I've noticed there are a few tinkerers on here and I figured I'd ask what the biggest gunsmithing project is that you have taken on.

I've done alot of action work primarily on lever action, bolt action, single shot and revolvers. But I finally bought a lathe and mill and am getting ready to start a new project. I'm going to convert my 45 Vaquero to a 500 Linebaugh, the gun will be line bored and have a cylinder latch block installed for maximum accuracy as well as all the standard up grades and I've got some ideas I'm playing with to trick it out. I'm just waiting on the 5 shot cylinder, barrel blank and the reamers to show up and I'll be under way. This gun should be the ultimate back up gun and although not a 100% yet I think I'll go with a 4 3/4 barrel.

My biggest project is in the works right now, all I can say is it involves a Striker. If it works I'll share later. Other than that its been mostly cutting barrels, reshaping grips and stocks, D&T'ing scope bases and springwork.

Nothing real big. I have drilled and tapped a few holes. I have fitted/modified grips and finished them. I fit an HS stock to the XP action. Have done a few trigger jobs on the Encore. Changed out springs in revolters and Encores. That's about it. If I had the machine more could be done.

Rod, Your leaps and bounds ahead of me when it comes to working on firearms. I`ve only performed minor work when it comes to gunsmithing. Slugging the bores with lead sinkers from Beartooth bullets, polishing out the cylinders on a 22mag, reworking factory wood grips, drilling holes for new pinned front sights.
As I said , minor work.I`ve found that good handgun and rifle work involves super close tolerences where a mistake by as much as .007" can make the difference between good and bad work. I`ve
seen what you can do and my hats off to you in taking on your
.500 handgun project. Can`t wait to see the results. Good luck,James

Thanks James, and I hope it comes out the way I want but I look at it in the light that regardless it's a learning experience and you have to start somewhere. I guess if I screw up a barrel or something I'll get another one and just keep at it until I get it right. I've got nothing but time so I'm going to try not to rush it but I'm pretty stoked. I'll let you know how it goes, good or bad that way if I make a mistake and let you guys know about it maybe the next guy that try's can avoid it.

Rod are you going to change the grip frame?

yep, I'm going to put either a bisly or a super blackhawk frame on it, I haven't decided yet which it will be. I have two 475's, one with each type of grip and I like the feel of standard SBH frame better but the bisley is a little easier to control.

I usually have more projects than time. I've done a few rechamber jobs. A Ruger No.1 from 300 Win. to 300 Ultra Mag. All the others were Contender barrels. I've got a few revolver projects going on right now. I'm doing a SS Blackhawk in 44 Spl. with a 4" barrel and round butt. It will be line bored. I've fit an oversize base pin and a cylinder bushing and a oversized cylinder stop with a block. The other is a SS 357 Blackhawk fitted with the aluminum parts from a blued gun and the barrel cut back to 4". It's gonna be kinda a light weight conversion. I also have a Remington Rolling block project to get started on. Not sure of the details on it yet. Also thinkin about rechambering my No.1 in 45-70 to 45-90 or 450 Alaskan. My new years resolution is to not buy any guns in 2009 but to put the $ into finishing all these projects.

Toby

Wow, you guys have a lot more talent than I do! About all I have done is filing dovetail sight bases to fit an octagon muzzleloader barrel. I look forward to seeing pics of the projects as you guys complete them.

well I'm not there yet, I've got alot of learning to do since all I have to fall back on is my automotive machining skills which for the most part don't cross over. I'm already fighting with my lathe but I'll get it worked out.

What kind of lathe and mill did you get Rod?

Toby

I got a small set from Grizzly, they seem to be decent quality but not what I expected but I guess that's the hazards of buying online when you can't see what your getting. The lathe is the G4000 which is 9x19" bench lathe which i thought would be good since I'm pressed for space and the mill actually gets delivered tomorrow but it's a small gear drive unit with the speed being adjustable from 0 to 2500, it has a small table but since I'm primarily going to be using it line boring the cylinders I should have plenty of room. I think part of my problem with the lathe so far is two fold, operator error, I'm still trying to figure what spindle and feed speeds I need and the other is the cheapo cutting tools I got with the unit, they are high speed steel and don't seem real sharp and I'm getting chatter marks on the piece I'm working with even with the steady and follow rest. I'm hoping I'll be able to do my barrel work between centers and in the chuck with the live center but I guess we'll see. Right now I'm playing with scrap metal before I ever get a barrel near it. I am wondering if I should have gone ahead and bought the Jet lathe I was looking at.

The Grizzly G0509G 16" x 40" 3-Phase Gunsmith Metal Lathe looks good, but a bit pricey.

yeah, that looks like a nice machine but like you said it's a little pricey and I don't have room for it, as it is I'm in the dog house because the back room/porch is now a mini machine shop.

