A while back I came across a 25-5 with a 8 3/8 barrel. Pretty nice looking in the wood presentation box that lining was a bit beat. Gun was wearing really nice looking targets. But, as it was a pinned barrel gun I checked it with calibers and almost .458 throats. But, I bought it at a decent price of $700.

First not a fan of 8 3/8 barrels and the throats were not going to cut it. But having a couple other 45 barrels and a brand new never fitted early recessed model 29 cylinder ($100 off Ebay) I went to work. Removed the barrel and took it to the lathe. Cut it a bit over 5" and reinstalled the ramp.

I do that by removing old ramp from cut off barrel and then machine it in mill till only the ramp and blade is left. Then mill a shallow slot just deeper than the grooves in rib, the width and slight longer than the ramp. I clean up the corners of the slot with a 1/16" endmill so it is almost totally square then give that part of the ramps corners a tiny radius so everything fits very snug. Then I tin the ramp base and slot with a thin layer of silver solder. I use a small C clamp to press the ramp into position in the slot and heat it up again until the solder melts and a tiny bit comes out in the joints. The flux I use does not remove blueing. The solder melts at about 450 f and that temp doesn't harm barrel, but I do remove the insert as it would melt. I then clean up the bit of solder that comes out with small brass scrapers. Sight looks original that way. I leave the muzzle just a bit long until the sight is back on. Then I put the barrel back in the lathe. I have made a couple rounds of 2" brass that have holes tapped in center. One for N frame threads and another for K frames. By using these in the chuck and tightening the barrels into them it is easy to get them mounted in the lathe right and not damage finish. Then I final cut the muzzle and radius like original. Finishing with a brass ball lap and another that is an inverted.

Then I fitted the new recessed cylinder after reaming it to 45 colt. As the rims of 45 colt and 44 mags are the same the recess is no problem although my reamer would cut it. But this cylinder already had the correct recess. I ream in my mill with brass covers on the vise and use a old cut off extractor rod and a small washer to hold the ratchet firmly in place while reaming along with fired cases in some holes. I have a dummy spud that is turned to tightly fit 44 chambers and use it to perfectly align each chamber before reaming. My mill has a 3 phase motor and a Variable feed drive, so I can set it to turn very slowly when reaming. Clean and oil each chamber repeatedly as I ream it. Fit the ratchet for head space, then slowly filed and fit to time right. Trimmed and fit barrel to .005 gap when installed. Cast a new insert and then a little cold blue on muzzle and here it is.

Pinned and recessed 25-5 with 5" barrel and proper throats in cylinder.

Woof! That looks marvelous. I LOVE how the cylinder fills the entire frame opening. Very nice..and very unique! Love the stocks too.

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My Daddy was a pistol..

That was a great project that produced a revolver that I would love to own. More importantly I'd really love to have your equipment and skill.

He would have used a lathe to ream the holes..I believe.

If we're going to get nitpicky about spelling..then "calibers" should be changed to calipers. (as written: "I checked it with calibers and almost .458 throats")

I don't care two beans about spelling or grammar from someone who can create a masterpiece like that..

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My Daddy was a pistol..

He is correct the variable feed drive is on the mill and I do use the mill to ream chambers. I think I am going to stick a 3phase and a VFD on the lathe though. Sometimes it would be nice to quickly change spindle speed.

Plus, I would have never made it as an English major. Thankfully there is spell check or things would be worse.

I stand corrected and apologize. You have a great sense of creativity to build this revolver.

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My Daddy was a pistol..

steelslaver,great job on that revolver.You could have worked for John Jovino.

I like shooting 5" revolvers but if I were doing the project I would have been tempted to do a 3.5" barrel.

I can't imagine the amount of setup time truing the work up.

The .458" throats are close to the largest I ever heard of,those were .459"

Did you have an easy time fitting the hand to the new cylinder star?

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NEVER GIVE UP YOUR GUN

Yes, it takes a bunch of time. Some stuff I already have made up from other 44 to 45 projects. I also have a 5" stainless 45 colt made from a 629-1 using a full length lug 625 barrel.

Fitting this cylinder took a lot of time. Because it had never been fit to a gun the whole ratchet piece was way long and had to be taken back to get the correct head space. I did the initial work slowly with a file then finished using a jig to hold it square while I worked it on a granite machinist slab with fine sand paper on it. I had never files a complete ratchet before, had only adjusted a tooth here and there. I reached out to Armour from this site for advice, then made up a small file by safeing 2 sides. Then keeping the original ratchet handy to keep an eye on the correct angle to file, I went to work making a few strokes on each tooth and then trying it in frame until the hammer started to release on a couple. Marked those with a paint pen and then worked the rest until they went. Until the ratchet gets close the bolt will lock up the cylinder before the hammer releases as the hand will be stopped by the long ratchet. Don't force it. A bit of prussian blue helps show where the hand is working. Once the hand allows the trigger to move enough to release the hammer, the hand was still tight enough against the side of the ratchet that trigger would not release on its own due to this friction. A few more strokes with a very fine jewelers file and everything starts working fine. Just very slow careful work, with lots of trying. Short careful strokes with file stroked correctly. It is still a tiny bit tight, but I figure a few thousand dry fires will smooth it up perfectly.

I am retired, its still cold outside and snow on the ground here. Something to keep me busy.

PS. I already have a 3.5" barreled 45 acp, with cut down grip frame and adj sights and just picked up a 325 with a 2 7/8" barrel. Those are my shorty 45s. I like my 45 colts with a bit more barrel and load them up to fire 255 gr swc a bit over 1000fps.


Then there is my S&W revolving carbine with a 16 1/2" barrel that fires either 45 using a cut for moonclip cylinder.

Nice work. You made a decent gun even better.