44 Special Project

[ChuckS1]

So Lee, after you get yours done, how much to do mine?

 

[Rumrunner]

Wow, what an interesting thread. I missed this one until now. That's the problem with being out of the loop every other 2 weeks.
Thanks for the great photos and sharing the progress of your project.

 

[Lee Martin]

So Lee, after you get yours done, how much to do mine?

Thanks guys. Never considered doing it as a business. For one, I don't have an FFL. Secondly, there're a lot of great pistolsmiths already out there (Clements, Linebaugh, Bowen, Harton, Stroh, etc). It's hard to compete with established names.

 

[Lee Martin]

More updates….

Chambering the cylinder:

Depth stop:

 

[Lee Martin]

Chambering:

 

[Lee Martin]

Reaming the throats to 0.428". After hardening, they'll be honed to 0.430"

Polishing the outside of the cylinder prior to fluting:

 

[Lee Martin]

Brown & Sharpe horizontal mill with a dividing head is used to cut the flutes:

Centering the flutes with pin gauges and a level:

 

[Lee Martin]

Cutting the flutes:

 

[Lee Martin]

In the gun:

Up next is hardening…..

 

[pbslinger]

Very nice!

 

[Easy Ed]

Outstanding Lee. Very well documented. Thanks.

Ed

 

[pvtschultz]

Purdy! Sorry you didn't win the KARMA drawing Lee, they should would have looked nice on that pistola.

 

[COR]

MODERATORS...This should be a sticky!


Thanks Lee, I have no practical knowledge of these kind of things. Your posts are better than any book. Thanks for taking your time and giving us a behind the scenes look. Much appreciated!

Curt

 

[M'BOGO]

Lee,
Have you ever done long flutes, like some of the gen I Colts had? I've always thought those were the bee's knee's.

 

[Tommy Kelly]

I love it a true work of art. If I had the equipment and knowhow to work it I would never buy a gun again. This way you could build it exactly like you wanted in every detail. Awesome work.

 

[az6gun]

Thanks Lee, I know you put a lot of time into this post. I know it gives me a better insight of how things are done along with the time envolved. Makes it a little easier to lay out that cash for those conversions.

Thx, az6gun

 

[Greebe]

This is awesome Lee.

I have a metal lathe and love to see how things are produced like this. I am getting proficient, but I am still learning how do do things right.

Thanks for posting this info and pic's. I can't wait to see the finished product.

Greebe

 

[Lee Martin]

I finally heat-treated the cylinder this afternoon:

17-4 is held at 975 F for four hours then air-cooled. Rockwelled @ 41 so it came out just right. The next step is to hone the basepin hole and throats. Length wise shrinkage came it at 0.0002", so there's virtually no impact to fit.

-Lee
www.singleactions.com

 

[hutchman]

Amazing........thanks for sharing! You do some beautiful work!

 

[Aeroscout9]

Still my favorite thread, bar none... Thanks Lee.

Joe