Repairing antiques

[H Wally]

This is a bit of an open ended question, but something I haven't found an answer for.

Is it common practice to use parts from modern copies of antique guns as "donour" or parts guns? I like to have spare parts, especially for older guns that even if lightly used, may have small breakdowns.

I'm thinking specifically of the colt open top series. As I understand it, even though each model produced by the different new companies has the same name, they are different from each other as well as the original... something to do with colt not selling the copyrights?

Would a colt made open top then be suitable as a parts gun?

Is it more likely that some parts would work, others not, and there's no rhyme or reason?

 

[mooncoon]

I am not quite sure that I understand your question; you seem to be asking about having a sacrificial modern gun for parts for a similar modern gun but not necessarily the same maker. If that is the case, I suspect many of the parts will interchange but the trade off is that you can buy most of those parts from places like Dixie with the counter point being high shipping and handling charges plus shipping delay.
On an open top Colt, there is not an awful lot to break; the spring on the hand is probably the most common and it can be made from a piece of hacksaw blade. Mainsprings are relatively easy to make and I am pretty sure you have some blacksmithing skills.
When it comes to repairing original guns, I am not convinced that new parts are intererchangeable with old guns and the alternate using Colt as an example is that you can buy new manufactured parts from Coltparts.com. (I think I got the name right) With the exception of Colt, many or most originals, you should think in terms of making the broken or missing parts. My experience has been that tumbler, sears and mainsprings out of other guns/locks rarely fit the one that you are repairing

cheers mooncoon

 

[H Wally]

Sorry - I meant if you are repairing antique guns with modern guns. IE - if the barrel is shot out, use a modern barrel. If the cylinder is heavily worn or the nipples are rusted in place, use a modern cylinder.

I'm asking mainly from the idea that if you got two non functioning guns (IE an antique with worn out barrel and cylinder, and a modern copy with bad lock up or internals, you could conceivably make one working gun for less than usual cost.

 

[dingus]

Barrel threads or Threads in general can be diffrent from Antique to modern.
Thread pitch on barrels is imporant. they could br Recut but by the time your finished you might as well have bought the correct fitting Colt part from Coltparts.com.

 

[starpuss]

i buy all my colt parts from argentina & Uruguay. if you know where to look you will find all the parts that you need. new old stock or repo

 

[mooncoon]

There are significant differences between dimensions of original percussion Colts and replicas. For cartridge rifles, you would thread, fit and chamber the barrels to the old actions. In a nutshell the answer to your original question of using modern parts directly interchangeable with original guns is no.

cheers mooncoon

 

[H Wally]

Ah well, back to the drawing board

Thanks for the help!

 

[Musketfire]

I have repaired a few origionals using modern made parts,

for example-
presently I am repairing/restoring a 61 springfield, I am awaiting a rough cast hammer, and a pile of internal lock parts and a sight leaf, all of these parts are newly made and all of them will require custom fitting.

It can be a bit of a challenge to do... but the newly made parts can be made to fit, that goes for long arms as well as pistols I fancy.


I think that , with that said there is also a responsibility of the person doing the restorations/repairs to have said repairs documented.

I myself, write the year, my name and the work done on a piece of leather or canvas and put it under the butt plate or barrel, so any future collector who gets the arm after me knows whats origional and whats not.

Just so someone doesnt think they just bought a pristene origional example, but instead a restored antique using some modern components.

Cheers