contour perfect before the install.  Might do that tonight.











Meantime, I found a nice section of steel in the junk box to make up the foot for the mainspring....after I make up the wood test block as the template to follow.


----------



## Sharps40

Dovetailing the front sight is as you've seen before.  Ususally the dovetails are .1" or less deep and the Blackhawk .357 barrel is plenty thick for a dovetail.

Jig in place and squared with the frame, hacksaw, file and otherwise remove the metal layed out by the jig.  Remember, the jig makes a dovetail a bit too small for a .375 sight base....that's intended.  You file in a slight lead on the sight base and finish up the dovetail with a safe sided file that allows for a tight push fit 1/3 of the way and drift or sight pusher to fully seat the sight.  Some folks - I AM A POTTY MOUTH -- I AM A POTTY MOUTH -- I AM A POTTY MOUTH -- I AM A POTTY MOUTH - and moan that the jig doesn't cut the right size dovetail....they gotta learn to use it.  Cut small, fit tight, right the first try.






If you were careful with the leveling and the layout and filing, you wind up with a nice clean dovetail that is going to give you a straight up and down sight blade out front.






Clean up the sight undercuts with a safe sided file until the gib lock is a slightly snug tap in fit....center up the gib lock in the dovetail.  A good dovetail has razor sharp edges.  As evidenced by the blood and the smooth but snug fit of the giblock, this is a good dovetail.  I'll break those sharp edges later before bluing.






Test fit the ramp in the giblock and its wiggly, the screw is about a thread and a half too long.  To get a nice square cut on a short screw that won't need any chamfering to enter the gib lock again, simply clamp gently in a wiring plyers and knock off the unwanted thread with a single cut bastage file.


----------



## Sharps40

Roughed in assembly.  This ramp and sight gives me .552" height, it was about .530" on the factory.  Should be fine as the rear sight provides 47 clicks of elevation bottom to top.
















As you can see, the Big Birdshead Ejector button required shortening the ejector rod one full segment....still plenty there for grabbing onto and even with the new ejector button, I can still dismount the Cylinder and Cylinder rod without removing the entire ejector assembly.






Operational view.






Rough front view.  I didn't push the sight all the way over.  It'll get broken down and reassembled a few times before its done.  Also, don't use smasherwackers to install sights, especially on ramps.  Use sight pushers.  Smasherwackers will break screws and even shear off soldered on ramps.  I've seen lotsa folks pee and moan cause they bonked their marlin front ramp off and its secured with two screws!  Hammers is for nails and primers.  Pushers is best for any sight that allows the use of one.  Right tool, no broken parts.






From above.


----------



## Sharps40

Wow...just lookin this over again this morning and some work to the grip frame and we're on final approach.  Not that the grip frame work ain't significant but its looking mostly doable with patience and I'm feeling somewhat better about it.


----------



## ncrobb

Another awesome project!  I love your threads.


----------



## Sharps40

Some people hate em.  But I think theys the rare breed that figgers guns are sposed to live life in a dark safe, unused and uncustomized.  Something to do with dollar value.  HA! Who cares about dollars....dollars don't often fulfill conceptions of what is fine and desireable and sure don't kill deers and squirrelies.  

Can't see havin hot rod guns....too pretty to get wet, too pretty to use, too pretty to scratch, too pretty to get dusty, too pretty to let em out of the "Garage" and too anal to make em what ya want em to be!

Short of a no balogna high dollar collectors item (which I'd promptly sell to get some project stock), cut em, tweek em, blue em, doll em up and make em yer very own.


----------



## carver

Great build,really enjoy it!


----------



## SASS249

Sharps40 said:


> cut em, tweek em, blue em, doll em up and make em yer very own.



I love this attitude and your threads.  One thing that has always amazed me is how many people, many of them dedicated shooters, are afraid to even turn a screw on a gun.  Maybe it is just the way my mind works, but I like to actually understand how something works.  Projects like you write about are at the upper end of home gunsmithing, but as you show, with a little thought and persistence are completely doable.

I love single action revolvers, both for their looks and simplicity.  The Rugers are a little more involved than the Colt or Colt clones, but are still pretty simple.  I think a lot of shooters would profit from buying a "beater" single action and taking it on as a project gun, even if it is only to smooth the action.  Can you mess up and make it unsafe, yes.  Can you mess up bad enough that it cannot be fixed (a chance for more learning), not likely. 

Please keep these coming.


----------



## Sharps40

Projects is what I do now.  Narrowed my retirment battery down to a few keepers, divested ourselves of a lot of fine customs but they were more what I cut my teeth/sharpened skills on.  Now that I'm lookin forward to a slower life style in a few years I'll have time to really engage my hobby.  Owning was fine and there were many many many that were owned...most of them cut and tweaked....but shooting is better and ranks right there with smithing.  So, I spose since I can't do 25 things exceptionally well I'll do a half dozen pretty darn good and really enjoy it.  My picks are hunting, shooting, loading, smithing, my old truck and my wife (in no particular order! - in case momma reads this)

Yer right....folks should try.  It builds skill and confidence applicable to so many other things in life.  An for them as prefer to keep original guns original, thats cool too cause when ya get tired of the safe queen or need room so safe queen has to go,....there I or someone like me is gettin it at a "bargan-fast sale-frustrated by the lack of offers-give away price" and we are ready to use it or cut/tweak and make it our own!


----------



## Sharps40

Neat thing bout home gunsmithing is you can and will do superbely accurate work without a mill or lathe.  Just gotta do stuff old school and with care.


----------



## hayseed_theology

Sharps40 said:


> Pushers is best for any sight that allows the use of one.  Right tool, no broken parts.



What brand/model sight pusher do you use most often?


----------



## Sharps40

I've always used the B Square for the ramped sights.

With some ramps it is necessary to final set the blade in ramp by padding both sides with brass and then squeezing the lil booger in the last couple whiskers with plyers!

Delrin and or brass rod stock and a variety of small rawhide/brass smasherwackers for barrel mounted dovetail sights where a pusher typically just don't work.


----------



## Sharps40

Some careful measurements of the Story Steel ejector rod housing indicate a 1/4 part was sent in the 3/16 package.  So, the lower hole is slightly under 1/4 which should allow me to use it on this old 3/16 bolt gun.   I'll just make up a new bolt for the larger 1/4" housing I was sent.  (I double checked package and my order sheet and I did in fact order the smaller size....but well make it work.)  

Like the Lightning Blackhawk project I'll convert from ejector rod bolt to stud and nut.  I think it saves fragile barrel threads over the long run.  

First, I cut off a suitable section of round stock to make up a round headed nut.  An old hand chambering reamer extension handle works fine.  Its good steel.






Over at the drill press I bring the nut to final diameter for a snug fit in the ejector rod housing outer hole but no pass thru on the ejector rod inner hole...the nut will pinch the housing to the barrel.  I also center drill and tap the new nut 8-40 to match the threads in the barrel.






The new nut is pressed into a tight fitting hole in a block of poplar and cross slotted for a screwdriver.  This will let me drive the nut on and off the stud I will semipermanently install in the threaded hole in the barrel.  The ejector rod housing will fit down over the stud and the new nut will pinch it into place.  When disassembling, the stud will stay in the barrel and lessen the chance that the tender threads in that hole ever get boogered up.






