150 yr. old "Outlaw Mule"

[hrt4me]

It's the name of the service it got. The frame was drilled for a coil and pushrod hand spring, trigger and bolt springs are coil-torsion springs. A bolt block and action stop, along with an action shield, are installed. It's about as up to date as you can get inside. Thanks for asking!

Mike

Did you do that work, Mike?

 

[45D]

Did you do that work, Mike?

Oh absolutely!! That's what I do!

The "Rented Mule" is a tune of the flat springs along with the "other stuff" including a cap post. The customer decided to not have the cap post installed but wanted the action shield to keep fragments/ fouling out of the action.

The "Outlaw Mule" is the conversion of the flats to coils ( except the main) plus all the other goodies. It's also 95 % the most chosen service.

Here's what an "OM" looks like inside.

Thanks for asking!!

Mike

 

[hrt4me]

Oh absolutely!! That's what I do!

The "Rented Mule" is a tune of the flat springs along with the "other stuff" including a cap post. The customer decided to not have the cap post installed but wanted the action shield to keep fragments/ fouling out of the action.

The "Outlaw Mule" is the conversion of the flats to coils ( except the main) plus all the other goodies. It's also 95 % the most chosen service.

Here's what an "OM" looks like inside.

View attachment 199248

Thanks for asking!!

Mike

@45D, the reason I ask is because I also have an original Colt 1851 Navy which I wanted to shoot... I got a contemporary conversion cylinder fitted and installed in conjunction with an appropriately-sized barrel liner, but the action still needs a bit of help...

 

[shorthair]

Turnbull completely redid an unmentionable levergun for a co worker of mine . Absolutely stunning job, but the cost was also stunning.

Yes Doug does absolutely amazing work.

 

[45D]

@45D, the reason I ask is because I also have an original Colt 1851 Navy which I wanted to shoot... I got a contemporary conversion cylinder fitted and installed in conjunction with an appropriately-sized barrel liner, but the action still needs a bit of help...
View attachment 199254
View attachment 199255
View attachment 199256
View attachment 199257

Understand. This particular one has a "new" cyl ( he acquired and sent)
with it as well. Customer hoped to have both cyls work and they do. Both are cap cyls.

Yours would possibly be a little easier since it would be a dedicated setup. Does yours have replacement parts or originals?

Mike

 

[user 48702]

Oh absolutely!! That's what I do!

The "Rented Mule" is a tune of the flat springs along with the "other stuff" including a cap post. The customer decided to not have the cap post installed but wanted the action shield to keep fragments/ fouling out of the action.

The "Outlaw Mule" is the conversion of the flats to coils ( except the main) plus all the other goodies. It's also 95 % the most chosen service.

Here's what an "OM" looks like inside.

View attachment 199248

Thanks for asking!!

Mike

Mike:

I've followed many of your post, and you do outstanding work, thanks for what you do and all the advice. I tinker around with a few revolvers from time to time, both percussion as well as SAAs. Can't tell you how many gallon baggies of disassembled revolvers I have bought or traded out on, where the owner tore down, but couldn't reassemble into a working firearm.

 

[45D]

Mike:

I've followed many of your post, and you do outstanding work, thanks for what you do and all the advice. I tinker around with a few revolvers from time to time, both percussion as well as SAAs. Can't tell you how many gallon baggies of disassembled revolvers I have bought or traded out on, where the owner tore down, but couldn't reassemble into a working firearm.

Thanks so much Gunny5821, I truly appreciate your words very much! I don't mind helping folks because that's exactly how I ended up doing what I've been doing for 10 + yrs!! Someone took the time to answer a question I had asked in a forum and it's been a driving hunger and passion since then! That man's name is Jim Martin, the most knowledgeable tuner alive today! He walked me through all the " how to's" , "why not's and "what if's" I could and couldn't think of . . . !!! Needless to say it has allowed me develop my own action setup that can mimic the feel and sound of a finely tuned SAA Colt but with coil springs for longevity. With many CAS State Championships won with revolvers set up by me, as well as hundreds of satisfied customers with multiple revolvers, I'm truly grateful to Mr. Martin for spending the time to impart the knowledge needed to do just that!!

Mike

 

[hrt4me]

Understand. This particular one has a "new" cyl ( he acquired and sent)
with it as well. Customer hoped to have both cyls work and they do. Both are cap cyls.

Yours would possibly be a little easier since it would be a dedicated setup. Does yours have replacement parts or originals?

