Mr. Belly Gun

[Sharps40]

A few thousands extra metal don't seem like much till ya gotta take it off, even and by hand.

Discounting the grip frame was out of spec on the upper screw holes (fixed it....will finish reboring the countersinks for the screw heads later) it was quite a few thousands proud on both sides. Good and bad. Good cause you can fit it to the frame. Bad cause its a lot of work, stainless is stringy and clogs files quickly and its a lot of work.

Here is an example of the extra metal in the grip frame for fitting to the receiver.

And here, the bulk of the roughin in done on the left side.

I'll block sand this side in the rest of the way later. Gotta finish the other side first and finish up the grip frame....then root around for the last of the spalted curly maple and see if there is enough to make grip panels with.

 

[Sharps40]

Side two is roughed in. SN is preserved.

Off to make the trigger return spring assembly next. NM Frame on OM receiver and the return springs are different/not interchangeable without some work.

 

[Sharps40]

Fun with files.

Measurements indicated just enough roof on the topstrap to go to a true flat top.....so, mark that task done.

A slight trim of the headdress to provide better reflection and now I'll have to reshape just a scooch and trim in the feathers. But, with a slight angle cut I have a tip that reflects light to my eye much better. Better even than the hump on the buffalo's shoulder of the Gentlemans Workhorse front sight.

Some initial polishing in of the Stainless Ruger Plowshare Frame (reground to birdshead) so that it fits the action perfectly and removes the bulk of the file marks from initial fitting. Both sides now done to 100g finish. I do want to increase the size and depth of the trigger finger undercut on the right side of the grip.....just a touch more room and a smooth rounded edge against the finger in recoil.

The arch of the ruger backstrap is high and thick. With smaller hands the bore does not become an extension of the arm bones, rather pointing to the right with a too large grip. The beginning of a divot, still a bit flat but coming along, and I already notice, the arm bones and barrel are now in line. No more grinding for now....gotta put wood on there first and finalize the shape of both together.

 

[7pt62THOR]

Keep it up and Ruger will get wind of what you're doin' and ask you to move to Arizona! Can't wait to see the finished belly gun brother!

 

[Sharps40]

Ruger should offer a factory 3.5" with full ejection. They should also offer the Colt 1860 plowshare grip for folks with normal sized hands and the Bisley hammer/trigger should be available on all as well. But till they do, its up to us to get our guns to fit us rightly.

 

[41mag]

If I could, I would move in up there close to you just to learn from ya. You got me hooked on another thread Sharps. I've got an idea of my own for a Super Redhawk.....I may try to bite it off see what I can make, but I need to put my hands on one cheap enough first...

 

[Sharps40]

Hmmmm...super redhawk. Thas a big hunka steel to play with. I'd get a cheepie with the scope cuts, put on a fixed 1 or 2x on removeables and good fixed sights as Backup, trim the barrel a touch longer than needed to leave the glass clean, work over the guts, matt it down, maybe add a sling swivel (for sling/lanyard and to make good solid depressed skull fractures - for backup on charging bear and such!) and....

 

[Sharps40]

Putting the OM Trigger return back into the NM grip frame.

Start with an old bolt. 5/16" dia is about right. Drill, slot, taper, shorten, flatten and its done and in there and works perfect. Current trigger pull is a smooth weniewocker shy of 2 lbs.....

Once the bolt is drilled for the trigger return pin and spring, the bottom is flattened as needed and the entire rig is cut to length.

If you like, cross drill for the retention pin. I find it as effective to simply slot the housing as porkhair shallow so the cross pin will firmly hold the housing down into the return spring trough of the grip frame. File a concavity in the tail of the new housing as needed to clearance the hammer spring strut.

Install the new housing, trigger plunger and spring, cross pin it and then put the gun together for fit and function checks.

Neatly done. Full function....New Model Grip adapted to Old Model Action and you retain the familiar trigger pull of the old model and don't have to buy the expensive conversion trigger.

 

[41mag]

Hmmmm...super redhawk. Thas a big hunka steel to play with. I'd get a cheepie with the scope cuts, put on a fixed 1 or 2x on removeables and good fixed sights as Backup, trim the barrel a touch longer than needed to leave the glass clean, work over the guts, matt it down, maybe add a sling swivel (for sling/lanyard and to make good solid depressed skull fractures - for backup on charging bear and such!) and....

Yup your sorta on the right track. I'd like to get the Casull and shorten it up some, like the Alaskan..to maybe an inch or two off the frame, crown it, port it , fix a front sight back. I like the Matte and sling swivel idea. Scope I can take or leave....if so it'd be 2 or 2.5x . Play around with the trigger...possibly jewel in the hammer/trigger(?).
Ive been hard up for an Alaskan in that .454 since I saw one the first time. I love the .45Colt ctg. I think one of the Super RH would make a good medium sized/weight butt buster.

 

[Sharps40]

Interesting article on the transition from Redhawk to Super Redhawk (SR has extended snout designed initially to prevent frame cracking at the barrel mount) and later the simple fix that kept the redhawk in production (no more frame cracking of the redhawk).

Shortening the SR to about 5" w/o scope still leaves you approaching the 50 oz range. Quite a hunk of steel!

http://www.handgunsmag.com/handguns/featured_handguns_hg_rugerrh_200709/