How were Colt 1860-61 revolver barrels contoured?

[RMFnLA]

Thanks all for the insight. I once had a book about the development of metal working machines. Recall nothing from it unfortunately. I recall reading decades ago the Colt (the company) invented some machine tools. Of course Elie Whitney likely play a role in some on that. Regardless I marvel at the early Colt revolver especially the 1851 Navy, the Dragoon models and 1860 Army. The Third Model Dragoon gets first place with me.

Eli Whitney, Jr. made Colt’s Walker models.

 

[44-henry]

I suspect they'd be very annoyed at not having DROs anymore though. And no indicators until the late 1880's.

Think you guys are short changing a lot of these programs. While CNC programming/operation is a major part, they are all still taught basic manual operation.

 

[Tyler L]

Think you guys are short changing a lot of these programs. While CNC programming/operation is a major part, they are all still taught basic manual operation.

Oh I'm not talking about CNC machinists, but any modern machinist. The 19th century ways aren't too bad on a lathe, one can do good work with spring calipers and a scale/rule, but on a mill it kinda stinks. Maintaining your X/Y positions with only graduated dials and scales can be a headache.

 

[Bad Karma]

Mere speculation here, but there would have to have been a lot of grinding while being held in workmen’s hands. Very experienced contour / shapers with a practiced eye would have been necessary for that work.
The consistency and uniformity of the shaping from one gun to the next is amazing; at least on the examples I have looked at.
Collector’s: is the work as consistent as it appears to me?
It looks like it would have beee. MUCH cheaper to have stayed with octagon barrels.

And jigs… and government inspectors overseeing every step of the process with gauges to ensure uniformity. There are some excellent drawings in Paces book. The factory was modern in almost every respect except it was all driven by one giant steam engine, driveshafts and belts.

 

[M. De Land]

I would imagine a combination of forgings followed by various, drilling, boring, rifling, milling, shaping, and grinding/filing/polishing processes. I am guessing many specilized machines and jigs and fixtures were employed the same as is done today.Lot's of machine tools were used back than, it was just driven by steam or water power. Also, labor was cheaper so you there was much more hand labor employed than what we see today.

A forging most definitely to begin with as were the receivers and then mills and shapers and finally hand fitting with files and stones. The wedge slots were broached I believe.

 

[11Bravo]

Great thread, history needs to remembered as to who we owe for the advancements made. I was taught 50 years ago so CNC, DROs and the Internet didn't exist for me. All my work is old school, including dealing with back lash LOL.

 

[M. De Land]

A forging most definitely to begin with as were the receivers and then mills and shapers and finally hand fitting with files and stones. The wedge slots were broached I believe.

The parts of the guns that had to be case hardened were soft fitted by file initially and then hard fitted after heat treating with stones and emery paper. Warping is always present to one degree or an other when case hardening , even when jigged/blocked down to prevent it hence the requirement for final hard fitting .
Just about every gun part I have case hardened needed to be refit by stoning upon reassembly and even when they would go together without it I could still detect that the tolerance had changed and a small amount of warpage had occurred.

 

[bullshot]

I dug out several books on Colts C&B I had not looked at in ages. The one shown here by Wm Edwards goes into some detail regarding how the Colts C&Bs were made. In summary, "... the Root designed and Colt inspired machines took steel and carved it like soap." p 279. Book as several photos of various machines including shapers. I'm selling this book and 2 on Paterson-Walker revolvers on General Merchandise. Three treasure troves if one is hooked on C&B revolvers,

 

[ZUG]

I Googled “1860 Lathe” and got a lot of hits but not what I hoped for.
Seems that 1860 as a number is popular with modern manufacturers.
View attachment 342349

Looks like a VERY nice lathe and I bet it has a price to match it. I got an older 12" X 36" Jet and LOVE it.

 

[45D]

CAREFUL !!!!! That image shows an "end fit" arbor!!!! Yikes!!!

Mike

 

[J.B. Arthur]

I dug out several books on Colts C&B I had not looked at in ages. The one shown here by Wm Edwards goes into some detail regarding how the Colts C&Bs were made. In summary, "... the Root designed and Colt inspired machines took steel and carved it like soap." p 279. Book as several photos of various machines including shapers. I'm selling this book and 2 on Paterson-Walker revolvers on General Merchandise. Three treasure troves if one is hooked on C&B revolvers,View attachment 347254View attachment 347255View attachment 347256

I admit I don't have the first clue what yall are saying nor some ( ok ya got me all of the termilogy yall are using) but seeing these photos of some of the old machinery to make our beloved Colts I find highly fascinating. Bullshot, thank you for posting what ya did of this book. I love history anyway but nice to see photos and descriptions always helps me soak the info in better. Nice thread yall got going on here.

 

[bullshot]

I admit I don't have the first clue what yall are saying nor some ( ok ya got me all of the termilogy yall are using) but seeing these photos of some of the old machinery to make our beloved Colts I find highly fascinating. Bullshot, thank you for posting what ya did of this book. I love history anyway but nice to see photos and descriptions always helps me soak the info in better. Nice thread yall got going on here.

I reduced the price on the 3 books to $75 plus $20 shipping.