It don't look like much but this here hunk of old rolling block 45-70 chamber has front sight band/mount writtin all over it. Maybe times two if it works out. And, its already center drilled almost to size....well, its center drilled!
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The Undecided Project
- Thread starter Sharps40
- Start date
A final and most generous donation of once fired RP Nickle and Brass WW cases arrived today from the Great Republic of Texas. Withall we have 43 rounds. More than sufficient for testing and verifying. Thanks again to all who have donated and offered donations toward this project. This poor and tired Pimp of a Cannon seems to draw in lovin where ever its seen.
In addition. Funds are heading westward to the Official Big Body Deer state, my old stomping grounds near Wright Patterson AFB Ohio with a most generous offer of a Stainless steel Ruger Bisley cylinder for this project. Newer, likely tighter and Black Powder friendly and versatile for a wider range of bullets available in .451" and .452" (also matching the lands/grooves) this should be, if I recall correctly, both engraved and unfluted. I believe all the stainless 45 Colt Bisley cylinders were made that way. But even if not engraved and with flutes, a stainless cylinder of modern dimensions will remain a fine upgrade.
Off to the shop for some more rough fitting of the Blood Wood grip panels. First up, .160" deep locating pin holes of 1/8" diameter. Panels are taped tightly in position and drilled thru the pin hole one at a time.
Once the fit of each is double checked, the rearmost travel of the mainspring assembly (Hammer Down is the high point for the spring. The spring assembly moves forward and down as the hammer is drawn back) is marked on the inside. This allows positioning the center spot for cross drilling the grip screw and keeps it well clear of the functioning main spring.
The grips are snugly snapped into position over their pins and as needed, the fit is tightened in the old manner of fitting buttplates and grip caps. Firm taps with a small SmasherWacker along the upper edge of the back strap moves metal gently down and the wood forward. They should be somewhat difficult to remove and install and yes, the edge grain will get skinned with bedding compound. Both to seal the grain against oil intrusion and to ensure they remain tight well down the road. The strap will be draw polished and the smashwack marks removed at final finish and before buffing then dulling the stainless steel. (Look closely at the brass buttplates of any original muzzleloader, though the hammer marks may be gone from the outside, the ever so slightly wavey edge is apparent on the inside.) Naturally the wood grips are NOT in place when moving medal downward since a slip of the SmasherWacker can boink a chip out of that tender wooden edge.
For now, 1/8" pilot holes are drilled thru the grip panels and the available brass screw is temporarily threaded into the dense wood to hold them in place. Blood Wood is dense and hard enough I think I could tap it 8x32 and get a good bite.
I did not run the screw all the way thru since I don't want any tear out. Later, after some paying jobs, I'll stop in and see what the local screw bin has in the way of stainless steel screws and nuts to make up the washer and grip nut. With luck they'll have stainless to carry on the rust resisting theme of the Pimp Cannon.
Without metal threads, just wood to bite the screw, the panels pull in tight to the trigger loop and back strap. I think it'll be a very secure set up once completed. I'll get the cross screw assembly done first then the final smashwacking and edge skinning and lastly, shaping and sealing in that order.
In addition. Funds are heading westward to the Official Big Body Deer state, my old stomping grounds near Wright Patterson AFB Ohio with a most generous offer of a Stainless steel Ruger Bisley cylinder for this project. Newer, likely tighter and Black Powder friendly and versatile for a wider range of bullets available in .451" and .452" (also matching the lands/grooves) this should be, if I recall correctly, both engraved and unfluted. I believe all the stainless 45 Colt Bisley cylinders were made that way. But even if not engraved and with flutes, a stainless cylinder of modern dimensions will remain a fine upgrade.
Off to the shop for some more rough fitting of the Blood Wood grip panels. First up, .160" deep locating pin holes of 1/8" diameter. Panels are taped tightly in position and drilled thru the pin hole one at a time.
Once the fit of each is double checked, the rearmost travel of the mainspring assembly (Hammer Down is the high point for the spring. The spring assembly moves forward and down as the hammer is drawn back) is marked on the inside. This allows positioning the center spot for cross drilling the grip screw and keeps it well clear of the functioning main spring.
The grips are snugly snapped into position over their pins and as needed, the fit is tightened in the old manner of fitting buttplates and grip caps. Firm taps with a small SmasherWacker along the upper edge of the back strap moves metal gently down and the wood forward. They should be somewhat difficult to remove and install and yes, the edge grain will get skinned with bedding compound. Both to seal the grain against oil intrusion and to ensure they remain tight well down the road. The strap will be draw polished and the smashwack marks removed at final finish and before buffing then dulling the stainless steel. (Look closely at the brass buttplates of any original muzzleloader, though the hammer marks may be gone from the outside, the ever so slightly wavey edge is apparent on the inside.) Naturally the wood grips are NOT in place when moving medal downward since a slip of the SmasherWacker can boink a chip out of that tender wooden edge.
For now, 1/8" pilot holes are drilled thru the grip panels and the available brass screw is temporarily threaded into the dense wood to hold them in place. Blood Wood is dense and hard enough I think I could tap it 8x32 and get a good bite.
I did not run the screw all the way thru since I don't want any tear out. Later, after some paying jobs, I'll stop in and see what the local screw bin has in the way of stainless steel screws and nuts to make up the washer and grip nut. With luck they'll have stainless to carry on the rust resisting theme of the Pimp Cannon.
Without metal threads, just wood to bite the screw, the panels pull in tight to the trigger loop and back strap. I think it'll be a very secure set up once completed. I'll get the cross screw assembly done first then the final smashwacking and edge skinning and lastly, shaping and sealing in that order.
