Post by Burnston on Apr 7, 2019 19:40:16 GMT -5
Good evening all,
Not so long ago I posted a few photos of a 1st Gen Colt SAA 32-20 that was in fairly rough shape.
Since then Allen Harton has had a hold of it. I committed what some of you would consider an abomination and had the old gun re-barreled, as its former state made it impossible to shoot accurately at even the closest distances. Instead of using an original 1st gen Colt 32-20 barrel (which proved almost impossible to find), I asked Mr. Harton to build a new barrel at 7.5in, (the original being 4 5/8.)
I momentarily considered having the entire gun gone over and re-blued, but felt that would be taking the project a bit too far. Instead, he antiqued the new barrel, featuring period appropriate scroll work and aging.
Let it be said up front, I had no intention, and have no intention of ever selling this pistol, nor posing it as something it is not. However, this passed weekend at the Wanenmacher gun show in Tulsa (where I picked it up from Mr. Harton) several people asked to see it, and examined it closely. Being curious as to how they might react, I sat back and let them look. Not a single person asked about the new barrel. Whether they simply did not care, or could not tell it was new, who is to say. However, I believe he did an excellent job in his aging process to the point where it cannot be distinguished as new without in depth examination.
In addition to making a new barrel, Mr. Harton made a new recoil plate, as the original was so eroded that the primers would back out through it when fired, rebuilt the trigger sear, fitted a new base pin bushing, opened the throats, performed an action job, and several other odds and ends. The accompanying pictures are of the final product.
The patterns are tight using the prescribed load at 25 yards with the first 30 rounds. More loads and various bullets to come. So far, I am more than satisfied.
Not so long ago I posted a few photos of a 1st Gen Colt SAA 32-20 that was in fairly rough shape.
Since then Allen Harton has had a hold of it. I committed what some of you would consider an abomination and had the old gun re-barreled, as its former state made it impossible to shoot accurately at even the closest distances. Instead of using an original 1st gen Colt 32-20 barrel (which proved almost impossible to find), I asked Mr. Harton to build a new barrel at 7.5in, (the original being 4 5/8.)
I momentarily considered having the entire gun gone over and re-blued, but felt that would be taking the project a bit too far. Instead, he antiqued the new barrel, featuring period appropriate scroll work and aging.
Let it be said up front, I had no intention, and have no intention of ever selling this pistol, nor posing it as something it is not. However, this passed weekend at the Wanenmacher gun show in Tulsa (where I picked it up from Mr. Harton) several people asked to see it, and examined it closely. Being curious as to how they might react, I sat back and let them look. Not a single person asked about the new barrel. Whether they simply did not care, or could not tell it was new, who is to say. However, I believe he did an excellent job in his aging process to the point where it cannot be distinguished as new without in depth examination.
In addition to making a new barrel, Mr. Harton made a new recoil plate, as the original was so eroded that the primers would back out through it when fired, rebuilt the trigger sear, fitted a new base pin bushing, opened the throats, performed an action job, and several other odds and ends. The accompanying pictures are of the final product.
The patterns are tight using the prescribed load at 25 yards with the first 30 rounds. More loads and various bullets to come. So far, I am more than satisfied.