# The Arthritis Project



## Sharps40 (Sep 27, 2014)

NM Blackhawk 357 is inbound at a super price. It looks to be in fine shape so using basic proceedures outlined in prior builds and a few factory parts I aim to solve a series of issues that have come to confound a family members ability to defend herself. 

 Challenges include 

 1 small but recoil efficient grip for at least 38 Special +P

 2 arthritus in small hands that requires 3 fingers to pull the current smoothed and reduced DA revolver trigger. 

 3 easy small hand actuation of the hammer

 4 hivis front sight

 Naturally the NM Blackhawk allows 6 carry, no slipped hammer when loading/unloading,safety of a trigger activated xfer bar and good heft (but not too much) for stable shooting 

The Arthritis Project should be a very simple build.  It will mostly be parts replacement and fitting.  Selecting those that seem to work best with small and less dexterous and less strong hands.

Here it is....tracking across the Mountains into NC now.  Should be here if a few days.







It will also need a rear sight, some parts are missing.






Not sure if it will need a reblue.  Its going to be a night stand gun to lay in on long term duty.






And, its too long.  But it'll probably stay long enough for full ejection stroke, arthritis can also mean a loss of dexterity, 38s drop well out of these old blackhawks.  But the first priority is safe and easy cocking and a single action trigger.


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## SGaither (Sep 27, 2014)

As usual I will be following this one too. I'm a bit confused though, I thought all Blackhawks are single action. Did I misread where you said this one is double action?


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## Sharps40 (Sep 27, 2014)

No.  She currently has a Taurus 66 357.  Big, a bit easier to hammer back for single action but even tuned to a smooth safe level, DA requires a 2 finger pull.  She also has a stainless Taurus 605.  Small J frame size with the attendant poor geometry and so, levering back the hammer in SA has become a dangerous proposition compounded by the small hammer.  With the 605, even smoothed, its a three finger DA pull due to the short levers and steep angles of a small mechanism.


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## hayseed_theology (Sep 27, 2014)

Looking forward to this one too.

Where do you find all these Blackhawks?


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## Sharps40 (Sep 29, 2014)

Doing some planning.  Will someone with a NM Blackhawk equipped with the FACTORY RUGER BIRDSHEAD GRIP, please take the following measurements.   (I intend to compare them with various other options before deciding on a grip frame).

1.  Distance from the center of the trigger to the forward facing face of the trigger guard loop (in a straight line from center of trigger and proceeding to the rear)

2.  Distance from the center of the trigger to the backward facing face of the backstrap loop (in a straight line from center of trigger and proceeding to the rear)

--  Note:  Essentially, 1 and 2 help me to calculate a length of pull and to determine center of various grips along a line straight back from the center of the trigger.

3.  If possible, a length in inches from the bottom of the grip in a straight line up to the top plate of the grip....i.e. the height of the grip including the metal plate just behind the hammer.


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## Sharps40 (Sep 29, 2014)

Received the following measurements of various factory grip frames with wood and Hogue style open back rubber grips.  It looks like the LOP issue is moot.  All are about the same.  Its also seeming, due to her love of the large rubber grip on the Taurus 66 at home, that an open backed Hogue on the factory plowshare grip might well be the control and retention ticket for weak hands.  As for her, she's spending some time with the 66 and 605 comparing feel and retention and making notes.  On arrival later this month she'll try out a series of plowshare and the lightning grip and we'll pick a final direction for the handle end.  Needless to say, she's excited about being able to easily actuate the hammer and trigger and do some accurate steel slaying!

Standard trigger used in all grip frames, no bisley's in this case.

Grip Frame-----Front Strap & Rear strap from middle trigger parallel to bore

Birdshead--------------1.44" & 3.1"
XR3----------------------1.33" & 2.9"
XR3-RED---------------1.41" & 3.1"
Dragoon Hogue-------1.49" & 3.1"
Dragoon Wood--------1.53" & 3.1"


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## Sharps40 (Oct 1, 2014)

Arrived today.  Tight and clean.  Perfect bore and cylinders.  Light wear on the bluing and moderate wear on the wood.

