"New to Me" Uberti Russian Model Top-Break

Started by RattlesnakeJack, February 10, 2021, 12:44:35 AM

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RattlesnakeJack

Short update on this particular personal saga ...

I am still waiting for the forcing cone reamer set from Brownells ... but parcel tracking tells me it is in Canada and creeping toward me on the back of a Canada Post Snail ...  ::)

The grips I ordered arrived some time ago ... unfortunately, the "RoyalWood" grips are a bit of a disappointment ... they look OK, I guess, but are just a bit too "plasticky" in appearance for my taste ... so I have renewed my backorder with VTI for a set of genuione wood grips.  (Can't have too many grips, eh?)

On the other hand, the checkered "ivory-like" grips are quite nice ... a really secure grip in the hand, although a bit too white for my taste as they came. However, several soaks in a strong hot tea bath has made them much more "ivory-like".  When not doing my NWMP impression, these will be my "go to" grips, for sure ...



I don't know if I mentioned it previously, but the holster I had altered to NWMP pattern (and which fit my original NWMP Enfield revolver so nicely) is too short for the S&W Russian ... although it fits into the holster quite well, the grip extends back too far, so the flap will not close over it and fasten.  Accordingly, I am in the process of making a new NWMP-pattern holster to fit it ...

Rattlesnake Jack Robson, Scout, Rocky Mountain Rangers, North West Canada, 1885
Major John M. Robson, Royal Scots of Canada, 1883-1901
Sgt. John Robson, Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, 1885
Bvt. Col, Commanding International Dept. and Div.  of Canada, Grand Army of the Frontier

RattlesnakeJack

The new "pistol case" (period-correct British military terminology for "holster" ...  ;D ...) is finished ...
Rattlesnake Jack Robson, Scout, Rocky Mountain Rangers, North West Canada, 1885
Major John M. Robson, Royal Scots of Canada, 1883-1901
Sgt. John Robson, Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, 1885
Bvt. Col, Commanding International Dept. and Div.  of Canada, Grand Army of the Frontier

Books OToole

That's beautiful.  Now I want one for my Russian.  And some of those grips too.

Books
G.I.L.S.

K.V.C.
N.C.O.W.S. 2279 - Senator
Hiram's Rangers C-3
G.A.F. 415
S.F.T.A.

RattlesnakeJack

Books:

As noted above, the grips as received were very white, so I wanted to give them a more "aged ivory" appearance. I wasn't satisfied with how much colour the tea imparted, so I re-soaked them in coffee (heating it to or near boiling in the microwave two or three times, as I had also done with the tea) and am much happier with the look now ... 

(A note of interest: immersion in such hot liquid softened the grips up quite a bit ... although it did not seem to reduce the sharpness of the checkering ... which actually permitted me to give them a very slight top-to-bottom curvature as I cooled them off under cold running water.  That actually improved the fit, since they now contact the frame at top and bottom and as the grip screw is tightened they suck down flush against the frame.)

It seems quite hard to get a photo that gives an accurate idea of the final tone, because the camera seems to want to "color correct" and show them brighter than they actually appear to the eye ...  I took a couple of photos against a sheet of white paper and, after somewhat reducing the blue tones the camera now wanted to impart, this gives a pretty close idea of their current appearance ...
Rattlesnake Jack Robson, Scout, Rocky Mountain Rangers, North West Canada, 1885
Major John M. Robson, Royal Scots of Canada, 1883-1901
Sgt. John Robson, Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, 1885
Bvt. Col, Commanding International Dept. and Div.  of Canada, Grand Army of the Frontier

Drydock

Civilize them with a Krag . . .

RattlesnakeJack

Quote from: Drydock on March 15, 2021, 05:08:53 AM
How long in the coffee?

Until I liked the look ... ;D

Seriously, though ... a few hours.  Mind you, it did seem to speed up the staining to reheat the coffee (with grips in it) a few times in the microwave.  Everything was in a Pyrex measuring cup ...
Rattlesnake Jack Robson, Scout, Rocky Mountain Rangers, North West Canada, 1885
Major John M. Robson, Royal Scots of Canada, 1883-1901
Sgt. John Robson, Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, 1885
Bvt. Col, Commanding International Dept. and Div.  of Canada, Grand Army of the Frontier

RattlesnakeJack

Another effect of the coffee was to darken up the brass grip screw ferrules noticeably more than the tea had done ...
Rattlesnake Jack Robson, Scout, Rocky Mountain Rangers, North West Canada, 1885
Major John M. Robson, Royal Scots of Canada, 1883-1901
Sgt. John Robson, Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, 1885
Bvt. Col, Commanding International Dept. and Div.  of Canada, Grand Army of the Frontier

Drydock

Wonder if Nuking the grips helped soften them?
Civilize them with a Krag . . .

Pitspitr

Grant,
Sorry I didn't see your question until now. Yes, I got along fine with the kit from Brownells. It's a shame we don't live closer or that you couldn't wait until June and you could have used mine. It's really easy, but go slow. It's easy to cut them too deep
I remain, Your Ob'd Servant,
Jerry M. "Pitspitr" Davenport
(Bvt.)Brigadier General Commanding,
Grand Army of the Frontier
BC/IT, Expert, Sharpshooter, Marksman, CC, SoM
NRA CRSO, RVWA IIT2; SASS ROI, ROII;
NRA Benefactor Life; AZSA Life; NCOWS Life

RattlesnakeJack

Col. Drydock:  Actually, the grips were softened the first time I pulled them from the hot tea. prior to any nuking, so I'd say it was just the heat ...

General Pitspitr:  I already received the tool from Brownells, and have done my first "hone", but have yet to get to the range to try it out.  It was hard to decide how far to go, since I was starting with zero forcing cone - hopefully I didn't hone out too much! Ideally, what I have done will work without more ...  This seems like a good tool to have around for revolvers ... one thing I learned in "studying up" on the internet is that Ruger apparently uses a 5 degree forcing cone ... which is ideal for jacketed bullets but least effective with lead bullets ... so I might consider dressing out some Rugers, since I only shoot cast bullets. 

I also got a .357/.38 pilot bushing, just in case ...   
Rattlesnake Jack Robson, Scout, Rocky Mountain Rangers, North West Canada, 1885
Major John M. Robson, Royal Scots of Canada, 1883-1901
Sgt. John Robson, Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, 1885
Bvt. Col, Commanding International Dept. and Div.  of Canada, Grand Army of the Frontier

RattlesnakeJack

A quick update on the "lack of forcing cone" issue with my Russian ...

Having given the revolver one "treatment" with the reamer from Brownells, I finally made it to the range today to fire some rounds through it.  Much improved!

;D

No buildup of lead smears in the cylinder flutes, or elsewhere that I could see, like I was experiencing before.  Certainly no apparent loss of accuracy ... indeed, I'd say accuracy was improved.

However, I did still feel a wee bit of "spit back" from time to time, so I will likely open up the cone just a little bit more.
Rattlesnake Jack Robson, Scout, Rocky Mountain Rangers, North West Canada, 1885
Major John M. Robson, Royal Scots of Canada, 1883-1901
Sgt. John Robson, Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, 1885
Bvt. Col, Commanding International Dept. and Div.  of Canada, Grand Army of the Frontier

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