Mike

mine has predominantly original parts, except for two or three which apparently had to be replaced (the wedge being one of those; another part was supposed to have been the hand, but I think the issue with the replacement hand is the original hammer has a different-sized hole for the original hand)

ideally I also would have wanted both cylinders to work...

 

[jimhallam]

Unless Turnbull alters the original serial number the serial number would still be the original serial number which Winchester issued to that particular M1897.

As a Brit I am unsure of Federal regs, but is it not an offence (offense!) to alter a serial # ? I suppose that if the firearm was made before 1st Jan 1899 then it is NOT a "firearm" anyway ?

As a one time "folkie" who knew Peggy Seeger (bought her spare long neck Vega banjo -- Vega being one of the few good things that came out of Boston ;-) ---
I would agree with Nick_1 about ensuring that an instrument is playable without altering its visual aspect, but as a competetive shooter who wrote the British Regs for the "Historic Arms Meetings" I would be concerned that someone might be taking an unfair advantage using a bundhook which looked "period" but had been "fettled".

 

[Rawhide67]

I don't think Turnbull changes serial numbers, but he does have appropriate tools to retamp numbers and letters as well as roll stamps that duplicate some factory guns. I believe some of the stamps are factory.

Changing serial numbers may even be legal with the right license from the feds. I'm sure he's doing everything by the books.

 

[hrt4me]

As a Brit I am unsure of Federal regs, but is it not an offence (offense!) to alter a serial # ? I suppose that if the firearm was made before 1st Jan 1899 then it is NOT a "firearm" anyway ?

As a one time "folkie" who knew Peggy Seeger (bought her spare long neck Vega banjo -- Vega being one of the few good things that came out of Boston ;-) ---
I would agree with Nick_1 about ensuring that an instrument is playable without altering its visual aspect, but as a competetive shooter who wrote the British Regs for the "Historic Arms Meetings" I would be concerned that someone might be taking an unfair advantage using a bundhook which looked "period" but had been "fettled".

interesting, only because I have been listening to her classic song "I'm gonna be an engineer" lately

 

[45D]

Here's some "parts and pieces" you don't see every day.
The end of the arbor of an original belt pistol.

The wide capping groove.

The wide hammer roll doesn't have chamfered sides.

Mike

 

[Robby]

Is what appears to be peening on the end of the shaft a natural occurrence from use or possibly a final fitting at the colt factory?

I sure don't know how they did things back then.
Robby

 

[45D]

Is what appears to be peening on the end of the shaft a natural occurrence from use or possibly a final fitting at the colt factory?

I sure don't know how they did things back then.
Robby

It's probably a contact "patch" that is partially peened because of being shot with the wedge not fully seated.
I did drop a .004" bushing shim in the arbor hole to check for contact and sure enough, the barrel lug didn't meet the frame.

Mike

 

[45D]

mine has predominantly original parts, except for two or three which apparently had to be replaced (the wedge being one of those; another part was supposed to have been the hand, but I think the issue with the replacement hand is the original hammer has a different-sized hole for the original hand)

ideally I also would have wanted both cylinders to work...

Well that sounds somewhat promising. If you still have the original hand, it can be stretched as needed and of course the pin would fit the hole in the hammer. But, I would set it up as a permanent conversion since the recoil shield has already been relieved. The trigger sear needs to be stretched as well on reproductions to gain a longer cycle so "perfect" timing can be obtained. I don't know if that would be the case with an original.

Mike

 

[Pierre009]

isn't it bad to refinish antiques and ruin the patina???

Yes...unless they are already ruined...

 

[45D]

Yes...unless they are already ruined...

Or a barrel bad enough to need a liner.

 

[hrt4me]

Well that sounds somewhat promising. If you still have the original hand, it can be stretched as needed and of course the pin would fit the hole in the hammer. But, I would set it up as a permanent conversion since the recoil shield has already been relieved. The trigger sear needs to be stretched as well on reproductions to gain a longer cycle so "perfect" timing can be obtained. I don't know if that would be the case with an original.

Mike

what would you charge for this work?

I do have all the original parts, including the original black powder cylinder...

 

[45D]

what would you charge for this work?

I do have all the original parts, including the original black powder cylinder...

Well honestly, I do an extensive tuning service so if both cyls are available, I can check the viability of making it a true "convertible".
Considering it will be a shooter, I would definitely go with the Outlaw Mule service. It's $225.00 . The Rented Mule is $200.00.

Mike

 

[Boston Bill]

what would you charge for this work?

I do have all the original parts, including the original black powder cylinder...

Go for the works. He does great work. You won't regret it!