After installing an appropriately length section of 8x40 threaded rod (old screw with the head cut off) I check the fit in the ejector rod.  Later I'll permanently mount the threaded rod in the barrel.  This is #2 threaded screw and not strong enough for the long haul.  I'll install a gun grade 8x40 (much tougher) at final assembly/after the final polish and blue.


----------



## Sharps40

Some careful measurements of the Story Steel ejector rod housing indicate a 1/4 part was sent in the 3/16 package.  So, the lower hole is slightly under 1/4 which should allow me to use it on this old 3/16 bolt gun.   I'll just make up a new bolt for the larger 1/4" housing I was sent.  (I double checked package and my order sheet and I did in fact order the smaller size....but well make it work.)  

Like the Lightning Blackhawk project I'll convert from ejector rod bolt to stud and nut.  I think it saves fragile barrel threads over the long run.  

First, I cut off a suitable section of round stock to make up a round headed nut.  An old hand chambering reamer extension handle works fine.  Its good steel.






Over at the drill press I bring the nut to final diameter for a snug fit in the ejector rod housing outer hole but no pass thru on the ejector rod inner hole...the nut will pinch the housing to the barrel.  I also center drill and tap the new nut 8-40 to match the threads in the barrel.






The new nut is pressed into a tight fitting hole in a block of poplar and cross slotted for a screwdriver.  This will let me drive the nut on and off the stud I will semipermanently install in the threaded hole in the barrel.  The ejector rod housing will fit down over the stud and the new nut will pinch it into place.  When disassembling, the stud will stay in the barrel and lessen the chance that the tender threads in that hole ever get boogered up.






After installing an appropriately length section of 8x40 threaded rod (old screw with the head cut off) I check the fit in the ejector rod.  Later I'll permanently mount the threaded rod in the barrel.  This is #2 threaded screw and not strong enough for the long haul.  I'll install a gun grade 8x40 (much tougher) at final assembly/after the final polish and blue.


----------



## Sharps40

Please.  This is the part of the project (next post or three) where I don't WANT OR NEED your opinion on what constitutes a strong revolver top strap/frame/barrel/recoil shield/gate, etc.  This will be fine.  Numerous 357 and heaver guns have less in the way of both barrel steel, top strap, recoil shield, etc, etc, etc.  That aside.  Its not your gun.  You won't be using it.  The owner/users will be perfectly safe using this firearme forever and ever with SAAMI specification factory or equivalant handloads. So...watch and enjoy.


----------



## Sharps40

Smith J frame or J frame 357 noseing and initial shaping of a similar undercut on the fat bull nose of the Ruger.  More to do in smoothing and shapeing but for now, ears to remove out back.


----------



## Sharps40

What we left off with is a simple back bevel on the nose of the top strap.






Bringing the new nose shape up to about 90%.  Some work rounding over the bevel previously laid on.  Trim the ears of the back next and finish up the shaping of the top strap front to rear.












Its good to have photos.  Ya can zoom in a bit and get an idea where more or less work needs to be done.  In this case, a bit more work is needed at 10 oclock.


----------



## Sharps40

Ears gone off the back.  Flat Top now.  With the original deck as a guide, simple draw filing removes the ears.  Stop when the bluing just disappears across the top to keep it level and straight.  No need for a mill, its no different than draw filing a barrel or flat action receiver to remove pitts.






The edges will need some scribed lines and then break over the edges front to back.  No need for such a chunky look.  The limiting factor is the cross pin hole for the rear sight.  Rounding or beveling that gets aggressive and you need to shape with the pin in place since it'll have an oval face when done.






A bit closer look at the new nosing and the new flat deck...






Not all Blackhawks are drilled low enough in the rear sight to allow full removal of the ears.  This one is so.....no more ears.


----------



## Sharps40

The original flat spring is annealed and drilled and bent to shape to form a try foot for the ruger coil mainspring.  Here is the initial fit.....






A little upward bend to find the proper position for the foot with the hammer fully forward.






With the hammer back we'll still be able to capture the mainspring and strut for disassembly and cleaning.






And with the hammer fully back the try foot shows no interference with the lower loop of the grip.






So far so good.  I'll finalize the mainspring foot before moving on.  The New Model Blackhawk has three springs mounting in four places in the grip frame.  It'll be simpler to tackle them one at a time and make sure each works right and in concert with the next by going one step at a time.


----------



## Sharps40

Try foot worked fine and will serve as a template for the working foot.  Over to the junk box and pull out an old Makata router wrench......router burned up but the wrench is still good steel and the right thickness to allow me to bend and fit up a sturdy working foot for the mainspring.

The head cut off and the screw hole drilled on center.






Its good thick metal so heat and bend to follow the Try Foot as a template.






After the bend a double hole is drilled and then worked with jewlers files to make a slot for the mainspring strut.






First trial fit of the roughed in working foot....all seems well but it needs some thinning and shaping.











After some shaping and thinning of the foot and the brass mounting point, the mainspring is closer to the lower loop and with it all assembled, I'd say this part of the job is 90% and time to see about fitting in a trigger return spring.


----------



## Sharps40

So far so good. The interweb nayslayers be dayumed. With luck and a bit of skill I'll be marchin forward with some kinda mounting spot for the trigger return spring in the next few days. Though it might be good to check the fit of the fat bottomed bisley hammer first.


----------



## Sharps40

For the evening, I sat down and finished shaping the top strap a bit.  Just breaking over the long edges back to front.  I also refined the nose a bit so it looks a bit more like a ring around the barrel with the top strap growing out of the ring.  I got a bit more work to do with the jewelers files then put the rounded nose on the buffer and smooth it up.  Its one spot where a buffer with a cutting abrasive is friendly.....compound shapes like a bull nose in a tight spot.


----------



## Sharps40

Compared to the original hammer, the Bisley hammer is like a lead sled, wide, fat and low.  Most will grind the Bisley hammer to the shape of the Blackhawk hammer in an effort not to have to refinish a anodized aluminum grip frame.  Nice, and it allows switching between tall and low hammers but.....I'll fit the brass grip frame to the bisley hammers fatter bottom.






While the Bisley hammer is lots bigger in the butt, its not much metal to remove from the grip.  Some rough outlines to start with.






Finishing up, from the underside, not only a slot opened for the hammer, a groove inlet for the hammer strut.






The initial fit is not bad.  The 1860 Army Colt backstrap being just a whisker lower than the aluminum ruger and a touch of the tail of the hammer is uncovered.  But its not a bad look and at this point, pretty much gotta live with it.  











Good range of motion on the Bisley hammer with the new mainspring mounting so I believe the Bisley hammer install is now 90%.  We'll get a lot of 90%'s.  It'll be all the lil 10% to close the project that will cost all the effort and time.


----------



## Sharps40

Using the scissors drill jig to find the center.....a chore on a tapered piece of trigger guard....I spot and drill successively larger holes to make a spring seat for the trigger return spring.  Final hole is just at .3" diameter and about .2" deep.






