Has anyone managed to mount a scope on a Ruger old Army? and if so what is the best route to take? I would have thought a red dot would be most suitable but a x2 scope shouldn't be out of the question should it? I'd like to think it would improve bullet/ball placement on smaller game, rabbits etc....

quote:

Has anyone managed to mount a scope on a Ruger old Army? and if so what is the best route to take? I would have thought a red dot would be most suitable but a x2 scope shouldn't be out of the question should it?

Never seen it done but I suppose a good pistolsmith could drill and tap the top strap for a Weaver base.

quote:

I'd like to think it would improve bullet/ball placement on smaller game, rabbits etc.

If we give up on precise placement there is another option. If all you are hunting is squirrels and rabbits and such have you thought about trying a smoothbore single-shot? Most I've seen are flinters but a caplock could be built even if it can't be bought off the shelf. Assuming your local game laws allow such an implement anything from 28 bore on up might to serve for small game with bird shot.

Why would you want to spoil a fine handgun with that sort of mess? Don't mind me, I am a bit of a traditionalist! derf

I agree with Derf.
Why would you profane the Ruger Old Army, or any cap and ball revolver, with the addition of a scope?
If you put a scope on it, better bring plenty of lens wipes. You'll likely find a layer of lubricant on the lens with each shot.
Remember, cap and ball revolvers throw a lot of lubricant with each shot.

Maybe with a Contender or an Encore a scope would be more practical, and certainly much more easily mounted. But to me, a scope on a ROA (or any c&b revolver) makes about as much sense as snow tires on a submarine.

I'm in the UK and unless you want a revolver with a 12" barrel with a 10" armbrace welded to the back of it, or an 18" barrel or in the case of my current .44 mag Competitor a 23" barrel!!, a scoped old army is the only way forward I can think of have a reasonably pointable pistol. The law dictates that unless the firearm is a muzzle loader it must have barrel length of at least 12" with an overall lenght of at least 24". The UK importer for T/C's won't bring in muzzle loading pistols in case someone swaps out the barrels so if you want a Contender or an Encore it has to have a 20" barrel? There is already a couple of guys over here making nitro proofed coversion cylinders for c'n'b that use shotgun primers. So you could wind up with quite a potant tool. As for the scope, if my eye's worked better I wouldn't need it!!

The idea of a ROA with hogue grips, scoped, with a nitro conversion cylinder is quite an appealing thought in a country where regular handguns have been outlawed.
I believed the scope mounts for a Black Hawk might fit a ROA with adjustable sights could this be true?

So as you can see, I seem to have my 'submarine' (read-my rights to shoot) stuck in the 'ice' (read-my government) and need some snow chains to get it out????

Dan,
I overlooked your point of origin. With the ice you're stuck in, maybe you need studded tires on your submarine. My hat's off to you for even trying. Still you will have to contend with copious amounts of lube and powder blown out of the b/c gap, and that would really eliminate a compact red dot sight from consideration - the front lens would be totally covered in the first few shots. The alternative, a longer conventional scope, is the only viable choice. The remaining question is will it adversly effect the balance of the resulting combination? I think you would be OK with a frame that heavy. If you have the model with the adjustable sights, it shouldn't be too difficult to rig a functional mount for it. I believe that the Blackhawk mount will fit, but I do not have a ROA to compare the two. The helpful staff at Brownells might be able to answer your question. Even with the fixed sight model, the topstrap is rugged enough to d&t it for a Weaver style base, not a difficult job if you have a centering jig. I'd use three rings ala TSOB mounts on it too, for a little added insurance. I'm very partial to Leupold's 2X and 4X EER scopes, and would go with the 2X for small or medium game. If you get too sick of the draconian gun laws, there's plenty of room here for a fellow shooter - we only discourage the immigrants with explosive vests! Post some pictures when you get it put together.

Versifier,
Thanks for your words of wisdom, a Leupold x2 is what I had in mind as well, subject to me actually seeing this thing through and not giving up in vain, I will post some pics.
As for moving to your neck of the woods, believe me I've tried, actually made it for a bit working as a shooting coach at a summer camp back in '97 for 6 months. Now it seems that us little folk from the UK aren't allow in anymore, not on the greencard welcome list, I think you do actually have been from an explosive-vest wearing background now???

Cheers,

Dan

The quickest way to a green card is via the altar with a US citizen. Sorry I can't help you there, not built for it. Judging by all the meat rack ads I get spammed with, I get the distinct impression it's not out of the realm of possibility, though. Good luck with your project.

Thanks for the offer Versifier but I think my wife may get a little antsey at the thought of getting devorced, so I can marry an American citizen so I can go 'Play Guns'....Women!!!

You could move to Canada. We speak the same language(sort of) and have laws that are closer to yours that the neighbours to the south. AND we just fired our last anti-gun govt. However it remains to be seen what the new guys will do in spite of their promises. derf

Derf, After watching 'Bowling for Columbine'
Canada looks very appealling. Not quite sure of the entry requirements, or, more importantly the whole pistol hunting issue?
Will look in to it.

quote:

Originally posted by Dan Webster:
Derf, After watching 'Bowling for Columbine'
Canada looks very appealling. Not quite sure of the entry requirements, or, more importantly the whole pistol hunting issue?
Will look in to it.

Don't you DARE base your opinion of the US on a movie made by a man that all but lost the election for the side he was supporting!

The movie was purest propaganda...


AllanD

Allan,

I did live in the US for a while so it wasn't a baseless opinion
No, really, I had a great time over there and want to come back.
In my eye's 'Bowling for Columbine' didn't make the US look bad, it just made Canada look nicer/safer, thats all.

Have since ruled it out though, as they don't like hand gun hunting either

Not overly impressed with the US entry requirements though, I'm a UK citizen and as such am not allowed to enter the green card lottery??
I run a successful real estate company, have a nice home and drive a Range Rover... not exactly looking to bleed the system dry, go figure.

Dan

quote:

Originally posted by Dan Webster:
Allan,

I did live in the US for a while so it wasn't a baseless opinion
No, really, I had a great time over there and want to come back.
In my eye's 'Bowling for Columbine' didn't make the US look bad, it just made Canada look nicer/safer, thats all.

Have since ruled it out though, as they don't like hand gun hunting either

Not overly impressed with the US entry requirements though, I'm a UK citizen and as such am not allowed to enter the green card lottery??
I run a successful real estate company, have a nice home and drive a Range Rover... not exactly looking to bleed the system dry, go figure.

Dan

To the anti-gunners the fact that the dangerous areas became more dangerous with strict gun laws is "perverse"

To the average gun owner it is perverse that the antis can't acknowledge simple truth;
that the more guns there are in the hands of law abiding people the safer things are.

Like everywhere else in the civilized industrialized world you are ten times as likely to be murdered by someone you know than by a stranger (in commission of an armed robbery for instance) and if a friend or relative has it in for you they can easily
wack you with your own golf club as use a gun.

that's it!!! Outlaw Golf and the playing implements!!!

AllanD

+1 to Outlawing Golf.


I'd rather take .22 in the gut than a claw hammer in the head..... but they won't ban hammers will they!!!!

Pretty simple, Dan. Fly into northern Mexico and walk across. I'll give you a map for which ranches to use. Once you make it past 80 miles, you're as good as naturalized...

tiggertate, good suggestion, it had also crossed my mind to fly in to the US on a visitors visa and burn my passport when I get there??

Or to go one better, I can get fake passports for £500 and fly in on someone elses name