New to me SBH, ??

[Hylander]

So I'm picking up a 1977 SBH.
I have the Brownells 11 degree cutter for the FC, or should I just lap the FC it has?
Will be shooting cast loads only.
I have pin gauges on the way to check the throats. I need the check to BC gap as well.
Crown looks good.
Am I missing anything?

 

[Bad Barlow]

So I'm picking up a used SBH.
I have the Brownells 11 degree cutter for the FC, or should I just lap the FC it has?
Will be shooting cast loads only.
I have pin gauges on the way to check the throats. I need the check to BC gap as well.
Crown looks good.
Am I missing anything?

Definitely shoot it for accuracy before you do anything, it may not require any tinkering. And then if you do work on it, you'll have a baseline for comparison.

 

[contender]

I fully agree with bad barlow. Shoot it BEFORE doing ANY tinkering.
I just spoke with a guy yesterday who recently bought his first SBH. He said it shot like a laser.

 

[Cyrus]

Great advice above. You also might not need to lap the FC if it's already smooth. Do you also have the plug gauge for seeing if the forcing cone is ok as is? In 2003, I brought my NM SBH to Bowen's gunsmithing class in Troy NC. We checked it over and as much as I wanted to do things, I wound up only needing to do an action job and tweaking the barrel a few degrees to TDC.

 

[Hylander]

Great advice above. You also might not need to lap the FC if it's already smooth. Do you also have the plug gauge for seeing if the forcing cone is ok as is? In 2003, I brought my NM SBH to Bowen's gunsmithing class in Troy NC. We checked it over and as much as I wanted to do things, I wound up only needing to do an action job and tweaking the barrel a few degrees to TDC.

I do not have a plug gauge.

 

[contender]

I would NOT cut a forcing cone without having the plug gauge to check it.

 

[Hylander]

Chamber throats are .4315 - .432 measured with Z- pin gauges.
BC gap is .005

 

[contender]

I'd be loading up some cast bullets & trying that puppy out!

 

[Hylander]

I'd be loading up some cast bullets & trying that puppy out!

I'm going to cast some Keith 240gr .431 today.
I'll lube some at the .431 and powder coat some so I can get the size up to .432

 

[Hylander]

I lapped the forcing cone today.
It was kinda rough, but smooth now.
Also tore the whole thing down for clean and lube and did a quick trigger job, was #5 + pounds and creep, now #3.25 and just a hint of creep.
So far everything on this revolver is looking great.

 

[contender]

With those cast & PCed bullets,, I'll bet it's a serious shooter!

 

[Hylander]

With those cast & PCed bullets,, I'll bet it's a serious shooter!

At .431 lubed i hope they shoot fine.
I need a .432 size die before I powder coat any, as they will be .433 or bigger.