My first revolver barrel replacement (Ruger SRH .480) - please advise!

[480guy]

You might be able to get a 454 barrel and have it cut to the length you want. Then have it rebored to 480 with the twist you want. Not cheap, but might be the cheapest.

THANKS!! This seems an EXCELLENT solution that nobody else has considered! I agree that it appears to be the cheapest and easiest way to do it. I need to look into this as to feasibility and cost. I'll bring it up with Ruger, once I hear from them, to see what they think of it.

[480guy]

It was a .45, in the sort of steel that until recently was all anybody needed to make a revolver barrel out of. The point is that no metal was removed from a turned barrel, or divided between inner barrel and sleeve. The underside was as strong as the upper side.

OK, thanks! Sure, it is understood.

[jandbj]

Best bet may be to PM the guy with the Franken-Ruger SRH. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-Franken-Ruger

Not sure how you remove the stubby barrel on the SRH Alaskan, as it sits almost entirely inside the shroud that is integral to the frame.

[DougGuy]

The problems with this, are that a good number of these SRH .454 and .480 made with Carpenter Steel is that you cannot remove the barrel without severely damaging the frame! I saw a post by serial numbers that were assembled in such a way by Ruger that they cannot be disassembled without severe damage to the threads in the frame. This is a known documented issue with these guns, and is precisely why Hamilton Bowen will NOT do barrel work on them under any condition.

One minute you have a perfectly good SRH Alaskan, the next you have an irrepairable piece of scrap Carpenter Steel that you cannot even sell.

It MAY be possible to buy a SRH with a longer barrel, in .454 caliber, and have it rebored and re rifled, then cut the barrel and re mount the front sight. This is the only way that might possibly result in what the OP wants, without attempting to remove and replace the barrel. It would have to be done with the barrel IN THE FRAME and if it can't be done this way, you are back to square one.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

The problems with this, are that a good number of these SRH .454 and .480 made with Carpenter Steel is that you cannot remove the barrel without severely damaging the frame! I saw a post by serial numbers that were assembled in such a way by Ruger that they cannot be disassembled without severe damage to the threads in the frame. This is a known documented issue with these guns, and is precisely why Hamilton Bowen will NOT do barrel work on them under any condition.

One minute you have a perfectly good SRH Alaskan, the next you have an irrepairable piece of scrap Carpenter Steel that you cannot even sell.

It MAY be possible to buy a SRH with a longer barrel, in .454 caliber, and have it rebored and re rifled, then cut the barrel and re mount the front sight. This is the only way that might possibly result in what the OP wants, without attempting to remove and replace the barrel. It would have to be done with the barrel IN THE FRAME and if it can't be done this way, you are back to square one.

I suppose with all that performance, there has to be a snag somewhere. I haven't seen those posts, and don't know just why the barrel can't be unscrewed without damage. Maybe Ruger rivet over the rear of the barrel, to stop someone harming the .480's reputation by doing himself damage. If it is simply because there is no easy way to get a grip on it, it might be possible to take a piece of 3/8in. or so square steel bar, and cast it full length in the rifling with Cerrosafe alloy. Whether that gives enough of a grip on the rifling to loosen the thread, I have no idea. But it might be worth trying if there isn't some other reason for the problem.

[country gent]

It may be a tourqe issue or some similar assosiated problems with those big heavy bullets, pressure leaves and recoil levels. WHile I cant see ruger making a barrel that cant be removed ( due to warranty and factory work that may need to be done). I could see a locktite product or similar being used to secure against fibrations and other issues. SOme of these products are pretty tenasious along with heat resistance levels on the higher side. Every one is familiar with red and blue locktite some green theres also purple and black and maybe even some others. Smith used to pin the threaded barrels into the frames. Ruger may have went to a gaged interference fit thread and its tourque is such that the frame cant take the tourqe in loosining direction due to cut outs and such.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

There isn't that much to go wrong with the barrel, and I could see Ruger settling the very occasional claim with a replacement gun, which in the modern economy costs them far less than the retail customer pays. Loctite or epoxy do seem a strong possibility, and would also prevent hidden corrosion if someone uses grease solvents and who knows what else besides. The stainless used in guns isn't totally stainless.

