Asking advice on permanent barrel plug

[cc-hangfire]

I have a couple of old revolvers that are beyond their shooting days, & I am considering making them non-functional display items. On each I would remove the firing pin and plug both the chambers and the barrel. What materials are best to fill the chambers and barrels? Epoxy, lead, other? I'd like to leave the guns operational except for chambering & firing cartridges.

About the revolvers: one is a top break by National Arms in .38S&W with a loose hinge, timing problems, and a rough action (trigger pull sometimes will not release the hammer). It has a transfer bar so removing the firing pin is easy to do. The other is a S&W 1905 Hand Ejector in .38spl with timing problems (spits lead), a pitted bore, no original finish, and some prior owner's heavy handed sanding/filing of the surface.

Your thoughts and guidance?

 

[Stainlessbutcher]

I would look around for some lead balls for a muzzle loader/cap and ball revolver that is a little larger than the holes you want to fill, gently tap them into the cylinders and barrel. The lead is soft enough to go in fairly easily but will be stuck good. It's reversible of course, but not without a lot of work.

Butch.

 

[rcmodel]

I would use epoxy.

Easy to do.
Once there, It's there to stay.

If you block the chambers, there is really no need to fill the barrel too.

rc

 

[maxxhavoc]

If it is for a display piece make up some dummy rounds with spent primers, epoxy 'em into the cylinders...just for the look of it.

Then seal the chamber side of the barrel.

 

[cc-hangfire]

Thanks for the ideas. I hadn't thought of lead balls from BP shooting. Even if I use epoxy, the lead ball would be a good way to seal one end before adding epoxy.