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Post by Lee Martin on May 11, 2009 14:44:34 GMT -5
Transferred from the old forum (I plan on starting the cylinder this coming weekend) __________________________________________________ A lot of folks have asked me to document/photograph a Ruger conversion. Decided to finally do it with a 44 Special project I'm about to start. Here's the base gun: It's your basic OM 357 from 1963. The plan is to de-anodize the gripframe and ejector housing, fit a 4 5/8" stainless barrel, and machine a cylinder out of 17-4 stainless. The frame, side screws, and loading gate will then get Mahovsky's Metalife (hard-chrome which looks like brushed stainless). I should be able to match the barrel and cylinder to the frame. I'll periodically post pictures to this thread as it progresses (to include the machining & heat treating) BTW, I was going to just hard chrome a Lipseys but thought this would be more fun. -Lee www.singleactions.com
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Post by CalFred on May 11, 2009 14:57:48 GMT -5
Love the hard-chrome idea. I'll be interested to see this.
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Post by Frank V on May 11, 2009 15:51:38 GMT -5
I'm going to stay tuned in Lee. Frank
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Post by jaguarundi on May 12, 2009 1:11:45 GMT -5
Neat project .I can't wait to see your progress.
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Post by seville on May 13, 2009 0:13:04 GMT -5
I too can't wait to see the results.
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Post by Lee Martin on May 25, 2009 21:02:32 GMT -5
I finally got around to blanking out the cylinder for my OM 44 Special. Here are some of the steps involved; I start with blank 2” round 17-4 stainless:
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Post by Lee Martin on May 25, 2009 21:02:50 GMT -5
Rockwell testing to ensure it’s properly annealed:
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Post by Lee Martin on May 25, 2009 21:03:09 GMT -5
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Post by Lee Martin on May 25, 2009 21:03:31 GMT -5
Cutting off a length to a little over 1.90” (final length around 1.845”)
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Post by Lee Martin on May 25, 2009 21:03:52 GMT -5
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Post by Lee Martin on May 25, 2009 21:04:16 GMT -5
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Post by Lee Martin on May 25, 2009 21:04:40 GMT -5
Outside diameter finished (done on a mandrel so it’s concentric with the center hole):
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Post by Lee Martin on May 25, 2009 21:04:59 GMT -5
Ratchet step machined:
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Post by Lee Martin on May 25, 2009 21:05:18 GMT -5
We next switch to a vertical Bridgeport to cut the bolt stops and ratchet: We have no CNC, but do use digital readout:
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Post by Lee Martin on May 25, 2009 21:06:06 GMT -5
Woodruff key cutter is used to make the bolt stops:
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