David Bradshaw Photos - Vol. XXXIII

[Lee Martin]

Another excellent photo essay from David. We need more posts like this:
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Ruger 03 .45 Colt/.45 ACP gets more holster time on the trail of tasks.


The Maximum, or long, ejector----shortened by Ruger 1/4"----is a salient feature of this one-of-a-kind factory Ruger. Seen here completely clearing .45 Colt case.


03 ejector veritably flings .45 ACP brass


45 Colt, L-to-R: CCI/Speer Gold Dot 260 JHP @ 900 fps; Federal swaged lead 225 HP @ 900 fps; Sierra 240 JHC over 27/296, Fed case, Fed 155 primer @ 1300 fps; Nosler 250 JHP over 24.7/H110 Fed case, Fed 155 primer @ 1140 fps.


45 ACP, L-to-R: cast 230 RN over 5.5/HP-38, Fed case, Fed 150 primer; cast 200 SWC over 5.5/231, Fed case, Fed 150; Remington Golden Saber 230 JHP over 8.5/Accurate #5, Fed case, Fed 150 @ 915 fps.


Although SA revolver chamber provides better case support than any auto, there is no need to load hotter than for the auto. Total interchangeability is an asset.


Cylinder gap .003-inch.


Gray ring indicates short 11-degree forcing cone


As barrel had been over-tightened, it was removed, retimed, and reamed for .452" x .800" freebore.


Hardwood dowel with jag carved into end makes excellent cleaning rod for flannel patches.


Much leather work later, broke a Ron Power tool steel free spin pawl.


Ruger pawl (left), with Ron Power Free Spin Pawl.


Handy RCBS hex key set includes 7/64" needed for Bisley backstrap screws.


Periodic strip provides opportunity to check for wear on parts.


Hammer dog set for solid engagement, smooth light letoff.


Ruger 03 cleaned, checked out, ready for lube & reassembly.


To check hammer dog/ trigger sear engagement, set hammer & trigger pins in frame, Cloth or cardborad tucked in frame slot prevent pins falling through


Hammer & trigger engagement as set by Bradshaw in 2003 to preserve Ruger REGAIN engagement angles, with smooth light letoff.



Eleven years in, including from the leather, hammer & trigger engagement is as good as ever. Proper angles, robust engagement, and lubrication are key.


Ruger faux ivory grips are a bit brittle for banging around machinery or nailing up wanted posters.


Long ejector, shortened 1/4", on 5-1/2" barrel.


Anit-Seize Compound demonstrates, especially on stainless, protective qualities which reduce wear signature over the years. I cut with moly-disulfide chassis grease and ATM fluid for North Country in winter. Parts which get this treatment include cylinder hub, cylinder pin, pawl, & transfer bar.


Cylinder pin with Anti-Seize.



Ruger 03 ready to go


-Lee
www.singleactions.com
"Building carpal tunnel one round at a time"

[bradshaw]

Lee,
Beaucoup thanks,
David

[gman50]

David,
Did Mike Brazda remove the barrel and reset to your specs on this gun? In talking to him about my 45 Colt Bisley he told me he had the specs you wanted done on your gun. As always enjoy your pictures and explanations.

[squawberryman]

Just wondering why when you had the keys to the candy store that awful lettering is on the side of the barrel sir. Awesome pics that supplement the trigger tutorial provided in past posts.

[bradshaw]

gman50.... Mike Brazda of Bayou Teche Guns in Arnaudville, Louisiana indeed pulled the barrel, which, horror of horrors, had been over tightened in Newport, the flaw in an otherwise stunning build. I bought a .452" reamer from Dave Manson, and brought it and the Ruger 03 to Brazda, who pulled the barrel. I had slugged the bore with an egg sinker and hit a compression ring at frame/barrel juncture. Screwed by hand into cylinder frame, the barrel stopped about 30-degrees Before Top Dead Center (BTDC). The width of slightly more than one thread was lathe-turned from the barrel shoulder, so that the barrel would then hand tighten to 10 or 12-degrees BTDC. I did the math, Mike did the lathe work.

I did not slug the bore with barrel removed. Therefore, I cannot tell you whether there was palpable springback of the compression ring. Full springback should obviate my next step, which was to FREEBORE. I had Brazda drop the David Manson reamer to a depth of .800-inch, enough to pass the compression ring. Thus, I call it .452" x .800" freebore. Brazda did the work on a lathe, a beautiful job.

One might herd me into a discussion of freebore, but for now I want to thank Rod Sward for proving to me beyond doubt it works in a revolver. Rod Sward set up manufacture of the Virginian Dragoon for Interarms owner Sam Cummings, in Virginia around 1980 (reckon someone will step in with better dates). Sward made Silhouette Dragoons with 10-inch barrels in .357 and .44 Magnum. The barrels were button rifled in house, I believe 1:18" for both calibers. Sward sent me one of each revolver, both of which turned, iron sights Creedmoor, sub-3-inch groups @ 100 yards. I had worked with Federal on development of the .44 silhouette load, code 44C, which utilized the Sierra 220 Full Profile Jacket. Sward made a point of showing me the testing of the .44 Silhouette Dragoon with that round.

