Rebuilding pocket revolver

[ottsm]

I have an old 1st model Remington Pocket revolver that is 31 cal. I've been cleaning it up a bit and for the most part it's in decent shape considering it's age. All the edges are sharp and not worn down, although the bluing is gone. Metal has no pitting external. Action is in good shape, no broken or weak springs and all functions as it should. The cylinder is also in great shape, no dents or pits. I believe I could get the nipples out if I had the correct wrench, the nipples look like they were never used. At the moment I don't have a nipple wrench this small. I haven't mic'ed the slot width to see if the replica wrenches will fit the original nipples.
The only problem mechanically is the screw plug that holds in the plunger pin for the cylinder pin is stripped. It's smaller than a 6-48 size, it must be a 4-48 or 4-40. What would have been a common screw for back in 1850's? I could re-tap go up in size and use a 6-48 in the worst case. I believe the plug is stripped more than the hole, so it's still possible to keep it original if its a common size screw plug.
Next is the bore, everything else was taken care of but the bore. I've cleaned/soaking it up with Kroil and the patches have started to come out cleaner. I can see decent rifling, still spots of hard surface rust. I don't see any major pitting, and no deep pitting. Which comes to my main question. What is the best way to smooth out a rough bore. I know others have used steel wool for removing leading. This isn't a high grade collector piece, so I'm not overly worried about damaging it's value.

 

[72coupe]

I think I would make a lead lap for removing the rust and polishing the bore.

See youtube for instructions.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

The only problem mechanically is the screw plug that holds in the plunger pin for the cylinder pin is stripped. It's smaller than a 6-48 size, it must be a 4-48 or 4-40. What would have been a common screw for back in 1850's? I could re-tap go up in size and use a 6-48 in the worst case. I believe the plug is stripped more than the hole, so it's still possible to keep it original if its a common size screw plug.

Howdy

Not quite so easy to define as you might think. Standardization of American screw threads took place over several decades, British Standard Whitworth threads (yes, the same Whitworth who created Whitworth rifling) were often used in American industry from the 1840s through the 1860s. William Sellars proposed a modification to the Whitworth thread in 1864 that was easier to machine. Many American factories used this standard during the 1860s and 1870s. Still, many factories, firearms manufacturers included, continued to use proprietary threads for many years. The current standards for National Coarse and National Fine threads continued to evolve for many years.

The bottom line is, you may luck out and find you can replace the screw with a current NC or NF thread, you may not.

 

[ottsm]

I watched several lead lap videos, thanks for the info. As to the screw threads, I'm having trouble finding a 4-48 or 4-40 screw plug just to even try out. I have the standard Foster stuff with the 6-48 plug screws but nothing this small.

 

[44 Dave]

You may have to try a hobby store, us model builders use down to 0-90 US and 1.4 mm.x? in metric.

 

[Patocazador]

If you have an extensive die & tap supply, you could re-thread a screw to those sizes and try it. Worst case is you wasted some time and a couple of screws.

 

[Flannel_man]

As for a nipple wrench, take a grade 8 3/8" bolt 3" long, grind or use a lathe to get the threads off, then take a dremel/hacksaw and cut the right sized notch in it. Then take a drill bit one size larger than the nipple and drill a hole Inside the notch for the nipple.. Easy to make, cheaper than buying a tool and when the end breaks off use the same bolt and repeat

 

[Jim K]

To remove nipples that are frozen in, use the same drill press technique as for frozen screws. Get or make a nipple wrench with no cross handle. Chuck it in a drill press. Put the work in the drill press vise with appropriate padding, and position it so the screw head or nipple is up. Adjust the vise and the chuck so that the nipple wrench or driver comes down onto or into the work. Hold the chuck down with the drill press handle and turn the chuck by hand. The wrench/driver, unable to climb off the work, will exert enough force to loosen all but the most stubborn screws or nipples.

Jim