Cure for Ruger American "knuckle" bite!

[CJB]

I got looking at the very awkward to hold Ruger American 45 I've got...and compared it to the PPQ45, which is more comfortable than a "two dollar woman" on Saturday night.

I see why folks get rapped on the knuckle!

They tried to get the bore axis low. I think its one of their stupid corporate cravings. Sort of like the "cant activate the take down lever with a magazine inserted" - they went through lengths for that, and the stupid kidney-goiter cutout in the locking lug under the barrel, which resulted in a HEAVIER slide than the one they used to have. Hell, heavier pistol too.

Anyway, the low bore axis started to nag me... I consulted my trusted advisers, Mr. Dremel, and Mr. Carbide.

We three agreed some changes were in order, to RAISE the bore axis by about 1/4 inch - which is a WHOLE lot.

The backstrap is plenty thick for the proposed reroute.... so... thats what I did. The far forward edge of the "scoop" for the web of the hand is about even with the top of the trigger as it leaves Ruger. I resculpted it to be at about the middle of the trigger, (or very slightly below that), then gave the backstrap a more Walther PPQ straight back lower portion.

Totally different pistol to hold. Amazing. How they F'd it up so bad in the quest for low is beyond me.

What you get is far far less crowding of the beavertail at the knuckle area. What? If you put a little space there it wont hit you and rub and gnash up the skin? Who'da thought!

I'll get some pictures when I've had a chance to sand it down smooth, and stipple the lower portion a bit, but just passing that along for posterity.

[JohnR]

Kahr went to those lengths to lower the bore axis. :)

The cover article in March's American Rifleman says the barrel lug cutout was shaped to spread the recoil impulse out over time, to lessen the jolt, which allowed a lighter slide. FWIW.

I eagerly await your pictures...

[Bobshouse]

http://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?&id=OIP.M3c74e86c0f395b1d24e011dc452e3e5eo0&w=300&h=207&c=0&pid=1.9&rs=0&p=0&r=0

[CJB]

Kahr went to those lengths to lower the bore axis. :)

The cover article in March's American Rifleman says the barrel lug cutout was shaped to spread the recoil impulse out over time, to lessen the jolt, which allowed a lighter slide. FWIW.

I eagerly await your pictures...

The real question is lighter slide than what? Certainly not the SR45! Certainly not the PPQ, or P-220, or 1911, or.... you get the idea. Its a heavy bugger.
The trigger is dead smooth. And heavy... but it can be adjusted easily enough. A good deal of the "felt" recoil in an autoloader like a 1911, or BHP or Ruger American... is from the slide whacking the frame as it goes backward. This was proven by locking a 1911 slide and side by side comparison with a standard 1911 and .45ACP revolver (was that the 1917?). I dunno, it feels like a 45, but so does the PM45... I just don't see huge recoil I guess.

[CJB]

No pictures, yet, and probably not for a week... but this whole recarving of the backstrap thing has me thinking along a whole new thought train.

Something about trigger finger placement, or natural placement that is.

Grip your autoloader. Without looking or thinking or doing much of anything, stick your trigger finger straight out.

Does it cross over the middle of the trigger?

Amazingly, the Ruger's grip has natural finger position along the side of the slide. You have to bend your index finger down to get it into the trigger guard. FTW? Seems backassward to me.

Two handy full size pistols, FNX and PPQ are different. The PPQ has my own finger right across the middle of the trigger when extended out in its natural position. The FNX just a bit higher.

I'm wondering if this has implications on shot tendancies, ie, shooting low and to the left, as being a common issue among shooters of a certain model.

I know, from teaching many students, that the Beretta 92 series tend to be shot low and centered. I don't know why. Student upon student would shoot the same pistol to the same point of impact. Giving them a CZ instead, or a Browning, they'd shoot right on, so it wasn't not knowing how to align sights. Something with the design of the shape of the pistol?

Kahr's not immediately handy, but I think from memory my finger goes just a bit higher than center of the trigger on those.

[downtownv]

I shot my buddy's Ruger LC9 and ALMOST got bit... He wasn't as lucky, ripped of a good chunk of thumb knuckle meat!

[Redfish]

Don't ever let them get it back. From what I understand, they'll put all of the material you so carefully removed back on the gun before they send it back to you.

[CJB]

Just trigger stuff. They don't futz with grip mods and other non-functional stuff. They might have a tizzy over a metal guide rod. Dunno.

For grins, I dream of getting a Ruger 1911, having it totally tricked out, sending it in for... say... failing to eject (even though it ejects fine), just so they could get it and crap a load. But I digress.

Tried the trigger finger point on the PM45 and my finger lies along the upper part of the trigger, but still within the confines of the trigger guard. Its now just below the recut Ruger.

IMHO, they messed up the radius in the web section. Radius is too small, too high. I've got to take some careful measurements... but I think a 1-1/8 drum sander will be just about the right medicine, maybe 1-1/4, dunno.

Anyway, the pistol rides a little higher, and there's some headroom between the bottom of the frame and top of my hand. It doesn't take much extra room.

There's also an easy trigger mod to get to about a 4 lb trigger. Gonna try that, since its easy, and fully reversible. Basically change one little coil spring with a smaller gauge (but equally long) one.