|
Forum Rules | Firearms Safety | Firearms Photos | Links | Library | Lost Password | Email Changes |
Register | FAQ | Calendar | Today's Posts | Search |
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
May 7, 2018, 06:39 PM | #26 |
Senior Member
Join Date: July 14, 2008
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 2,918
|
Why not go for something like a 32 caliber? Good luck on your build, keep us posted. I would be interested in seeing your progress.
__________________
We know exactly where one cow with Mad-cow-disease is located, among the millions and millions of cows in America, but we haven't got a clue where thousands of illegal immigrants and terrorists are |
May 7, 2018, 08:34 PM | #27 |
Staff
Join Date: March 11, 2006
Location: Upper US
Posts: 28,832
|
Here's a thought, if you're going to built a revolver from steel stock (make it from scratch) why not make a version of the Webley-Fosberry???
Magnum calibers would be out, not friendly to a top break latch system, but in .45Colt, or .45ACP (with half moon clips) it would ROCK!!! Ok, its like climbing MT Everest your first time out, but if you're going for the challenge of doing it, what could be more challenging and unique??? Good Luck, whatever you settle on...
__________________
All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better. |
May 7, 2018, 09:23 PM | #28 |
Senior Member
Join Date: July 15, 2005
Posts: 4,066
|
How about something simple at first like the H&R Single shot revolver?
__________________
From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail" |
May 7, 2018, 09:53 PM | #29 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 3, 2014
Location: Land of the Pilgrims
Posts: 2,033
|
Quote:
I used to draw parts on AutoCad for a living. Believe me, there is a lot more to building a SAA than creating CAD drawings. At the very least, I suggest you buy this book. The most complete book about the Single Action Army on the market. Includes lots of specifications and measured drawings. Well worth the price. http://www.gunbooks.com/colt_sa.html Also available at Amazon. Last edited by Driftwood Johnson; May 8, 2018 at 09:02 AM. |
|
May 8, 2018, 12:00 AM | #30 |
Senior Member
Join Date: September 12, 2015
Location: Issaquah WA. Its a dry rain.
Posts: 1,774
|
Alot of nay-sayers "you need a mill" "an entire factory..." etc etc. All false. You need those things to make a revolver in a timely fasion, but if a man wants to make one...eventually well thats his choice to do so. And I applaud him for it.
Like the old saying goes, when all you have is a hammer every thing looks like a nail. When working with my rigger buddy he couldnt get his head away from using a crane even when one wasn't avalible. When chatting with my friend he couldnt thing outside of using "products" that a bank would sell (he sells debt). Just because one man cant envision it doesn't mean another man cant produce it. Darn tootin it wont happen quickly, but its only his place to decide if its worth while.
__________________
Just shoot the damn thing. |
May 8, 2018, 07:43 AM | #31 |
Senior Member
Join Date: June 16, 2005
Location: AZ
Posts: 3,113
|
How sure are you of your design, skills, and materials?
Catastrophic failure in .22 lr looks a bit different than catastrophic failure in 7.62x54r. I'd say to start small and go with a .22 lr. You'll learn a lot from building it. If you enjoy it building it, you can apply those lessons to the next one you make, but in centerfire. |
May 8, 2018, 09:00 AM | #32 |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 3, 2014
Location: Land of the Pilgrims
Posts: 2,033
|
By the way, good luck making the hammer cam, which needs to be properly placed in the hammer. And good luck making the bolt, which needs to be made from spring steel and tempered properly because one leg has to flex as it pops over the hammer cam for the action to function properly. Probably the two most critical components of the Single Action Army. If not tempered properly, one of the legs may break off.
Like this. Sorry, I have no idea what the proper material is for the bolt, or what the proper temper is. But I would never try to make one. If you buy the book I suggested you will at least get an idea what they are supposed to look like. |
May 8, 2018, 09:47 AM | #33 |
Senior Member
Join Date: July 22, 2010
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Posts: 1,293
|
“She got a 38 Special, but I believe it’s most too light.
I got a 32-20, got to make the caps alright” - Robert Johnson Sir, they made Colt Peacemakers in the 1870s. People today forget what craftsmen could make over 150 years ago by hand. Your project isn’t crazy, but it is ambitious. My opinion is to reproduce a classic revolver and chamber it in the most desirable caliber for a collector. When you succeed, no one will be able to afford your revolver- perhaps your great grandkids will donate it to a museum, but you will have made yourself in to a master gunsmith. Colt. 45 Long Colt. 44-40 if you insist on being a weirdo. If I could offer advice- It’s an ambitious project; start with something that you have full plans for and realize this could take many years. |
May 8, 2018, 10:47 AM | #34 |
Staff
Join Date: March 11, 2006
Location: Upper US
Posts: 28,832
|
Once you get your revolver done, I've got a suggestion for your next "impossible" project...
I've always wanted a Luger in .44AMP (Auto Mag Pistol)... Though, as a (slightly) more practical matter, I'd gladly settle for one in .45 Win Mag. No drawings for one of those, you'll have to figure out everything, on your own. I might be able to lend you a Luger to measure and "scale up", if you get to that point and need one. (assuming I'm still around, and still have a Luger, ) Good Luck with your build!
__________________
All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better. |
May 8, 2018, 12:40 PM | #35 |
Senior Member
Join Date: April 7, 2006
Posts: 10,984
|
In the 1870s, Colt had a fully equipped FACTORY, with machinery.
In 1870, people were not sitting around in caves beating things with rocks. Last edited by Bill DeShivs; May 9, 2018 at 01:40 AM. |
May 8, 2018, 03:12 PM | #36 |
Senior Member
Join Date: November 30, 2012
Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Posts: 1,752
|
About a gazillion years ago I bought some "plans" to make a simple break open single shot 22 LR pistol you could make with hand tools , even cutting the chamber. Very simple design , had complete instructions . I never made one but wish I could find those plans , I remember the envelope had a 5 cent postage stamp on it ....I have more time now .
