Resurrecting a Ranger 22 Long revolver

[xtriggerman]

 Something about these little 100 plus year old wheel guns that is intriguing. With a working one in my hand, I often think it may well have been assembled by an old Civil War vet. Well anyway, I picked this up on GB about a year ago for about a hundred bucks. Last month I did a similar rebuild on a little 22 short called a Captain Jack. The Ranger is a good choice for a rebuild since it uses coil springs for the cylinder latch lever and cylinder locking lug. Also the hand is sprung very nicely with a strong spring arm pined into the hammer. Many of these early mouse guns used tiny leaf springs that would be a real pain to fab up since they are usually shot.  As with a lot of these, I had to beat the cylinder pin out of the gun. The cylinder had about .016" end shake so the picture shows the building up of weld that will extend the length of the cylinder and I will turn the weld into a thicker bushing face. The original diameter over the cylinder pin was very thin allowing the hammer to beat the cylinder forward over the many firings.

Heres the turned cylinder with a new pin made from oil hardened drill rod.

Once the cylinder is fit into the frame with virtually no forward to back play, The barrel face is turned back and drilled out to .250". Then a new 22 sleeve is turned to fit and epoxied into the barrel.

   

most any of these early guns will have the hammer and or the trigger sear wiped out as seen here.

The fix is once again a build up of weld and recutting the hammer sear notches.

Reshaped and the trigger spring was trimmed to lighten it up to a far more comfortable let off. After the trigger is re-timed with the action, I simply hardened it with Kasenite.

 The front sight was missing so I soldered in a new blade and trimmed it down to POA. The target is a 7 round cylinder string fired off hand at 6 feet. The only rounds that I would say is safe to fire in a well functioning BP mouse gun are CCI #0026 22 SHORT CB rounds. These round have no powder in them. only a primer charge. I'm always on the look out for those CCI #0026 rounds. I use them in an old Belgian Flobert type rolling block I have. You gotta love putting life back into these grand old guns! I sure do  

 

Edited May 15, 2016 by xtriggerman

[Murgatroy]

I have to admit I am impressed. That looks like a lot of fun.

[I am Groot!]

Great work!  Your photography is excellent, it helped bring the gun back to life in this thread.

Edited May 15, 2016 by I am Groot!

[1gewehr]

Have you tried the Aguila Colibri.22?  This is a primer-only load that is easier to find and cheaper than CB caps.  Very low pressure and has worked well in the antique .22s.

[Pete123]

Thanks for taking time to upload the pics and write the verbiage.  Great Post!

[xtriggerman]

1 hour ago, 1gewehr said:

Have you tried the Aguila Colibri.22?  This is a primer-only load that is easier to find and cheaper than CB caps.  Very low pressure and has worked well in the antique .22s.

Thanks for your comments folks, its very satisfying to take a neat old gun in sad shape and put the jump back in them.

I'v never used any Aguila but if their Colibri 22 is primer fired, I want some! I only have about 200 rds of CCI left. Many years ago I used to have the RWS CB's with the egg corn head stamp. Taught my son how to shoot on those when he was little. As a matter of fact that was nearly 20 years ago as seen here...

Once bonded, How many of you know this feeling?

[Caster]

You can still buy BB caps.  

[DWARREN123]

That is a great job, congrats on your new pistol!

[10-Ring]

Very cool project.  I enjoyed seeing your work, thanks for sharing!

[usuviri]

I really enjoyed reading this. Thanks

[McGarrett]

Nice work!

[Josey.45]

Nice build. 

[DaveTN]

Nice work, looks like fun.

[xtriggerman]

I thank all the good comments on my tinkering. And since it looks like folks like to see a "how its done" here at TGO, I will take the time to photo post the next re-furb. I have a Marlin #47 pump 22 that was in a fire. Its pitted pretty bad and the wood needs to be replaced. I will also post the process of relining the barrel. There will be a lot of before and after shots. My goal is to resurface the metal to a factory cut. The 47's are quite rare in that they were never offered for sale to the general public. Stay tuned to the Gunsmithing postings in the next few months. 

