Single Action machine shop project

I thought it would be a good time to post some pictures of a Single Action revolver that I made quite awhile back. I machined or hand made all of it except the cylinder and hammer which I had in my parts box. The machining was done on a Jet combination horizontal/vertical mill and a Clausing 10” lathe. The hardest part was cutting the pocket for the hand and getting the lockup relative to cylinder/bore alignment. It took a lot of grinding, filing and polishing to get the contours. I engraved it using hand gravers and chasing hammer. I still need to rust blue it (You sort of burn out on something like this.) I made the grips out of Paduk--it oxidizes rather quickly and turns that nice dark rose color. Salt Flat

Attachment 70502Attachment 70497

What's it in and did ya make her bark?

Wow!!!! That’s beautiful. I didn’t know you were such a skilled gun maker.

It must have taken many hours of work and I do understand burnout. It’s better to rest and come back to something like this when you are ready. You have done so much. It would be a shame not to put the same level of care into the finish.

Did you do the barrel rifling or use a barrel blank?

Can I ask if you used drawings, or reverse engineered an existing frame yourself?

I've been puzzling on how to contour the recoil shield...

Nice fit on the front and back straps too

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lee Enfield

......I've been puzzling on how to contour the recoil shield..

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Here's one way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSzADGIqAR8

Thanks for the comments--

Vincent, Barrel was machined from a blank--

Lee, I reverse engineered -- Used an 1880s Colt Saa for dimensions. I made up some accurate thin aluminum templates for the recoil shield and frame contours. I rough machined on the mill and then hand ground and filed till the templates matched. I used lots of layout dye and worked to scribe lines where the dimensions were not so critical. A surface plate and height guage are helpful as well as all the mics and digital calipers. Here's a few more picture of in progress. These were taken before the dawn of digital photogrphy so i apologize for the lousty quality. Salt Flat

wow wonderful work

Warpig asked about the caliber and if I made her bark! It is in 38 Special and Yes I've made her bark! Shoots just fine-- Salt Flat