Anyway...if your going to make a revolver...make one in something exotic. Elmer Keith's book "Sixguns" shows a rather large custom single action in ...45-70 ! Now you don't see those every day . Good luck , Gary |
May 8, 2018, 04:00 PM | #37 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: September 12, 2002
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 5,313
|
Quote:
(You're so picky I bet you'd want it to survive more than one round too!) |
|
May 8, 2018, 04:41 PM | #38 | |
Staff
Join Date: March 11, 2006
Location: Upper US
Posts: 28,832
|
Quote:
The toggle action is very efficient. The toggle system was used in the Maxim machine gun (the British Vickers and the German Spandau), and numerous other weapons. A Luger, properly scaled and made of the right materials would take the pressure. The LAR Grizzly is a "properly scaled" to the .45 Win Mag 1911A1. It could be done. It can't be affordably done, and would take a dedicated "mad machinist" to do it, but it could be done. The frame would have to be made from scratch, not welded together from a couple of cut Luger frames the way some .45ACP Lugers were made. Think about it, ok it will come out being close to the size of a Desert Eagle, but it would look soo freakin cool!!! If you're going to the Moon, why not go to Mars?? (ok Mars is cold as hell, so..why go? but if you are going anyway why not go with a bit of real class?? )
__________________
All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better. |
|
May 8, 2018, 05:49 PM | #39 |
Senior Member
Join Date: April 10, 2015
Location: ga
Posts: 321
|
I have a few chunks of mystery steel, a 40x110mm, 66x140 and a 37x190. I’m sure I can get a hold of some more.
Let’s say it’s mild steel, just how thick would the cylinder walls needs to be? A 44 Auto mag Luger sounds like a Monster. I wonder if, to get it to work, it would look more like a old Borchardt pistol. Of course if the design was modified and boasted with a selection of titanium parts.... |
May 8, 2018, 05:57 PM | #40 |
Senior Member
Join Date: October 25, 2001
Location: Alabama
Posts: 18,541
|
Look at a first generation Colt SAA .45.
Of course they did have to reduce the load because cylinders were failing proof test. |
May 8, 2018, 06:10 PM | #41 |
Senior Member
Join Date: October 16, 2014
Location: Iowa
Posts: 1,634
|
That would depend on the cartridge you choose. Big difference between .22 and a .357. Additionally no one is going to be able to answer that question with any degree of certainty. I'd start with a .22 just to prove that the concept will work and worst case scenario is that you have to build a 2nd cylinder with a stronger steel when the first one gives out.
|
May 8, 2018, 08:17 PM | #42 |
Senior Member
Join Date: April 12, 2010
Location: Lake Martin, AL
Posts: 3,311
|
I am far from knowledgeable about metallurgy. I would think you are wasting time, energy and effort not to mention wearing out tools by working with unknown steel/metal that are not proper for the purpose. Why not spend a little money on a known material(s). As another poster has already stated, you will need different types of steel for the different parts.
As we have all read various manufacturers had a dickens of a time with early attempts at manufacturing stainless steel firearms. Their tooling was not adequate for the hardness of stainless. I think one would want to have the appropriate cutting, grinding and drilling tool heads, cutters, bits, or whatever for the application. It has to be time consuming even for auto cad applications in the setting and adjustments of tools for the various patterns for each part. I am sure my ignorance is showing. One would suspect the material cost might be minor compared to the overall cost especially when you are talking in terms of a single handgun. |
May 9, 2018, 09:19 AM | #43 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: October 9, 1998
Location: Ohio USA
Posts: 8,563
|
Quote:
no matter how many chambers it had in the cylinder! |
|
May 9, 2018, 12:48 PM | #44 |
Senior Member
Join Date: September 12, 2015
Location: Issaquah WA. Its a dry rain.
Posts: 1,774
|
This guy built a Lamborghini in his basement, from scratch. Sooo. Yeah, you can build a pistol if you decide to.
https://jalopnik.com/5954486/the-man...nts-to-sell-it
__________________
Just shoot the damn thing. |
May 11, 2018, 12:20 AM | #45 |
Senior Member
Join Date: September 2, 2001
Location: Out West in Rim Country
Posts: 1,093
|
A 7.62X54R would be quite a revolver!
__________________
COTEP 640, NRA Life |
May 11, 2018, 10:39 PM | #46 |
Senior Member
Join Date: June 16, 2005
Location: AZ
Posts: 3,113
|
Especially in unknown scrap mild steel.
|
May 12, 2018, 11:32 AM | #47 |
Senior Member
Join Date: April 10, 2015
Location: ga
Posts: 321
|
7.62x54r should have a fireball(; just imagine the orthopedic damage.
10mm wall thickness should work if it was hardenable I’m gonna do some testing on the scrap before machining(spark testing, and test if it Will harden) |
May 12, 2018, 06:13 PM | #48 |
Senior Member
Join Date: March 4, 2010
Location: Fayette AL
Posts: 226
|
Man, am I glad Bill Ruger, Sam Colt, John Moses Browning, and a few others didn't have a lot of you guys around "encouraging" them. We would be in a heckuva bind now.
__________________
Don't squat with your spurs on!! |
May 13, 2018, 12:50 AM | #49 | ||
Senior Member
Join Date: January 3, 2014
Location: Land of the Pilgrims
Posts: 2,033
|
Quote:
Quote:
|
||
May 13, 2018, 07:17 AM | #50 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: March 4, 2010
Location: Fayette AL
Posts: 226
|
Quote:
__________________
Don't squat with your spurs on!! |
|
|
|