[Markco]

Do you know who made these? I have one like it but can't really find much about.

[xtriggerman]

These Ranger guns were made by Hopkins & Allen. The give away is the cylinder pin release. This style of pin release was only used by H&A.

[Markco]

Thanks.

I saw some other H&A's that were distinctively different and the few places that I saw these particular models there was never any indication as to who made them. It boarder lined on mysterious.

Do you know anything else about these? 

When I got mine it came with an extremely worn leather "flap" holster that is a perfect fit for it. Though I couldn't imagine carrying one of these without one.

Mine also seems to be a later one. Has a four digit serial number. It's a bit hard to make out but appears to start with a 9.

[graycrait]

xtriggerman,

I can't wait to see your next installment on gunsmithing, especially barrel relining.

This link takes you to Aguilla's specialty rimfire page, click on "Special Products." Scroll down and you will see both of Aguilla's primer fired rounds, Colibra and Super Colibra. Conventional wisdom is use Colibra's in handguns and Super Colibra in long guns.  It is possible to lodge a Colibra in a rifle barrel. Fortunately they tapped out with a cleaning rod.  The slower velocity Colibras will clear some rifle barrels and some not.  

 https://www.aguilaammo.com/rimfire/

  

[xtriggerman]

2 hours ago, graycrait said:

xtriggerman,

I can't wait to see your next installment on gunsmithing, especially barrel relining.

This link takes you to Aguilla's specialty rimfire page, click on "Special Products." Scroll down and you will see both of Aguilla's primer fired rounds, Colibra and Super Colibra. Conventional wisdom is use Colibra's in handguns and Super Colibra in long guns.  It is possible to lodge a Colibra in a rifle barrel. Fortunately they tapped out with a cleaning rod.  The slower velocity Colibras will clear some rifle barrels and some not.  

 https://www.aguilaammo.com/rimfire/

  

Yeah, I still have the reline job to do. A number of other cool jobs got in the way, Like the Mossberg Brownie remanufacture and recently converting a Savage 1907 32 to the 380 version. Last night I had to make a firing pin for a Spanish Vest pocket 25 Auto. Never a dull moment!  I sure would like to see the Aguila ammo on the shelves but at who knows what pricing when it eventually hits.... Stay tuned, that barrel reline will get done sooner or later.

[graycrait]

xtriggerman, Last time I was in Academy Sports they had several different types of Aguilla.  A gun shop I used to volunteer in used to keep just about every different type of Aguilla rimfire on the shelf, as well as many others. It was fun to try out all the different Aguilla ammo though. That was life before gougers...never mind.

Have you posted your other rehab projects anywhere?  The 1907 .32 to .380 conversion and the Brownie caused me to raise an eyebrow.  Is this a hobby or a business for you? 

 

 

[xtriggerman]

My papered business days are over. I had a full service Gunsmith/retail business back in 82-96. I was nearly back into one this past year with all the TN requirements done. I was just about ready to do the 07 FFL until I learned about the BO inspired "new" ITAR permit requirement for gunsmithing activity. The ANNUAL  permit costs $2,250 with an additional $100 for a mandated Gov wire transfer of those funds. Im retired now and don't need this political BS. So I get around this as so many here in the Great State of TN with a little creative advertising. My card is self explanatory.

 

I once tried to patent a free floating, adjustable gas system for AK's and other similar gas operated systems but the USPTO threw up one rejection after another until I was tired of the "moving target" of specific regs. I lost a lot of $$$$ there.  Anyway I most enjoy going where most gunsmiths rarely venture like one of my franken XT guns like this SKS with a plethora of QD furniture like the built in flood light & red laser hand guard and the QD buttstock that hides a 5 rd mag inside. And uses outstanding VZ58 mags w/ holdopen intact. And a newly designed Left hand bolt handle, finned barrel, adjustable gas, ect,ect. Just fun stuff...

 

Edited June 12, 2017 by xtriggerman

[sybo]

Absolutely fascinating my friend!!!!! REALLY cool stuff! More please!!