There are other Loctite products, the bearing fit grades, which are stronger than the thread lockers. I believe 609 is the one most often used by gunsmiths to fit bore liners, but there are various others, all three-digit numbers beginning with 6. (They are an improvement on the versions available when an "American Rifleman" article of the 60s or 70s was published, and the liner was likely to become a drilling-out job if you hesitated in sliding it home.) I think some of these would loosen at temperatures which wouldn't impair hardened steel, but others probably would. This would, however, melt Cerrosafe and weaken a lead alloy bore-fitting "wrench". There are just too many unknowns in this to rush in where angels fear to tread.

The only time I ever got an infraction on this site was when I gave an eBay auction URL - although my intention was to warn against something rather than promote it. But here is information I copied from one:

@LOCTITE 601

LOCTITE 601 high strength, low viscosity, small gaps retainerTechnical Data

• Diametrical clearance: Up to 0.1 mm
• Tensile shear strength: >15 N/mm²
• Service temperature range: -55°C to +150°C
• Fixture time on steel: 25 min.
• Pack sizes: 50ml

@LOCTITE 603

Loctite 603 Retainer 50ml High Strength Oil Tolerant(Improved 601)

High strength Low Viscosity Oil Tolerant retaining compound for cylindrical parts.

Handling Strength (at room temperature on steel joints): 10 min.

Particularly designed for where consistently clean surfaces cannot be assured. Typical applications include retaining roller bearings or oil impregnated bushings into housings.

@LOCTITE 609
Technical Data

Color: GreenContainer Size: 50 mLContainer Type: BottleCuring Time: Fixture - 10 min; Full - 24 hrFlashpoint: >200°FGap Fill: 0.005"Odor: MildPhysical Form: LiquidSpecific Gravity: 1.100Style: Press FitType: Retaining CompoundVending Certified: YViscosity cP: 125
@LOCTITE 620

Loctite Bearing Mount 620 High Temp
*Secures studs, pins, slip and press fits.
*Restore fit to worn or out-of-tolerance assemblies
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*Appearance Green Liquid
*Max Gap Fill .015" or 0,38mm
*Shear strength 3800psi
*Max Temp of 450ºF / 232ºC
@LOCTITE 638

Best resistance to dynamic, axial and radial loads
Ideal for shafts, gears, pulleys and similar cylindrical parts

DVGW Approval (EN 751-1): NG-5146AR0619
WRC Approval (BS 6920): 0511518
Technical Data:
Diametrical clearance: Up to 0.25mm
Tensile shear strength: >25 N/mm²
Service temperature range: -55°C to +150°C
Fixture time on steel: 4 min.

@LOCTITE 641
Medium Strength Retainer

Technical Data:
Diametrical clearance: Up to 0.1 mm
Service temperature range: -55°C to +150°C
Tensile shear strength: >6.5 N/mm²
Fixture time on steel: 25 min

@LOCTITE 648
LOCTITE 648 high strength joint product, good temperature resistance
Your Benefits
* Increased temperature resistance
*Ideal when joining game or press-fit connections, z. B. for fixing sockets, bearings, seals, fans, liners etc.
Specifications

*Adhesive gap: Up 0,15 mm
*Tensile shear strength:> 25 N / mm²
*Operating temperature range: -55 ° C to +180 ° C
*Fixture time on steel: 3 min.

@LOCTITE 680
LOCTITE^® 680 Retaining Compound:
Gives best resistance to dynamic, axial and radial loads. Recommended for retaining shafts, gears, pulleys, and similar cylindrical parts.

Technical Data:
Strength Required:High
Shear Strength (N / mm²) 3,740 psi (26)
Temperature 356°F (180°C)

[480guy]

Best bet may be to PM the guy with the Franken-Ruger SRH. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-Franken-Ruger

Not sure how you remove the stubby barrel on the SRH Alaskan, as it sits almost entirely inside the shroud that is integral to the frame.

Hi jandbj, I have quickly read first, second and last four pages of the 29-page thread you suggested, but could not see any reference to a SRH (I'll go back to it when I have more time)..the purpose of the Franken-Ruger seems at first sight the addition of an aluminum free float shroud around the barrel in order to better deal with harmonics for better accuracy when sighting a revolver from a rest. Maybe you could briefly explain what you believe to be its relevance to the project outlined in this thread?