Gotta love Amazon.com. $6.50 and free 2 day delivery for a Victor 1/2" shank drill bit in 23/32" which will serve to open the barrel band/site ramp to just about 16 thou smaller than the barrel OD. Should be able to polish in the final fit. Close measurements of the 7.5" long Ruger barrel indicates they are in fact tapered. Just a bit over .8" at the face of the frame all the way down to .690 way way way the heck out at the end of that Johnnie Dangerously barrel.
4 5/8 to 5 1/2 is where it'll land. I'll probably start at 5 1/2 to experiment with the banded sight base. Do I want a full band on a barrel slightly longer than the ejector housing, say 1/8" longer. Or do I want a 4 5/8 barrel with a band that is split at the ejector rod housing. Might make two bands and put em on and sit on the milk crate sippin Wild Turkey Reserve and smoking a Makers until it hits me what looks right.
Got 100 more of the 255g WC cast up. Ready to go when the new cylinder arrives and after checking the fit and timing. I did not size them yet. If the cylinder is a GO, then I'll knock em down to .452" with good sticky home brew lube. Might load some a bit long like a regular bullet and try the full house data for 260g projectiles too.
Just back in from Germany and waiting on the desk was a rather large drill bit for making front sight bases and a lovely stainless unfluted 45 colt cylinder with Bisley roll markings. Initial fit check indicates the forward bearing pad is twice as long as needed and it won't drop in with out some trimming but before that....I'll get some sleep (over and back in 3 days so the time changes are pretty much wringing me out) and go over it with the micrometer tomorrow. If it looks like a good fit potential, I'll face the forward pad till it drops in and check lockup and alignment. But for now, its a lovely piece and I'm looking forward to giving the installation a go.
The only part of the new cylinder that needed some attention to bring it to a good fit in the old gun was the front bearing surface. The new one is about 1.5 times as tall as the original cylinder race.
A turn or two with a piloted facing cutter and check the fit. These cutters will not chatter if you have the pilot fitted properly. If the pilot wigglewobbles, it chatters. If not, its a smooth baby's behind cut.
When the cylinder could be installed but bound when turning, I made a whisker more, whisker more cut and checked each time. Once it was free all the way around the clock, I stopped trimming the front race. Cylinder gap measures the same about 10 thou inches as the old cylinder. Some will say that's too wide. Its spec for these guns. Fine for smokeless and great for blackpowder (longer runs without binding!) To make it tighter, refit the barrel to the frame. Lets leave it to someone else cause this fit will be fine. Cylinder rotates and locks on que. I'll make up a range rod and check the cylinder to barrel indexing but have no real fear that it'll be other than fine.
Old 45-70 barrel stub drilled out once and now being drilled out again with that new and very large drill bit. Slowest speed is 250 on my press and so, lots of oil and real light on the feed handle.
Success. Its all the way thru and I have a thick side that will be top (leaving a bit more for the tang of the blade to fit into.)
Tapped for a set screw the barrel band (get it, barrel band?) is installed on the super large drill bit and spun at 650 for filing sanding the outside smooth. I'll probably thin it later but for now, to make it kinda pretty.
A turn or two with a piloted facing cutter and check the fit. These cutters will not chatter if you have the pilot fitted properly. If the pilot wigglewobbles, it chatters. If not, its a smooth baby's behind cut.
When the cylinder could be installed but bound when turning, I made a whisker more, whisker more cut and checked each time. Once it was free all the way around the clock, I stopped trimming the front race. Cylinder gap measures the same about 10 thou inches as the old cylinder. Some will say that's too wide. Its spec for these guns. Fine for smokeless and great for blackpowder (longer runs without binding!) To make it tighter, refit the barrel to the frame. Lets leave it to someone else cause this fit will be fine. Cylinder rotates and locks on que. I'll make up a range rod and check the cylinder to barrel indexing but have no real fear that it'll be other than fine.
Old 45-70 barrel stub drilled out once and now being drilled out again with that new and very large drill bit. Slowest speed is 250 on my press and so, lots of oil and real light on the feed handle.
Success. Its all the way thru and I have a thick side that will be top (leaving a bit more for the tang of the blade to fit into.)
Tapped for a set screw the barrel band (get it, barrel band?) is installed on the super large drill bit and spun at 650 for filing sanding the outside smooth. I'll probably thin it later but for now, to make it kinda pretty.
A quick chop to 5.25".
A broad side after cleaning up the muzzle a bit.
At this point the drilled 45-70 barrel band is a snug drive on fit cold. Should fit up just fine later. I think I'll use about 1/2" of the band with a ring maybe 1/8 to 1/4 wide. That'll let me play with a barrel right about 5" long for a hunter.
I spose I could glue it on for now since it has a built in try sight. But run that screw down too far and it'll be a bullet splitter. Looks a bit goofy right now. Sorta like a leveraction with a pikaninny rail or a silencer or both. But, it'll clean up....I hope.
A broad side after cleaning up the muzzle a bit.
At this point the drilled 45-70 barrel band is a snug drive on fit cold. Should fit up just fine later. I think I'll use about 1/2" of the band with a ring maybe 1/8 to 1/4 wide. That'll let me play with a barrel right about 5" long for a hunter.
I spose I could glue it on for now since it has a built in try sight. But run that screw down too far and it'll be a bullet splitter. Looks a bit goofy right now. Sorta like a leveraction with a pikaninny rail or a silencer or both. But, it'll clean up....I hope.
