Roy Huntington's little projects...

I really appreciate him publishing some small DYI projects. Back in the day, in magazines, they had lots of "how-to" articles that were both interesting and useful. It made the articles worth keeping for future reference and no doubt help sell magazines, and the profitable advertising. That's what kept them in business. The idea of "don't try this at home" or litigation worries simply did not exist. Imagine a world like that!

His small published victories are a motivating factor. My old 1935 Colt, was made the same year as my mother was born, and T.E. Lawrence crashed his motorcycle on that fateful day. It has always been plagued with a loose cylinder locking but is shootable. For a fine old gun it's just not right and that bugs me. There is no sign of mishandling or beating on the old gun. What caused this not locking up like oiled glass? Two things were common. Perhaps a post depression slick-willie saw too many gangster movies and slapped the cylinder open or closed too many times in front of a mirror? That type of mishandling makes my blood run cold, you still see it today on the net. Maybe someone clumsy (like me) just dropped the piece on it's side very hard. By my investigations and research the cylinder crane, cylinder arm is tweaked. I've consulted a couple gunsmiths that specialize in old DA Colts but their services sort of override the value of the gun. A 1-2 year wait, post $40 deposit, required FFL shipping both ways, and $150 charge for beating the cylinder with a plastic hammer. Old Colts are "tuned" by tweaking and peening in many cases, really!

I'm going to give it a shot, figuratively, since I have a very good reference manual...and a lathe and mill. I'll be making an alignment checking tool. Nil chance of finding the factory spec. tool otherwise. It should not be a big deal. I've been taught how to lengthen/fit the complex hand and such as well. If you knew the actual inner-workings of some of your favorite guns you might wonder how they ever worked to begin. The added necessity of mass production boggles the mind. I think at a minimum I can make it "better", not worse.

Here I am pushing on it to manifest a worst possible view.