Ruger Single Action tune-up $$$???

[rimfire]

Looking to hunt with a Ruger SA 45LC next year.  Have been reading a lot on this gun all over the net.  

Ideally I would like a SS Bisley with a 7"+ barrel, but the few ways I see to build it are too expensive right now.

Want to start with a Blackhawk  SS with the 7.5" barrel.  Would like to slowly get it improved basis all I have read and want some advice on reasonable places to get it done.  

Throat doctor seems a good place to start with the chamber bored properly for under $35 if no one has had any problems with them.

Next, I would like a trigger job...may start with disconnecting one of the hammer spring legs and see what it feels like, but ultimately will want a better job.

Down the road the SS Bisley hammer and grip frame from Brownell's looks like a nice improvement, but no way for this coming year.

Bottom line...how much should the base gun run me?  Should the Throatdoctor get my business?  What would be your next step?

For the short term I also plan to use assembled rounds for target and hunting and would love advice on a low powered reasonably priced cast bullet load and a slightly heavier load with cast bullet/large meplat for Whitetails out to 50-60 yards or so.

Also want a nice holster rig in leather for this gun to ride on my right hip for all of my woodswalking.  I plan to keep this setup for a long time and will spend money for good leather.  Buying all this at once requires some delay in all the custom work I want done.

Sorry to ask for so much at once!!  Help!!!

Barry

[CJ]

I have bought used BHs for between $175 and $275, but this varies greatly with region. The last New one I bought was a Bisley 5.5 SS at $425. You can see the replies to my throat Dr question below, I will be sending mine out to him sounds reputable from the answers I got. I unhooked the leg on my Bisley, wasnt happy with it so I disassembled it, polished up the bearing surfaces on the trigger and hammer and put in a Wolff spring kit. All unhooking the leg of the spring will do is lighten trigger pull, mine was still rough. Just dont change any of the angles, all you want to do is clean up machine marks. Also,IMHO longer barrels can get in the way a bit in a hip holster. I found one of the 5.5   SS Bisleys. Took me a while, but I'm glad I did. Good luck with your project.

[rimfire]

As I primarily want to hunt with mine I was thinking I could use the additional sight radius to place my shots better out at 60 yards on a deer or coyote.  If I decide down the road it is too long I guess I could get it shortened.

I may try smoothing up the trigger myself as I do have a good set of stones from Brownell's for that work.  Maybe between that and the leg trick I could live with it for this year.

[Lloyd Smale]

I agree with CJ the 5 1/2 stainless bisleys are a great gun I have one in .45 and the .44 is on the way It would probably be the cheapest way overall to get an aj. sight stainless bisley. The performance you will loose with the shorter barrel will never be noticed in the field and there easier to pack and the 5 1/2 inch guns are probably the best ballanced of them all you can still find them on guns america for sale for @450 http://www.gunsamerica.com/  As far as action work and custom work you just cant beat Dave Clements for price. I leave the trigger work to someone who knows what there doing I am fortunate to have a freind who does mine. But you can eaily mess up a good gun if you dont know what your doing I think Clements gets $75 to do one and its well worth it. Other things to consider are throating and a belt mountain base pin. Your only option for a 7 1/2 inch gun is either a blued ajst. sight bisley or a bisley vaquaro in stainless or blue with fixed sights. As far as accuracy goes I notice nothing with the longer barrel guns as a matter of fact I tend to do better with the 5 1/2 and 4 5/8s guns

[Smokin54]

I built the gun you are after , I purchased a new stainless .45 blackhawk . I purchased the reamer for the cylinder throats at brownells and after using it on my gun sold it on the classified on this site and it ended up costing me $30 , I then bought the stainless  bisley gripframe ,ajax imitation ivory grips,hammer,and trigger from brownells and installed them myself . The gripframe was a bit of a chore to install but you can do it,I then sold the old peices on ebay and got back all my money there except $35 . I installed a wolf spring kit and a belt mountain base pin and did a trigger job myself . I tried the free spin pawl and didnt care for it although it worked just like it was supposed to , I took it out .
I now have a 7 1/2 inch stainless bisley with adjustable sights That will shoot 1 inch groups at 25 yards . It packs in a holster just fine so dont let that get to you . If you like the pointability of a 7 1/2 inch revolver then go for it . I built this pistol just because I like my blue version so much !!!

[rimfire]

Appreciate the comments.  Clements does seem to be competitively priced.  He told me last night when I phoned that he would recommend the throat work and trigger job as a minimum package to have a good shooting gun with cast bullets.  He also recommended the Bisley frame highly.  Said it would be a lot cheaper to buy the SS Bisley and rebarrel that to buy the blackhawk and change the frame.

I am hoping to get one of the SS Bisley's off of the net at Gunsamerica, but I have to wait until after the Holidays to spring the $.  I hope one is still available.

[Smokin54]

It is most likely it would be cheaper to rebarrel than do a bisley conversion if you are going to pay somebody to do the work  . It is not that difficult to fit a bisley gripframe ,hammer and trigger to a blackhawk and if then sell the old stainless parts on ebay and you can get most of your money back . From what I could tell he charges $250 to rebarrel a revolver .You may want to consider doing the work yourself.