HomeSmith Custom Shop: The Faux Pinto Thread
- Thread starter Shotguncoach
- Start date
OP
Thank you Joey, but there's already one in there. The lighting in some of the pictures may have not made it apparent. Take a look at the pictures in post number 18.
Nice work!
I can see it in post #3 when its apart, some reason it looked blue to me assembled.
OP
The next faux pinto project has started…feeling a little snubby this time…
OP
This 19-3 came to the Shotguncoach Home for Wayward Smiths because it had been stored same side down for too many years. One side looked nice, the other side was covered in freckles and scabs.
I was messing around with it at the bench trying to figure out what it wanted to be when I found a cylinder from a 66-1 that literally dropped in and timed perfectly with no work needed. A quick trigger job was done, the rusty original hammer and trigger were replaced, and we went shooting.
It shot OK but not spectacularly. The barrel was underclocked and required the rear sight to be at the max of its sideways travel to hit center. That annoyed me, so it went into the pile for later.
I was messing around with it at the bench trying to figure out what it wanted to be when I found a cylinder from a 66-1 that literally dropped in and timed perfectly with no work needed. A quick trigger job was done, the rusty original hammer and trigger were replaced, and we went shooting.
It shot OK but not spectacularly. The barrel was underclocked and required the rear sight to be at the max of its sideways travel to hit center. That annoyed me, so it went into the pile for later.
OP
Today I'm rust bluing a 10-8 that is getting converted from a 4" .38 to a 3" .357 and had some time to work on the 19-3.
I started by stripping it down and using my new barrel pin punches from @-BTM- Custom Punch Works to remove the barrel pin. The punches worked slicker than snot on a doorknob.
I started by stripping it down and using my new barrel pin punches from @-BTM- Custom Punch Works to remove the barrel pin. The punches worked slicker than snot on a doorknob.
OP
After the pin was out, the MGW barrel taker offer was attached and the barrel magically fell off.
With the barrel off, the next step was to figure out what stainless barrel should be used. I can (and have) fit barrels to frames but it's sooooo much easier and faster to just walk over to the rack, grab a few barrels, and see which one fits. Yes, there's a comma in the price tag of a rack of barrels, but how much is your time worth?
My method of barrel matching starts with threading the original barrel on until it's hand snug and making a reference mark on the frame with a pencil.
If the replacement barrel matches up with the mark it will clock properly with no fitting.
The first one did not, but was close.
The second one was better but still not quite there.
The third one wasn't even close.
Number 4 matched up perfectly.
That 4th one was a snubby barrel and I still had some 4" barrels to try. #5 matched up as well…
So now I had a choice between a 4" and a 2 3/4" barrel. I knew I had the correct length ejector rod available…the deciding factor was going to be the rear sight. Snubby model 19's and 66's use a longer rear sight that bridges dat gap between the frame and the sight base on the snubby barrel. Did I have the right rear sight to do this properly?
I've shared the incantations I use to summon stock sets out of the pile, but I'm afraid that the rare rear sight ritual phrases are only available to members of the HomeSmith Inner Circle. All I'm allowed to share publicly is that it involves cutting one leg off of the horse on the top of a bottle of Blantons while wearing a paper hat made from the pages of the 1986 Kansas City phone book.
The Gods of the Copybook Headings smiled upon me and the pile belched forth not one but several of the appropriate rear sights. I set the best one aside for another project that I have coming up and picked one that just needed a good cleaning for the faux pinto.
We were in business….a snubby it shall be.
With the barrel off, the next step was to figure out what stainless barrel should be used. I can (and have) fit barrels to frames but it's sooooo much easier and faster to just walk over to the rack, grab a few barrels, and see which one fits. Yes, there's a comma in the price tag of a rack of barrels, but how much is your time worth?
My method of barrel matching starts with threading the original barrel on until it's hand snug and making a reference mark on the frame with a pencil.
If the replacement barrel matches up with the mark it will clock properly with no fitting.
The first one did not, but was close.
The second one was better but still not quite there.
The third one wasn't even close.
Number 4 matched up perfectly.
That 4th one was a snubby barrel and I still had some 4" barrels to try. #5 matched up as well…
So now I had a choice between a 4" and a 2 3/4" barrel. I knew I had the correct length ejector rod available…the deciding factor was going to be the rear sight. Snubby model 19's and 66's use a longer rear sight that bridges dat gap between the frame and the sight base on the snubby barrel. Did I have the right rear sight to do this properly?
