Sad state OMBH .45

[meh92]

I found this earlier in the week at a LGS. It is a 1971 model and was in a pile of garbage that was going to auction.  I traded the shop a $100 bill for it without remorse. It hasn't been converted and is mechanically solid and tight with a very nice action. The bore and cylinders are in excellent shape and the throats mic tightly at 0.449". I'm thinking that I'll give it to Andy Horvath for a 4-5/8" BBQ-gun project of some sort. The spot of barrel rust right after the stamping might cleanup enough for the barrel to be saved after it's cut down. Whatever the case, it's a good base for a future project. I just couldn't pass it up.

[nicholst55]

For $100, I doubt that any of us would have passed it up. Too bad its been so badly neglected.

[wvjoetc]

A diamond in the rough, good find.

[Fowler]

The problem with sending a gun like this to the top smiths is that to weld up the pits, file and polish everything out to factory finish will cost more than a clean used gun would. I'd Bob the barrel to what you like, smooth the action and either bead blast and parkerize finish it or just leave it be and have a truck/working gun. I wish I could stumble onto a gun like this one.

[princeout]

Mar 12, 2016 14:22:53 GMT -5 Fowler said:

The problem with sending a gun like this to the top smiths is that to weld up the pits, file and polish everything out to factory finish will cost more than a clean used gun would. I'd Bob the barrel to what you like, smooth the action and either head blast and parkerize finish it or just leave it be and have a truck/working gun. I wish I could stumble onto a gun like this one.

I'm with Fowler on this one. Great find! I'd love to find a three screw anything for anywhere near $100! This would be a great knock around gun. Enjoy it!
Tim

[kings6]

I wish I still had pictures of this old 41 once I got done spending hours with sandpaper wrapped around various shaped sticks. John Gallagher reblued it and did an action job and it got donated to help Pastor Jim Taylor and his wife make the move to Africa. I always am on the lookout for challenges like that just for grins and giggles.

[meh92]

Thanks for the input. I'd hate to cut up a survivor for a project so this will definitely be a custom project of some sort down the road. I'll douse it in Kroil and put it someplace safe for now.

[alamogunr]

That is definitely worse than the NMBH I sent to Jack Huntington but it also had quite a bit of rust. Looked like it had been stored in a leather holster. The rust was confined to the barrel and cylinder, which were going to be replaced anyway. I had paid $195 several years ago. He turned it into a beautiful 5 shot .45 Colt.

It sure beats sending a new gun for conversion(which I have done).

[Jamey Worrell]

If you're going the BBQ gun route, methinks an octagonal barrel would be a kewl look.

[faca454]

It deserves a second life...........

[meh92]

I just went out back and shot it a bit. There's definitely nothing wrong with it mechanically.

So I've narrowed the project down to something from a BBQ gun to a truck gun!

[veeman]

Nice score, congrates!

[lscg]

that's a find right there! I don't believe they made many old model 45's.

[ezekiel38]

Do your own sanding and the majority of the prep work then have someone "hard chrome" it, bob to 4 5/8s and enjoy a good shooter! I've got a couple of collectible revolvers that shoot well but I hesitate to take them out in the brush, and that was the reason I bought them. a "field gun" will get scratched, dinged and suffer finish wear!

[seak89]

Look like average south east Alaska blued hunting guns to me. Value here three to four hundred.