Some interesting things about this old gun.  By the SN it should be a three screw....but its not.  So, probably a 73 or early 74 model but the SN does not show in the range published by Ruger for the NM Blackhawks.  I know its early because its an NXR3-RED grip frame, and the grip frame is in good shape with very few marks.  

So.....to the photos and the first temporary repair.

Overall good.  Light wear on the bluing and thankfully, old enough not to have an entire manual roll marked on the barrel.






Rear sight screw is missing, so is the rear blade.  Scuffs and scars on the wood.  (This one will require the low rear blade and a .530 high front sight when the barrel is shortened to 4 5/8")






The EHR is in fine shape cosmetically.  Probably won't need to work on it at all, I hope.






A turn line on the cylinder but no pitting on the metal of this one....finally!!!!






Naturally, Johnnie Dorkwad just had to scratch a number on the gun......so.....it'll get reblued I'm sure.






And to the first temporary repair.  When this one was made, the recoil cross pin hole was drilled to retain the firing pin bushing.  Too bad but the hole does not intrude into the bushing space so, pin was driven in and entirely missed the bushing....only friction holding in the bushing, firing pin and spring all these years.  Dry firing drove the bushing forward.  So, in order to get the gun to the range, I drove it out.....rolled the bushing between two coarse files to lightly knurl its circumference.  After cleaning the bushing hole in the recoil shield the bushing was once again a light drive fit into the frame.  For the nonce, several light stakes help hold the bushing back in its hole.  These stakes were lightly polished smooth to allow passage of the cartridges.   This will get us to the range for test firing.  If there is any slightest indication that the bushing will come loose, I'll drive it back out to enlarge the recoil shield pin hole and drive in a new and larger pin that actually bites the bushing and holds it firmly in place.


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## Sharps40 (Oct 1, 2014)

Ordered the following for the initial setup and trials.

 Stainless Bisley Hammer.

 New recoil plate to house the firing pin and spring.

 Hogue open back rubber grip. Not the prettiest but gives a larger and softer grip for weaker hands without increasing the length of pull.

 Williams fire sight .530 high...

 Rear sight with the low blade.


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## Sharps40 (Oct 2, 2014)

Good work tonight.  Settled on 4 5/8+ a touch inches for barrel length.  Keeps some of the blast outta the face and not too heavy up front for weaker hands.

First cut is the hardest.  Looks aweful but it cleans up nicely and will be as accurate as the shooter and gun can be.  I use the dovetail sight jig to keep it straighter, less clean up later.






File work to clean up the hacksaws roughness.






Piloted 3/4" facing cutter.  Squares the face to the bore.  A properly fitted bore pilot all but eliminates chatter....the final passes are light and leave it almost babybutt smooth.











11 degree target crown cutter.  Also on a properly fitted pilot.  First turns are press in hard to cut away the rifling (those initial sharp edges will grab and chatter) and then progressively lighter to the finish for an almost baby butt smooth recessed crown.






The barrel, Shortened, Faced and Crowned....3/4 of the way finished.






A barrel beveler, to bevel the outside circumference of the barrel....no sharp edges there and no need to create a wavy line by trying to hand file the bevel.






Mounted in a drill, run SLOWLEY and rock it around like yer tryin to drill an egg shaped hole.....


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## Sharps40 (Oct 2, 2014)

Nifty neat-o a beveled edge, no lathe, nice and even and little or no final polishing work needed.  At this point, if the gun were in good cosmetic shape, ya could blue the end of the barrel, install a front sight and go hunting.






Front sight dovetail is tomorrow or Sat but for now, back together and looking much nicer.  The Hogue open back grip may look good with a shorter barrel, sorta making the gun look like its leaning forward into the target.  We'll see....I won't be sold on rubber Blackhawk grips till the new handler says its the ticket for her weakened hands.











Ya know what that nice low mounted rear sight pin hole means don't ya?  Could mean Flat Top!