Then, using the same jig a series of overlaping #29 holes are drilled about .1" deep to plow out the initial trough for the trigger return spring.  From here its several hours of tedious filing to open the trough and widen the trigger slot (The New Model Blackhawk trigger is a fat girl compared to the Colt trigger.)


----------



## Sharps40

This 90% took mosta the day.  A mill or lathe with cross slide woulda been wonderful.  But its handwork.  A lot of it, makin room for the trigger return spring and widening the colt trigger slot for the giant fat ruger trigger.....think I'll thin that dude down a bit, where it rides below the brass....its huge!  I think next one I'll investigate a home made jig to drill a single hole and install the old model style pin and spring trigger return.  But, this'll work.  A bit of effort is still needed inside to pretty up the spring way and then I'll drill and install the trigger return spring cross pin.  But for now, everything goes back and forth without a bind.






Stays back, no binding.






Fired position. 






The package coming together.  Time for clean up and supper and a break.  Its been a long day of fit and try.  Will finish the trigger spring up (both ends) a couple nights this week I think.


----------



## Sharps40

I can't wait to get wood on the grip.  Thumbin the bisley hammer back and h*ll, I wrapped a balla tape around the grip tonight.....this ones gonna be a pointer I think.


----------



## Sharps40

The springway is now completed.  Cross drilled tonight for the retention pin and installed the try spring.  Its sits in good and dosn't bind or pinch.






For assembly and test function, the current main components of the grip.  Two piece grip frame and two of the three springs needed to function the weapon.






Install the trigger guard with the return spring on the pad of the trigger.






Install the mainspring and its foot.






Install the back strap.






Even without a permanent anchor point for the trigger return spring, we have perfect function.  Now to decide on the shape and size of the returnspring rear anchor and whether to silver solder or affix it to the back strap by another means.  Also I have two spare springs so I'll try making up a one legged spring for better trigger pull.


----------



## Sharps40

Won't be too long now and I'll be able to ditch some of the old parts!


----------



## Sharps40

For the nonce, no fancy silversoldering or making up extra brass widgets to afix as the trigger return springs rear mount.  Ruger uses a pin and hooks the legs over.  I decided to use two simple holes in the backstrap.  Clip the ends of the spring and once the strap is in place, slightly bend and put the spring legs in their respective holes.  They are always under tension.  The angle and location for them to mount up is just slightly higher up than the factory grip.  











Some test firing is in order.  I suspect with the tension and depth of engagement, there will not be any slip out.  But if there is any doubt later I'll solder on a pin and hook the legs over it ala factory mounting point.

In any event, two spring legs and an unburnished hammer notch gives me a pretty consistent 4.5 lb break on the trigger with positive reset each time.


----------



## Sharps40

One spring to go and one hole to fill/relocate and its lookin like I'm going to have to order bluing and screws and grip wood here pretty quick.


----------



## Sharps40

Well.  Bungholio and Von Stinkenheimer both said it couldn't be done.  Glad I didn't listen cause here it is.  Last Ruger Spring assembly in place in the 1860 Army Colt brass two piece grip frame, installed and initial function checks completed.  Full function, complete rotation, lock up, unlocking with loading gate, no hitch in the trigger or hammer assembly, I see no reason not to pronounce the adaptation of the 1860 Army Colt grip frame to the New Model Ruger Blackhawk a "Success So Far" and predicting successful trials with dummy and live ammunition in the future.

For now.....bloodwood and Pilkingtons is inbound.  Short of one hole in the brass triggerguard to relocate, there is nothing left to do on this gun but tweak mechanicals and commence cosmetic restoration.

Drilling the cylinder stop spring hole was an exercise in multiple angles.  It is a 1/8" hole deep into the front bow of the triggerguard.  Once located I drilled successive hole diameters adjusting angle of attack as I went to approximate the lean to the right and to the rear of the Ruger spring and plunger assembly.

In these photos you see its pretty close....given the successful function, close seems to be close enough.











The third and final ruger coil spring to be installed on this old flat spring grip frame....






Cylinder stop held upwards under spring power!






Many cycles of the now fully assembled 1974 Blackhawk with the 1860 Army Colt grip frame and the boltstop and every part functions as intended!  






Finally, a well deserved tipple.  And thank the Gungods I didn't listen to the Doomsayers.


----------



## biggdogg

I love the way this shootin iron is comin along. And I knew you was a right good feller, but that bottle of Woodford Reserve confirmed it!


----------



## Sharps40

Thanks


----------



## hayseed_theology

Pretty cool.


----------



## Sharps40

Stainless steel is great.  It holds a polish nearly for ever.  It holds scratches nearly forever too.  After a good buffing, a dull factory hammer comes up to a mirror shine and is ready for jeweling.  






















And a simple but functional modification to the loading gate.  Its a thick chunk of metal....rather like an acorn with a hinge.  A bit of work on the backside makes room for the thumb to be inserted and flip the gate open.  Its not a visible modification, just one that helps guide the thumb in to place to positively get it open....its nice when you are wearing gloves on a cold day.


----------



## SGaither

Thank you for sharing all the details of your many projects, I've enjoyed reading them all. I love the look of that new Blackhawk and, like you I'm sure, can hardly wait to see the finished product and the firing test.


----------



## Sharps40

I spose I can start polish and blue on the small parts and cylinder this weekend.  The sauce is in and so are the studs needed for the ejector rod housing.  But the bloodwood could be from 5 to 21 days from order before it even ships.  Slow boat from South America I spose.  Got some finish work to do on the brass triggerguard too so, might as well get a bit of synergy by working two issues at once.


----------



## Sharps40

Ruger parts are cast.  There are parting lines.  On the hammer, they are left on the face.  Where the nose rests on the frame and where the step impacts the transfer bar.  The left side is taller than the right.  That means the frame and transfer bar is hit by the left half of the hammer each time it falls.  I'll even it out so that it doesn't eventually pound a dent in the left side of the impacted parts.

Here it is....the face of the hammer, as received from Ruger is the only part of the hammer not machined...its left as cast on the replacement parts.  (On my factory hammer, the nose and step are polished/fitted for an even blow)  You can see the mold parting line down the center of the nose and step.  It has sharp edges which would need dressed down anyway.






About half way thru the stoning of the hammer and we see, the left is taller than the right  (The low spot is in the center).  I'll stone it down even and then do final checks for transfer bar pinch and firing pin protrusion and make any needed adjustments to either or both of the nose and/or the step.


----------



## Sharps40

And the hammer stoned to the 90% level.  Shortened the nose a bit to improve firing pin protrusion and no pinch.  Last steps will be to pull the hammer and make a few swipes on an Arkansas stone to even it up and final spot check it into the frame/transfer bar with a touch of Prussian blue.


----------



## Sharps40

No work on this one today.  Went looking at a new house with 20 acres of hardwoods on it....lovely I want it!  But gotta sell my place first.  In the meantime, I scrounged up an old 45 caliber muzzleloading jag that no one uses anymore.  I think I'll machine it down into a solder in plug for the trigger guard front screw hole.  That'll let me redrill and countersink the hole about a half a diameter to the rear and get everything lined up with the frame thread.  But first, I'll start early tomorrow morning prepping the cylinder and all the small parts for rust bluing.  The garage is 90% humidity and perfect for rust bluing but it sure slows down the drying of the fresh primer and paint I put on the floor of John Lee....his original rubber mat and tarpaper are all inna garbage now.  Prolly gonna finish with some mossy oak camo insert floor mats and maybe a black rubber pad over the hump or maybe a camo pad over the hump.  I ain't decided yet but the ol blue 65 truck needs a touch o camo.