The superior intrinsic accuracy of the Virginian Silhouette Dragoon was tainted by the unusually tall hammer and long lock time of the Virginian. Many shooters were unnerved at the pristine follow through required to register this accuracy on steel. I was going to mention this in Lee Martin's Bench Rest article, but here it is. I shoot the Virginian Silhouette Dragoon well, and consider it a sleeper. However, the gun presents an uphill challenge to a competitor suffering match nerves, particularly shooting offhand.

I believe that freebore enables a bullet to shunt from chamber-to-borebore in the presence of misalignment, without undue distortion. Bullets recovered from snow convinced me of this probability. However, in this instance freebore is an antidote to the compression ring..

While so-called experts have for years droned on about the mighty muzzle crown, its importance to revolver accuracy, the best bench rest crown in the world cannot cure a bullet bent in a cockeyed or rough or overly deep forcing cone. The forcing cone is critical to revolver accuracy. Note the short 11-degree cone in the Ruger 03.

One may theorize that lapping to eliminate a compression ring, a.k.a. thread choke, might yield better accuracy from the 03 than obtained with freebore. In the mean time, Lee Martin has posted on this forum, and Max Prasac has published in Ruger Revolvers, evidence of 03 capability @ 100 yards.
David Bradshaw

[bradshaw]

squawberryman.... this is, albeit one-of-a-kind, a factory Ruger. I was elated when then Service Manager Dick Beaulieu called to ask it it was o.k. to make a stainless .45 ACP cylinder for the revolver, as Bill, Jr., and he thought it more complete aesthetically. Beaulieu said they would go along if I wanted a blue ACP cylinder, as made for the Convertible. I originally specified a blue fluted ACP cylinder to not make any more waves. This would be the first stainless .45 ACP cylinder, at per my request it would be fluted to instantly differentiate by sight or touch. Of course I was elated. The revolver would not have left the factory without the rollmarks, which in any case further verifies provenence.
David Bradshaw

[Lee Martin]

David – are you familiar with the “Vault Gun” Virginian Silhouettes? I got the history from Boyd Carpenter, a name you know well. It’s a checkered tale but if I find time I’ll lay it all out in a thread. In fact, maybe you and I should chat before I do so.

-Lee
www.singleactions.com
"Building carpal tunnel one round at a time"

[gman50]

David,
Prior to Brazda moving to Arnaudville I was working with him in Abbeville while on my days off from my oilfield job. I have a Super Redhawk that had severe contriction at the frame. I had conversed with Veral Smith of LBT fame and he recommended his firelapping procedure. It took 200 rounds to rid the choke and pushing a slug through feels like it's rolling on ball bearings. But it would still lead in the first inch or so of the forcing cone. It was a little rough in that area and I decided to bring the gun in to show Mike. What he ended up doing was actually giving it a little freebore. Looking at your picture it looks identicle to my SRH. It has turned into an accurate shooter and no longer leads the barrel. Your pictures and explanation really put it together for me. My just aquired Super Blackhawk Bisley was slugged last week and sure enough it was like hitting a wall when the egg sinker hit the frame area. So I'm thinking of bringing him this gun to do the same procedure. It's either that or break out the lapping compound. The throats were also reamed on the SRH and I will need to do the same on the Bisley but will try it first once the compression is relieved.

[bradshaw]

Lee... I could listen to Boyd Carpenter and you jawbone without the need to say a word. And am unfamiliar with "Vault Gun Virginian Silhouettes."
Let's talk,
David

[snappy]

Fantastic stuff! I hope to shake your hand some day Mr. Bradshaw. Thank you for passing along the knowledge.

[bradshaw]

gman50.... your call, how you eliminate the compression ring.

To put it Country Simple, two conditions favor freebore:
1) Deep forcing cone. To set back barrel shoulder one thread helps.

2) Excess cylinder gap. To set back barrel shoulder one thread may require shaving barrel face to fit cylinder. Remember cylinder/barrel gap cannot be tighter than endshake.

In setting back barrel, ejector housing may require adjustment where it meets cylinder frame.

While Mike Brazda has it, providing revolver has 5-1/2" or longer barrel, seriously consider installation of the stainless long ejector (first installed in 1983 on the KS411N "Silver Hornpipe" silhouette SBH; now seen on Hunter SBH, as well). If you have the chance, check out Keane Zarange's revolver at Fusilier Complex.
David Bradshaw

[gman50]

David,
Bisley has 7.5" bbl and could use that longer ejector as well as my 45 Bisley. You venturing back to Cajun Country anytime soon? Enjoy the discussion David, Thanks!

[bradshaw]

gman50.... overdue for return to the Atchafalaya environ. Right now we're catching more snow. Thinking in Cajun Country we need to have an impromptu silhouette gathering, bust some steel. Revolvers. No classes, no trophies. Basic hind leg get together. 100, 150, 200 yards. Suppose we could let people shoot Creedmoor, sissy sticks, etc. Thinking out loud here,
David Bradshaw

[gman50]

David,
While I would never class myself in your league I would enjoy that greatly! Never had the chance to shoot silhouette's before since it went away by the time I got interested. Throw in some Cajun cooking and we would be set to go! I better start practicing!

[paulg]

Not trying to derail the thread Mr. Bradshaw but I have a question. A local gun shop has a blued .45 convertible for sale at a reasonable price, are there any particulars to look for before purchase other than sound mechanical function? Is there a specific serial number range that denotes better quality? Any help is appreciated.