Tips on shortening a revolver barrel

I cant speak for the gun you are trying to cut, but I did just that with a 5.5" Ruger Redhawk in .41magnum. I had access to a large metal cutting band saw that is used to cut tubing in a machine shop. I cut 1.5" off and re-crowned the barrel to the standard Ruger 45 degree crown, using a metal cutting countersink bit. I then used a Bridgeport mill to cut a groove in the barrel rail to add a new front sight with replaceable blades. I dehorned the hole gun, including the end of the barrel and rounded the corners of the grip and wood panels to match. I polished all the triggers internal parts to a mirror finish and lastly I bead blasted the gun to break the glare. I love the gun but the thing that really chaps my backside, is that Ruger now makes a 4" Redhawk. I believe that I am the only one that has one in my favorite caliber of .41 magnum though.
Here are before and after pics.
Before:

After:


Here's the front sight. Its a press fit into the groove and has a screw in the rear. Once I screwed it in, I silver soldered it to give it a nice finish.

Looks good BlackPowderWarrior. What are your plans for the loading lever latch? Will you leave it hanging under the barrel?

Blackpowderwarrior said:

Thanks brother,

Im not sure i was thinking about it last night. While it looks better off i may want to switch back to my 8" barrel for BP 45 colt loads. Id then but the sherrif barrel back on another 1860.

What did you do with your latch when you shortened that barrel on your 1860?

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On mine, I cut the barrel down. So the latch was eliminated. But you probably don't want to shorten a sheriff model barrel any further. I would suggest a dovetail blank. They make a flat piece of steel that is dovetailed and slides right in the slot on the barrel. All you have to do is file it to the contour of the barrel. They sell them at Track of the Wolf. And they're only $5. Here's a link,

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/874/1/FS-BASE-I

bigmike45 said:

Here's the front sight. Its a press fit into the groove and has a screw in the rear. Once I screwed it in, I silver soldered it to give it a nice finish.
View attachment 1058317

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Did you have much difficulty silver soldering the sight? I practiced on the removed section of my barrel but just couldn't get it to flow nicely - despite using the lowest melting type used for jewelry with a butane torch. In the end I cheated and made a sight out out brass with a round projection underneath it to press into a shallow hole - I used JB-Weld to hold it together. To be fair, having pulled the foresight out of a 'Remington' NMA, I think that's what Pietta do too.

Blackpowderwarrior said:

Dave,

Thanks for the info.
Im not going to shorten it any further, i have a few 1860's and will keep the latch on it for when i switch the barrel out.
My main reason for wanting a shorter barrel on this 1860 with the kirst on it was for smokeless loads.
I much prefer the 8" barrel for my 45 colt blackpowder loads.

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Sounds like a good plan to me BlackPowderWarrior.

Dark Skies said:

Did you have much difficulty silver soldering the sight? I practiced on the removed section of my barrel but just couldn't get it to flow nicely - despite using the lowest melting type used for jewelry with a butane torch. In the end I cheated and made a sight out out brass with a round projection underneath it to press into a shallow hole - I used JB-Weld to hold it together. To be fair, having pulled the foresight out of a 'Remington' NMA, I think that's what Pietta do too.

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No Sir, It was pretty straightforward and went well.