Making a cylinder pin...

sportee

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A friend of mine just picket up an antique C&B conversion revolver (similar to a colt navy). Has been converted to shoot 44 russian. Problem is the cylinder pin which is exactly 3/8" dia has a hairline crack. he's asked me if i can make a new pin for it as the repro colt pins are wayy too small for it.

One possibility is to use a grade 8 3/8" bolt and cut the hole for the barrel wedge. Would this work? the theads are right, just gotta cut the head off at the right length and cut the wedge hole.

Just need a few comments to confirm that the grade 8 bolt will be stroger than the original steel. In my mind it would be wayyy stornger in tensile and shear. Just need to make sure im not off my rocker.
 
Instead of the grade 8 bolt, use drill rod. It's already polished and exactly 3/8 diameter. With very little cosmetic work to make up and fit an end cap, it shouls be quick and simple to duplicate the original.

bearhunter
 
Although harder would drill rod not be more brittle...in bending anyways?


...sorry, I was thinking of something else. Drill rod might do the trick.
 
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If the threads are correct, I would use the bolt.
I replaced the cylinder pin in a percussion .44 using one of the bolts enployed in diemaking. Good steel. Threads were correct, cutting the slot the hardest part. The slot has to be just right, of course. Worked out fine.
 
Drill rod is the way to go. Go for oil hardening as it distorts less when harden and tempered. I would temper it to a dark blue colour. One old trick to prevent distortion (if you are using a gas touch) is to slowly rotate the drill rod in a bench drill chuck to get even heat and then punge it directly down in to a can full of oil.
As for the bolt idea, they are actually not that great as they are full of built in stress from manufacturing. As soon as you start machining them they can become very weak and stress fracture in use. Revolver cylinder pin of the date you are talking about have a reasonable tensile strength as they were alway case hardened
 
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