Springfield Range Officer Hardball Gun build

First topic message reminder :

Well my ordered Range Officer came in the other day. Very Pleased, cost was 700.00 I asked the seller who said they had two to pick me out the one with the tightest frame/slide fit which they did, its very tight but function's slick. So I commenced to transform it to a CMP Legal Hardball gun. It was simpler than I thought, picked up a standard hammer, grip safety & thumb safety. Everything dropped right in with only a little filing on the detent area on the thumb safety. Trigger was 6lbs and terrible, Part of this is due to the safety built into the mainspring housing which I did also change out to a old one I had already but that is a option, Some might try and just take out the guts and replace with old style but that is not legal as you would still have the safety mainspring but not in working condition. If left in place it must function as a safety is my understanding of the rules. I then  took the sear and polished it and the hammer hooks ,adjusted the spring and came up with a tolerable feel which will hold 4.25lb it will do for now, later it will get a better trigger job. I added some grip tape to the front strap and its ready to go. Ending total 775.00 but I bought  new take off parts. Id say total cost of parts if buying from midway or brownells about a 100.00 bucks + cost of the gun. This is probably the best bang for the  buck for a ballgun that actually is good enough accuracy wise to leg with.
If your a DIY kinda guy for have friends that are this is a easy way to get into competing in the CMP program.

Here are a couple Ransom Rest targets from 25 yards, no modifications for accuracy (just a stoned sear). Mixed range brass, 4.5 grains of Bullseye, 185 Zero JHP loaded on the 550. I was pretty happy and wanted to share for others thinking about one. Not tested at 50 yards, but still notable accuracy for a new guy like me.

If you test it at 7 yds it will probably print a one hole group. If you want to shoot a leg match don't fool yourself , you must test at 50 yards with ten shot groups .
Anything will shoot at 25 yds.

dware wrote:If you test it at 7 yds it will probably print a one hole group. If you want to shoot a leg match don't fool yourself , you must test at 50 yards with ten shot groups .
Anything will shoot at 25 yds.

I get what you’re saying, and would not even consider debating your point. My intent was to share information for the newer shooters (like myself) to give them a little confidence in a factory Range Officer. Will it print with custom at any distance, probably not. What I learned that day was that the pistol is much more capable than me at 25 yards right now.

dware wrote:If you test it at 7 yds  it will probably print a one hole group.  If you want to shoot a leg match don't fool yourself ,  you must test at 50 yards with ten shot groups .
Anything will shoot at 25 yds.

I think you are being a little over the top. I have two Distinguished pistol badges and a P100 tab and never tested  a pistol or ammo. I shot a lot of matches though. It honestly would not have made a difference since the ammo was given to me on the line.

I earned my Distinguished badge and President Hundreds badges with a 45 service pistol and GI ball ammo that was issued on the line . Not exactly the way it happens today .Also made High. Master 1n 4 years. So dont waste your breath , you probably got yours with a mouse gun.

sure thing. I was issued GI ball also twenty years ago.

my point is that its a shooting match, not a reloading match.

David
With all of your interest in your "Springfield Ball gun " find someone with a Ransom Rest and test it at  50 yds !  After making high master Bullseye shooting, making the Presidents Hundred with a real  ball gun shooting 230 ball that you were handed on the line and making distinguished pistol shot theater way 
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT IF YOU ARE LUCKY YOUR PISTOL MAY HOLD THE TARGET AT 50 YARDS, MAYBE THE 5 RING !

Dr.Don wrote:David, as I am sure you know, you can tighten the bushing somewhat by using a large center punch to dimple the skirt where it mates with the slide.  Should be done over a mandrel so you don't egg-shape the bushing.  This is a quick-fix approach and works, but it will loosen back up with repeated removals/insertions into the slide.  It's not near as good as fitting a new bushing, but can do the job and hold for a surprisingly long time.

Do you do that in one spot, two or three?  I'm gonna guess "two."