Conversion

[royal barnes]

I have a pair of American Frontier Firearms '61 Navy Conversions. They were the ones made in California from ASM parts. One gun has developed a loose conversion ring. With the barrel and cylinder off there is noticeable play in the ring side to side and top to bottom. I have taken the guns apart and don't see a way to tighten the ring. The play is not as pronounced when the gun is completely together but it is there. HELP !!

[gw]

RB---I've got 5 of the ASM made '60 and '61 conversions and haven't yet(crossing fingers) had that problem. One actually had the ring crooked side to side which I corrected by filing one side of the rear sight notch. Aren't the rings peened in place by the centerpin to the frame? Have you removed the pin from the frame or just the ring from the pin? It either has to be play between the pin & frame or between the pin and ring.  Not much help with the problem but I seem to remember seeing this very subject somewhere on this board before. Maybe someone on here has a better memory for it than I do.

[royal barnes]

I haven't removed anything from anything. I'm just too skeered! The pin seems to be solid in the ring so I would guess it is a problem between the ring and the frame. Someone on the SASS site recommended I send it to Nate Kiowa Jones since he seems to be the guru on ASM's. E-mailed him but have not received a reply.

[gw]

Royal---Your lucky day, I took today off so I have had a little spare time to do some research on this. If you have a copy of "Gunsmithing Guns of The Old West" by David R. Chicoine, look on page 150  Here he explains how the cylinder arbor is attached to the frame and how to repair/replace if needed. The arbor(what I called the centerpin) screws into the frame and is held in place by a small pin typically at 12 o'clock position as viewed from the rear of the revolver. I looked at 2 of my ASM's and one clearly shows this pin and the other did not, though it may be there. If you don't have a copy of this book---do yourself a huge favor and buy one---it is a treasure-trove of information and how to's on most of the guns we enjoy. Check your gun for this pin and see if you can detect any play in this area after it is disassembled. Good Luck.

[royal barnes]

Thanks, GW. I am familiar with Chicoine from his how-to manuals on various guns. Didn't remember that he had a book. Will find it and order.