Subtle Improvements

[tek4260]

Got around to spending a Midway gift certificate. On Ruger parts of course(with a mold thrown in for good measure)!

Here is the sight for a 10.5" Super on my old Bisley



And since I didn't know which one was taller, I ordered this one(only one for MK in stock at the time).



It is the same height, but has a smaller base, so I put it on my 4 5/8 SS.





Of course I can't pass on a chance to buy something from Belt Mountain, so another #5 locking to go along with the Millet sight and Bisley cylinder. Also swapped that highly polished Super hammer for something a bit less bling-e.

[subsonic]

Well, if you forget your knife, you can always field dress with those front sights! Or hang the gun from a tree limb while you're in the stand. :-)

How do you find TDC to drill and tap for the sights?

If you need lower, like for a Vaq, look at single six front sights for the older guns that had drift rear sights and also the .22 vs .32 Bisley with drift rear.

I'm not sure I will ever do another belt mountain pin, and I never lock mine. I can detect no difference in lock-up or accuracy on my Bisley, but the barrel has a little divot on the bottom now.

[tek4260]

TDC isn't a problem here as they are screw attached on the MK and the SS. But finding TDC can be a pain. About the best I can find is to level the upper and lower portion of the inside of the cylinder frame(bottom of topstrap and bottom of cylinder window). The topstrap is a no no as it is hand polished after casting and is never truly level. Once you level the inside of the cylinder frame, use this on the barrel:

www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=13107/Product/TOP-DEAD-CENTER-PUNCH

I like the Belt Mountain pins for looks, quality, ect... The main reason I like them is simply to support a fellow forum member over on Rugerforum.com. FWIW, his new latches seem to be made without the factory bevel which is a huge improvement. That along with ensuring that the latch actually seats properly negates the set screw IMHO.

[dlhredfoxx]

I'd like to learn more abou this! Base pins 'aint cheap these day's I could put my $40 towards something else if you've got a better/less expensive alternative...

Jan 12, 2012 20:28:57 GMT -5 tek4260 said:

TDC isn't a problem here as they are screw attached on the MK and the SS. But finding TDC can be a pain. About the best I can find is to level the upper and lower portion of the inside of the cylinder frame(bottom of topstrap and bottom of cylinder window). The topstrap is a no no as it is hand polished after casting and is never truly level. Once you level the inside of the cylinder frame, use this on the barrel:

www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=13107/Product/TOP-DEAD-CENTER-PUNCH

I like the Belt Mountain pins for looks, quality, ect... The main reason I like them is simply to support a fellow forum member over on Rugerforum.com. FWIW, his new latches seem to be made without the factory bevel which is a huge improvement. That along with ensuring that the latch actually seats properly negates the set screw IMHO.

[subsonic]

Better alternative to the belt mtn pin? Leave the stock one in if it isn't jumping. If it's jumping, try rotating the latch screw and see if there is a more "bitey" place on it.

But I've never had one jump that I pushed in until it clicked.

[tek4260]

Remove the base pin completely and note how "deep" the base pin latch sits in the frame without the pin. Re-install the base pin and make sure the latch seats to the same depth. Sometimes tolerances stack against you and the latch doesn't quite seat. The factory latch is tapered and it will hold the pin somewhat if it doesn't fully seat, but will launch or come unseated during recoil. Usually you notice the revolver will not cock after firing a shot and realize the transfer bar is hitting the firing pin since the base pin has backed out and the plunger isn't holding the transfer bar back.
To fix, if your latch isn't fully seating, remove the latch and look at the cut in the base pin in relation to the latch hole. You may have to file the front, back, or deepen the notch in the pin to allow the latch to fully seat. Once you do this, it cannot move under recoil. The Belt Mountain latch is a better product than the factory IMHO because it will have more contact area on the base pin than the factory tapered latch.

I have had 2 Ruger SA's that had latch problems. To fix one, I lengthened the slot in the base pin to allow the latch to seat. The other was a well worn OM Super that had chewed up the latch and pin pretty good over the years. It got a new latch, spring, and base pin.

Mine also have heavier latch springs, just because. Sometimes their increased pressure on a revolver that has a latch that doesn't seat helps hold it, and people sing their praises. But again, if the latch fully seats, the spring is pretty irrelevant.

[Frank V]

Those front sights are great to shoot, they tend to minimize shadows when aiming. I used them a lot in the Bullseye pistol matches for years. They do tend to be hard on holsters though.
Frank

[Lee Martin]

Good use of a gift card...and I really like the front sight upgrades.

-Lee
www.singleactions.com