Black Powder Pistols > Open Tops
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:
--- Quote from: AntiqueSledMan on August 22, 2019, 11:06:35 AM ---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.
--- End quote ---
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.
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