navy .36

[dsuursoo]

okay, i've got a navy .36 cap and ball.

somewhere... it got packed away a while back, as it needed a fair bit of work. new nipples, etc.

but my question is: there's bump inside the rifling, in the bore. it's under the front sight. i figure, while that was getting bored/tapped, it was done too far, and distorted the bore just a hair.

now, i look at that and i think it's distoring the ball as it leaves, ruining accuracy. i never shot the gun a great deal(maybe 50 rounds, all told. the nipples were lousy and ruined the gun's reliability. misfires and hangfires were the order of the day).

any thoughts on the effect this will have? i'm fairly certain it's an italian make, but i'd have to find it to be sure.

i'd like to remedy this without getting a new barrel, but if i had to, where could i go?

 

[crockett]

Well, that's a hard one. The bore could be recut, that's one option- probably it will cost more than the value of the gun. Maybe you could shorten the barrel but the reloading lever would also have to be shortened- if you could cut and re-weld the loading lever, that might work- If you don't weld, you could probably get a welder to do it for you for $10.00 provided you make a jig, cut the parts, and have everything set up for him.
BTW, if you do shorten the barrel, don't put that awful brass bead sight back on. I've seen a few originals that have a dovetail sight put on, that's a big improvement, especially if the gun is shooting high.

 

[dsuursoo]

i can weld, but i dunno if it'd be worth the trouble.

the bit's not huge by any means, it's noticable but hardly prominent... wonder how much effect it's actually having?

where might i obtain a replacement? i look around, but i've not found many parts places yet.

 

[crockett]

Try Dixie Gun Works for parts

 

[dsuursoo]

thanks!

 

[dsuursoo]

okay, actually came across it. hm. viewing it now, that defect/burr is a lot smaller than i recall. i'll see if i can get a picture posted to get opinions.

 

[Zonie]

IMO, unless the bump was very large I wouldn't think it would have much if any effect on accuracy.

The soft lead ball has enough on its mind already as it accelerates down the bore so by the time it gets to the lump it should just plow on thru without noticing it.
The lump might end up with some lead deposits on it that would need to be cleaned off every time you clean the gun but beyond that minor annoyance I would just live with it.

If it got to bothering me so I couldn't get to sleep at night I might buy a very fine toothed round jewelers file and lightly file the bump down so it matched the rest of the bore.

 

[dsuursoo]

well, the real thing that bugs me is that the bump is on both a land and a groove in rifling. it's not a sharp burr... more of just a gentle raising.

i'm gonna take it to a gunsmith nearby, ask him what he thinks.

here's hoping i don't need a new barrel(i paid maybe 75 bucks for it, used, from a sporting goods shop in oregon back in 2001. new barrels run about $115. oy.

it's a euroarms, serial number in the 5000's, made in italy. good fit and finish, overall. polish the brass up and it's actually a real looker.

 

[R.M.]

I think myself, I'd be lapping the bulge out. I'd try putting lapping paste just on the area that the bilge is, and only work the short length of the barrel where it's needed.

 

[dsuursoo]

well, that's the bump. what do you guys think?

i have a larger version available, but don't want to hijack the page.

 

[mykeal]

How's this?

I think lapping compound isn't going to do much to that bump. You'll be 'lapping' for a month. And it does seem to me that a disturbance like that at the muzzle must affect accuracy.

Maybe you can get a Dremel with an ball-shaped engraving bit on it to cut it down some, but IMHO that barrel's a goner.

 

[Mike Brooks]

A little work with a needle file and that bump is gone!

 

[Tinker2]

I am with the fix it guys, a few good needle files and it gone.

It may shoot good as is? I have had ones like that that did.

Fix it, shoot it, then replace it if needed.



Tinker2

 

[dsuursoo]

i'm thinking it might be fixable, but i can't recall if i've had any attempts made(i do recall taking it to the local gunsmith in alaska, but i forget his answer).

my big worry is that it'll somehow put backspin on a roundball and it'll start throwing high.

but my instincts say that it'll distort the ball ever so slightly and induce a wobble. it might not be apparent with a ball, but i've a feeling a conical will tumble.

just hesitant to drop almost 120 for a new barrel from dixie gun works. but, i don't know of anywhere else that has a better price.

 

[Cmabie]

I had a Navy Colt replica where the front sight hole was drilled all the way through. It was one of the first replicas made. It did not affect the accuracey as it shot right into the center of the tsarget ar 20 yards. The hammer spring dragged on the inside of the grips which caused it to slow enough to cause the caps to blow off the nipples. Removing a little wood inside the gripd solved the probelm.

 

[dsuursoo]

I had a Navy Colt replica where the front sight hole was drilled all the way through. It was one of the first replicas made. It did not affect the accuracey as it shot right into the center of the tsarget ar 20 yards. The hammer spring dragged on the inside of the grips which caused it to slow enough to cause the caps to blow off the nipples. Removing a little wood inside the gripd solved the probelm.

that's actually kind of reassuring to hear. i've wondered if i shouldn't just have the hole bored out by a smith, and the edges lapped smooth. i imagine i'll have to get some powder, balls, and caps and take it out to the range and test it. i spent some time giving it a serious scrubdown, and working over the nipples, and they actually seem to have about the same hole diameter(i always thought a few were smaller or blocked or poorly done), so if the nipples all hold number 11s, then that's 20 bucks less i need to spend on it.

when i shot it after getting it, i was so frustrated by reliablility issues and hang-firing that i cleaned it(but apparently not as well as i should have), stored it, and called it a problem for the future.

a shame, because i probably should have had it worked on, gotten it running well, as i've heard these .36 pistols are terrific rabbit guns.

 

[mykeal]

i've wondered if i shouldn't just have the hole bored out by a smith, and the edges lapped smooth.

I like it. A ported barrel. Should work just fine.

 

[dsuursoo]

well, if i take the front sight off...

you know... that's not a bad idea... the sights on those 1851s were pretty minimal anyways.

 

[bingo1952]

My thoughts exactly. It may take 15 minutes at the most. It sort of looks like that barrel was rifled from the muzzle rather than the breech end to me. There other defects that are visible also.

 

[brubincam]

-----why couldn't it be conned ?-----