Post by tinkerpearce on Jun 13, 2019 21:10:49 GMT -5
When I built 'The Pug' I installed a Kirst Gated conversion in .45 Colt, which is an excellent unit and worked a treat. But I can't just leave well enough alone, so when I chanced across some half-hard 4340 I decided to make a bespoke .45 Colt cylinder and breech plate, and replace the .44 Colt cylinder on another gun with the Kirst unit. The new cylinder is a five-shooter, naturally, and is designed to allow the firing-pin to rest between case-heads so all chambers can be safely loaded. I set up the lock-notches and the timing first, then line-bored the chambers, reamed them to .451 then chambered them for .45 Colt. I replaced the gun's hand with a tighter-fitting tempered 5160 unit I made; I have had some wear issues with Pietta's stock hands. I haven't really put a finish on the cylinder yet, just a bit of cold-blue. I'm still deciding whether to rust-blue the entire gun or do the cylinder to match the 'time-worn' patina the gun currently wears. I do think it needs new grips though... the current ones have shrunk a bit over time. I'd love to make them out of antler, but these days finding a piece that will make a good-sized pistol grip isn't easy, and when I do find one it costs a bloody fortune...
