Shortening the barrel

[Angel_Eyes]

I've acquired a pair of Pietta .44 C&B's with 8" barrels and I am of a mind to shorten them.

I've been back thru' some of the back pages but can't find anything about how the lever latch and foresight are fixed to the barrel.
(Not dovetailed)

Does anyone know how to remove and re-fix in the same manner, or do I have to go the dovetail route?

AE.

[deputy dewey]

Hi Angel
You've probably seen it already but if you go to the Scorrs website and go to the section on replice remingtons theres an article on the cutting the barrel. Looks like it was a tough job to get them off and the replacements were dovetailed. Iam guessing that if they come off ok then a small locating hole drilled in the barrel and some solder or maybe some jb weld would do the trick.
Looks good chopped down but to my mind the ultimate remmy on the same site looks even better.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

I only cut my Pietta Remmie to 6 3/4 inches.  No need to redo the loading lever, and there is one like it shown in McDowell`s book.  I had a frontsight installed with a hinged blade to adjust elevation like a colt Bisley sight.  Frankly, I have never used the adjustment.

I looked at the article in www.scorrs.org that Deputy Dewey mentions, and it describes the process quite well.

[Hell-Er High Water]

I shortened an 8" barrel M'58 to 5-1/2".  After the barrel is cut, in the cut off portion, drill holes exactly opposite from the front sight and the loading lever latch and drill until the drill enters their holes from the bore side.  Drill holes as close as possible to the sight and latch diameters.  Drive them out with a punch, through the barrel wall and the bore and into the bottom of each hole.

This worked for me.  Give it a try.

HHW

[Angel_Eyes]

Okay pards, I have found the relevant info on SCORRS site and the explanations are excellent and easy to follow.   

Will post pictures IF it turns out ok. 

(If it don't, you can all pretend you don't know me)

AE

[Flint]

The easiest thing to do is to replace the sight and barrel stud with Uberti dovetailed parts.  You need a 74 degree dovetail cutter from Brownells.

[Angel_Eyes]

I may take Sir Charles' method and just do the 6.75"barrel.

Which ever length I decide on, I will cut the catch and sight out of the off-cuts and try and form the dovetails from the barrel parts they are still attached to. (Both pistols are stainless, trying to retain the original look).

Thanks to all of you for your advice, AE.

PS, thanks Flint, but I try to do most of my work by hand, and we don't have Brownells over here!