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## SGaither (Oct 2, 2014)

Can't wait to see how you will manage the front sight. I say make it a flat top. I like the look of the one you did for your dad, that was the cat's meow


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## Sharps40 (Oct 3, 2014)

Ya might not like the front sight.  Very simple for older eyes.....Williams orange fiber optic bead!   For this one, grip included....function will trump all other considerations....including good looks! (But there probably should be a flattop and a nosed nose in there cause the sight could accidentally fall off and need replacing one day!)


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## Sharps40 (Oct 3, 2014)

Why hand tools?  The $ investment is smaller.  The skill investment is no larger just different.  The time spent on a good job can often be the same or less than the set up and truing of a lathe, mill, table or cross slide.  You can often readjust and correct mid pass....difficult with power tooling.

Many say they don't have the time to do home gunsmithing.  Most every job ya see done in these threads are 30 minute to two hour engagements spread over weeks.  Not bad.  I can find the time.

So, the front sight dovetail.  With photos, 30 minutes start to finish.  Maybe 15 minutes adjustment to snug fit the actual sight when it arrives....as the dovetail is cut small to allow final and true fitting later.

Install the jig and level it to the topstrap or some other part of the frame.  I use the top strap, its the sighting plane ya see and usually plenty close to the same level as the bottom of the cylinder window.











Initial hacksaw cuts establish the front and rear undercuts.  (357 mag Blackhawk barrels are plenty meaty enough for a very safe install of a dovetail sight.  No worries, lotsa roof left over the bore)






Hacksaw plows out the bulk...hardened jig prevents going too deep and keeps the dovetail depth nicely the same from side to side.






Big mean file plows out whats left and bottoms the barrel dovetail at the jig bottom....file sings instead of cuts, yer at the bottom.






An triangular file cleans up the last of the undercuts.  A safe edge triangle file also gets under the undercut all the way into the corner eliminating the flat spot left by the 3 sided file....essentially, making the dovetail as big as the jig and saving on some free hand fitting of the slot later.


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## Sharps40 (Oct 3, 2014)

The tools for the job.  Jig, allen wrench, level vials, hacksaw, big file, triangular file, safe sided triangular file.  Confidence.






The Try Sight.  An old worn, butsted and loose fitted sight in the undersize dovetail....shimmed with a touch of electrical tape so it'll stay in while I sight the gun.  For trying the sight...Try Sight.






Quick tour with the Try Sight.  Lots of options out front.  If the inbound sight is too ugly, perhaps it'll get an XS Big Dot Marlin front sight instead.  Big dot oughta be good for older eyes too.











Operational View....Nice and straight up and down.  No problem.  Easy job.  No mill, no power, no mistakes.


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## doublebarrel (Oct 4, 2014)

That front sight really shows up for my 73 year old eyes! Bobby


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## Sharps40 (Oct 6, 2014)

Parts arrived.  The open back Hogue grip is nice.  Not too fat and tackey enough to feel secure with even a light grip.  They fit pretty well too....not the easiest to install though.  Still a long reach to that high Ruger hammer but its very easy to thumb it back and even easier to let go of the trigger and palm the hammer back with the off hand.  I believe these will do fine and no choking down on a smaller slicker grip, should be about right for controllability with some arthritis in the hands and fingers.  GoodWife even says she likes the grips...then snugged in the gun close to the right side for retention and palmed the hammer back with ease for the short shot.....incidently, we dry fired it about another 50 times and the refitted and staked recoil shield is holding in place just fine.  But, a new recoil shield arrived and we'll see if we can straighten out the crosspin hole and get the new one properly retained for the long haul.
















As for the new rear sight.  I like it a lot.  Very nice and a complete package for $15.  The sight, blade (I need to add the white for the outline in the groove), screw, springs and cross pin.  Best thing about it,.....it ain't broke and it ain't got all the color wore off of it.


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## Sharps40 (Oct 6, 2014)

Some folks don't like fire sights.  I love em.  Only ever broke one. ...  I reinforce them at final assembly with a drop of clear super glue along the bottom.   Even if a light pipe breaks, most of it stays in and yer still hunting.  To remove, just warm it up and put in a new one.  All in all, plenty rugged and great for older eyes.  Most of my rifles are scoped now but everything that has backups or simple irons usually has a lite pipe site for best work.

