Repairs needed on Colt model P clone

[flightsimmer]

Hi guys and girls;

I have a blued/case colored 4-3/4", "Hartford CT model" clone of a Colt model "P" Peacemaker in 45 Colt caliber. Fit and finish are excellent but it does have two problems. (One) is that the front sight came loose and fell out (poor soldering) and (two) the cylinder is crap, that is to say it fits the frame just perfect but the cylinder throats were bored way to big (.457) and the cylinder bores themselves look like they were sleeved and rebored to cover up a mistake. I've never seen anything like it, it needs a new cylinder fitted. The barrel looks to be OK as it measures (.451). I thought about sending it to "Peacemaker Specialist" out in Kalifornicate but I'm not real keen on the idea of shipping and would rather find a qualified local smith (Ind. or midwest) to do the repairs if there are any. Any suggestions?


10mm, when you care enough to send the very best.

 

[dogngun]

They were made by Uberti. You might be better off just buying a new gun,

but there are a lot of people working on SAA's now thanks to the Cowboy Action shooters. Check one of their web sites and I am sure you will find several good smiths in your area. There is really no reason to sent it so far away for a repair.
You might also want to contact the seller and tell them about the problems with this gun.

I have had Uberti and Pietta and other SAA's and this large bore problem is not really uncommon.
Colts are famous for it.

mark

 

[DPris]

PS won't touch it, Eddie only works on Colts. Even if he did, the cost would far exceed the value of your gun.
Look up Tom Sargis, Wes Flowers, or Bob James.
All do good work on the clones, but you will have to ship the gun a ways.
Denis

 

[J-Bar]

How does the gun shoot? It looks good....

It's generally better to have chamber mouths bigger than the barrel bore than too small...a bit of leading at the barrel throat is tolerable if the gun groups well.

If it groups decently and is close to point of aim, I would just try to wear the damn thing out by shooting it.

A local gunsmith should be able to solder the front sight. JB weld works in a pinch. (crude but effective is my motto.)

 

[owlhoot]

I believe the Hartford was made by ASM (Armi San Markos) and sold by EMF. ASM later made the American Western Arms guns. ASM has been defunct for several years. Their revolvers were very close Colt copies. Unfortunately there was no QC. Sometimes you got a jewel. Sometimes a real lemon.

I had the sight fall off a uberti ten years ago. I used a good gel superglue and glued it back on. The sight is still there after thousands of rounds fired. But the proper thing would be to have it silver soldered.

Best and cheapest option on the cylinder would be to replace it rather than repair if you think it won't work for you as is. Call EMF and AWA and see if they have a cylinder. A couple years ago AWA had a bunch of them. I don't know if they still have them or not. You might also try Gun Parts.

 

[rcmodel]

VTI is your best bet for finding a new cylinder.
But thats not to say the new one will be made any better then the old one.

http://www.vtigunparts.com/store/default.asp

rc

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I had the sight fall off a uberti ten years ago. I used a good gel superglue and glued it back on. The sight is still there after thousands of rounds fired. But the proper thing would be to have it silver soldered.

That would be the "proper" thing, but then you'd have to have the gun re-blued -- the heat would ruin the finish.

If this was my gun, I'd epoxy the sight back in and shoot it -- if it shoots reasonably well, I'd leave it alone.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

If this was my gun, I'd epoxy the sight back in and shoot it -- if it shoots reasonably well, I'd leave it alone.

Agreed. Because after silver soldering the sight the barrel will need to be blued. Clean out the solder mechanically before epoxy.

 

[flightsimmer]

I've got a "parts availability check" email into VTI gun parts, waiting to see what they have to say about a new cylinder. Also, I had glued the sight in long ago with "super glue" and it seems to be holding but it bugs me. I wonder if low temp wire solder would do the job without harming the blueing? The gun shoots just a bit to the left of aim as I recall and I would love to regulate the sights either with the sight blade or by turning the barrel just a smiggen but I'll need a barrel clamp and it might not be worth it, I could screw it up too. We will soon, this spring, have a new in-door shooting range here in Beech Grove, Ind. It promises to be world class with gun sales, class III, NFA weapons and rentals, 20 plus stalls for league shooting events of all kinds, an on-site gunsmith shop, reloading supplies shop and possibly an Archery shop and range. If possible they want to include "everything that shoots" short of grenade and rocket launchers.

10mm, when you care enough to send the very best.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

If the front sight is holding, I'd let it hold. Any heat will have an effect on the blueing.

 

[[email protected]]

I put a front sight on a rifle with the Blue Locktite. Better than Superglue.

 

[Kal52]

ive had a couple of the colt clones, I guess ill try anything twice...but never again.
both had timing issues occurring at under the 500 round mark, and neither were fed anything stronger than factory cowboy loads.

Its a shame because I really did like these revolvers, balance and finish were both very nice on mine. and they carried great and shot pretty well until they pooped out on me.

one was an AWA, sent it back for repair and he billed me LOL, said it was normal wear and tear. the other is a cimarron and will be going back soon, its not under warranty anymore so itll get fixed up then traded off.

Good luck with it, hope you get it fixed so you can enjoy it.

 

[flightsimmer]

OK, I got tired of waiting For VTI Gun Parts to email me back so I called them this morning and they checked and said they had plenty of new cylinders in stock for my model so I requested that they mic the chamber throats and chambers before they shipped a new cylinder to me because I didn't want to buy a new cylinder with the same problems that I already had and they said they would see to it, so hopefully that will take care of my problem.

10mm, when you care enough to send the very best.

 

[StrawHat]

Another option for a new front sight that would not require rebluing would be to dovetail a new sight in place. It would also take care of any windage issues.