A new device has just been completed that I plan to use to rid the neighborhood of "bad guys" I do not plan to shoot a shot. One look at the thing and they will either leave in a hurry, or else turn into Good Guys.
Actually it is a one and a half size scale model of the Civil War vintage Remington .44 Army Revolver that was introduced in 1863. Although it has functional parts, it is not intended to be a shooting gun, simply a conversation piece for people to heft and chuckle about. It weighs 12 pounds, and takes a pretty stout arm to hold it in shooting position, and even then it is difficult to reach the trigger. Caps of that size are not available, and I did not drill the nipple holes, so it would pretty difficult for someone shoot it.
The barrel was machined out of a solid bar of #416 stainless steel. The cylinder SAE 1045 steel bar. The trigger and hammer, etc. 1/2" steel plate material. The main hammer spring from a real heavy duty power hacksaw blade. The grips were carved from black walnut. The reason for these choices is because that is what was on hand.
Building it was quite a process. First a wood pattern was made to form a sand mold, into which was poured melted brass. As you see the first mold did not fill completely, so a second mold was made and it did fill. Casting has it's little frustrating problems.
Then started the machining process, and I'll show just a couple operations. First the frame was set up in the lathe with a special fixture and the barrel hole bored and threaded.
Then to the milling machine where much of the inside space was milled out.
But the milling cutter could not reach all areas so the shaper was put into use. Shapers are obsolete by today's standards, but there are still some operations that they do very well. Space was really tight, but I made it.
Again the shaper being used to square up the trigger hole.
A few of the parts as work was progressing.
Not knowing where to put it I finally hung it over the fireplace in the display room. After all they use to hang the old Kentucky Long Rifles over the fireplace.