A bit square but sturdy.  I mount them backwards....angled side toward the shooter.  Makes a slightly larger dot and I think it glows better.  Looks fine on there.  About 10 minutes work with a safe sided file to under cut the angles of the dovetail that last little bit and it was thumb push for 1/3 and light taps with a brass rod to drive it home.  At final assembly, I'll sometimes put on a drop of black max to keep it from moving later but mostly, friction is all that's needed to keep the sight in the dovetail till ya tap it out.





















The whole view....






Updated operational view....looking over and thru both new sights.


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## Sharps40 (Oct 9, 2014)

Fitting a Bisley hammer to a Ruger is another one of those simple jobs that can be done in a couple hours with some simple power tools and stones.

Differences in the Bisley hammer are:  The big lower loop that needs contoured to match the old hammer.  The nose will need stoning to ensure proper firing pin protrusion when installed.  I have never needed to stone the sear notch.  The wider and lower spur up top is great for ease of access and gives great purchase for thumbs or heal of the off hand when drawing the hammer back.   This one is stainless steel, so once polished and jeweled, its fire and forget.  Sometimes the nose of the hammer needs tapered so it doesn't hit the edges of the frame.

I start by marking off the metal to be removed using the hammer pin and old hammer as a guide.

The green area is for removal.






Initial and very rough grinding is done on an 80 grit sanding wheel.   I dip in water but never fear, ya just can't hold on to it long enough to reach tempering heat.  I dip enough the steel doesn't even turn straw colored at the edges.






Stoning with a medium oil stone brings the shape and finish up to about 90%.  I like a touch of convex curve on the back of the hammer....it makes a nice curved line under the hammer spur.






There is plenty of room in the guard slot, so I left the lower curve of the Bisley hammer a bit larger than the factory hammer.   Here you can see how much lower the Bisley spur is compared to the original hammer.  Better for small hands or perhaps weak thumbs.






Shooters eye view of the two hammers side by side.






Installed in the frame and function checked.  Fingers are tiered so I won't cut the hammer nose back tonight.  I have a touch of arthritis too and it can make long sessions and fine work difficult to do except in small batches.  But, this weekend I'll get the nose pared back so that the firing pin can reach out and smush primers with the new and more functional hammer.


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## Sharps40 (Oct 11, 2014)

With the cylinder installed, there is .063" clearance between the rear of the cylinder and the face of the recoil shield.

With the original hammer installed and pressing forward on the transfer bar/firing pin assembly (no transfer bar pinch) the firing pin protrusion into the area occupied by a primed case is .025".

The nose of the new Bisley hammers must be fitted as they are usually left long for this purpose and due to changes in transfer bar thickness over the years.

Carefully stoning the nose of the hammer, spotting it in against the frame with Prussian blue I pared the nose back to where the firing pin protrudes into the space occupied by a primed case .030" when the hammer is compressing the transfer bar/firing pin assembly (and without creating transfer bar pinch).  I have found a range of .030" to .035" protrusion thru contact with the transfer bar provides very reliable ignition with all primers I've tried (American makes and Fiocchi....never tried Wolf or other cheepies).  It has been my experience that under .025" protrusion with transfer bar contact leads to occasional to regular failures to fire.  Naturally, the firing pin is a free running fit and spring loaded so it can fly further under inertia and eventually onto its stop thereby protruding further than the transfer bar can move it.  

Test it your self.  If a new Bisley replacement hammer is giving light strikes, a layer or two of electrical tap on the second step will likely result in perfect ignition (by adding the shim you effectively created a shorter hammer nose/shallower second step and consequent better contact between hammer step and transfer bar).  If the tape trick works you know for sure the nose of the new hammer is too long and the firing pin protrusion is likely less with the new hammer than it was with the original and fitted hammer.  Or you can just measure the pin protrusion with the old fitted hammer and set the new hammer up to provide the same or a scooch better.

Here it is.  Nose stoned flat, shorter and in full contact with the frame.  No transfer bar pinch.  Good firing pin protrusion off the transfer bar and the edges of the hammer nose back beveled slightly so there is no hammer contact with the frame edges.  30 minutes or less.  Easily done.


