ROA SS front sight question

[Chill Wills]

I picked up a stainless ROA in a trade and the former owner somehow replaced the issue blade with a tall hunk of SS and though crude, it works with the LEE 220 grain bullets he shot. The replacement sight blade is pined.

In contrast, my old 1970's era blued ROA looks to be one piece with the barrel. It is a different set-up than the SS revolver. I don't see the method of attachment.

I can shoot the SS model the way it is with a conical, but I don't like its looks and am happy to use round balls and return the sight to something more like Ruger intended. I can reshape this one too if nothing else but I would like to restore the sight if I can.

Ruger no longer deals with the ROA. Any idea if blades are available somewhere?

[country gent]

You might try gun parts in West Hurley New York for an original. Or the Log Cabin shop in southern Ohio for an original.
Or On Line metals for a piece of stainless to make one from scratch.

[Minerat]

My Stainless ROA is pinned. The blade is blued. I can measure it if you want. I shoot .457 round balls too.

[Minerat]

Just decided to measure it for you.
W - 0 .1225"
L - 0.752"
Hf - 0.285"
Hr - 0.145"

Did not unpin only measured installed on the gun.

Hf=height front

[winelover]

I picked up a stainless ROA in a trade and the former owner somehow replaced the issue blade with a tall hunk of SS and though crude, it works with the LEE 220 grain bullets he shot. The replacement sight blade is pined.

In contrast, my old 1970's era blued ROA looks to be one piece with the barrel. It is a different set-up than the SS revolver. I don't see the method of attachment.

I can shoot the SS model the way it is with a conical, but I don't like its looks and am happy to use round balls and return the sight to something more like Ruger intended. I can reshape this one too if nothing else but I would like to restore the sight if I can.

Ruger no longer deals with the ROA. Any idea if blades are available somewhere?

BH blades work in the pinned SS ROA. Ruger should have them available. I called Ruger when I needed a taller site for my SS ROA............shipped free of charge. As far as I know, all blued models have fixed front blades.

Winelover

[gunther]

Winelover's experience parallels mine. You will probably need a taller than stock front sight to get roundballs to shoot to point of aim. Never knew that Ruger would provide a taller front blade, so made mine.

[Chill Wills]

Thank you all for the many good options and info!!!
I did not know, but it makes sense that a pined Blackhawk front blade sight and a pinned ROA would interchange. I will give Ruger a try first. If no joy getting one from Ruger, I will use Minerat's numbers to mill the one in there now, as there is a great deal of extra bulk to work with.

Thanks again!

[smorin2]

I used a front sight from the blackhawk 45 colt for my ss roa.

[Minerat]

My SS ROA has an adjustable rear sight like my SBH so it can be adjusted for POA with the boolit being used.

[ShooterAZ]

After experimenting with boolits, conicals, bullets, and round balls, I went back to the good ol' stand-by of the .457 round ball. I have a 7-1/2" blued ROA, and the round ball was the most accurate of all of them in my gun. Here in Arizona we have a Javelina hunt called HAM (Handgun, Archery, and Muzzleloader). It's one of the funnest hunts imaginable, and my favorite thing to use is my ROA. The .457 roundball really does a number on them.

[winelover]

Round balls are fine, up until your state's hunting regulations require a conical for deer size game.