Howdy Charlie,
Nice job on that gun. Like it a lot.
Wonder if you could explain a little about makin the liners fer the chambers and barrel? Maybe a little on centering on the existing holes of the chambers and barrel?
I had Starret make me a tool fer centering on chambers so I could ream them for better accuracy in cap&ball revolvers. I had them modify a center finder with a cone shaped end that was large enough to center on holes as large as 45 chambers to line up and use a chucking reamer on the holes. It works well in my mill but wonder what other gunsmiths use to center up on those existing chamber holes.
I've never lined a barrel yet. How do you do that? I know the basics of drilling fer the liner but I don't have a lathe to make a liner the right outside diameter. No lathe to indicate and drill a barrel either. Doing it by hand drill may be a little sloppy.
I have the "51" Navy conversion with 38SW cylinder and a cylinder for 38sp. with throats in the chambers and all. When I load fer the 38SW that uses .360 bullets I use an expander fer the 38sp that uses smaller diameter bullets so the 38sp bullets aren't loose in the 38SW cases. My 38SW cylinder is fer smokeless powder as is the 38sp cylinder. I use black powder in both cylinders at times too. Fun but dirty.
I wanted a 1860 conversion fer a long time and then......like manna from heaven, I bought a San Marco converted from the factory to 38sp. Then......bought another in 1861 Colt pistol in 44 Colt. Really like both although it's backwards. The 1860 should be the 44 and the 1861 should be the 38. Actually the 1861 Colt model is the same as the 1860 Colt model with a Navy grip and a barrel a half inch shorter. I can like with that.
One problem with the home made conversions is having to use heal bullets in the over size barrel bores unless the barrel gets lined but then there is no throat in the chambers.
I think it would be a little difficult to make chambers liners with a throat. I've had pro gunsmiths tell me that chambers shouldn't be lined. "I think" they could be lined if press fit with the rear outside diameter larger than the front throat part so....there would be a step for the rear part where the cartridge sits to keep it from moving forward. I wonder though...would a well press fit chamber liner be workable and not move forward when the cartridge ignites. Would it matter if the chamber had a throat or not.
One thing I wonder about with the original conversions from the Colt factory with the ratchet modified on the original cylinder so the double pronged hand had to be used because the ratchet teeth were set between the chambers instead of lined up centered on the chambers like the cap& ball cylinders were. Getting rid of the original ratchet teeth to make new ones would shorten the ratchet a good bit. So... I wonder if the modification is made viable using the double pronged hand that moves forward more to make up for the shorter ratchet on the back of the cylinder. Colt used the original cylinders modified when they converted the cap&ball revolvers to cartridge. I just wonder how they managed making the shorter ratchet viable when the position of the teeth were rotated to line up between the chambers some so the case heads fit without making the ratchet teeth too thin like the home made conversions. My conversion has the ratchet teeth lined up centered on the chamber holes and has a thin ratchet teeth set up and....20 some years later they aren't worn down any and still work fine. When I had the cylinder made the gunsmith wanted to know if I wanted to use the original hand or go to the double pronged hand. I choose the original hand set up so if the hand got worn I could make another easier.
I better stop this reply before I get too boring. Too much coffee gets me thunkin and typing too much.