1860 Colt

[Johnny Reb]

Good day,

Well, I'm making some more Colt 1860 Army clones.

I first reshape Uberti (only with forged frames) copies to close Colt specs (so I'm not going to get into copyright and patent trouble from Colt)  then make the grips from scratch either of American black walnut or white oak, then patina the arms naturally (no, no fake looking acid washed ones and NO COLD BLUE OR BROWN). My brass straps look of aged darkish-old gold-yellow with dark in protected areas and the steel is mottled military arsenal blue and the civilian models have the bright polished blue, both styles with blue and brown to plum-brown and some deep blue in protected areas or not, depending on the simulated patina. Frames of patina case colors to full plum dark patina.

I do much more to these arms but don't want to just give all of the secrets away.

[Paladin UK]

Ho JR.........

Like Seth says +1

Paladin (What would like to see piccies too ) UK

[Sgt. Jake]

  As  Seth & Paladin UK said + 2 ,sounds interesting  !                       Adios  Sgt. Jake

[Deadeye Don]

Yup.  Pictures please.

[Fox Creek Kid]

How on earth can you make a conversion ring w/o a lathe or mill? 

[Johnny Reb]

Good day,

I go to my local steel company and get cold rolled bar stock (or rod stock) and have them cut it a little oversized so I can file and shape it at home.

After I use a rat tail file to form my recoil pad for the loading port,  I then install the semi finished ring and apply dykem to scribe the ring to make the cut out for the loading gate, which I make from another piece of cut bar. If out of dykem I use a black marker which the scribe can be seen just as well.

I don't drill and tap the recoil pad at all for the conversion ring. I hold it in place by the arbor pin (AKA base pin or cylinder pin) like the originals.

I make the firing pin base integral with the ring as I do the sight. Yes, it's a lot of filing and hacksawing. Sure makes lots of cramps in the fingers.


God bless

[Deadeye Don]

Johnny,   The easiest way to add pictures is to use photobucket.com and then to add a link here of your pictures.  The site is free. 

http://photobucket.com/

[Black River Smith]

The cylinder is turned, Are the chambers bored?  If so, how did you keep from cutting through the cylinder stop knotches?

I have the ejector housing; the double hand; and the offset ratchets completed.  The recoil plate is what is keeping me from finishing mine.  The 1/2" thick material and all the cutting and timing.

Good luck.

[Long Johns Wolf]

Johnny Reb: Karl Nedbal did the new cylinder for my Centaure Richards in .44 Colt cal. (inside lubed) with the chambers bored parallel to the arbor. Because the bolt stops of the original C&B cylinder came from the factory cut too deep he had to lath a new cylinder and reamed properly sized chambers.
When he is doing these conversions in .44 Special cal. he is boring the new chambers at a slight cant to take care of the wider rim.
Long Johns Wolf

[Johnny Reb]

Thank you very much Long Johns Wolf!
I bet it's great work too!

I like those Cent-Colts...reading on their history not long ago.

Yes those darn cap 'n ball cylinders and their deep stops they have from every Euro manufacturer. I just weld mine up and recut them to the shallow and smaller specs of the originals.

I've seen originals that have worn totally through via heavy use as I'm sure you have a time or two at gun shows.

It seems like even back then they could've changed the location of the stop bolt to the side a bit more for that thicker metal. Oh well.

Take care pard!
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I'm at work a lot so I haven't been able to do much on this over the past few months but will get back to it soon.

[will52100]

Looking good, I can't believe the tenacity and determination it would take to do it all by hand, WOW!.

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Nice Work!!

I am really looking forward to seeing how you fashion the recoil ring without a lathe or mill.

I have set ups and jigs for each one of the processes you've described so I've really got to hand it to you...

OCB

[Johnny Reb]

Thank you Ottawa Creek Bill and Will52100!

OCB, We know that you are tops in making these and truly appreciate you both as I do everyone here for their encouragement.

[Fox Creek Kid]

It's not illegal for you to stamp "Colt" on it. It IS however illegal for you to try a sell a non-Colt with a Colt stamp as a real Colt. That is fraud. 

[Hoof Hearted]

It's not illegal for you to stamp "Colt" on it. It IS however illegal for you to try a sell a non-Colt with a Colt stamp as a real Colt. That is fraud. 

FCK is 100% correct here............
In fact you can even file the serial numbers off a BP revolver and number it as necessary. It is not a "Firearm" by federal definition (your state laws may influence this depending on what state you reside in).
The BATF does deem that once you convert it to cartridge you have manufactured a firearm and you cannot do this for resale purposes.

[Fox Creek Kid]

...by federal definition (your state laws may influence this depending on what state you reside in)...

As this man just found out. 

http://www.cheboygannews.com/news/x1572844233/Lost-hunter-facing-gun-charges

[Johnny Reb]

Thank you very much Hoof Hearted and Fox Creek Kid!

I appreciate you both taking your time out for this.

Blessings to all.

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Update 02 March 2009
I removed all of my photos and most of my posts.
I'm still working toooo many hours in real estate to try to get my ranch but will resume the postings soon.

[Four Eyed Floyd]

Not the real deal but up for sale:
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=122532610

[Fox Creek Kid]

Not the real deal but up for sale:
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=122532610

Does the $650 starting price include an extra bucket of parts to keep that ASM working? 

[Four Eyed Floyd]

Let's hope