1892 French service revolver
- Thread starter drslav
- Start date
- Location
- Not really sure.
I'm not really sure on your options, the forcing cone is very thin as is, I don't think you could take any meat out of there. .38 spl would make the barrel walls and cylinders quite thin as well.
Maybe someone else has some ideas. I just suggest leaving it as is, you can get all the components needed to make nice reloads quite easily. 8mm lebel is kind of anemic but not the worst out their either.
EDIT: sorry I missed that you stated your particular gun is shot out, yeah as scianna stated, that'd be a good route to take.
Maybe someone else has some ideas. I just suggest leaving it as is, you can get all the components needed to make nice reloads quite easily. 8mm lebel is kind of anemic but not the worst out their either.
EDIT: sorry I missed that you stated your particular gun is shot out, yeah as scianna stated, that'd be a good route to take.
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You could turn it into 8mm Mauser... just make sure you wear kevlar-lined gloves when you fire it.
(joke!)
Honestly, I have collected a few of these over the years and currently have one that's in fairly bad shape (in need of rebarelling), but have yet to hear of any "other" possible caliber options, other than turning it into a .22 WMR with a barrel/cylinder sleeve and a firing pin mod, which is something I will not be doing.
That said, the 8mm Lebel revolver caliber is one of the friendlier antique calibers to reload if you're willing to spend approx 250$ for the proper gear (special order/custom dies and custom bullet mold from NEI). Brass can be can be cut down from 32-20, so that's not an issue... and 3.5 gr of Unique makes for a nice safe load, usually. That said, if you cast your own bullets, you will also need a melter and lead (wheel wights from local scrap yard usually do nice & fairly cheap). Basically, the cost of whatever caliber conversion you want to do can be spent into proper supplies/gear instead, probably with some change to spare.
Good luck with your 1892... it is one of the best quality old guns out there, in my opinion (and most usually priced in the $600-900 range... or less, if you get it in the States). I remember that when I bought my first one, I was simply stunned by the level of workmanship of this particular firearm... it seemed more like a work of art than a gun, really. It has both finesse and ruggedness in a package of mechanical genius and simplicity.
- Location
- London, Ontario
You could turn it into 8mm Mauser... just make sure you wear kevlar-lined gloves when you fire it.
(joke!)
Honestly, I have collected a few of these over the years and currently have one that's in fairly bad shape (in need of rebarelling), but have yet to hear of any "other" possible caliber options, other than turning it into a .22 WMR with a barrel/cylinder sleeve and a firing pin mod, which is something I will not be doing.
That said, the 8mm Lebel revolver caliber is one of the friendlier antique calibers to reload if you're willing to spend approx 250$ for the proper gear (special order/custom dies and custom bullet mold from NEI). Brass can be can be cut down from 32-20, so that's not an issue... and 3.5 gr of Unique makes for a nice safe load, usually. That said, if you cast your own bullets, you will also need a melter and lead (wheel wights from local scrap yard usually do nice & fairly cheap). Basically, the cost of whatever caliber conversion you want to do can be spent into proper supplies/gear instead, probably with some change to spare.
Good luck with your 1892... it is one of the best quality old guns out there, in my opinion (and most usually priced in the $600-900 range... or less, if you get it in the States). I remember that when I bought my first one, I was simply stunned by the level of workmanship of this particular firearm... it seemed more like a work of art than a gun, really. It has both finesse and ruggedness in a package of mechanical genius and simplicity.
How much work/money would be required to turn on into .22Mag? Not planning on doing it...just wondering.
could be done with barrel and cylinder sleeves as well as firing pin replacement. price? well someone who has converted a CF revolver into RF could only tell
but what is the benefit? .22mag is a tiny round compared to 8mm but it would work... i was thinking something just slightly smaller or larger than 8mm
hummm if i had a cylinder i would try it. anyone has one cheap? i do own a barrel i would try.
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I also have been thinking about this lately. I have never used the services of a gunsmith so I have no idea how much it could cost to do such a job. I'd be interested to hear opinions.
Putting aside the fact that many gunsmith may not want to perform such a job on a non registered antique out of 'legal' considerations.
may be possible to do it on your own. Matter of getting all the parts and drilling accurately. I will try if i get the extra cylinder for my gun. Or i will just take the cylinder and maybe the barrel to the gunsmith. Then install the parts in my gun...
While gorgeous
, the gunsmithing charges on that must have cost quite a pretty prenny....
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That wouldn't be that difficult to do on your own. Buy a barrel liner from Track of the Wolf, line the barrel and recut the forcing cone & crown. Then for the adaptors you could drill out some unfinished steel stock on a lathe, ream the chambers, then turn down the outside to fit the 8mm chambers and press-fit/loctite them in place. Not sure about the firing pin conversion though.
You'd feel comfortable enough taking a pre-1900 centerfire to rimfire ?....
If so
, good on you !....My gunsmith said it'd be expensive and complicated....
tactical870
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Buckhorn, Ontario
You'd feel comfortable enough taking a pre-1900 centerfire to rimfire ?....
If so
My gunsmith said it'd be expensive and complicated....
The hardest part is the extractor but even that can be done relatively easy. It's actually a hell of an idea on my 1892 as it's already in rather rough shape. Sleeves are pretty easy to install, I've done a rifle before so a revolver should be no issue.
I'd buy a finished .22 WMR conversion from you in a heartbeat.....
My "skills" beyond basic takedown (and even then) leave....
.....much to be desired.......How would you deal with making an extractor? The gears are turning in my head already.
No need for a liner. Just turn old .22 barrel. Sleeves for cylinder can be made same way ... Old barrel turned to press fit. Firing pin easy... Copy the old one in flat instead of pointy and cutout the firing pin hole upward.
Extractor I have to figure out yet...
Gun I have has nothing to loose, everything to gain.
My next question is to cyclone... How much would you be willing to spend on the finished product.? What's it worth?
Also... Why you think pre 1900 gun would be bad for this? It's already smokeless powder firing at 7-800 fps 115 gn bullet. Cylinder would be pretty thick with the liners. Please explain...
You have an access to a lathe?
