We have written here a couple of times about
the custom new revolvers
offered by Tyler Gun Works in Fiona, Texas. Bobby Tyler and
his crew turns out some high-quality
custom-finished and engraved limited run revolvers, but what
we are looking at here is their restoration of battle-worn and
damaged firearms. Sometimes, bad things happen, and when it
happens to guns, Tyler Gun Works can make them better than new
again. A few months ago, I had a water pipe leak water on some
of my best handguns while I was away on a trip. When I got back
home, the damage had already been done. I contacted Bobby, and
then sent the guns off to be repaired. He does good work.
However, the subject of this piece was the
restoration and customization of a well-worn Ruger Blackhawk
chambered for the 45 Colt cartridge. The 45 Colt Old Model
(three-screw) Blackhawk is relatively rare, made only from 1971
through 1973, and collectors pay premiums for nice, unmolested
samples. This was not a nice one, so I was not concerned with
killing its collector value. It was just a standard
seven-and-one-half-inch Blackhawk, that had seen a lot of use
and little care, so I picked it up at a gun show for a great
price.
The original Ruger Blackhawk in 45 Colt is
bull-strong and is the reason that handloading manuals and
manufacturers list “RUGER ONLY” loads. Blackhawks are real
workhorses, handling magnum-level ammunition. I have an Old
Model short-barreled (4 5/8 inch) 45 Ruger that I carry on my
belt when working cattle that I have also used to take large
Russian boar in East Tennessee. These are great guns, and have
the original Single Action internals. These Ruger sixguns that
were built prior to 1973 do not have a transfer bar internal
safety as do the New Model revolvers, so carrying them with an
empty chamber under the hammer is advised.
When I sent this sixgun to Tyler Gun Works,
the only request that I had was to shorten the barrel to four
and five-eighths inches. Other than that, I only told Bobby to
“work his magic”, which he did. The pictures can speak for
themselves, but I was greatly impressed with the revolver when
it returned back home. Besides shortening the barrel and
attaching a proper front sight, Bobby replaced the original
aluminum grip frame with a Ruger
brass dragoon-style grip frame. These brass grip frames were
offered as an option on the Old Model revolvers by Ruger from
the factory decades ago, and is a really nice touch. He then
fitted stag grips to replace the original worn walnut grips, and
refinished the entire sixgun, giving the frame and loading gate
a beautiful case-colored finish. Tyler Gun Works specializes in
case-coloring firearms and does many of the finishes found on
factory-new firearms, such as those from Henry
Repeating Arms, Magnum
Research, and Republic
Forge.
The Old Blackhawk turned out much better than
expected, and also shoots better than it did before. Velocities
are pretty much the same as before. Reducing the barrel length
did not reduce velocities as is usually expected, because Bobby
also tightened the barrel/cylinder gap considerably to an even
two -one-thousandths (.002) of an inch. Perfect. He also reamed
the cylinder chamber throats, as well as the forcing cone, and
smoothed up the action. This is now a great-handling,
great-feeling, great-shooting sixgun that shoots as well as it
looks.
If you have a handgun, rifle, or shotgun that
needs complete restoration, or just a few custom touches, give
Bobby Tyler a call. I highly recommend his work.
Check
out Tyler gun Works online at www.tylergunworks.com.
Jeff
Quinn
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