I've shared the incantations I use to summon stock sets out of the pile, but I'm afraid that the rare rear sight ritual phrases are only available to members of the HomeSmith Inner Circle. All I'm allowed to share publicly is that it involves cutting one leg off of the horse on the top of a bottle of Blantons while wearing a paper hat made from the pages of the 1986 Kansas City phone book.
The Gods of the Copybook Headings smiled upon me and the pile belched forth not one but several of the appropriate rear sights. I set the best one aside for another project that I have coming up and picked one that just needed a good cleaning for the faux pinto.
We were in business….a snubby it shall be.
Gunhohulk
Member
I have a nickel 29-2 cylinder and 4" barrel that I have an eye out for the right donor frame. I'd really like a model 58 for a fixed sight 4" pinto but can't find one in the right price range yet!
OP
Sellers are really proud of donor frames right now….I've found it to be better overall to buy complete guns.
-BTM-
Member
I'm in the same boat but find an N frame donor ain't easy. It would make a very unusual Pinto. Performance Center version!
Attachments
Last edited:
-BTM-
Member
Great write-up on matching barrels. The more I goof around with this the less mystifying it is.
I would add one thing for the folks in the back row - take a really good look at the mating surfaces on the frame and the barrel. I had a take-off that was gritty and galling bad. It would thread easy then seize. Marked the surfaces up with a sharpie to find the high spots then a bit of veeerrry careful file work gained another hour on the clocking, if that makes sense. You can see the galling here.
Attachments
-BTM-
Member
I made these to deal with a serious bubba problem that had bent several commercial & DIY punches. The starter punch is a game changer.
Here is a model 10 my pops did shoots good looks Nice to me
OP
I haven't forgotten about you guys….this project is on temporary hold because another project went south. The other gun I'm working on got through rust cycle #8 beautifully, then rust cycle #9 with a 25% acid solution somehow got contaminated during the boil and produced a haze on the frame and sideplate. While I was sanding to back-step the hazy pieces in order to re-do that part of the bluing, I discovered a divot in the backstrap that I had missed the first time….so that entire frame is being stripped down to bare metal for a do-over.
And I leave for a week long business trip on Monday.
So….the snubby 19 pinto is safely tucked away until I get the other things sorted out. I should be able to get back to it over Labor Day weekend.
And I leave for a week long business trip on Monday.
So….the snubby 19 pinto is safely tucked away until I get the other things sorted out. I should be able to get back to it over Labor Day weekend.
OP
As an interesting part of this little side trip, I have discovered how to artificially age a gun…
Another interesting thing (to me) is that it's quite a bit more difficult to take off my rust blue than it is to take off the original finish. After being scrubbed with 5 different grades of scotch brite there was still some finish remaining.
I didn't think to take pictures along the way to show the progression because it didn't really sink in on me what was happening until I was on the 3rd grit.
This tells me that for someone who does not want their classic gun to appear refinished but also want the dents and scratches to go away, the method would be to take dozens of photos of the original finish, strip it, do the metal work, blue everything, then strategically remove the new finish to "put it back" to the original appearance.
I have a 4" K38 with a fish hook hammer and two proud pins in the front sight base that needs restoration. That might be a good candidate for this technique. My complete blue job does not match the original, but the partially removed reblue sure looks like a worn original.
Hmmmmm
Another interesting thing (to me) is that it's quite a bit more difficult to take off my rust blue than it is to take off the original finish. After being scrubbed with 5 different grades of scotch brite there was still some finish remaining.
I didn't think to take pictures along the way to show the progression because it didn't really sink in on me what was happening until I was on the 3rd grit.
This tells me that for someone who does not want their classic gun to appear refinished but also want the dents and scratches to go away, the method would be to take dozens of photos of the original finish, strip it, do the metal work, blue everything, then strategically remove the new finish to "put it back" to the original appearance.
I have a 4" K38 with a fish hook hammer and two proud pins in the front sight base that needs restoration. That might be a good candidate for this technique. My complete blue job does not match the original, but the partially removed reblue sure looks like a worn original.
Hmmmmm
