New Project Richards Type 1

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

I've been away for a while but I thought you all might like to see my new project. It is a Richards Type I, this is the third one I have done (I sold the other two for a price I couldn't refuse).

The first picture has an arrow pointing to lines I have scribed on the side of the barrel to indicate where to mill for the ejector housing assembly, even though I kinda like the look without it. If you look real close you can see where I have dovetailed in a metal filler where the percussion loading lever used to lock up.

This started out as a Uberti percussion revolver and the cylinder is not one that I made like on the other two pistols but is a percussion cylinder that has been turned down and chambered to .44 colt. I finally got the correct angle on the chambering so as not to cut into the cylinder stop cutouts.

If any of you are going to be at the Kansas Vigilance shoot in Garnett Kansas this weekend, I am going to take it for a test drive. Please don't mind my faux color case hardening on the recoil ring. The recoil rings get easier and easier to make as you do them. Hope you like it.


Bill
Right click you mouse to view image for a larger photo:

[Flint]

You going to load heel type bullets or hollow based?

The gun is looking good.  I'd like to see how you mount your ejector housing.

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Here is a couple of photos of one I did last year (which I no longer have). This one I had nickel plated. The ejector rod housing is made and mounted just like the originals. If you have McDowell's book, you'll know what I am talking about. On this gun I built the cylinder, recoil ring and ejector rod housing, all 4150 armory steel.

Bill

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Flint,
Here are some photos of a gun I did earlier that shows how the ejector rod housing is installed in the gun barrel.

I've notice that the ejector rod assemblies that some of the guys that are converting their own guns are not fitting them properly. They should mount flush with the barrel lug and the ejector rod tube milled into the barrel as shown in these photos...again refer to McDowell's book on Colt conversions.

Right now I shoot hollow based bullets but I'm going to change over to the proper heeled bullet soon.

Bill

Click your right mouse key to view image and enlarge:


The dark areas on the assembly is lay out ink:


Everything put together, the screw that fastens itself to the barrel is screwed in from the other side as were the original Colts:

[Chase]

Mr. Proctor,

Beautiful job on the conversions.  Let me know when you are planning on building your next conversion, I would like to discuss possibly doing some period-correct  engraving on it for you to further enhance their beauty.


Also a note of thanks and job well done on the NCOWS video.  I watched it twice so far--the music adds that extra dimension that makes one want to watch it over and over.  What is the first song called, what is he singing about, and where can I get a copy? 

Thank You.


Philip Montarsi,
Morristown, IN

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Phillip,
The name of the CD is "Sacred Spirit" Chants and Dances of the Native American, from Virgin Records, you can probably get it on line. the name of the first song is "Wishes of Happiness" The song is about gathering wild rice... The song that closes out the video is my favorite.

Yeah.....I would like to have it engraved...but that costs money and I'm not rich...but I do appreciate the nice words.

Bill

[Marshal Deadwood]

Bill, that is some fantastic work buddy.
I , and im sure we all, appreciate the photos. I call it ,,well no,,,TONI calls it,,,'gun porno',,lol,,,but thats actually her very best compliment to us boys and our toys.
Toni says to tell you and the family howdy also.

Steve J. tells me your involved with an NCOWS site that has a longggg range for the big bore rifles. Would ya let an ol' hillboy bring his smokewagons out and shoot ?

Be good to see ya again , Bill.

Take care pard,

mike aka  Marshal Deadwood

[Crow Scout]

It looks good.  Wish I could be around this weekend to see them run.  Perhaps in the future.  Again, nice work.

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Just fitted a new pair of faux checkered ivory grips to my new 1860 Richards Type 1 that I am building. The grips came from Grip Maker, Larry Little out of Missouri.....he does great work & they were easy to fit, and look and feel like real ivory. While I was doing these I installed a set of Ivory Grips with the Mexican Eagle on my Richard/Mason Cimarron.

The next step on this project is to make the ejector rod housing and fit it to the barrel...this is one of my favorite things to build on this gun.

Bill

Click the right mouse key to enlarge........

[Major 2]

Bill did you ever get a Photo of the Nickled gun?
Is it cost, effective to have it done to a once blued gun ?

[Flint]

Thanks for responding with the ejector mount pictures.  I grooved several 1851 barrels to accept Uberti 1872 ejector tubes, but was more reluctant to attempt  the same tube the 1861 Navy, as the Opentop ejector mount screw is not in a good location for that barrel, so a mounting system like you made, which is the original Colt type (which also is copied by Kirst now) is more appropriate.

The Kirst ejector was tempting to me, except the apparent lack of a groove in the barrel to nestle the tube in toward the center for the ejector rod alignment with the chamber makes me wonder if it works as well.  It does look like he cut the tube itself to a "D" shape to tuck it in closer, and the pictures show the mount protruding forward of the barrel lug, which is not as clean as the flush mount you (and Colt) made.

If you are getting proficient enough in making the ejector mount to make the price reasonable, you might make us some on request.......

This is the mounting groove I cut for the 1851, shown with the Uberti tube.

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Major,
When I had the gun nickeled, I stripped the blue using Birchwood Casey's Blue and Rust remover...polished it myself and shipped it off to have nickeled. I have the polishing equipment so the polishing was fairly easy. No, I didn't take any photos once it was done.

Flint,
If you were an NCOWS member I might consider making you an ejector rod housing .....Once I have some time to do it...time is always the factor....As far as milling the groove in the barrel I think all the original colts were milled to accept the ejector rod housing. If I understand, the Kirst set up is close to the originals but the tube lays up against the barrel and not in a milled groove, I don't care for that.

Bill