From my experience alot of times chatter marks are the results of to slow a speed.The cutters are important and they will determine alot.But most instances I find people turn their metal they are trying to cut to slow.I have some experience but mostly with WWII age lathes and boring equipment.The lathes at my last job came off a battleship that was decomissioned in the 50s.I have built some parts for my Harley,done some bolt rifles,ported,trigger jobs,glass bed,D&T,recoil reducing extras.One auto rifle,barrel shortened,recrowned,new iron sights installed,stock work.Changed out trigger springs in Redhawk.Nothing like what you are undertaking Rod.Good luck,I will be anxiously awaiting your end result.

I've got some good help from you guys so including some inside info from our very own machinist mellonhead so I'm thinking on changing my project until I get my lathe skills mastered. My Vaquero is already 45 colt so I'm thinking about concentrating on the internal components and upgrades and the machine work on the cylinder and rechambering to 454 and using the factory barrel for the time being and once I'm comfortable with my lathe skills I figure I can convert one of my other guns to the 500. I figure on getting set up with 454,475 and 500 reamers as well as 44 spcl to convert my 3 screw blackhawk.

Can't wait to see your work Rod.Might hire you myself.

Let me know when you are ready...I've got a RBH .41 Mag that needs a new tube.

I will do so, I'm upgrading some of the stuff on my lathe and getting used to it so hopefully it will come around soon. I started out kind of behind the eight ball because I needed a small machine but the accesories that came with it are more geared toward a hobbyist than a gunsmith.

Some folks binge at midnight w/ their head in the fridge. I'm in the workshop finishing body work on a Striker stock and got the itch to bed it...so I raided the kids play doh toy box for a small can, grabbed the spray cooking oil, taped the front of the recoil lug, roughed up the inside and mixed up the JB weld then slammed her together.

We'll see what kind of mess I made in a few hours when the alarm goes off at 5AM!!

JB Weld the "new" glass bedding!! LOL<LOL

It's actual pretty close to "steel bed" sold by Brownell's...but JB weld can be bought at any hardware store!!

I figured the Play Doh and cooking spray would draw a comment quicker than the other stuff!

definitely interesting but hay you use what works, before I got my mill so I could build a real reaming jig for my cylinder work I made one out of oak.

JB is easier to get mixed and apply as it is more of a super heavy liquid substance whereas SB is more of a paste. I've also used the old Acraglass...what a pain! You have to make dams to keep it from going where it's not supposed to and to keep it where it should be.

With the SB, you also have to carefully mix unequal parts of the material and hardner whereas the JB is an easy 1:1 mix.

I bought an acraglas kit once and when I got it home and started looking at it I boxed it back up, I don't even know what ever happened to it. In my former profession I used JB from time to time and so did alot of other guys, you'd be surprised what it holds together lol

Actually I would belive JB is rugged. I rebuilt the motor (Cat 3406 B) in my Peterbilt. The area of the block where the cylinder liner O-rings seal was really rough from electrolsis. So we chemicaly cleaned it then filled in the rough areas with JB Weld and let it set over night. Then gently honed the area smooth and installed the liners. I put another 350,000 miles on that motor and there was no sign of antifreeze in the oil analysis. I sold the truck and it was still going strong 2 years later.

well I just keep biting more and more off. I've got someone looking at alot of my automotive tools so if that goes through I'm going to get some more tooling including a small hot bluing set up and now I've got 3 guns torn down. 1911 for complete restoration, I've already fit it with new springs and a new barrel, the 500 Linebaugh is now going on a regular super blackhawk frame and the Vaquero is going the 454 route but I've been looking at the possibility of converting it to adjustable sights. I think I'm going to be busy for a while.

Now Tig the JB was along for the ride but the reason it done all that was because it was a CAT,hehehehehe.I run a JD now but my heart will always belong to CAT.They are like rugers,nothing special just gets it done.

well so much for converting the Vaquero, I got the barrel off and stripped the frame down and found that the back strap on one side of the sighting notch is almost 0.030 thicker. I don't have enough material on the thin side to open the cylinder window up at all and I had planned on milling the backstrap to take a S&W rear sight and I was going to solder on a Weigand front but this is one of those cases where the frame isn't suitable for modification so it will stay a .45. I can't believe it got out of the factory with the backstrap being that uneven.

Sorry to hear that Rod I was anxious to see your work.

I still have a blackhawk to do and I'll find another Vaquero but now I know another thing to look for. I've got my 5 shot cylinder and 510 bore barrel blank so I'm still building a 500 but the 454 Vaquero would have been cool, especially with the smith and wesson adjustable sights. I thought about going ahead and milling the Vaquero to except the sights but then I would have had to even out the backstrap and that would have ruined the case hardened finish.

My biggest project? making my wifie understand why I want another gun or barrel since I already have a safe full of them!! This project is way out of scope and over budget many times over!!
She can't fire me though. I'm the boss, or so she says!

