Cracked frame
- Thread starter drache
- Start date
tactical870
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Buckhorn, Ontario
Replacing would be though as I imagine another frame would be hard to come by. Not sure if anyone else here has tried fixing one. That said, if it were my own I'd give it a try and weld then re-harden it.
I hear really good things about TIG welding. Fin an expert and ask that he weld it in a heat sink ( immerse as much as possible in water ). Apparently it's the ticket.
But I'd proceed carefully.
If someone is more informed on this matter, I'd bow out to their opinion.
But I'd look into getting it TIG'd for sure
But I'd proceed carefully.
If someone is more informed on this matter, I'd bow out to their opinion.
But I'd look into getting it TIG'd for sure
tactical870
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Buckhorn, Ontario
Heat control with a tig isn't too hard, but hardening the material around the crack due to the welding process may be an issue. A good oven/case hardening should work seeing as it's only a .36 cal with bp. I don't know of any gunsmith who would risk the liability though and I'd only try it on my own gun.
Actually the metal is 147 years old. This is an all original Colt made in 1863.
It just feels like a shame having this thing sit in a safe and not doing anything. A shame on it's former glory days
I have no idea how a welder would tackle that job, but if you did go the welding route, I think the entire frame would have to be annealed afterward, then re-hardened. I'm not an expert, just saying what I've heard from a fellow in the US who restores old guns. Annealing would relieve the internal stresses produced by the welding process.
Well if it's going to be that much work then I will simply just put it back away in the safe.
Have someone competent proceed a dye penetrant test. Then, may be able to know how deep the crack is. Unless you can see the crack from the inside too, it will be your only way to start. Because if you have the crack running inside, depending on location it may be impossible to fix.
It should be made of low-carbon non-alloyed (or very little alloyed) steel. Not complicated to TIG weld but it will definitely need an annealing and a surface heat treatment (say, if the repair is possible).
It should be made of low-carbon non-alloyed (or very little alloyed) steel. Not complicated to TIG weld but it will definitely need an annealing and a surface heat treatment (say, if the repair is possible).
- Location
- Algoma region
If its steel, and if its Colt....it can be fixed.
There are American companies that specialize in this stuff,
There was a post a month or 3 ago about a old 1873 colt some one was repairing "it was in far far worse shape then yours.
You have the arm...its in great shape "aside from crack" WHY NOT invest in getting it fixed up.....
Its 100% worth it, what you got there is not some relic condition fixer upper, but a nice clean well used war horse that has done and seen things we only dream of today...
All the best to you and your sublime 1851 colt navy!!
Invest a little in her and you will have a great shooter for the rest of your life "and a few lives after you".
Cheers
There are American companies that specialize in this stuff,
There was a post a month or 3 ago about a old 1873 colt some one was repairing "it was in far far worse shape then yours.
You have the arm...its in great shape "aside from crack" WHY NOT invest in getting it fixed up.....
Its 100% worth it, what you got there is not some relic condition fixer upper, but a nice clean well used war horse that has done and seen things we only dream of today...
All the best to you and your sublime 1851 colt navy!!
Invest a little in her and you will have a great shooter for the rest of your life "and a few lives after you".
Cheers
- Location
- Algoma region
I'm thinking put aside 500-700 bucks yankee doodle dollars "not including shipping or -any- uber fancy bone case colours" and get it done right by a Yank civil war type gunsmith.
It is very much worth it in my opinion.
Cheers
It is very much worth it in my opinion.
Cheers
If you HAD to fix it, you'd take it to a good TIG man with experience welding on firearms and have it fixed. Then send the receiver to Turnbull and have it re-case hardened. Finally, to match it back to the original patina, you'd rub the cased finish down with talc powder until the desired lack of finish is achieved.
If it were mine, I would leave it as is.
If it were mine, I would leave it as is.
sadly the patina is actually only 99% intact. Somewhere in the past 80 years someone cleaned the section where the crack is (thus the reason it looks shinier in the photos). The rest though is original.