----------



## Sharps40

For rust bluing.  Small parts are spray degreased after polishing.  In this case, the parts are new, unpitted and polished to dull 150g to 220g and then matted with a wire wheel.  They are ready to rust blue.






Larger parts with lots of hiding places for grease and gunk, spray degreased then boiled once in clean water.  After which they will need a final polish or wire brush to remove instant rust from boiling..  In the case of the cylinder, a wire brushing of the flutes and a 150g finish on the surface of the cylinder (some light freckeling on the surface just a bit deeper than I want to polish out.....so, mute them a bit in a matt finish.)


----------



## Sharps40

Instantaneous rust from the cleaning boil.  I polish it back off....handling everything with a clean barrier between my hand and the part.  No oil now, no spots later.


----------



## Sharps40

Parts cleaned, polished/brushed and ready for rusting.  Humidity today in the garage is 85%.  Perfect for fast rusting.  Should be able to do several cycles today.






Everything is handled clean from here on no matter how bad it looks.  (Rust in the bore questions/plugging holes questions...refer to answers in other build threads please.  Short answer is No and No.)  No finger prints now, no finger prints at the end.  First coat is wet and doubled and then left to rust for one hour.  (All subsequent coats will be nearly dry.  Rust inducer is also a rust remover.  Initial cycles of rusting will be one hour, several three hours cycles alternated with 12 to 24 hour cycles.  If the humidity and schedule stays up/uncluttered....could have all the small parts shown fully blued, carded and oiled by Wed/Thur.

And the first kiss of pilkingtons produces instant rust and a lot of black iron oxide, which is what we want.....due to the high humidity.






Same for the other carbon steel parts.....all but the ejector rod cap screw I made up....its going to fight rusting....hope it ain't stainless!


----------



## Sharps40

Good news is all the parts are rusting nicely, nothing made of stainless!  20 minutes after wiping on the second dry coat of pilkingtons, a nice even and fine grained bloom of rust.  I'll do first boil about 1130 to 12 and we should be able to rust and boil twice more today.

Good Southern humidity and no damp box needed to make rust.


----------



## oldfella1962

Ha ha - I read the thread title and thought it meant Army Blackhawk helicopter for a second - I was about to call bull**** on an 1860 model.


----------



## Sharps40

Well, this one is rustin up like it is an 1860 model helicopter!


----------



## Sharps40

Pretty apropos using a muzzleloading cleaning jag to fill a hole in a muzzleloading pistol grip.

Tapping the existing hole 10x32 to hold the jag for soldering.  Just enough lip to catch one thread and solder will hold the soon to be modified jag in place permanently.






Meantime all the small parts are back in the iron pot on their second boil and I'll get them carded and rusting again before modifying the jag to fill the hole.  But, the thread is good and I can screw in the jag snugly for soldering later.


----------



## Sharps40

We'll finish up the install of the 1860 Army Colt grip frame to the Blackhawk and repair a stripped hole in the frame at the same time....mighta been one reason for the good price!

Off to the shop, muzzloading cleaning jag cleaned with the wire brush and then installed in the press and cut off the excess then turn the head down to the right size to just barely fit in the hole and countersink in the Army Colt front hole.






You can't see it but I have heated the new plug and tinned it with solder, threads and head.  The fit is tight and it'll need some help pulling solder into the gap so a bit of it on the part in advance will draw more in by capillary action.  Rosin core lead solder is fine for this job...there are no shear forces to worry with and the screw samwiches the plug.






After soldering and filing and a bit of sanding on both sides, the plug is in with just a light ring of solder in the gap....buffing will make it nearly invisible and much of the ring will be under the new screw head when completed.






The forward screw hole is stripped in the frame.  A small bit is used to mark the new location for the replacement screw.  The screw hole on the ruger is about 1/2 screw diameter rearward of the now plugged colt screw hole.  Its a 6x40 screw on the ruger and rather than tap it 6x48 and have it strip again, i'll take it up one size to 8x40 when I'm done.






After the new hole in the grip frame is drilled and then the stripped hole in the frame is drilled, its assembled, lined up and tapped 8x40 clean thru.






After adding a countersink for a fillister head screw in the Colt Grip Frame, at the correct angle, the screw head is thinned and domed and the slot deepened slightly.  Its then run in so I can mark it to see how much to remove.  Nicely, all the holes line up and the 1860 Army Colt grip frame is so close to the same width of the ruger that almost no work was needed to fit it to the perfect width.






Installed, the grip frame is rock solid.  The front screw is nearly perfectly timed front to rear and I'm loving it.  Nothing to do now but finish work!


----------



## Sharps40

Pretty much got the nosing done on the top strap.  Its the look I wanted....barrel appears to be mounted in a sleeve with a topstrap growing out of the sleeve.
















And the first of the parts that needed touch up bluing and/or small area bluing (the inside of the hole I drilled in the Story Ejector to make it a Ring Ejector button) and the cylinder pin are done and resting in oil while the remainder of the small parts continue to rust and blacken.






Overall, a good deep black.  More black than grey and I'm pleased.  If the rest turn out as well, it'll be a pretty good looker.


----------



## hayseed_theology

Awesome job plugging the hole!  Is it pretty much the same process when working with steel?


That top strap looks a lot better.


----------



## Sharps40

Yes.  For instance.  If a scope mount hole is off center.  One can solder in a screw or plug.  Drill and retap.  Often, though, if the mounts can be mounted in off center holes and then the rings adjusted/lapped into straightness and there is no need to drill the receiver again.

Another neat trick for Mauser rifles.  The bolt release is pulled open from the front.  I grind off the tab and then solder a delecate looking extension on the rear.  Now the bolt releas works with a push on the rear instead of a pull on the front.

Solder and silver solder is wonderful stuff.  Dayum hard to master though.  30 odd years later and I still suffer with mastering it!


----------



## Sharps40

The small parts and cylinder look pretty great this morning after another boil and carding.  The high humidity and air temps have really helped the process along.  With luck, the bloodwood will arrive today/tomorrow and I can get rolling on the grip panels.


----------



## biggdogg

I really like the way that top strap looks. Much sleeker and cleaner!


----------



## Sharps40

Me too.  I saw the treatment of the freedom arms/colt and s&w and figgured somethin had to be better than that big bull nose on the ruger.


----------



## Sharps40

Ruger soup.  Final boil and blackening for the cylinder and steel ejector rod housing.







Clean up supplies.  Even at this stage, oil and grease for last and don't fingerprint it while carding...it'll finish uneven.  Clean the tools, clean yer hands, barrier between hand and steel and card off the loose oxides.  When that is all done, then grease/oil and set aside to rest a day.






If you never thought of rust (bluing) as rust resistant and durable, look at the blued gun screw on the left.  It was blued before.  Its been thru 6 boils, numerous exposures to acid based rusting agent, left in an 85% humidity garage for days....and it looks pretty decent.  Bluing steel is a finish that will pull the whiskers off the faces of them folks that paint guns.






