ROAs finally working, but now I need a good capper.

[fourfingersofdeath]

One of the big gunshops interstate had a run of SS 5 1/2" open sighted Ruger Old Armys on sale. This was awhile after production had ceased and they were made up from parts apparently. They were a bit shoddily assembled and if you look closely, you can see where the lazy butt assembling the guns has used the one sized screwdriver for all o f the screws, marking the big screw in the process.

One worked perfectly and the other locked up immediately I tried to place it on th efirst cocking notch to inspect the cylinder, making it difficult to strip and reassemble.

We aren't allowed to post guns in Australia, it must be dealer to dealer, which makes sending something back for repair an expensive process. I tried and tried and finally got it assembled and cocking correctly. I handed it to a gunsmith who pulled it apart and reckoned nothing was wrong with it.

I went off to a cowboy shoot and it locked up again before I even got to load it. I quickly lost interest in the rotten thing and it has languished in the safe for a couple of years.

Pulled them out recently and after lots of smoothing, cycling, etc, they seem ok now.

Off to the range for a practice run and they went well today.

The only thing now is that the capper I have, a straight line one works, but is finicky. I ordered a snail capper of a local BP supply house and it is too big.

Can anyone recommend a good capper please. I can load them ok on the loading table, but capping one on the clock is a challenge with my current set up.

Nowwwwwwwwww, all I have to do is dust off the 44/40 lever rifle and the shotgun and load some BP rounds and shells.

[wildman1]

I have modified a straight line capper by grinding a small amount off the end so it will fit in a Remington. Might work for a ROA. wM1

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Mick; I don't have an ROA, but recall much discussion on RATS frfom the past;  Here is my one-click search;

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?action=search2

[Coffinmaker]

FFOD,
I personally, don't have good news for ya.  Basically, there aren't any good "Off The Shelf) cappers for the Ruger Old Army.  Most all
that I have ever seen, don't fit.  They have to be modified. 

The other not good news.  Most of the ROA shooters I know have resorted to opening up the nipple port on their Ruger Cylinders to
accept cappers.  That ain't fun either.

Coffinmaker

[Lefty Dude]

All the ROA shooter's I shoot with use snail Cash Cappers.

As the ROA's go, I sold my Beast long ago. Have never missed the piece.

[Coffinmaker]

Lefty,
Even though it gives no solis to the OP ........ I'm with ya.  I never found anything about the Ruger Old Army to like.  Just not my
cup of tea.  Or Coffee. 

Coffinmaker

PS:  Either the Case Snail has to be modified or the cylinder does.  Or both.  I don't actually remember.  I do have a partner that occasionally shoots ROAs.  I'll have to ask him what he uses.

[fourfingersofdeath]

I mainly bought mine because they were available all of a sudden, sequential serial numbers ans several years after they went out of production and also in the open sighted 5 1/2" versions, which are pretty rare in Australia. It also happened that I was cashed up at the time, haha.

I  have had several cap and ball revolvers in the past, but like the ROAs as I am not so much concerned with being absolutely correct historically, just enjoy the experience of BP. I am also the rifle Captain at our range and spend a lot of time instructing new shooters and people who visit and want to check out the sport. The sturdiness of the ROAs is appreciated and my guns might see four or five people sharing them on any normal day.

To each his own.

[Blackpowder Burn]

I have been shooting a pair of ROA's for several years.  A Ted Cash Snail (or "Universal") capper works perfectly with no modification of the cylinder or the capper.

See about midway down the page on the link below.

http://possibleshop.com/s-s-cappers.html

[Lucky R. K.]

We have been using a Ted Cash brass snail capper for years to cap our 5-1/2" ROA's with no modifications or problems.  We did have to modify the cylinders on the 1858 Remington's in order to use the capper.

Lucky  

[Coffinmaker]

Thank you Lucky and Burn,

I checked in with my friendly Ruger Shooter who also confirms he uses a Ted Cash Snail Capper right out of the box.  No modifications
to either the Capper nor the Cylinder.

I was remembering the trouble he had with a set of '58 Remingtons some while back.  My memory is not always up at full speed anymore.
We did have to modify the cylinders on his '58s.

FFOD.  Not meant as an insult at all.  Generally speaking, I just don't personally like Rugers.  Cartridge or Cap.  Tigers are hell for stout
and will take a licking and keep on ticking.  They are great guns.  I have done action work on a bunch of them.  I just don't like em.

Coffinmaker

[fourfingersofdeath]

Thanks, I will get in touch with Mr Cash and flash the plastic as we say in Australia. I have a capper which a local supplier sent to me which doesn't fit. It looks like the TedCash rifle capper. I get it straight from the horse's mouth this time and hopefully get it right.

No offence taken, heck I worked in the rison system for 23 1/2 years, I'm kinda hard to upset.

[fourfingersofdeath]

I gave a local importer a chance and bought a Ted Cash straight capper. It has gone to ground somewhere in my garage and has not been sighted since arriving, lol.

[Blackpowder Burn]

You'll like the snail capper much better if you can get one.  It holds 100 caps and you can shoot an entire match without refilling.

[fourfingersofdeath]

Well, I shot a match on the weekend and yep, the gun locked up tighter than a drum again. This is getting pretty old I can tell you.

[fourfingersofdeath]

The straight line capper surfaced and was frustrating to use. I figured out that the black metal tip was separating from the brass body. I will do a bit of panelbeating tomorrow.

[Noz]

Thank you Lucky and Burn,

I checked in with my friendly Ruger Shooter who also confirms he uses a Ted Cash Snail Capper right out of the box.  No modifications
to either the Capper nor the Cylinder.

I was remembering the trouble he had with a set of '58 Remingtons some while back.  My memory is not always up at full speed anymore.
We did have to modify the cylinders on his '58s.

FFOD.  Not meant as an insult at all.  Generally speaking, I just don't personally like Rugers.  Cartridge or Cap.  Tigers are hell for stout
and will take a licking and keep on ticking.  They are great guns.  I have done action work on a bunch of them.  I just don't like em.

Coffinmaker

Yup!

[Coffinmaker]

I don't know if this will find a welcoming audience or not ......... but ....... tough as Ruger Old Armies are, the do have a rather annoying
problem. 
If you short stroke the ROA it will LOCK UP tighter than a Frog's Butt.  Just the nature of the Beaste.  When it does this, you MUST pull
the cylinder to clear the malfunction.

Coffinmaker

[Lucky R. K.]

If you short stroke the ROA it will LOCK UP tighter than a Frog's Butt.  Just the nature of the Beaste.  When it does this, you MUST pull
the cylinder to clear the malfunction.

Coffinmaker

I shoot a pair of ROA's in the Frontiersman class at most of the matches I attend. Frontiersman is shot either as single or double duelist meaning that you are using one hand to operate one gun. I have never short stroked a gun or really see how you could with one hand.

Lucky

[fourfingersofdeath]

My problem is unique to one gun. It locks up as you go to put the hammer on the first notch and it locks up solid. The only way to go then is to take the grip frame off which a huge pain. I need to completely strip both guns comparing them to see what is wrong with the troublesome one. It has been doing this since new and actually locked up when I pulled it out box.