i have 6 holes to drill & tap 6-48 ....need advice.

[mozeppa]

they are all revolvers ....and they all need to be in the back strap for my red dot mounting bases.

is anywhere good on the back strap?
is there any place that needs to be avoided?

thanks guys!

[DougGuy]

Some photos of the bases and the revolvers would be helpful. Don't you mean the topstraps?

[mozeppa]

uh:oops: yeah....i did mean the top straps.....(just before dinner here had back straps on the brain!)

3 of them are ruger six guns 357...30 carbine...45 colt.

1 is a ruger sp101 ---357/38

1 is a s&w 686 no dash---357/38 and it'll need 2 holes 3 with threads.

the reason it needs 2 holes per base is the maker of the bases only provide the one hole that the old iron sights were held on by.

if i only use the one hole....then the front of the base can and will move left and right.
by using 2 screws instead of just the one...it will be more solid with little chance for movement.

[DougGuy]

Again, photos. Dead thread without clear detailed photos.

[NSB]

I'd strongly suggest that you have a professional do this if you haven't done it before. The holes have to come out in the exact location or your base won't fit. Close just isn't good enough. You need good drill bits, a drill press, some type of fixture to hold the gun, and some extra taps because if one gets dull and breaks you'll be in even bigger trouble. For the cost of getting this done vs. doing it yourself on a one time venture you'll be further ahead to pay for it. Pretty easy to damage a perfectly good, high quality gun. Good luck.

[skeettx]

WHY not use the weaver or B Square no drill bases for your pistols??

http://www.ebay.com/itm/WEAVER307S-MOUNT-SYSTEM-S-W-K-L-ADJ-SIGHT-48608-COMPLETE-STAINLESS-STEEL-/272427927212?hash=item3f6df846ac:g:yZ4AAOSwB09YET0 K

https://www.amazon.com/Weaver-Scope-Mount-Ruger-Blackhawk/dp/B000KOQ3VG

I have used and do use them on Smith and Rugers, many thousands of round and no issues.

http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j452/skeettx/MVC-025S_1.jpg

Mike

[44man]

If you have any recoil, those clamps will play hob with the barrel.
You can go anywhere on the top strap except at barrel threads where a blind hole is needed. At the cylinder opening, you can just go through.
If you need to drill the base too, you need the proper counter sink for the screw heads. Weaver or FH. I have drilled and tapped many revolvers. They are easier then rifles.
I have made bases for many out of Weaver base stock. I get the thick stuff so I can mill to fit.
Just get dead centered.
This is what counter sinks look like. The one on the right is home made for a special size. 179709

[44man]

Look at my avatar, the 45-70 BFR has a home made base since they did not offer at the time. The .475 has a MR base but the gun was not D&T. They came out and MR sent me a free base. I fully believe Weigand makes them.
I make tools when needed. My own cherries for molds and the tool on the right was to make brass crimp starters for my shotgun presses. 179710 works best with new cases.

[No Blue]

OP, if you're axin' about something like this, that's really good evidence you don't have a much of a clue about the topic and should take the advice to let someone with a clue do the work...or else do a LOT of educating yourself, buy a lot of tooling, practice on something other than your guns, and THEN take a stab at it.

[contender1]

I too would strongly suggest you look into a different manufacturer of mounts. No-drill & tap mounts are out there,,, reasonably priced, (less than the cost of D&Ting,) and won't ruin the value of your guns.
While I know many folks say; "it's my gun & I'll do as I please",, and I DO understand that,,, if you got to a point of having to sell, or just wanted to sell,,, you will realize a loss of value. If you use a no D&T type of base, the guns can be returned to original condition, and you realize a good re-sale value, as well as being able to sell the bases.

And as many have mentioned above,, if you don't get the holes darn near perfect,, you will have problems. Rugers are known to have very hard steel which will ruin drill bits, break taps etc. Especially the stainless guns.

I bought a NICE Hawkeye pistol,, which was in excellent condition other than having a hole D&Ted in the topstrap. The seller lost a good $500 in value thanks to one tiny hole. That .256 Hawkeye is my shooter, and I didn't have to pay a collectors premium to own it. I have purchased 4 other OM Rugers with an extra hole in the topstrap,, and all of them were purchased cheaply due to that one issue.

[KCSO]

#1 Strip the guns down as far as possible and then fix them in the holding fixture on your mill. Then find the center of the top strap and with a center drill start your holes in the top strap matching the base holes EXACTLY. Measure with a dial caliper with hole spotting jaws is best.

#3 then drill either a blind hole to proper depth or drill through as indicated.

#4 Place your tapping guide in the mill and tap the holes dead straight using the spring loaded guide.

You are done! Wasn,t that easy! That's why I only charge $5.00 a hole.

[44man]

You are done! Wasn,t that easy! That's why I only charge $5.00 a hole.
Good man some, charges are $45 or more a hole.
Why would a perfect hole bring down value? Most buy a gun and want a scope. Better if factory of course. Some are too anal. A Colt SAA with cuts in the grips for kills is valuable as they are when rusted and all finish gone but a hole is EVIL.

[5Shot]

Here is what is required...https://youtu.be/JRPJEL-hWfY?list=UUL69YlvHwZ4w4ZJGhPrpoqw

[44man]

Here is what is required...https://youtu.be/JRPJEL-hWfY?list=UUL69YlvHwZ4w4ZJGhPrpoqw
Perfect!

[fecmech]

If you are doing Weigand mounts on your Rugers they make the job easy. You already have one hole D&T'd (sight adjustment screw). Simply screw the mount down with that screw. Locate the next hole. remove the mount then D&T. Now reinstall the mount using the two screws. Locate the second hole then repeat the D&T process. I'm no gunsmith but I've done 4 that way on my drill press with zero problems. BTW Ruger stainless (at least in their .44 mag Blackhawks) is not hard at all. I used regular HS drill and taps with Tap Magic, top strap cut easily. Their stainless may be just a touch on the "gummy"side. I used new drills and taps for that job.

[mozeppa]

OP, if you're axin' about something like this, that's really good evidence you don't have a much of a clue about the topic and should take the advice to let someone with a clue do the work...or else do a LOT of educating yourself, buy a lot of tooling, practice on something other than your guns, and THEN take a stab at it.

i've drilled & tapped hundreds of holes if not thousands....just not on a firearm.
i do have extensive tooling (no mill and larger lathe)
in my original post ...all i asked was... is there a place to be avoided on the top strap...or...is there places that
are better.

not...

"why not do it this way because i like it and it works for me."
or the ever present assumption that is "clear evidence i don't have a clue about the topic"
i do have more than you think on the ball...i've built 7 machines from scratch in my life.

there will be no plans to sell, what my heirs do with them is on them.
and what good is a collection you never use?
all i asked was if there was good areas to drill or places to avoid on the strap.

[fecmech]

i asked was if there was good areas to drill or places to avoid on the strap.
Weigand already solved that problem for you, they are already in the mount for Rugers.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Why would a perfect hole bring down value? Most buy a gun and want a scope. Better if factory of course. Some are too anal.

So they are, and that is why. I believe Bat Masterson, in is sports reporting days, gave away or sold numerous revolvers with a quite improbably number of notches. I suppose being faked by Bat Masterson might count as provenance.