On the right half the loose oxides carded off with 0000 steel wool.....the left half to be completed.






Again, left half as boiled and right half carded.  The bronze tone and sometimes, little silver flecks I've always taken as an indication that the steel has had enough and won't get any blacker no matter what.  






And for those that just refuse to believe....after a very light cleaning with a brush and no oil to hide any flaws, the interior of the cylinder is a good and clean and shiny and not blued and not pitted or even freckled as the day I first dunked it in the hot water.






A mix of Rig grease and Hoppes 9 oil in and on every surface and let it rest for 24 hours.






Another shot inside the cylinder.  This time from the front and oiled.  Perfect.  Ready to fire many many rounds and look good doing it.


----------



## SGaither

My goodness man, you've got crazy skills and patience. I'd say you could make a healthy living doing this kind of work as a profession. How'd you learn to do all this?


----------



## Sharps40

I read books on the basics by Dunlap and others...practiced what I read.

Hung around gunsmiths, swept floors, watched, occasionally was allowed to ask questions, sometimes allowed to perform a procedure and several times took my brown bag failures in to have them fixed (and paid to have it fixed/watch the fix/learn the lesson).  

Practiced, improved, practiced more, etc for over 30 odd years.  

Now I'm getting arthritic fingers, myopic vision, sore feet and the walkin fa#ts.  So, its up to you younger fellas to take over now cause I'm having trouble seeing well enough to hold toilet paper long enough to wipe my behind thoroughly cause the walkin fa#ts are runnin down my leg and my feets hurt too much to run when I feel one coming.      Mostly, vision is the hamper.  Glasses on and off and on and off and still can't quite tell if its purty or not.....spect a jewelers loop is the next investment.  Hand strength runs a close second.....really cuts down the time on target with traditional hand work methods!  Nope....no mill in the future....lathe maybe.

Its tough getting old and admitting that you can't see, hold or stay at the bench long enough to do the best work possible now that ya finally have the skill, ya find out that yer mind just ain't the boss no more!

Get busy then.  If you ain't rust bluing by now it ain't cause you don't know the basics!

Gunsmithing is a lot of work against folks who generally can't or don't want to pay.  So, Smiths are often seemingly grumpy...they ain't, just hungry.  For me.....hobby only.  I have grown to love the craft more than the product or the profit!


----------



## Ocmulgee Arms

"Gunsmithing is a lot of work against folks who generally can't or don't want to pay. So, Smiths are often seemingly grumpy...they ain't, just hungry. For me.....hobby only. I have grown to love the craft more than the product or the profit!"



So true. Not all but a lot of 'em.


----------



## Sharps40

Ocmulgee Arms said:


> "Gunsmithing is a lot of work against folks who generally can't or don't want to pay. So, Smiths are often seemingly grumpy...they ain't, just hungry. For me.....hobby only. I have grown to love the craft more than the product or the profit!"
> 
> 
> 
> So true. Not all but a lot of 'em.



Its a dayum hard business.  I seen it from the inside and worked it some when younger.  The ones that make it are passionate and balance hunger/grumpy and know when to go the extra mile for Bob and when to tell Joe to snap it off in his buttox.


----------



## Sharps40

No work for tonight.  GoodWife bought Jiffy Pop wif butter and made sweee tea.  So, we's watchin the Way of the West on Amazon prime....good and scary what Amazon can do.  Got an email today..."We noticed ya had lots o trouble streaming The Way of The West the other night so we's refundin yer money and when ya get it fixed ya can watch it again."

Its cool they refund the money on an incompleted flick unasked.  Its scary that they: 1. Know when I have trouble streaming the shows.  2.  Send me emails in broken English jes like I types.

But, the bloodwood arrived.  Only two days late cause the package was small and UPS dropped it with USPS for a 48 hour delivery delay.  

Dense and heavy and very tight grain it polishes to a moderate shine with sandpaper only.  It makes awesome knife handles and finished with Tru Oil or a Clear urethane it will not brown....at least my 15 year old handmade bloodwood handled skinner ain't browning.  I spect its like any wood, darkens with age, even pine turns a lovely toast color but this should stay red longer than I'll be around.

Gonna make nice looking grips.  And if the saw is sharp enough to resaw it into thinner slabs, maybe a nice bloodwood lidded presentation box.

But its sure it'll be a pair o heavy, dense, very strong grip panels that'll go on that brass frame and should look kinda purty with the black color of the frame.











Wetted to show the hints of yellow that come out when finishing.  Might needta order more for a table top.


----------



## Ocmulgee Arms

Sharps40 said:


> Its a dayum hard business.  I seen it from the inside and worked it some when younger.  The ones that make it are passionate and balance hunger/grumpy and know when to go the extra mile for Bob and when to tell Joe to snap it off in his buttox.



So true. Been at it 15 years and still learning about "Bob and Joe"


----------



## Sharps40

Well, I been pleased to say I'm an amateur and since I don't do much but projects (that often swap for new projects) its been wonderful to get clear of bob and joe.  

Now one of my hero mentors and coach's....he's been in the biz since 1955 and still is.  Great but not afraid to tell ya "that brand is truely junk, I won't work on it" or "this one is beyond repair", etc.  He just shoots straight.

Another one....classic personality.  Had a payin job and smithed for profit and fun and he could not only tell joe to break it off down low, he'd have Joe actually wantin to insert it and start leverin jes as soon as possible!

I think the key is knowin who and what brings a profit and whether your skills are enough or too much.  (any of them variables can kill the budget on both sides of the counter)  From there, never undercharge and no good buddy pricing.  Best job for each customer and they pay for a best job....we get to eat and they get to be happy shooters with a safe and reliable weapon....beauty too if they's payin for it!


----------



## Sharps40

Time to make the grips.  Started by stripping down the gun and bagging all the parts.  Got another small handful of stuff like the pins and screws and loading gate that I can start bluing tomorrow evening.  For now, all in the house work cause its too darn hot to be inna garage or the workshop.

So....a tracing of the grip frame and I label both sides...helps me get left and right correct as I want to select the outside and inside of surfaces of the wood and not make a mistake and have em reversed later.






Once cut out I lay the template on the frame to see if it lays well and to make sure its a whisker bigger than the overall grip.











Lookin at the end grain, it ain't sawed from the middle of the tree and the curve is not sharp so I'm not too concerned which side will be front or back from a warping perspective....ordinarly, if it shows a good curve I put it concave shape facing inward cause that's the likely direction it could move.

But, neat pores in the end grain.  Might be neat if some of those dots show thru as the wood is shaped from blocky to curvy....maybe it'll look like a strawberry.  






Just a quick look on the gun and the camera washes out the colors but the darkest red is next to the black frame.  It lightens a bit moving back and down to a golden streak near the bottom rear of the grip.  I'll position the template on the wood to make sure the color gradients are the same on the left and right sides....that is, dark at the frame and becoming lighter and a bit golden as you go back and down.   Course, as I pare away the excess wood, the colors could change and throw off my plans....wood can be fickle.











