Bisley/Vaquero Barrel Swap

[Hopalong7]

My barrel swapping project is making a little progress once again.  I'm now turning the 7.5" Vaquero barrel into the Bisley frame. Originally the barrel bottomed out about 220 degrees short of putting the sight top dead center and the cylinder gap pretty close.  I've cut back the torque shoulder enough to get to about 100-110 degrees.  Now, my question IS, "how much can I turn the barrel once the shoulder snugs up"? In other words, where do I want to stop before I put it back in the vise and torque it down.  I can't imagine it would move much.  Thanks, Walt 

[bilmac]

I have no idea hoppy, but the way I would approach it is to tighten down the barrel several times as you approach TDC. You will gain experience each time you do it. I would imagine that the exact ammount of torque is not real critical since the barrel is pinned in.

[Lloyd Smale]

never saw a pinned in ruger barrel. As to you question i cant give you an answer other then trial and error. I know when dustin linebaugh did one of mine he did it by measureing the old barrel and that got him real close.

[Hopalong7]

No pins on this one or any of my other Rugers for that matter.  When the shoulder snugs up it's like hitting a brick wall...Woah.  I can't see it turning much farther.  I heard a lot of talk about turning a barrel to adjust windage(which I'm sure is a VERY small turn), but I've never tried it.  Thanks Guys,  Walt 

[bilmac]

I should have looked before I flapped my jaws, ah, fingers. I could say I was confused and thinking of S&Ws but I remember a govt S&W I was issued that started shooting off. So I adjusted the sights. Then it was shooting off in the same direction again, so I adjusted the sights. After a few times I finally noticed that the barrel was unscrewing.

Maybe it is good old guns I am thinking of, I do clearly remember pins through the frame that would have just touched the top of the barrel threads. But when they make locktite, who needs pins?

[Lloyd Smale]

it takes a very minute amount of movement to change point of aim quite a bit. Even when tightening an allready tight barrel its harder to go not far enough then it is to go to far.

No pins on this one or any of my other Rugers for that matter.  When the shoulder snugs up it's like hitting a brick wall...Woah.  I can't see it turning much farther.  I heard a lot of talk about turning a barrel to adjust windage(which I'm sure is a VERY small turn), but I've never tried it.  Thanks Guys,  Walt 

[Lloyd Smale]

olds smiths had pinned barrels but even they dont anymore. Barrrel threads are made kind of out of consentric (for lack of the proper terminolgy) so when tightened its kind of a crush fit that doesnt need any kind of a locking pin or thread locking compound.

I should have looked before I flapped my jaws, ah, fingers. I could say I was confused and thinking of S&Ws but I remember a govt S&W I was issued that started shooting off. So I adjusted the sights. Then it was shooting off in the same direction again, so I adjusted the sights. After a few times I finally noticed that the barrel was unscrewing.

Maybe it is good old guns I am thinking of, I do clearly remember pins through the frame that would have just touched the top of the barrel threads. But when they make locktite, who needs pins?

[Hopalong7]

Slowly getting there.  I got the barrel down to about a quarter turn to go and deciced it was time to put it back in the vise and tighten it up to see how far it would turn after it snubbed up.  It turned a little more than I expected....about 35 degrees under considerable resistance most of the way.  This indicates to me that I may have as much as 15-20 degrees of leway to hit the right spot.  Still I'll have to file a "little" more and check it again.
   Now, the other half of the project....the Vaquero receiving the 4.5" barrel from the Bisley.  Of course the treads on this barrel had to be about 3/4 turn too long.  I had about decided that all I could do was to cut back the torque shoulder enough to screw it in the remaining 3/4 turn and then shorten the breech end of the barrel enough(about .030) to get the proper cylinder gap.  Well, I was rumaging thru one of my junk boxes yesterday morning and happened upon a thin stainless washer about the diameter of a Ruger barrel with a large inside diameter.  Naw that would be too good to be true...my luck just don't run that good.  I finished up momma's " do it today or else" list and went back and checked the washer.  OD is 1-2 thousands over barrel diameter...perfect.....thickness......040"....a little thick,but that would just give me a little material to work with for adjustment....ID....025" too small.  About 35-40 minutes with the Dremel tool and the ID was fixed.  Slipped it on the barrel and screwed her down tight.  Looking good...tightened up just under a quarter turn from TDC.  Cylinder gap may be just a little more than I would like...but acceptable.
   Yea, I know, I should have stopped when I found the washer and gone to get a lottery ticket.   GOOD SHOOTIN', Walt 

We just might finish this deal yet!!!