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