Is there an antique revolver...?

when it breaks , are you able to make the parts yourself ?

finding a gunsmith in canada talented enough with the proper equipment and time might be next to impossible ...... and even then very expensive .

1 to 2 thousand rounds a year is extremely high ........ you will also have to factor in things like metal fatigue . how many pressure cycles will metal components be able to stand before they decide to let go ?
 
Wouldnt Anything in good shape that works well and centerfire be what your looking for? Just the rim fires that are harder to reload for.

You may want to use black powder loads if you want to shoot that many rounds per year.
 
Keep in mind you're shooting a gun built using different metals from today, that is usually in the 120+yr old range, so what you expect from it should be different. A completely rebuilt and overhauled gun like a reichsrevolver or Chamelot Delvigne, if shot with light loads, will be your best bet. The Chamelot Delvigne's/MAS revolvers are very solid, but if things do wear or break on them, they're very difficult to make parts for. The Reichsrevolvers are much simpler, so possibly a better route for someone wanting to put a lot of rounds through one. In all cases, the metal quality is lower, or simply different than today, and the expectations of what is reasonable are different as well. If you're skilled at making parts and keep a good eye on the gun for any developing issues and fix them before they damage the gun you should be ok.
 
I'd go with a modern made one like an open top uberti or 1873army clone, and leave the antiques as occasional shooters not to be abused just used occasionally and admired. Repros are way way cheaper and if a part breaks it's easy to source a replacement.
 
I know it's a novelty and I've done it just popping a few rounds off at the camp with my antiques..however really now shooting a few thousand rounds a year in the bush with a pistol? Just get a range membership and get a pistol you can use hard.
 
Yeah it's for bush shooting probably a couple of times a year. The extra round count would be show and tell at the range. Power isn't a factor other than getting a projectile 25m to paper or a beer can. I'm just wondering what's the strongest and simplest for longevity.

I have plenty of modern pistols and revolvers in most calibers. I reload most modern pistol calibers. I put between 15 and 20k a year downrange at the range.

This isn't about wilderness carry or protection or whatever, it's about fun factor with family and friends the once or twice a year that we get together to shoot NR's on private land.
 
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Look in the EE there's a .36 manhatten arms percussion revolver they're super easy to fix if anything breaks as well and you can learn to roll your own nitrated paper cartridges. I wouldn't think twice about using that one as a regular shooter.
 
tula said:
Look in the EE there's a .36 manhatten arms percussion revolver they're super easy to fix if anything breaks as well and you can learn to roll your own nitrated paper cartridges. I wouldn't think twice about using that one as a regular shooter.
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Yeah that looks like a good little percussion gun, I wouldn't think twice about grabbing it if I didn't already have one. It's been gone over by a smith and looks very solid.
 
Same here sorta .. got my $ tied up in long range rifles and antique rifles can't justify another pistol in the herd. You won't find a deal like that Manhatten every day.
 
What about using a Colt SAA? Won't modern parts just drop into the gen 1's? I don't think Colt changed any specs on them from gen 1 to the current gen 5 or whatever they're on now? Very expensive but IMO perhaps your best antique option.
 
To be more specific, I'm looking for an antique revolver that uses brass cartridges, that I can reload on my press, and that is robust.

I'm looking for a discussion on the merits of a webley mk? Vs a SAA vs ? Something else?
 
Well plenty of the antique revolvers, in fact all the cartridge guns commonly found in Canada would fit your criteria, except it's the quality of/and ability to source the internal parts which would be the concern. As far as caliber goes, the 455 Webley, the 44 Russian or special, or the 8mm lebel would suit your needs. It also depends on your budget and shooting personal characteristics. Do you prefer single action, or is double action more your style? How much money do you want to spend, and how hard do you want to look for rare brass and/or modify other brass to fit? Solid frame guns are more robust than break action but are slow to load and reload.
 
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I'd go with SSA they still make them so internal working parts you can replace, might need a little fitting. They're a robust tough pistol and a real joy to shoot. Only downside is cost, but look at the average price for a nice webly now, you can end up paying near the price of a reasonable priced shooter grade SAA.
 
Spunds like a SAA is the way to go for parts availability. Can I put a new barrel and cylinder on an antique and have it remain antique if it stays a .41LC for example?
 
I don't see why not because what's considered a firearm is the receiver. As long as you keep it an antique status caliber.
 
Smcx said:
Spunds like a SAA is the way to go for parts availability. Can I put a new barrel and cylinder on an antique and have it remain antique if it stays a .41LC for example?
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there is one change the rcmp has made recently ( about 1.5 years ago )

if the original hand gun was chambered in a round specifically listed as not being about to have antique status , it can never have antique status , regardless of the new round it is rechambered / rebareled to .

an example is a original 45 colt gun reworked so it is now 44 russian .





if a guy just wants to shoot can , why not look int getting a 1892 french lebel and have it reworked to 22 mag ?
 
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