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## Sharps40 (Oct 11, 2014)

Ready for the range.  Much dry firing going on in the fitting to date and the recoil shield, knurled and staked, remains unmoved and unmoving, even without contact from the factory miss-drilled cross pin.

No more work now until its test fired on the range with at least 50 each 38 +P and full house 125g and 158g 357 Magnums.

A couple final tweaks bringing the fitting of action parts for arthritic hands up to the 90% level.

To provide greater purchase and more reliable actuation of the loading gate, I have back cut it, much like the 1860 Army Colt project.  If it works better for cold stiff fingers, it stands to reason it will be a more positive functioning gate for stiff arthritic fingers.....jam in a thumb or finger and lever it out and down with ease.






Much more room to jam a finger behind the gate for quick and positive opening to load or reload.






The fitted SS Bisley hammer is placed against the buffing wheel and brought up to a mirror shine.  It'll get jeweled on the sides later.  But for now, the dull look is gone and so are all the fitting marks from converting it to be used on this frame.






A brief review of the work done so far to help tailor this handgun for smaller, stiffer and somewhat weaker hands.....

1.  Shorten the barrel to 4 5/8", square it, crown it and bevel its outside circumference to eliminate the sharp edge.  Dovetail it and install a .538" high Williams Fire Sight (backwards so the orange dot looks a bit larger and brighter).   The overall weight mimics the favorite DA Magnum currently in the nightstand.  Balance should be about the same and the barrel is long enough to help mitigate some of the disconcerting blast that occurs when any caliber round it touched off.






2.  The broken and beaten rear sight is replaced with a new factory assembly, ready for service and the rear notch is grooved so I can add the white outline before final assembly.






3.  The new, lower, wider Bisley hammer in place and passing all initial function tests.  This hammer with the original trigger and slightly tweaked legs on the trigger return spring is providing a consistent 4 lbs 2 ounce trigger pull.  Range testing and safety checks are pending.  Cocking the wide and low hammer is much easier with thumb (s) or off hand palm than the skinny and stiff hammer of the Taurus 66.











5.  Soft and sticky Hogue open back grip doesn't increase length of pull and should allow a hand no longer able to close firmly on a small grip to retain and control the handgun.


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## Sharps40 (Oct 13, 2014)

50 rounds of 357 mag at 10m.  No issues.

Another 100 rounds of 357 fired at steel, no issues!

The grip is wonderful for recoil control!







Time for an ejector button.  We will try this one which is undercut to hook the finger into and we will try the story large bullseye.  Which ever one she likes is the one we'll go with.

Remove the old ejector button, usually takes heat and some grinding or even slotting first.

Cut a new ejector shape and drill for the ejector rod.






After soldering, filing, fitting and polishing....


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## Sharps40 (Oct 14, 2014)

A little cold bluing tonight to see some of the changes better and to help my old eyes see where more polishing and shaping needs done.  That bright steel is hard to figger and if ya miss a spot, it glares when it gets blued.

Combine Ruger/Story ejector rods with a warm gun and thick brass and dirty chambers and the ejector rod can often pinch the case against the cylinder wall....ties up the rod and the extraction becomes a fumble fest.

I like to do two things.  Back cut the ejector rod on the face that tends to pinch the case.  Makes more room and a freer running ejector rod even in a dirty hot gun with thick brass.  I also chisel point the tip of the ejector rod so it sticks less when it hits the cylinder face,,,,sorta cams around the edge and slides on in even if the cylinder is a bit too far in one direction or the other.  (Sometimes ya even get a dog hair on the part yer working with.....dayum dogs.)






With the black on to hide the silver its easier to see how the new finger button is shaped.  The under cut grabs the finger tip and at least my finger don't slide off the button like it does with the tiny ruger buttons.






A little better photo of the shaped part installed.....again, black shows up better.  And if ya look close at the last photo ya can see I got a bit more polishin to do inside that index finger relief.






A better shot of the back and bottom of the button.


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## Sharps40 (Oct 16, 2014)

This is one of those repairs you should never have to make.  The jig that positions the drill for cross pinning the recoil shield just should never miss like it did with this one leaving the recoil shield free to move forward with every shot or dry firing.

