Spiller and Burr Mystery

[StrawHat]

DrLaw

I just put this on another thread, but it bears repeating. I ordered once, a .31 Wells Fargo from EMF and got a pistol with SIX chambers. Now, considering that the pocket .31's are all 5 shots, I thought this to be a tad odd.

The Doc is out now.

Hey Doc,

Colts turned them out with 5 and 6 shot cylinders in 31 caliber. The 36 caliber pocket models were all 5 shot cylinders.

 

[Bluehawk]

I'm wondering if there's enough metal to cut a dovetail for a decent front sight on the S&B...anyone ever done this or seen one that has had it done?

 

[madcratebuilder]

The barrel wall thickness on my S&B is about .135. A dovetail at the end of the barrel should be OK, after all Walkers had a dovetail front sight.

This is what I did on a R&S for an adjustable front.

 

[Bluehawk]

Nicely done Mad...I'll have to measure the thickness on mine. Do they need to be so low in height? I was thinking of the type of front sight like I have on my Ruger Vaquero-Bisley...looks like a quarter moon.

 

[Jim K]

Just FWIW, the old time gun frames were not made of brass but of gunmetal, which is essentially bronze and stronger than brass. Bronze cannons were considered better than the cast iron of the day because they would give slightly under pressure while cast iron would break. I don't know what the modern repros are made of but some do look like bronze rather than brass.

Jim