Reline antique Colt pistol

[Why not?]

Got a call a few minutes ago from an acquaintance of mine looking for some help. He has an old Colt pistol in 41 Long Colt, with a garbage bore, and would like to have it relined. He knows he would probably have to buy the reamer, of course, and is prepared to do that.

Who would be the best to do this job, and not take three years doing it?

Thanks,
Ted

 

[gutinater]

Got a call a few minutes ago from an acquaintance of mine looking for some help. He has an old Colt pistol in 41 Long Colt, with a garbage bore, and would like to have it relined. He knows he would probably have to buy the reamer, of course, and is prepared to do that.

Who would be the best to do this job, and not take three years doing it?

Thanks,
Ted

Maybe just replace the barrel and keep the original

 

[josquin]

Maybe just replace the barrel and keep the original

I'm guessing, since it's in 41 LC, it is a revolver, so finding a replacement barrel would likely be next to impossible. Or is he thinking of having a gunsmith recut the bore? Finding a button for that would be equally impossible. I don't think anyone makes a .41 LC barrel liner, although Track of the Wolf might have someting close for the 40-65. From the Wikpedia article, it seems there aere also some changes in the bore diameter, so that's another "known unknown" in the mix. Also the twist rate... Possibly a modern .41 magnum button could be used if the twist rate was suitable. But again, it might not cut deep enough for cast bullets.... OF course, if the smith used an old-fashioned cutter, he could adjust the depth.

AFAIK the only 'smiths in Canada doing reboring are Jason at Gunco and Ron Smith, although the latter has pretty much retired now, I think. I suspect that this would be somewhat easier in the US; I wonder if the revolver is actually an antique, if there might be fewer restrictions on shipping across the border?

 

[tiriaq]

The TOW .40-82 liner is .398-.406, 1-16 which should work for .41 Colt. Might need to be turned down. But TOW does not export liners. Installing a short pistol length liner is pretty straightforward.

 

[josquin]

The TOW .40-82 liner is .398-.406, 1-16 which should work for .41 Colt. Might need to be turned down. But TOW does not export liners. Installing a short pistol length liner is pretty straightforward.

My bad. .40-82 is what I intended to link to. But the d****d export thing is "the devil in the details", alas. Probably possible to get it imported via Irun Guns or whoever, but it will drive the cost up.

I had the same problem with replacing a b****d barrel on an old S&W Model 10. Numrich has/had a number of unusual barrrels, such as 4.15" .38 Special HB, but they can't export due to ITAR regs and the cost of importing one would have been unreasonable. (Eventually got a 5" .38 S&W barrel from TradeEx, which seems to be about .3575 rather than .360.)

 

[tiriaq]

Perhaps a take-off .40-82 barrel could be found. Bulged, etc., not rusted out.

 

[m14medic.ca]

Sheldon Stoller out of Winnipeg area does some good work on wheel guns. He was on this board once upon a time, not too sure if he’s still around....

Last project he did for me was to rebarrel a model 66 to change it to restricted status.

If it’s possible to reline the bore or rebarrel he would know...

John

 

[mbogo3]

Ron Smith in AB may be willing to help you out? Worst he can say is no as he is selective about what work he will take on if he likes you or has an interest in your project.

 

[josquin]

Ron Smith in AB may be willing to help you out? Worst he can say is no as he is selective about what work he will take on if he likes you or has an interest in your project.

True. I sent him my Martini Cadet to be rebored to .357 mag, expecting to get it back in 4-6 mos., and to my astonishment it arrived in a few weeks. Seems he kinda got inspired and "just did it." I think he's also fairly elderly now, too, and slowing down. (Hell, I'm not "elderly" but even I'm slowing down.)

Ron Smith
RKS Enterprises LTD.
Box 635 Wimborne, Alberta.
T0M 2G0
Tel: 403 631 2405

 

[mbogo3]

Ron was also making some liners ........not sure of the calibers? What model is the Colt .41 ?

 

[mbogo3]

http://www.gmriflebarrel.com/w401436-3-5-35-40-82-cal-3-5-profile-tapered-octagon-bpcr/
Perhaps if they make this barrel they would use their tooling to cut you a short round pistol barrel.There is a Green Mt dealer in Manitoba I think?

 

[trevj]

IIRC, I read that Colt had switched barrel sizes about mid-way through their production of the .41 caliber, and they used the same barrel bore size as on their .38LC guns, coinciding with changing up the bullet from the Heeled bullet hanging outside the case, to a smaller diameter one set in the case without the heel section.

By memory, so worth some looking in to. Just throwing that out there as it may open up a few possibilities for sourcing barrels, if, and depending upon, what the original barrel is/was, and what end results would satisfy the OP.

I would figure finding a suitable barrel to cut a liner from, is liable to be easier than finding a source for an actual liner.

Geez, but isn't it just a happy fantasy to hope that some day we can normalize the cross border paranoid BS and just call whoever has what we need, and pay them for it?

 

[josquin]

IIRC, I read that Colt had switched barrel sizes about mid-way through their production of the .41 caliber...

That was mentioned in the Wikipedia article:

It was a lengthened version of the earlier centerfire .41 Short Colt, which was made to duplicate the dimensions of the even earlier .41 Short[SUP][1][/SUP] rimfire. The front of the bullet was about 0.406–0.408″ OD, the same as the case. The barrel was about 0.404–0.406″ groove diameter. The bullet lubrication was outside the case. At 0.386–0.388″ OD, The base of the bullet was smaller in diameter to fit inside the case. This is known as a "heel-base" or heeled bullet. The only modern heeled bullet is the .22 rimfire.

In the mid-1890s, Colt redesigned the cartridge. They reduced the entire diameter of the bullet to 0.386" OD and lengthened the brass case in order to put both the bullet and its lubrication inside the case. The overall length of both loaded cartridges was about the same. The barrel of the revolver was reduced slightly to match the more popular .38-40 at 0.400–0.401″ groove diameter (this was probably done for manufacturing reasons, not accuracy reasons). This meant that the outside diameter (OD) of the new bullet was smaller than the barrel's bore, let alone its groove diameter. A hollow-base bullet can be dropped down the bore by gravity alone. The newer soft lead bullet was made with a large hollow base, like Civil War Minié balls. The intent was for the base of the bullet to expand with the pressure of the burning gunpowder to grip the rifling...

 

[Why not?]

Thanks for your help, Guys.

Ted