1858 Kirst Conversion Progress

[scrat]

Ok as some of you guys know i have been in the process of customizing my 1858 Pietta. i bought it brand new just for this. I did take it out once and fired about 20 rounds through it. However my whole purpose was to convert it to an old style gun fighter. So i started off with the 1858 then i purchased a Kirst conversion cylinder from Buffalo arms then went to town. The initial machine work was pretty rough. Then when i first finished i had one of those birchwood casey touch up pens so i tried to fix up the bluing but it just look awefull to me. So i purchased a birchwood casey rebluing kit. Today i spent the day off and on rebluing the gun. here are the pics

 

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I guess i should have take a really good before picture here is the first pic i took with the machining done on the cylinder and k plate and the start of the porting.

 

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initially after i first completed it. Also the grips were aged darken and beaten

Porting up close, machine work was good the finish was terrible.

 

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here it is totally stripped before initial polishing and bluing



3 coats of bluing and dying in specific areas. like the slight rust look.

 

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upclose on the porting job



Here is the final finish

 

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The final finish.

 

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At a different angle you can see the brownish color this is the most it looks.

 

[fordlover35]

Scrat that is one beautiful peace. You did a wonderful job. Again she is beautiful.

 

[Voodoochile]

Schweet.....

I may have to give that a try now that you've done yours up like that.

 

[scrat]

Ya can you tell i forgot to do the loading lever. LOL i will do that later. its supposed to cure for 24 hours your not even supposed to put it together yet. i was soooooo carefull not tooo mess anything up. i still have to run the barrel and do the inside but that wont take me long.

 

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Finished

Finished reblued the loading lever to match the gun. Redid the bore and just some detail work. This is it. All i need now is to get the Richard Mason eject then reblue and install.

 

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[SCBradley]

Look's great!

I got off pretty easy with mine. All I had to do was shorten the hand a tiny bit, narrow the bolt an equally little amount, and shorten the back plate legs.

The cylinder itself fit perfectly out of the box.

I didn't cut the port for the loading gate and don't know if I will. Can't bring myself to mess up the case color.

 

[scrat]

i was like that. Mine was all black though. The dying came out sooo good though. Im afraid to shoot it or scratch it. In person it looks way better than it did when it was brand new.
As far as yours River junction can do the porting and bluing just in that area i think for 80.00. Once you get the loading gate wow it opens up a whole new world. LOL yours is factory case colored and mine is custom case colored. I wasnt looking for the Rainbow effect though. i wanted that old look. The detail work up close is so good. just the right coloring then it changes in light. some areas blend into almost no coloring for a worn out look.

 

[Ginormous]

Wow scrat, I am honestly in awe of what you've achieved here. That revolver is just plain sexy! Looks WAY better than the Peacemaker variants to me.

 

[scrat]

thank you thank you thank you. Now if i can just get the nerve to shoot it. Im so afraid of scratching it. It looks sooo nice in your hands.

 

[Ginormous]

You are quite right about it looking so good in my hands. Please forward immediately for a prolonged test firing regimen. I'll then stamp my own custom proof house mark on the frame and immediately return to you via prepaid USPS priority mail a glossy 8x10 full color picture of the gun so you have something to remember it by. Rest assured it will be well looked after. Thank you.

 

[scrat]

hahahahahahahhahahahahahahhahahahahahahahhahahhaha.


Now if you want to send me an 1858 and the pieces heck i wouldnt mine doing it again. This was pretty fun to do.

 

[Ginormous]

Hmmmmmm . . . . . thinking . . . . I HAVE been mulling around the acquisition of one of the Cabela's case hardened steel framed Pietta '58's with the checkered grips. Suckers are on sale for $219 and shipping.



Who's offering the Kirst conversion that duplicates yours the cheapest currently?

 

[scrat]

thats a very good price

 

[Ginormous]

Yeah, I thought so too. Too good to pass up for an "artsy" '58.

Let's see . . . scrat's Kirst conversion and madcratebuilder's insane snubbie mod adapted to the Remington . . .

O Ma gawd! Black Powder Nirvana!!!

 

[scrat]

hahahahahhaha

 

[Riot Earp]

There's a guy over on www.thefiringline.com who is doing much the same thing. He bought a new Remington and immediately stripped it, refinished the grips, and rough-cold-blued the gun with the expectation that the bluing would wear off and leave a patina. He is converting it also. I hate to admit it, but I like the cold-blue-turning-gray-brown thing more than the glossy factory black, which isn't period correct anyway.

 

[messerist]

ABSOLUTLEY AMAZING!!! I love it! What a talent.

 

[Smokin_Gun]

Scrat, well done...now the trouble is I gotta do me one a them :O)