Tips on shortening a revolver barrel

Blackpowderwarrior said:

@Dark Skies

Do you still live in the old country? Or do you live in America now?

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Sort of half in half out. I have a girlfriend near Seattle. I live in the UK though.

Blackpowderwarrior said:

I've also just thought about buying another 1860
In piettas sheriff configuration and keeping yhe barrel and hand and parting the rest of the gun out.

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That's the spirit....just buy one. I didn't even need one but I bought it because Cabela's was having one of their $189.99 sales. Come to think of it, I only have 3 Piettas and I only bought them because of those stupid sales they were having and I felt stupid not buying them just because.

Cabela's stupid sales
Ah, those were the days.

For some one that does a number of barrel shortenings there are cutters (reamers) that square the muzzle. Hand turned with barrel bushing guides.

I have this little jig, used for holding round stock so you can work with it. I think I picked it up on eBay cheap. It works great for getting a nice straight cut. You just keep the hacksaw blade flush against the block, and the muzzle comes out dead square.

Dark Skies said:

Sort of half in half out. I have a girlfriend near Seattle. I live in the UK though.

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My wife is from Lancashire (Leyland, near Preston). I have to go there more often than I want to. lol

ShotgunDave said:

I have this little jig, used for holding round stock so you can work with it. I think I picked it up on eBay cheap. It works great for getting a nice straight cut. You just keep the hacksaw blade flush against the block, and the muzzle comes out dead square.

View attachment 1057208

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How do you reattach/reinsert/remount the front sight in this type? Do you cut a groove parallel with the bore and hammer it in like Pietta/Uberti does, or do you cut a dovetail and mount a different sight?

Blackpowderwarrior said:

Brother,

I like the way the birds head grips look but i don't like how they feel. My blackpowder loads recently have been 38 grains old eynsford with my 253 grain big lubes in a 45 colt case. The recoil is..... "something special" lol. Id hate to try to hang onto that birds head grip shooting those loads.

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Dang those are hot... How do you even cram that much powder in the case?

If you sweet talk your powder and use a drop tube it's goes a long way towards getting 40 grains in a 45 Colt case. Use a big lube bullet instead of a lubed wad for lubrication (see below, the 3 bullets in the middle). It's a tight fit but it can be done.

1KPerDay said:

How do you reattach/reinsert/remount the front sight in this type? Do you cut a groove parallel with the bore and hammer it in like Pietta/Uberti does, or do you cut a dovetail and mount a different sight?

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1K. I carefully measure where the sight will go on the barrel, then scribe the lines. I made the sight from brass flat stock so I had the thickness. Then I measured Dremel cutoff wheels, and found that two of them stacked was just a hair undersize from the sight. So I carefully use the stacked wheels on the Dremel, to cut the new groove in the barrel. Then just tapped the sight in the slot and it's done. It sounds a lot worse than it is. Just have to take your time, measure twice, and cut once.

Here's a few pictures.








And the new sight installed

@ShotgunDave thank you for the explanation and the pics. What’s the purpose for the hole? It appears it goes through to the bore… is that a problem?

1KPerDay said:

@ShotgunDave thank you for the explanation and the pics. What’s the purpose for the hole? It appears it goes through to the bore… is that a problem?

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You're more than welcome. Glad to help.

That hole is from the original post sight that comes on a 1851 Navy. That barrel is from another Dance I made that kept it's original length barrel. It looks like it goes clean through, but it doesn't. If it did, I don't think it would be a problem anyway. Ported barrels are the norm nowadays on modern guns. And that's essentially what a port is, just a hole through the barrel.

I swear that hole goes all the way through the barrel....LOL.

noelf2 said:

My wife is from Lancashire (Leyland, near Preston). I have to go there more often than I want to. lol

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Aye, it's grim oop North.

ClemBert said:

I swear that hole goes all the way through the barrel....LOL.

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It sure does look like it, doesn't it?

Blackpowderwarrior said:

Gentlemen!

Thank you guys so much for the responses they all have been enlightening.

Keep in mind im just a poor white boy from the Appalachian mountains so im always up for some "bubba gunsmithing lessons" .

Most everything I know I've learned from different mens posts here on the highroad. Then armed with that knowledge i started working on my own stuff and its been fun and honestly i feel ive done a decent job on most things.

All tips are appreciated!

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You can easily (and cheaply) rent the tools needed for a professional job from 4Drentals. Other than the hacksaw that is. You could check and clean up your forcing cone as needed too…

I cut the barrel on this one.
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...es-1860-snub-nose.873164/page-2#post-11618144

44 Dave said:

For some one that does a number of barrel shortenings there are cutters (reamers) that square the muzzle. Hand turned with barrel bushing guides.

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4D rentals has them for a really reasonable rental cost. Just use once or however many times you need and then send it back.