I have a Ruger BH in 357 that I bought used. Got it home, cleaned the lead from the bore, and found a nice ring in front of the frame.
I recently got a frame wrench and inserts to fit the gun and made a barrel vise. Got the barrel removed, far easier than I expected.
TodayI made an insert that threads into the front of the frame. I replaces the barrel. The hole was reamed with my .358 cylinder throat reamer so I know it is .358. All throats take a .358 pin but none take a .359.
Theory is that is the cylinder throat lines up the the centerline of the bore then a .358 pin slides thru the gauge and into the throat.
Yah, theory is good, reality not as much. A couple throats accepted a .354 pin but I had to go .353 to get all of them to accept the pin. Centerline of the bore is definitely lined up with the throats! The cylinder locks up tight enough that wiggling the cylinder doesn’t make it any better.
You can easily see the little crescent where the misalignment occurs.
Dan and Mountain Moulds did something similar if I recall correctly. He threaded the barrel a bit offset to get the bore centerline in line with the throats. Not sure I want to go that route.
I recently got a frame wrench and inserts to fit the gun and made a barrel vise. Got the barrel removed, far easier than I expected.
TodayI made an insert that threads into the front of the frame. I replaces the barrel. The hole was reamed with my .358 cylinder throat reamer so I know it is .358. All throats take a .358 pin but none take a .359.
Theory is that is the cylinder throat lines up the the centerline of the bore then a .358 pin slides thru the gauge and into the throat.
Yah, theory is good, reality not as much. A couple throats accepted a .354 pin but I had to go .353 to get all of them to accept the pin. Centerline of the bore is definitely lined up with the throats! The cylinder locks up tight enough that wiggling the cylinder doesn’t make it any better.
You can easily see the little crescent where the misalignment occurs.
Dan and Mountain Moulds did something similar if I recall correctly. He threaded the barrel a bit offset to get the bore centerline in line with the throats. Not sure I want to go that route.