72 Open Top Project **Finished**

[ShotgunDave]

As some of you may know, I have two Open Top Colts in .45 Colt caliber. They both have 7 1/2" barrels. Here's the subject of this project.




Here's what I'd like to do with it.





Yes, I want to cut the barrel down. I think it would be great to have a long one and a short one. My dilemma isn't about cutting the barrel, I have zero qualms about doing that. What I need advice about is this,





What to do about the front sight? I don't want a dovetail, I want to re-attach the factory sight. How would you go about doing that? It will need a groove cut in the barrel. How would you go about cutting that groove? I don't have a mill, not that I would be able to use it if I did. I have basic hand tools and grinders and such. Just like most of you have.

There was a thread on here, where the poster installed a gated conversion on his 1860 Army. After conversion, he shortened the barrel and re-installed the factory front sight. Damned if I can find that thread now. At any rate, I remember that he didn't show how he did it, just that he did. Hopefully he'll see this and chime in.

Thanks for the help and I look forward to hearing some of your solutions.

[ShotgunDave]

Well, since I didn't get a single reply, I assume everyone is on vacation or just busy as hell. And since there were no objections, I went ahead and cut the barrel down to 4.5" just past the ejector housing. It really "perked" this pistol up. Much less unwieldy now.






I even put a nice crown on it and rounded off the muzzle a bit to soften it. Then I touched up the blue with a little BC Perma Blue.







I guess now I'll figure out the front sight. I have an idea on what to do, we'll see how it pans out. I may make a new brass front sight or use an old nickel. I'm not entirely sure yet.

[AntiqueSledMan]

Hello Dave,

A dovetail would definitely be the easiest way to go.
I guess you'd have to mill a slot and set the blade into that,
as you don't have a mill you would probably have to hire the machine work done.
It would then have to be soldered or maybe epoxied into place.

Not the answer your looking for I'm sure, AntiqueSledMan.

[ShotgunDave]

Hello Dave,

A dovetail would definitely be the easiest way to go.
I guess you'd have to mill a slot and set the blade into that,
as you don't have a mill you would probably have to hire the machine work done.
It would then have to be soldered or maybe epoxied into place.

Not the answer your looking for I'm sure, AntiqueSledMan.

Thanks ASM. You're right, the slot is the only real stumbling block to this project. I just don't want a dovetail. I really don't care for the look, specially on a short barrel. I understand their use on a long barrel to adjust windage, but on this particular gun, windage isn't really on issue. Plus, I want a vintage look. If I can figure out how, I'm really leaning towards using a nickel. Just gotta figure out a slot.

[ShotgunDave]

Sorry for the rudimentary drawing, but I think this is my best plan of attack. Drill the barrel per the drawing, and cut the nickel to match the holes. Then silver solder the nickel into the holes.




I'm not afraid to drill into the barrel or to use the torch and iron to solder on it. But I'm scared to death to try and cut a slot into it freehand with a Dremel. I just don't have a warm fuzzy feeling about it.

[sourdough]

Dave,

You need to go to a coin shop and obtain an 1872 Shield nickel for authenticity.

Jim

[Yolla Bolly Brad]

  I really like the look of the  barrel bobbed even with the ejector housing and it does make a more convenient belt gun. I also like the two hole method of attaching a front sight. I'm hung up on using machines to do most of my gunsmith work and was just waiting for somebody to post up a clever alternative.

[ShotgunDave]

Dave,

You need to go to a coin shop and obtain an 1872 Shield nickel for authenticity.

Jim

Way ahead of ya Jim! 

I found a guy on eBay that has 4 of them in a lot for $14.99. I went ahead and bought them. I figured that way I would have 3 for back up in case I screwed up!

  I really like the look of the  barrel bobbed even with the ejector housing and it does make a more convenient belt gun. I also like the two hole method of attaching a front sight. I'm hung up on using machines to do most of my gunsmith work and was just waiting for somebody to post up a clever alternative.

Thank you Sir. I agree with you. I guess I'll proceed with the two hole method.

[Hewy]

The Nickel , I used on my project "bobbed" 1858 .36 Remington. Silver soldered to the barrel, made it easy as the
flats of the octagonal barrel only needed to be filed slightly.
The sight stayed put during firing of course black powder .36 load has lttle kick. Worth a try before you drill holes.
Hewy

[sourdough]

Hewy,

That nickel is a Jefferson. It  should have been a Shield nickel with the appropriate date.

Just sayin'.

Jim

[Hewy]

The Sheild Nickel was'nt struck until 1866 , Remington 1858 ( patent date ) wasn't made until 1861 - 1864

Besides the Jefferson was the only Nickel I had in my pocket when used as a sight in 2016.

At least it was Nickel and copper mix.

[AntiqueSledMan]

Hey Dave,

Good thinking, I like that Idea.
Looks like a good plan, I might have to try that on my Fantasy 1851.
Only I'll probably have to use a Penny.

AntiqueSledMan.

[ShotgunDave]

Hey Dave,

Good thinking, I like that Idea.
Looks like a good plan, I might have to try that on my Fantasy 1851.
Only I'll probably have to use a Penny.

AntiqueSledMan.

Thank you Sir.

I am probably not going to use a nickel. After looking at it, that will be a huge front sight. A nickel is 20.5mm in diameter. That thing will look gigantic on the nose of this short pistol.

I'm going to use the same technique, but cut an appropriate size sight from brass.

[ssb73q]

Hi Dave, the advantage of a dovetail sight is that you can get windage poi=poa.

Regards,
Richard

[Captainkirk]

Dave,
WAIT....STOP...DON'T!!!!!
oops. Too late. Nevermind.