LOL

Well Rod, there was the time I totally disassembled sixteen M198 Howitzers reworked everything on them and done a MWO on all of them in less than three weeks...LOL...does that count?

LOL, they are technically guns so I guess it counts, a little hard on game animals though

Yeah, not much meat in the squirrel stew...LOL

KRal, practice more and go for head shots!!

UPDATE-------things are moving slow so far, I've been ordering tools and building jigs and fixtures but I've got four guns torn down now instead of one. I decided to go ahead and sacrafice the Bisley super blackhawk for the 500 project and I managed to get the barrel cut and threaded without destroying anything. I'm getting ready to make another reamer order at which time I'll be getting a special tool to put a 11 degree crown on it. I managed to break a belt on the lathe so now I have to wait for a new one so I can face the cylinder so I can install the Bowen end float bushing and get the base pin and cylinder boring done. I also have a 1911 that I did an action job on and I'm going to reblue it as soon as my bluing system shows up. I'm also tinkering with one of my customs and I have a three screw 357 thats getting a Shilen 44 barrel and rechambered to 44spcl. I'm not sure how I went from one project to 4 but there is also a fifth I'm still thinking about on my Vaquero which would require the barrel to be removed for some cosmetic work. I'll keep you posted on how things are coming and I'll post some pics when I get things done. One last thing I'm also probably going to do is make some more custom grips for these guns. I picked up a bunch of "ironwood", oak, cherry, and some more myrtle. My main problem is space, with my machine shop taking up every inch of available space I had to put up the wood tools so until I get some more room some where the wood work is on hold.

Rod, you are teasing us. When do we get to see pictures? LOL

How long is the barrel going to be on the 44Sp?

I look forward to seeing your projects Rod. You have more going on than I could keep up with!

Pab, I have more going that I can keep up with. TC I'll send pics as soon as things get further along and the barrel on the 44 I haven't completely made up my mind about but it will probably be 4 5/8". My wife doesn't know it yet but I'm building it for her, she's getting her ccw and she doesn't like autos or double actions, in fact I've sold all the ones I've bought her in the past, she is a single action kind of person.

Rod, I'm anxious to see how your 500 turns out. Is it gonna be a stainless, blued or combo?

it will be blued with some stainless trim but the rest is a surprise, if it comes out like I'm hoping it should be a sharp looking gun.

Hurry up, I'm ready to see!!!LOL

update pics

http://www.handgunhunt.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=1701&ppuser=1771

I also made another new to me repair the other day that was quick and simple, I had a contender frame and barrel combo that was too loose so I ordered the Reamer and oversized hinge pins from Bellm and installed it. The difference was instantly noticeable, no more rattling if you shake the gun and this one was so bad that when you'd pick it up off the table you would feel the barrel shift.

Way to go Rod! They're looking good!

Sweeeeet!

both of those barrels started out as 1.250" barrel stock so I'm taking off roughly 3/8ths of an inch, both are crowned but I still need to do the forcing cones.

Looking Great Rod!

rupe

Are you going with an 11* forcing cone?

I think so, I played with using an 18*, the reading I've been doing says it's better for hardcast and jacketed but 11* is a good all around and 5* is best for standard cast. Right now I have 45* crowns but I think I'm going to change to a 11* target crown, I just ordered the cutters from Brownells, the 45's I cut with the lathe and they came out nice but too factory looking.
Since I posted the pics I have the base pin holes in the cylinder and frame reamed and ready for the belt mountain pin and I installed the oversized cylinder latch and block and I've line bored the cylinder and I'm starting on chambering the cylinder. I've also set the recoil plate to cylinder gap and I'll set the barrel to cylinder gap after I chamber the cylinder. Bowen is still holding me up on the end float bushings, apparently their machine shop dropped the ball and they are playing catch up. I'm also waiting on a special tool from Dave Manson to cut the forcing cone on the 500 which won't be available for about a month but the gun will be mechanically finished before then and the 44 should be ready for test firing in a couple weeks. I have to mount the sight and ejector housing and stretch the gas ring to eliminate the cylinder end play and I'm still waiting on my 44 chambering reamers so I probably have two or three hours of work left on it not counting bluing and making the grips. I also have to get some ammo loaded for the 500 and 44spcl. This is a pretty involved process and I've made some minor mistakes along the way but nothing I wasn't able to correct and I have learned a ton about these guns and most of all I'm enjoying myself.

the 44 is getting close, I'm hoping to have the chamber reamer tomorrow and then I'll take it out for test firing and then I'll fit it with custom grips and blue it. the major changes besides being reassembled is the jeweled hammer and Weigand front sight base. I've also given it an 11* crown and forcing cone.


http://www.handgunhunt.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=1723&limit=recent