1860's Pepper sprayer!?

[amin ledbetter]

I kind of started on an unusual project. I became the owner of old 1851 Brass Navy copy in Army 44 caliber, kit form.  It is an old Italian copy of coarse, but I'm not sure who manufactured this one. No proof marks no names, just 44 caliber, black powder only written on the barrel. Any how. I'm not very fond of brass framed Colt copies, so I decided to work this one over a bit. I discarded the barrel, cut down the cylinder pin, drilled and tapped the end. Made a cylinder stop, then reshaped the hammer and grip frame. Fluted the cylinder, and smoothed the action up. What I am left with is an 1860's style pepper box. Or in this case since I do not plan on shooting the 44 caliber ball out of it anymore, I figured it could be loaded with powder, wad, and a shot gun type load of either #7 lead shot ( or smaller ) , or......( are you ready for this? )  crushed pepper powder. That would make it an 1860s' style Pepper sprayer!??    Below are some pics of it thus far!





Plan on makin ebony grips for it. I am going wood shoppin this week end. You can see more of it on my web site. PM me for a link if you want to see it a little closer.

[Qball]

 
WOW..... Now that was er.. different.

Me like alott 

[amin ledbetter]

Glad you like it Qball. I was inspired by the French pin fire Apache Pepperboxs. They look similar to what I did to the Navy. Heres a pic of an Apache.



They made one with a folding brass knuckle grip on as well. The Apache's are small caliber Pepperboxs. .31 caliber and smaller I believe.  I wanted mine to have some good old American punch behind it!!!    Kind of a weird project, but I am having a blast building it.

[Qball]

I have accuatly been pondering about fluting a 1860 cylinder of my own,
for my little pocket puncher.
But i have not the tools or the nerves to do it, yet.

[amin ledbetter]

I'm meeting with friend of my uncles today who has a refiling jig. I'm going to see if he can rifle the chambers in the cylinder. If he can't I guess it will stay a smooth bore!

The fluting turned out looking great on this cylinder. I think a fluted cylinder on a 1860 would look awesome! You should do it Qball! You only live once my friend!!    I'd go for it.

[Qball]

How are them flutes made?
Did you use a jig or?

[amin ledbetter]

Chucked it up in a mill and used a ball end mill bit t cut em in! I laid out the center lines between the the two cylinder then centered that in the mill vice. Took about an hour or so to do. My cylinder wasn't roll engraved. You may need to smooth of the roll engrave on a lathe first. 

[John Taylor]

Nice work.

[amin ledbetter]

I bought a piece of ebony Saturday morning, and roughed in a one piece grip for the Pepperbox. Here a couple pics of the grip.