Ruger Ejector Rod Housing problems

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

I have a Ruger Blackhawk .357 with the black aluminum ejector rod housing.  This gun sees a lot of use and I don't like the painted housing because as the gun ages the difference between the housing and the blue steel becomes more and more pronounced.

I bought an aftermarket steel ejector rod housing, I think it was a Story, and put that on.  Then I had problems with the housing shooting loose.

Locktite didn't seem to help.

So I fixed her good and drilled a 1/16-inch hole through the housing and screwhead and tapped a roll-pin through.  That worked fantastic for quite some time, but then one day KABLEWY the whole housing flew off into the mud.

I took it to Gander Mountain and the 'smith talked me into putting the old aluminum housing back on and he mixed some aluminum filings with epoxy and epoxied the threads, put a SS screw in (it was all he had on hand).  So far it is staying put.

But I don't think I was of "sound mind" when I was talked into putting that aluminum housing back on.

Is there any way to make the steel housing stay put?  The 'smith made it sound like the housing was engineered to the gun and the screw probably wasn't designed to hold the weight of the steel housing under recoil. 

I suppose I should also ask, is there any way to get the aluminum house off - the 'smith made it sound like with the epoxy job it was secured permanently.

[Lloyd Smale]

gunsmiths will put a dowl in the barrel and drill the housing for it and use a hardened screw for a screw. Ive shot many many full horse 500 and 475s though my linebaughs without trouble. The thing is with the rugers is you have to keep them tight. You have to check every 20 or so shots with heavy recoiling loads. If you let it get loose the threads will beat up and they will never stay tight. I dont think id want to epoxy the screw and leave no way to remove the houseing.

[Flint]

Only heat will break the epoxy loose, as the screw slot and screwdriver can't apply enough force without damage.  Hopefully you can heat it enough without damaging the blue.

Have a gunsmith install a stud, as the Older Rugers had, and as the Colt has (or had).  The stud, silver soldered in, will take the shear force under recoil, so the screw  only has to hold the housing to the stud.  It must still be checked for tightness, as a loose housing can still shoot off a stud.
Note that Story sells both kinds of housing, cut for the stud, and not, and for two different screw head sizes.  If you have the Story you shot off, it can be modified to fit over a stud.

If you install a stud, you'll have to reblue, anyway.

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

If you install a stud, you'll have to reblue, anyway.

Ugh.  Sounds more involved that I had hoped for.  Perhaps a vaquero or an SS Blackhawk is the cheaper option.