It was a big miss.  I'd decided in advance how much I was willing to go and I had to go all the way on diameter to get the new recoil shield cross pinned.  But its in and I now have a secure and neatly enough, stainless steel recoil shield.

Lovely.  And I am quite confident in the repair.

Not for the faint of heart.

Here is the old recoil shield, after drilling clear to my larger bit choice....finally kissed the recoil shield and cut in the pin groove which positively retains the firing pin assembly.

I pushed it forward after each drill pass to confirm whether I hit it.....only drilling deep enough to just pass the shield.  No need to go out the other side....its already got a hole and due to the angle at the bottom, its thin walled enough down at the bottom.  No worries, the new pin can still be punched back out.






Removing the now obsolete and worn old carbon steel recoil shield, here it sits by the new SS one.  Measurements indicated it would fit, need a bit of trimming and should be a light tap into place fit...it was.






After cleaning and inspecting the firing pin and spring, and reinstalling them, the new ungrooved recoil shield is started into place.






Light taps get it in straight and to the bottom.  One good smashwack seats it.  Check for firing pin function and ready for the next step.






I am running a drill into a hole that butts up against a half of a round surface....the drill bit WILL BREAK OFF IN THE HOLE.  Run the drill slowely backwards and cut the groove in the recoil shield....when yer through, run it forwards for good measure in the now full diameter hole.

Push the recoil shield out slightly to ensure I did in fact make a groove in it for the new and larger diameter cross pin.






Reseat the recoil shield, check pin function and run in a snug fitting pin with a tapered nose to fully fill the half depth hole just drilled and to retain that recoil shield as the cross pin is supposed to.  Just a whisker more stoning to do and it'll be perfect.


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## Sharps40 (Nov 5, 2014)

Just a quick update.  Got Mom to try it out and lots of dry firing.  I think we are at 80%.  She loves it.  She was able to palm the hammer back and dry fire it 50 times without tiring.

Yep.  Palm the hammer back.  Even wide and low the effort to engage the hammer in the full notch is still the hardest task with arthritis.  She adores the fit of the large sticky grip and the balance and the glowing front sight and that she can easily press thru the trigger with one weak finger.  

The Bisley hammer has its low scooped out shape and the meat of the off hand fits right in.  So she practiced close side presentation in right hand.  Pushed up and forward while palming the hammer back and down with the meat of the left hand near the pinkey side of the wrist.  Worked every time.  Very smooth and allowed her to go to two handed hold for the press of the trigger.

Before I cut a coil on the mainspring or potentially reduce reliability with a lower power trigger spring I will finish the cosmetics up and focus seeing if I can adapt a hammer extension to the Spur of the hammer allowing for even greater contact between the left palm and the hammer.  If I can drill and tap that hard hammer steel, I should be able to solidly mount a stud on its left side that will never work loose or fall off like the set screw extension.  And, I could shape it anyway I need to in order to engage her off hand.  Got some mulling over to do while I work on the cosmetics a bit.


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## Sharps40 (Nov 7, 2014)

Nosing is about done on the front of the topstrap.  Just a bit of finishing up work to do.  I plan to leave the ears on back there where the sight goes.  It feels more comfortable when palming the hammer and I think taking them off will make the sight feel larger and in the way.


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## Sharps40 (Nov 7, 2014)

Nosing up to about 90% now.  The look I wanted.  Barrel into a sleeve, top strap growing out of the sleeve.  A light polish and then wire brushing indicates a little bit more refining of the shape is needed, but, we are just about all in on this part of the job.  Good thing.  I'm supposed to be taking it easy.  This is about as much as I can do sittin around chewin anti inflamatories and alternating cold and hot soak for seriously torn muscles in the leg.  Kinda puts strong limits on doing anything for the next week or so.  Can't even depress the clutch in the truck or jeep and getting out of bed in the morning is the purest of pain.


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## JBranch (Nov 8, 2014)

Looking good, sir. Sorry to hear about the injury, I know personally it is no fun. Wish you a speedy recovery.


