44 calibre Belt Pistol

[Hoof Hearted]

This is meant to be a follow up to the thread entitled "Italian markings removal". Located here:
http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,18704.0.html

I decided to leave the Kirst Konvertor 5 shot 45 Colt cylinder with the "loading gate" back plate in this revolver. But I just didn't like the "tab" that Walt designed (Walt told me a lot of people complained about them). My solution was to file it off and blend all of the angles back into Walt's design as you can see in this pic:


I then decided that the "port" in the frame was not large enough (it also was not centered on the angled relief cuts for "capping" on the recoil shield). Since the previous owner had ported this frame sort of low, I decided to open it up to just over 5/8's of an inch. Then to facilitate loading and unloading I drilled and tapped the gate for a 6-48 fillister screw (I will probably replace this with a smooth rounded "peg"):


I also stamped the "conversion" number on the barrel by the rammer catch (like the original Police models) and then on the Kirst cylinder and back plate.


I also rust blued the Kirst and the revolver so they will match.
To recap:

Removal of all Italian markings
Reshape of the rammer web
Serial number stamped on bottom of barrel
Conversion number on cylinder, plate and barrel
Grips refinished and shaped to frame
Port in frame enlarged
Kirst gate reshaped
Trigger guard silver plated
Trigger reshaped
Hammer reshaped and recheckered
Rust blue

Here's a couple more views:

]

[Barbarosa]

That's a really nice piece. great job!
If it's no secret, what did you stain the grips with? I like their color.

[Oldelm]

Nice work, HH, it looks great!   

I'm sure you  tapped & inserted a screw on the loading gate for ease of opening, right?
I wonder if there's anyway to have dug out a ridge or lip on that side instead of having the head of a screw there.
Sorta like "deep engraving".

[Hoof Hearted]

Nice work, HH, it looks great!   

I'm sure you  tapped & inserted a screw on the loading gate for ease of opening, right?
I wonder if there's anyway to have dug out a ridge or lip on that side instead of having the head of a screw there.
Sorta like "deep engraving".

Elm

I am actually making a "peg" that will thread into the blind hole I drilled and tapped in the gate. It will be slightly longer and rounded on the end (no screw slot). I have seen this done before, somwhere, and it's the look I was going for.

Walt's new Konvertor rings have a milled "scallop" just like you are talking about Great minds must think alike

[Hoof Hearted]

That's a really nice piece. great job!
If it's no secret, what did you stain the grips with? I like their color.

Barbarosa

Fiebings leather stain (oil base) dark brown. You can get it at Tandys and maybe a craft store in your area. But, if you want to mail them to me when you are ready, I'll stain them, tung oil them and send them back to ya

[Bull Schmitt]

Real nice revolver. How did you silver plate the trigger guard? Were any of the originals silver plated?

[Hoof Hearted]

Bull

I have seen what I deem to be "civilian" Remingtons that had varying traces of silver plating on their trigger guards. I don't claim to be a Remington historian, but I'm sure that some of the well researched books out there could shed some light as to what models this would apply to. I do know for a fact that Colt dolled a number of their brass grip frames up this way on civilian pistols and I always lean towards that look. I have a number of ASM and Uberti cartridge conversions that I have given this treatment to!

I real good friend of mine is a retired jeweler and when he has time I take these kinds of projects to him to do. Truth be told it is simple as pie to do on brass.

If any of this type of work interests our members, I would be happy to provide my services on a limited basis. I spent a number of years building IPSC pistols, then stepped off into "cowboy" guns about 15 years ago. I also have a full leather shop and collect California style (vaquero type) cowboy gear. When I bought this ranch and the wife and I started training horse full time, I had to move these "hobbies" further down the "list", if you know what I mean

[Wolfgang]

Nice project. Nice Pistol. . . . 

Good shootin', . . . . 

[Hoof Hearted]

Big Bump, from the past...........

[John William McCandles]

Thanks for the bump.
I'll need to pick your brain so I can do one of the Uberti Navy models similar to this.
That's great work.
I'm glad I started posting here again it's alot more lively here.

JW

[Oldelm]

Hoof,...it's nice seeing this again.

Does porting the frame like that make this a "manufactured firearm" according to the ATF, in which case you can't sell or give it away? 

Just wondering,...thanks.

[Flint]

Yes, cutting a loading port makes it a manufactured firearm.  You can do it for personal  use, but it cannot be sold.  The "drop-in" cylinders do not as there are no modificatons to the frame.

I would imagine a person could claim to have made the port himself.........

[Oldelm]

Thanks, Flint. 

[Hoof Hearted]

Hoof,...it's nice seeing this again.

Does porting the frame like that make this a "manufactured firearm" according to the ATF, in which case you can't sell or give it away? 

Just wondering,...thanks.

No disrespect meant to Flint here

Denny, there are two schools of thought here. One being the interpretation Flint gave and the other being that the "non-firearm" becomes a firearm once it has the clyinder installed (and of course a "non-firearm" once it is removed again). I would think a "non-firearm" with a loading port is still a "non-firearm". Since the conversion cylinder is classified a part (R&D and Kirst) by ATF it would only be a firearm while installed. Hence the ability to remove it from the pistol for shipping purposes.

Clear as mud?

[Oldelm]

HH,...yup, clear as mud,...LOL!!

Thanks