That's it for the night.  Sippin Woodford Rocks and relaxin with 750 new megagiggles and the Roku is runnin free movies on the big screen again with no stopping to load and load and load.....


----------



## Sharps40

45 colt arrived. A bit worse than I thought. A 1974 Blackhawk. Barely a new model. Freckled all over the frame and progressing to light pitting. Ugly Pachmeyer grip. Loose on the cylinder pin. And very likely not cleaned in or out since 1974.

 On the good side. After a quick clean and inspection... Perfect bore. Shiny cylinders. Betcha it was carried daily or at least stored in leather.

 Not sure if its a keeper. Might be best to clean, inspect and sell or trade it. If it shoots good....I don't know. Its for sure going to take more effort in freckle removal than its worth! 

 Maybe I should bead blast it. Oh well. Let it sit. It'll gel later.

 I hope it don't get looser with cleaning. I think I'm gonna drop it in a tub of gasoline or kero or maybe onna them big tubs o carb cleaner (the smell good kind) and let it soak for a week or two.


----------



## Sharps40

After some rough cut out...over to the drill press and 80g drum for some rough shaping.






A bit of a stub was left on the bottom of the grip so I could thin the board on the jointer to just shy of 1/2" thick then taper it on the belt sander.  All the initial thinning and tapering is done on the back to get a panel that is flat and sits on the brass frame well.






First fit adjustment, before the panels are sanded to metal, is the 90 degree corner at the top.  Kiss with files or sandpaper or whatever on the high spots till the grip mates to the frame.






With the stub cut off and the upper corners fitted its time to stop and make up a cross bolt and drill the trigger guard for a grip pin down low.






The 1860 Army Colt grip panels are 1/2" thick at the bottom of the frame.  These Bloodwood panels will be close to the same....perhaps a bit smaller.


----------



## Sharps40

First step is setting up the trigger guard with a locating pin.  It helps with making the grip panels and keeps em from rockin around later.






Pin is then used to transfer a mark on each grip panel for drilling.











Panels stuck on and looking like a pretty good fit.






Transferring some marks from the frame that when sanded to will leave the grips still a bit large.






Using the coil spring as a guide, I marked locations inside each grip panel and drilled for a 6x32 brass grip panel screw.  I then used an 8x32 nut, drilled out #27 drill and rounded and countersunk with a flat reamer to make up the washer for the screw head.  Here its in place with a small blob of acraglas to keep it in place forever.


----------



## Sharps40

For the opposite side, a 6x32 brass nut is rounded and tapered and fitted to a 1/4" hole for a light drive fit.  Once its right, I countersink the left grip panel and drive in the threaded washer.  Once driven in, it'll stay in.  






Initial shaping was conducted on the bench sander belt and with drums and a file and then with a jitterbug.  The nut is in place and the shape is coming along well on the back strap for the left panel.  The inside loop is where all the hard work is.











Similar work completed on the Right side along the backstrap and up top near the hammer.






That don't look like much wood but that 1/16" inch with proper shaping too will take all the time and make all the difference on this grip frame.






Getting there.


----------



## Sharps40

A little natural light and some water to bring out the color.


----------



## ncrobb

Wow.


----------



## Sharps40

Final fitting and sanding is done.  What you can't see right now....and I'll show it later, is a wood block inside the grip at the backstrap.  Serving mainly as a catch block for the trigger return spring legs....should they ever slip out they will be impinged by the filler block and unable to drop down....trigger function gaurenteed.  Second purpose is to form a wood sammich up top where the wood is a bit thin and down to the edge of the grip screw....ya can sinch it down a bit tighter without bowing the wood.  However, this wood is so hard and dense that I doubt it will ever bend or crack and it sure sands nice.  Best smoothest worn out 220g finish I ever saw on a hunk o wood.  400g would likely result in a polish.






Inside loop is done and I left the grips slightly proud of the steel frame and the bottom edge of the trigger guard (and a bit all around too).  Room to refinish later and allows for a bit of a rounded edge, less likely to chip or splinter with use.






I made the bottom dead flat instead of flat with up facing bevels like the 1860 Army Colt wood grips.


----------



## Sharps40

I decided I like the urethane finish best, the amber tone leaves a touch of the red and brings out some of the golds in the wood.  So the first double coat rubbed in hard till its nearly dry.











At this point, should be able to put 5 or so coats, hand rubbed with 0000 steel wool after drying each time and a final rub out with fff and then waxed....a day or two of occasional work. 






From there, I spect the final steps will be to complete the bluing and get it together for final function tests and then off to the range for performance tests.


----------



## Sharps40

Ya should hold this thing.  As good as the Lightning points, this lines up better.  First handgun I ever owned where the barrel is exactly in line with the inner bone of my forearm.....both the bone and barrel are in the same axis pointing dead forward.  This, moreso than the fat factory grips on the Blackhawks, should be an awesome and accurate one hand pointer.


----------



## SGaither

Thanks for the update, I began having withdrawals. Your dad is going to be proud to own this revolver for all the custom work you've done is priceless.


----------



## Sharps40

Thanks.  We are getting close to the last hard push and then....assembly, safety checks and test firing.  

I suspect I'll be pulling the grips tonight to complete their exterior and start the interior sealing/finish.

Any luck and I'll start strike metal tonight or tomorrow night in preparation for an immediate trip into the Rust Blue Zone.  Next week might see this one done and at the range.


----------



## Sharps40

The colors don't come out well under florescent light.  But outside its not only red but iridescent and the reds and golds shift left and right across the wood like a kids holographic toy.  You can see the colors shift under the indoor lights too but more of a red tinted brown and gold.  Very cool effect.

Here, on the inside....the toe block I described above.  Not only to serve as a back up foot for the trigger return spring legs but as a stiffener for the grip panels.  A dollop of glass bedding to secure it in place and a simple snug fitting nail (into drilled holes so there are no splits) to hold position until the glass kicked over.  Once the glass kicks, the nail is pretty much superfluous.

I'll check fit once more at final assembly but as you see from the spring travel lines, the mainspring will be unencumbered and the trigger spring legs will ride up into the brass backstrap just at or above the retention block.  







Gonna start getting some sealer on the inside and the 4th coat of finish on the outside.  Probably 2 to 4 more coats will finish the grip panels....likely tomorrow night or Friday AM.
But before that, I labeled the right inner panel 1860 Style Army Colt Grip + 1974 Ruger and my initials and the build date on both inner sides.


----------



## Sharps40

I'll get outdoor photos when the bluing is done...that'll show the true color but for now.  Finished polishing my wood.  Each dry coat (6 total) is lightly knocked level with 0000 steel wool.  The final coat is wooled than rubbed to a satin glow with Brownells fff compound.  If you want a high gloss, follow up with Brownells fffff or even motorcycle windshield and visor polish.

Rubbing compound on.....






Hard to describe the feel and look of hand rubbed finishes.  Totally smooth, soft to the touch and a warm look.  The wood is not like the polished spray on types which to me look like wood under glass.






Finished out the screw length so its below the level of the wood.






