A couple years back, I bid and won the auction on a 7.5" Colt New Frontier in 44 Special. The gun was new and unfixed. Not a hint of a turn line. A fiend gave me a second cylinder in 44 Special. It required only removing .008" from the front band to fit perfectly.
The action was sloppy. Kelye built me a proper sized base pin, a #5 Keith Style, that cured the problem.
A few days back I found a new Colt 44-40 cylinder on ebay. Very cheap and came with a story.
It was (as the story goes) the cylinder being engraved when the shop got the axe.
Only finished engraving is over one chamber. Some etching on remainder of cylinder.
![[image]](images/uploaded/201810051203315bb7531389fd9.jpg)
![[image]](images/uploaded/201810051203595bb7532f6d7aa.jpg)
So, I started work on the cylinder. Removing the outline from the none engraved chambers, fitting to gun and polishing.
![[image]](images/uploaded/201810051206115bb753b317b95.jpg)
![[image]](images/uploaded/201810051206485bb753d8b1fea.jpg)
The end result was rewarding. Barrel gap of just under .002". Between case head and frame was .003". Throats are all six a tight .431".
I loaded .431" cast bullets and the chamber fine. Barrel slugged .428", so expecting a shooter.
Pictures and range reports after cylinder is blued to match the gun.
Always wanted a dual cylinder Colt. Looks like I may have one soon.
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The beginning of a Colt project...
- Huey, 2018-10-05, 05:10
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Very nice Huey
- Jk, 2018-10-05, 17:09
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Measured the frame and cylinder with a pin guage...
- Huey, 2018-10-05, 17:13
- Thanks (nm) - Jk, 2018-10-06, 05:12
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Measured the frame and cylinder with a pin guage...
- Huey, 2018-10-05, 17:13
- Nice job Huey! That is going to be a handy weapon. (nm) - bigboar, 2018-10-05, 08:07
- Cylinder - Frank B, 2018-10-05, 05:56
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Please pardon the typical auto correct word changes...
- Huey, 2018-10-05, 05:12
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Looks great! (nm)
- Kelye, 2018-10-05, 07:58
- You were a big part of this. More than you'd think... - Huey, 2018-10-05, 15:26
- Very nice. (nm) - SPB, 2018-10-05, 06:00
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Very nice Huey! (nm)
- Brant, 2018-10-05, 05:23
- Very nice !!! Got my SAA finished last week - Charles, 2018-10-05, 16:41
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Looks great! (nm)
- Kelye, 2018-10-05, 07:58
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Very nice Huey
- Jk, 2018-10-05, 17:09