As to how to remove the stubby barrel on the Alaskan, please refer to the very interesting posts by Ballistics in Scotland, above, suggesting a bore-fitting "wrench" made with a square steel bar and Cerrosafe alloy in order to get the needed grip on the barrel to loosen it.
However, aside from this approach (removing the barrel from the frame and replacing it with a new one, having to deal with Carpenter steel, which could easily turn out to be complicated and messy), I thought the solution presented by ironhead7544 is probably more simply doable and less risky. I was thinking of getting a (used) SRH .454, having its barrel cut to 4.75" and re-bored to .475 (.480 Ruger). Not sure how to deal with cylinder, though..whether it would be simpler/more cost-efficient to modify the original one or getting a new one in .480 Ruger..are they compatible? It would be great if Ruger were willing to provide a new SRH .454 with an extra .480 cylinder..
I need to look into how feasible this course of action actually is.

[480guy]

The problems with this, are that a good number of these SRH .454 and .480 made with Carpenter Steel is that you cannot remove the barrel without severely damaging the frame! I saw a post by serial numbers that were assembled in such a way by Ruger that they cannot be disassembled without severe damage to the threads in the frame. This is a known documented issue with these guns, and is precisely why Hamilton Bowen will NOT do barrel work on them under any condition.

One minute you have a perfectly good SRH Alaskan, the next you have an irrepairable piece of scrap Carpenter Steel that you cannot even sell.

It MAY be possible to buy a SRH with a longer barrel, in .454 caliber, and have it rebored and re rifled, then cut the barrel and re mount the front sight. This is the only way that might possibly result in what the OP wants, without attempting to remove and replace the barrel. It would have to be done with the barrel IN THE FRAME and if it can't be done this way, you are back to square one.

Please refer to my previous post in reply to jandbj. Of course I now understand the difficulties of working with Carpenter steel and the risks of damaging the revolver in doing so.

Sure, that's what I thought, after reading the post by ironhead7544, it would be a simpler way of doing it: getting a .454 SRH, re-boring and re-rifling with a 1:10" twist rate to .480, cutting barrel to 4.75" and re-mounting the original front sight. This is probably the simpler, most cost-effective way of getting to a .480 SRH with 1:10" twist rate.

[jandbj]

Didn't realize the frankenruger 44 was a redhawk... Thought it was a SRH. The news of Bown not working on the Carpenter steel SRH's is a surprise as well. That said, I do recall SSK Industries doing some neat fast twist barreled hunting handguns on the SRH back when they only came in 44 with the longer barrels. I still feel your greatest challenge will be the barrel removal... Similar to what Smith & Wesson does on the scandium and titanium revolvers with their proprietary barrel tools.

Price and challenge wise, a full custom .480 built by Bowen on a regular Redhawk may be cheaper and easier to attain. You have indeed picked an interesting nut to crack. Or use a DW barrel shroud setup to anchor your custom fast twist rig.

[480guy]

Didn't realize the frankenruger 44 was a redhawk... Thought it was a SRH. The news of Bown not working on the Carpenter steel SRH's is a surprise as well. That said, I do recall SSK Industries doing some neat fast twist barreled hunting handguns on the SRH back when they only came in 44 with the longer barrels. I still feel your greatest challenge will be the barrel removal... Similar to what Smith & Wesson does on the scandium and titanium revolvers with their proprietary barrel tools.

Price and challenge wise, a full custom .480 built by Bowen on a regular Redhawk may be cheaper and easier to attain. You have indeed picked an interesting nut to crack. Or use a DW barrel shroud setup to anchor your custom fast twist rig.

As I already wrote in my response to your previous post, there would be no barrel removal needed: just a matter of getting a used or new SRH in .454 Casull, re-boring and re-rifling its barrel (while the barrel is attached to the revolver) to .480 Ruger with a 1:10" twist, then cutting its barrel to 4.75" and remounting the original front sight on the now shorter barrel. So, no barrel removal involved if this is a workable solution. Not sure whether it would be more preferable and cost-effective to re-chamber the original .454 cylinder to .480 or to get an original .480 Ruger one. It should all be cheaper than a Bowen conversion on a Redhawk.

[480guy]

Does the above .454 Casull to .480 Ruger barrel re-boring/re-rifling (while the barrel is attached to the revolver) seem mechanically possible, anyone??

[leftiye]

Other than they probly won't/can't do it attached to the frame, nope, no problem.