The other side and back....it seems Brownells fff does a passing quick job removing sanding scratches from brass and bringing up a bit of initial shine there too.  Discovered a new use for this great polishing compound....betcha it'd be dandy on a Stainless Mod 60 that's been just absolutely torn up finish wise by daily carry in a rock hard and abusive Blackhawk Serpa holster.  I gotta get me a leather El Paso, hand carved no doubt for that Lil Best Buddy of a Smith.






At this angle, the wood tone has shifted holo style....the front and rear are light when normally they are dark red.  Change the angle of the gun to the light and the dark light bands ripple back and forth across the grain....kinda neat to sit here sippin Woodford an getting mesmerized by the effect.






Here at this angle, the front starting to darken up again....keep turning it against the light source, back and forth like the old timey bands of color that shifted across movie screens.


----------



## Sharps40

I am now advised the color shifting effect in the wood is called chatoyancy....Cats Eye, prevalent in some minerals.  So, the wood is like a fancy rock.


----------



## Sharps40

The whole thing gets worked over with the jitterbug and 120g first.  Frame to grip is now mated, most pits gone, lettering sharp and clear, etc.  This makes a fine mat finish as is.  But, it'll be a bit nicer with just a bit more work.....evening out the 120 finish on the reflective areas and going over all the sides in a wire brush finish.  The color and tone will be about the same, its just easier to wire brush the crazy side contours on a revolver and bootstrap or sand/polish other large areas.






Sides are wire brushed to remove and blend the 120g leveling work on the sides.  The top strap is hand sanded with 100g lengthwise to make a nonreflective surface and get all the polishing marks (since its a coarse grit) all in the same direction.  The barrel is bootstrapped with good old 120g around its circumference.  Ready for a wipe down and some rust.


----------



## Sharps40

First coat of rusting agent is put on wet.  All subsequent coats will be nearly dry.  First coat sits 1 hour then gets a dry coat and a 2 to 3 hour sit and then the first boil and carding.

After that, dry coats and 3 to 24 hour sits with dry coats every few hours to deepen the color.  The steel should move from silver to grey to deep grey black and no spotting.

All the steel was cleaned with alkyhol prep wipes and dried on clean paper towels in preparation for the first spot free treatments.  Keep your hands clean and a barrier like paper towels between them and the steel from here on out.  No oils at all or spots and you then strip back to bare steel and start over.






Good temps and humidity.  If all goes well, this gun should be completely blued and soaking in oil/grease in 3 to 5 days with at about 5 trips thru the boiling pot.


----------



## Sharps40

Won the auction....Looks like the grip style decision on the 45 Colt is made....Colt, Stainless and $150 less than new cost for a new item.  Unless I decide the 45 colt's not for a project but rather for a swap or sale... in which case I'll find another Blackhawk for this one.

Powers Old Model 2 piece Colt Grip for New Model Ruger/Vaq/SSix, etc...


----------



## Sharps40

A great first rust.  Should boil up a medium or darker grey or even black and should be very even and without spots or bare areas.

5.1" barrel just fits in my boiling pot.  Add good clean tap water and boil for 15 to 20 minutes.






Just out of the boil, blown dry with a heat gun so every nook and hole is totally dry and there will be no spots.  Loose oxides look fluffy and will be carded away with 0000 steel wool leaving just the hard finish in place.






Rubbing out the barrel first, loose oxides off and the first trip thru the rust and boil is a great success.  Very dark grey black and totally spot and streak free.  Now if I can just keep my fingers off the steel for 4 to 6 more treatments it'll be great.






All carded and cooling a bit till I'm ready for the next dry wipe of rusting solution....looking very nice and I think this one is going to blue easy and well.  So, two blackhawks blued now by rusting processes....seems they rust well and easily.


----------



## Sharps40

Second boil and continued steller results.  Black and black and more black.






This is only the second cycle and already very black.  The finish is very fine grained and coming along quickly.  This is after second boil and second carding...just looking over the metal and its coloring.


----------



## Sharps40

I've rusted the gun six times.  Its showing signs that it's not going to darken further.  The oxides after boiling are much tighter and beginning to show silver and red flecks, which I've always taken as a queue that more application of rust producer, boiling and carding will not continue the job forward in any appreciable manner.  It's already quite dark and pretty, it appears to be spot and streak free as well.  Sitting and rusting once or twice more this morning and we'll see after lunch today.


----------



## Sharps40

Final assembly and functional prechecks after lunch. Bluing the "Unblueable" Ruger Blackhawk is going along like a Fat Kid with a "Eat Free Hotdogs and Chili Tater Tots Forever Card" at Sonic. I'd say that as far as generating rust, the Blackhawk falls into the easy category....Marlin 336 mag tubes and Win 94s are the doable tuffies but the Blackhawk?....Piece-o-cake. Sure gonna be a dayumsite prettier than Rugers typical factory purple on about 50% of the Blackhawks they make.


----------



## Sharps40

Fresh off the final boil and carding.  A light spray of oil rubbed in while still a bit warm.....











Front of barrel was degreased, gib lock installed and hit with Loctite blue, a dollop of acraglas under the front and rear of the ramp and the ramp screwed into place.  Once that was done, the front fire bead was pushed into place with a site pusher. In addition, a new 8x40 front stud (remember, fixin the ejector rod housing from Story required nut and stud vice the factory bolt) is installed tight in the barrel with blue locktite and then carefully filed to final length.






The rear sight is installed in the now flattop frame and both it and the ejector assembly checked for function.  So far, so good.






With all the guts cleaned, lubed and installed, the trigger group can be installed on the frame.  The mating of 1860 Army Colt to 1974 Ruger Blackhawk is a perfect fit.






Now the backstrap is installed and the trigger spring legs placed in their holes in the strap.  Full function test at this point indicates full function, no issues.






The right side grip panel with its stop block is installed.....then the left go's on and I do more function tests and perhaps some completion photos before getting it to the range next week.


----------



## Sharps40

As promised, the Booger photos first.  Mistakes, things I fumbleditzed on the project, unforeseen challenges that didn't get over come.

Left side grip panel, not quite square and true to the frame.  I still have plenty of time and will probably go back with a skim coat of glass bedding to fix this area up and prevent future panel movements.






A bit of overzealous filing to the left, and an air bubble in the casting exposed at right.  I'll probably fill the air bubble with a touch of clear epoxy with brass filings mixed in for some color.






Managed to mark the barrel at final assembly.  This will need touch up to blacken it.






The gap between the Bisley Hammer and the Colt Army backstrap as mentioned in prior posts.  This, like the left grip panel gap is the least noticeable of the flaws.  Not fixable unless I go back and solder a brass plate on the top of the strap and then countour it back down.  I think I'll leave this one alone and simple work on correcting the first three Boogers (and any tweeks that may show themselves as needed on function test day).


----------



## Sharps40

First eight on photo tour.


----------



## Sharps40

Second eight on photo tour.


----------



## biggdogg

Absolutely spectacular!


----------



## Sharps40

I think the nosing on the top strap and the red in the grip really makes it look exciting.  Might have to go back and give the Lightning a similar nose treatment!  Kinda lightens up the look.

We'll see how the shooting goes this week.  Got it together and functional despite many admonishments that it couldn't be done.  Now I have to see if its got functional reliability from light 38s to heavy 357s....oh yeah, and some pointability and accuracy too, I hope!


