How to make black powder revolvers?

Someone named swampdoctor tried. --->>> https://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/gunsmithing/has-anyone-tried-build-revolver-frame-281112/

Just my opinion, but if someone asks the question they do not have the machines nor knowledge to tackle the project. A simple muzzleloader, maybe, but a REVOLVER, no way.

Just like every sculptor knows, you just take a block of steel and remove all the parts that are not a revolver.

Bob Tingle made some revolvers in the sixties -
https://gundigest.com/more/classic-guns/tingles-creation-still-amazes

I've heard of several guys in the USA who made 1 or 2 or more replicas in the 50s before the Italians started, including Walkers, Remington NMAs, and Colt 1860s but I don't recall their names.

A few years ago a young lady, who happened to be a cracker jack machinist, built a single action revolver from scratch. She made everything, frame, barrel, cylinder, lock parts, springs, screws, everything. Quite a feat. I got a kick out of it a few times when she did not know the correct nomenclature for some of the parts, and she did a few things in an unorthodox way, but she built an entire revolver from scratch. Not a BP gun, she built a cartridge revolver from modern 4140 pre-hardened steel. It is a very long series, 15 or 16 parts in all, but if you take the time to watch, you will see a very clever, and very talented machinist at work.

Driftwood Johnson said:

A few years ago a young lady, who happened to be a cracker jack machinist, built a single action revolver from scratch. She made everything, frame, barrel, cylinder, lock parts, springs, screws, everything. Quite a feat. I got a kick out of it a few times when she did not know the correct nomenclature for some of the parts, and she did a few things in an unorthodox way, but she built an entire revolver from scratch. Not a BP gun, she built a cartridge revolver from modern 4140 pre-hardened steel. It is a very long series, 15 or 16 parts in all, but if you take the time to watch, you will see a very clever, and very talented machinist at work.

Click to expand...

One of my favorite YouTub personalities. I was truly amazed not only by the SAA but the semi auto she made also. Can’t help but wonder if YouTube shut her down from making additional videos.

If you have a good vertical milling machine and a lathe and the ability you should be able to make a revolver. I don't think tool steel would be necessary as I have yet to find a totally hardened rifle or pistol. Many of the black powder revolvers are case hardened which would require a carbon steel but I believe there are a lot better choices for quality steel out there. Stainless steel being one, but there are probably plenty of others. Heat treating carries some negatives as well as positives. I remember my first high school metalworking class project, we made cold chisels used water hardening tool steel and mine shattered the first time I used it because we didn't anneal it enough after the hardening process.

Not trying to take the wind out of the OP's sails, but it sounds like you should begin by buying a revolver kit from Dixie and start by building one of those and see how it goes. I built one back in the '80s and was surprised at how much work and effort could go into that alone.

Given the time, effort, and materials cost that would go into the project... I'd advise getting an Italian repro and saving yourself the aggravation.

Back before any Colt Walker replicas were available a local machinist in Waco Texas made one--I saw it and it was a good copy of the original. Some of the old time gun collectors enjoyed firing it.