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## Sharps40 (Nov 17, 2014)

The last modification or bit needed to help with weak hand operation of The Arthritis Project was more leverage to move the hammer back.  Rather than spend $15 + $7 shipping and wait a week for a bit of aluminum that will strip and fall off......lets make a hammer extension from steel.  Namely, Thompson Center Blackpowder rifle under lug steel.  (Don't throw stuff away, never know whatcha be able to make!)

Some overlapping #28 holes using the center drilling jig to keep em straight and in the center....






A bit of filing the slot and making a dome in it and its a snug tap fit on to the shaft of the spur.....






Thread the off side 6x48, again using the sight/scope mounting scissors jig to center and keep the hole straight thru to the slot previously cut....then establish the rough shape and test fit with many dry fires to see if it stays.  It does....though at the final assembly, it may well get glasbedded into place as well as using the screw.






A tour around the hammer to check clearances and see how it looks at the 75% level.











Old 57 is looking good and there is plenty of clearance.  It can be thumbed back or in Moms case, its like a wider spur on the heal of the off hand to help with her press/press present function of this newest of her defensive weapons....if she likes this I'll have to make one up for her Taurus 66 and then she can get back to shooting both of them!






Very nice.  All steel, as such, no weak threads to strip.  I suspect I'll also point the screw and divot the hammer to help make it even more solid but some final shaping and removal of sharp edges and I think she'll be able to operate this handgun slick as a whistle.


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## Sharps40 (Nov 18, 2014)

Success! The hammer is much easier for Mom to activate. Press forward right, Press rearward left, Present!

Mom says, "The old fingers and the "Double Hammer" made it work! Can you do this to my Taurus?"


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## Sharps40 (Nov 30, 2014)

Finishing up the fit and installation of the Hammer Extension prior to stripping the frame for rust bluing.

In order to make the assemblage more secure (and keep it from working loose like all the manufactured hammer extensions), a small notch is filed in the hammer spur to receive the end of the tension screw.  More surface area for tension screw to bite.  In addition, I shaped the hammer slot in the extension like the hammer, flat on bottom, humped on top....the extension is pulled over tight against the left side of the hammer and once snug, it comes up rock solid on the hammer.






Edges where the heel of the hand catch the extension are smoothed and slightly rounded.  After final shaping, 220g finish for bluing....not to bright...just a nice satin.






From the underside, the home made extension abuts the vertical leg of the hammer, its as far forward as it can go and won't be subject to any movement or wiggling loose with the sudden stops of hammer fall.






View from above, I will shorten the tension screw last, after all the function testing and bluing is done.  The tension screw will be set with Loctite as well.


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## Sharps40 (Dec 13, 2014)

All the modifications are done.  Nicks and boogers and old #57 sanded or filed or polished out.  A final finish with the coarse wire brush on this unpitted low mileage revolver leaves the surface ready for rust bluing.

A wipe down with alcohol saturated towels and the metal is clean and ready for the first wet coat of Pilkingtons and the first one hour rust to develop the color.  Only doing the frame and modified small parts.  The cylinder is super nice and the grip and ERH are aluminum and short of paint, aluminum is best left alone.

Lots of PMs on rust bluing.  I try to answer the questions but basically its easy.  Rust, slow and even boils into black.  Build up the finish, thru grey to satiny grey black, oil and go in the knowledge that its one of the finest finishes for durability and beauty on a daily use firearm.  

It doesn't take much effort to rust steel.  In the first photo, rust is developing in seconds only at 25% humidity and 65 degrees.  I'll speed it up a bit.  Too cold in the summertime damp box, my southern garage.  And, Grandkids moved in so I lost my back up wintertime rust damp box, the spare bathroom with a tub of hot water.  So, under the bar cabinet, cleaned, an iron pot of boiling hot water for humidity and the temp and the moisture content is up in moments only.  I suspect this cabinet come rusting damp box will work fine and it appears to be big enough for barreled rifle actions, no cost....just the way I like it.  






The first of 5 to 10+ cycles of rust and boil to bring this ruger up to a lovely black for Sharps40's Mother.


