Post by Fowler on Feb 9, 2013 12:19:56 GMT -5
OK so due to the fact I have some very generous friends I started this project about 3 1/2 years ago. Some active members that decided that I start a custom revolver than they all knew I lusted for. The project was spearheaded by one close friend here who I had discussed what I would build for months, he then gathered some of the base hardware and gifted them to me to kick me in the butt to get the project going.
I knew what I wanted and I spoke with most of the top pistol smiths out there about what I wanted the gun to be. In the end it came down to Bowen and Alan Harton, Bowen would do the project but he didn't seem enthused and his quote reflected that. Alan had always been the guy I felt would take on the project and talking to him only made it obvious he was right. If I asked if we could do this, he said "no problem", what about this? "No problem" everyone else wanted tell me how they would make it.
My vision was vision was a modern version on Elmer's #5 of course. I didn't want to go with a Colt/USFA frame as I wasn't trying to exactly match his gun, I wanted modern coil springs and fully adjustable rear sights. The originals sights were difficult and expensive to make but were more fragile than I wanted in a "working" gun, this was not going to be a safe queen.
We started with a 1960ish vintage Ruger .357 Flat Top Balckhawk frame. Added a Powers #5 frame, a Clement's old model Bisley hammer and wide trigger (they are unobtainable but due to a friend they were added to the mix) and the base box of parts was sent of to Alan to start.
I also had a Keith styled holster from Mr. Barranti in the gift package for the gun, it would be waiting the guns completion. Waiting for a lifetime worth of working with this gun.
About 18 months later Alan called and said he was halfway into my gun and wanted to know what I thought.
I loved it but it was a long way from finished. The front sight was what I asked for but it didn't look right, I wanted the square "step" like the original but it looked too blocky, to bulky, not balanced. Also the step in the barrels end was too long to my eye. Telling Alan this he went back to work without the slightest complaint and he shortened the step in the barrel and made a new front sight from scratch.
It was better, in fact it would be perfect on a standard Blackhawk (I'm going to send him my Old Model 41 mag to shorten the barrel and install this sight) but it still didn't seem right on the #5. So we brainstormed and came up with a Colt Flat Top Target styled front sight cut to the shape of the original #5 with removable blades.
Now it felt right. He cut a second blade that is tall enough to work with 300gr bullets in the future if I ever get that far.
I had also originally wanted to go with all blue like the original but this was my #5 and not a exact copy so I decided I wanted to go with a case hardened finish, but I didn't want Turnbull's glossy over the top finish, I wanted a more subdued CCH of old Colts. Alan had just the answer for that of course.
Well by this time the gun was needing grips, this is one I knew from the get go where it was headed. Paul Persinger was going to do his full blown Mexican Eagle carved ivory grips fitted to the frame to perfection. In the end they are truly magnificent and worth every dime I spend on them.
The gun was finished and shipped back to me in the middle of September, just in time to get a day or two out at the range and then head to elk camp with it.
This is the first three cylinder fulls from the gun offhand at 15 yards at 1" squares. The top left was the classic Keith load, the lower right was the same Miha Keith bullet over 8.2gr of Power Pistol, and the left was that same bullet over 6.0gr of W231. I called the one pulled shot at the trigger break, to say the gun has some potential would be a understatement.
I sighted the gun in for the Keith load to hit on top of the blade at 50 yards. The last 5 shots I took that day were at a 8" gong at 90 yards, hitting it 4 times from a kneeling position. It was ready for elk...
I will finish later when Photobucket quits acting up...
It sure turned out to be a family keeper for the ages.