----------



## ncrobb

Wow, another superb project and thread.

Robb


----------



## Sharps40

I'll flesh it out with the range report and the holster when it comes....a hand carved cross draw Tom Threepersons from El Paso Saddlery.


----------



## SGaither

Beautiful job. Looking forward to the range report.


----------



## Sharps40

Okay.  Got to inspecting and cleaning the Blackhawk 45 Colt.  Dayum it was dirty and wouldn't function with the cylinder installed.  Once I got it apart, soaked it an hour in WD40 and scrubbed it and the blasted it with solvent.....

Reasonable mechanical condition.  Plumb brown frame, black barrel and perfect bore and cylinders.  Cylinders mike .455ish which is about right for an early new model 45 colt...it'll prolly shoot best with .454 bullets....pretty much standard lead loading in factory ammo.   Bluing is about 75%+ coverage....lots of holster wear.  Some light freckling all over.  Big rubber grip is fine and the finish on the alloy frame is over 90% condition.  

The reason it wouldn't cock with the cylinder in place?  The hammer plunger, which releases the bolt lock on the back stroke of the hammer was stuck too far up into the hammer.  And the reason it was stuck in there is cause it was broke, rotated and one half wedged over the other....was a booger to get out.  But in all, since it was stuck/wedged up in there, it couldn't do its job and release the bolt lock.

So, either a new hammer or just a plunger.  I hate to pay $10 for a $2 part so maybe just the entire hammer assembly.  I'll think it over.  Gotta get it running and I think I'll sell or swap for a caliber I load for.


----------



## Sharps40

Clean and pretty.  On the ready line.  Checked and double checked.  A variety of 38 Specials and 357 Magnums, lead and jacketed, 125 to 158g ready to go.







Pretty typical primer indentation.  No signs of failure in any of the hundreds of rounds fired today.  So, no transfer bar pinch and obviously, no light strikes.  We'll leave the hammer nose adjustment where its at.






Starting with 38 specials in 125g weight and the rear sight all the way down, I walk it up to zero at 10m from the bench.






Three CCI Blazers, 158g JHP at 10m.  Rear sight is a bit high w/o the ears so I'll install a taller front bead and bring the rear back down a bit for better range of adjustment with heavy and very heavy bullets and loads.






At the beginning of nearly 2.5 hours of slaughtering steel from 5m to 30m.  The Lightning is dead on and no changes to be made.  The 1860 Army Blackhawk needs a taller front sight but its close enough to regularly knock over 8" steels at 30m off hand.  I have plenty of time to change the sight and rezero for Dad.











Opened it up when I was just too tired to shoot well any more.  No worries with the trigger spring mount.  The legs do not jump the holes in the backstrap and if they did I wouldn't know because trigger function will be guaranteed by the filler block below the legs.






The end of a good first workout with the 1860 Army Blackhawk.  This pile was shot thru the 1860 Army Blackhawk.  A smaller pile went thru the Lightning when I had to halt and let the Army cool off.  






Findings:

-- Story ejector rod rubs the cylinder mouth when the cylinder gets warm.  I'll polish a flat in that rod this week.

-- I will probably glass bed the grip panels where they meet the frame not only to fill the left side gap but to keep oil out of the end grain.

-- New front sight is needed for the 1860 Army Blackhawk, taller.  Which is fine, I need a part or two for the 45 Colt project.

-- The 1860 Army grip is comfortable, controllable, really handles the heavy loads well and I adore the Bisley Hammer!

--  I gotta lotta cleaning to do!


----------



## fishfryer

Very impressive from start to finish!


----------



## Sharps40

Dad called. He got the build book. (I downloaded, edited and .pdf'd this thread into a build booklet) Read thru it this AM while I was doing the test firing. Needless to say, we's both pretty excited to finish it up and get him carryin it!


----------



## Sharps40

While I wait for the new front sight so I can get a good zero.....fixin up the sticky when hot ejector rod from Story.

The rub line is on the backside of the ejector rod.....So, the drag was less against the cylinder and more on the hole in the frame loop that the ejector rod travels thru.  I filed and polished a simple flat using the scratched line as a guide.  The rod will need reblued but that's about right for first test....good as long as it gets the bugs out.  Its easier to file/polish if its clamped down and immoveable.






Last adjustment was to close up the clipped end of the spring.....it was boogered somehow and I cut a single coil off to clean it up.  The end is folded slightly in so it does not snag and the cut end placed against the button end of the rod....the factory compressed coil end abuts the bottom of the frame loop.  No snag function and there should be no drag in the assembly even when hot.






And now off to the hot hot hot shop to pull down my six black powder loaded 45 Colts and reload them with a 260 Full Wadcutter sized .454 and a healthy charge of Bullseye.  Should I ever get some parts (UPSs today delivery has extended to an estimated 3 Sept via USPS cause the bums abandoned the package at USPS about 50 meters down the street from where they picked it up) I'll be able to go to the range and give the potential 45 Colt project gun a good test fire.


----------



## Sharps40

.250" tall front fiber optic sight finally arrived in the AM mail.  Got it pushed into place and off to the range for the rezero and final checks.  200 rounds of 38 and 357 later, reporting perfect function and reliability.  No issues with this grip conversion.  Works as good as factory and grips a darn site better.  Nothing left to do but buy Pops a box of ammo or three for practice and hunting season and get this gun fully cleaned and lightly lubed for when the holster arrives.


----------



## Sharps40

Holster is in.   4 weeks and one day since ordered....worth the wait.  Received Dads 1920 Tom Three Persons Cross Draw and GoodWife's black Tortilla for her EDC.

I have owned a couple good holsters.  These from El Paso Saddlery look so far to be in the "Best" category.  And the hand carved Frontier Floral is quite nice.  This is the holster that Wife, Mother and Sister picked out for Dad's gun.  Good selection and I'm pleased.  I am sure they will be too.


----------



## ncrobb

That is my favorite style of holster.  Its very similar to the Elmer Keith/Lawrence 120.  I've made several and they wear/work as good as they look.  The tooling on yours is very nice.  Your Dad will love it.

Robb


----------



## hayseed_theology

Awesome choice on the leather.


----------



## Sharps40

Wife, Mom and Sister picked it.  I can't claim any props there!


----------



## Sharps40

Got a good 600 rounds thru this one now, both 38s, 38+P and a variety of med to heavy 357 Mags.  Nary a problem or a breakdown.  Plenty dirty but cleaning will come later.  

So, I suspect I'll have to officially pronounce the conversion of an 1860 Colt Army Grip Frame to coil spring and installing it on an Early New Model 357 Blackhawk both doable and done.  It seems perfectly reliable, including the unusual mounting of the rear legs of the trigger return spring.  Ignition and extraction are perfect.  Timing is just right.  Accuracy is great (dayumed easy to hit with) and the grip...ah, pretty and pointable.  The brass seems strong enough, well fit and there are no indications that its any less durable than the factory potmetal (aluminum) grip frame.  

If it weren't for the fact I made it for Dad, I'd have to keep it.  So.  Guess I'll have to find me a nice 3 screw 45 ACP and make one up with the 1860 Army Grip and the 3.5" Sheriff length barrel with full extraction.  Time to go shoppin!


----------