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## Sharps40 (Dec 13, 2014)

One hour in and ready for coat number two....dry wiped....no boiling yet.  That's about 2 hours after the second and dry coating of Pilkingtons.


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## Sharps40 (Dec 13, 2014)

Sorry bout the delay.  I was out reducing the clutch stroke on the old 65 C10 (switched to a modern clutch and T5 so the long old truck stroke was no longer needed), changing the oil, rotatin the tires and bringin the shoes up closer to the drums.  

First good rust.  Very even and I am pleased with the fine grain.






Boiling to add oxygen ions to the rust making it black.






This is always the oh no its ruined look....under the smut is the beginings of black.  Pull the parts from boiling water and start drying with the heat gun.  When you are sure every drop of water is gone, dry it with the heat gun twice more.  Water and finger prints now make permanent spots....get it dry and don't touch it with bare hands.






First carding with clean and dry 0000 steel wool.  Smut is gone.  Under is a thin watery grey black.  More black on the frame.  Less black on the barrel and almost none on the alloy ejector rod.  Dry coats of pilkingtons from now on, let it rust, boil it and card it.  Sometime in 3 or more days, it'll be done and ready to oil.  In the meantime, go work on a truck or a Gentlemans Workhorse 45 ACP or just watch good movies and drink beer.  Its all about the waiting.


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## Sharps40 (Dec 14, 2014)

The overnight rust looks just fine.






The second boil went well too.






Frame carded, barrel in smut.  Looking great, very nice color on the frame and the barrel, after carding, is catching up in color nicely too.  Small parts as well.


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## roperdoc (Dec 14, 2014)

It's like magic.
That rusted frame would scare the dickens out of me and then you make it look so good. Thanks for sharing with us.

Better get this done before Mom gets impatient, though!


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## Sharps40 (Dec 15, 2014)

Boiled and carded this morning.  Flooded the outside with Hoppes and carded it again.  Flooded the entire gun, in and out with wd40 and scrubbed out the knooks and crannies with brushes and q tips and now its resting for a bit in a mix of Hoppes and wd40.  The blue looks great!


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## Sharps40 (Dec 15, 2014)

All in but the shooting.  Oiled, assembled and function checked.  Well, all in but the shooting and the giving!  Just a reblue of the frame and it looks great in a factory and rust blue two tone.  No attempt to refinish the aluminum parts....they were in pretty good shape and I installed a spare ERH that had less wear and tear on its finish to complete the package.


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## Sharps40 (Dec 15, 2014)




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## Sharps40 (Dec 15, 2014)




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## hayseed_theology (Dec 16, 2014)

Like always, awesome job!


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## Sharps40 (Dec 20, 2014)

Broke it in today.  10m target and steels out to 25m.  Its dead on and a great pointer.  The grip is great, if not my style, but its tame/soft and easy to hang on to even with 357s.

Here are about 45 mixed 38s and 357s at 10m.  

Time to get it to Mom!


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## roperdoc (Dec 20, 2014)

Great project, great results! And a learning experience for all of us. Thank you again for sharing this with us.


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## _BuckMaster_ (Feb 2, 2015)

Mr Sharps40
You are a master at gun work......
Just plain AWESOME....


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## Sharps40 (Feb 2, 2015)

Thanks.  Mom seems to love it.  She shot it and the lcr, wanted an lcr so I told her, well, lemmie sell the Blackhawk and I'll get ya an LCR.  She snatched up the Blackhawk and said No, get me an LCR and I'm keepin this one too.  I love it!


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## _BuckMaster_ (Feb 3, 2015)

JUST AWESOME MR SHARPS40
I would love to just watch you work... I love guns and wish I could make a living at it...
Again sir you are a master at what you do


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## Sharps40 (Feb 4, 2015)

Makin a living in the Gunsmithing trade is pretty hard.  Most of them high end niches have been filled up and for regular fellas doing smithing, it's hard to do enough, well enough at a price that pays the bills.  No one, but pretty much no one is willing to pay the Smith what his skill is worth.  Those that make a living at it are passionate about their craft and balance the business and the customer with aplomb.  Rare combo.


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