How to Shorten the Stainless Barrel of an Old Army Ruger

The Ruger Old Army stainless steel revolver is a six-shot, cap-and-ball, muzzleloading .45-caliber black powder pistol. It is available with a 5 ½- or 7 ½-inch barrel. The front sight is sweat-soldered onto the barrel, and there is a loading lever attached to the bottom of the barrel. When shortening the barrel, you must remove the front sight, then reattach it to the shortened barrel, and the loading lever must be shortened to match the new barrel length.

Things You'll Need

  • Hacksaw
  • Fine metal file
  • Emory cloth
  • Gas gunsmithing torch capable of reaching 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Degreaser
  • Flux
  • Silver solder
  • Gun vise
  • Gunsmithing pliers
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Instructions

    • 1

      Unload the pistol and degrease the barrel of the revolver around the front sight and the barrel lug on the bottom of the barrel (the lug holds the loading lever in position). Secure the pistol in a gun vise so that the front sight is exposed, and ensure that your movement around the front of the barrel is not obstructed.

    • 2

      Heat the front sight with a gunsmithing torch until the silver solder begins to melt and then pull the sight ramp off the barrel using a pair of pliers. Remove the pistol and flip it over and secure it in the gun vise, exposing the bottom of the barrel. Release the loading level and pull it up to expose the barrel lug that secures the loading lever catch screw. Heat the barrel lug until the silver solder begins to melt and then pull it off the barrel using a pair of pliers. Allow the barrel to cool.

    • 3

      Determine the desired barrel length by considering the working length of the loading lever (it will need to be shortened along with the barrel). The loading lever is used to force lead balls into the cylinder, and the length of the lever provides some mechanical advantage. If you shorten the lever too much, you may not be able to load the cylinder.

    • 4

      Remove the pistol from the gun vise and resecure it in the vise so that the top is up. Cut the barrel to the desired length using a hacksaw. Using a metal file, then fine Emory cloth, form a smooth, rounded crown at the barrel end. Ensure that no metal fragments obstruct the barrel opening.

    • 5

      Degrease the barrel end where you wish to reattach the front sight. Flux the barrel top and apply heat using the gas torch. Silver solder (sweat) the front sight onto the barrel top, ensuring that it is centered and evenly seated from back to front. Remove the pistol from the gun vise and rotate it so that you can reattach the barrel lug that holds the loading lever in position. Degrease the bottom of the barrel and flux the barrel where you wish to attach the barrel lug. Heat the barrel using the gas torch and sweat the lug into position, ensuring that it is centered. Allow the barrel to cool.

    • 6

      Swing the loading lever up into position and determine how much the lever needs to be shortened so that it will fit into the barrel lug. Remove the loading lever from the pistol frame and then remove the loading lever catch screw, loading lever catch and loading lever catch spring from the end of the lever. Cut the lever to the required length and reattach the loading lever catch screw, loading lever catch and loading lever catch spring. You may need to resize the end of the lever using a metal file and Emory cloth so that the screw, catch and spring fit properly and lock the lever into position below the barrel.