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How do you remove your Colt SAA Barrel


Dungannon Gunner

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On the rare occasion when you must remove and remount the barrel, what tool do you use?

The SAA specific vise with bushing seems very expensive. I have used vise grips with leather protection

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The SAA specific vise with bushing seems very expensive. I have used vise grips with leather protection

Gunner, it appears to me you have answered your own question not wanting to spend the $90 for a revolver frame & barrel wrench

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On the rare occasion when you must remove and remount the barrel, what tool do you use?

The SAA specific vise with bushing seems very expensive. I have used vise grips with leather protection

Why????

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Gunner, Ive had Colt SA's since I was old enough to hold one. First my granddad's and then the few I bought. Ive never had an occasion where I thought I had to remove the barrel. Why do you think you have to take the barrel off? No offense intended here, Im just curious.

Tascosa

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By all means send it to a competent Gunsmith, not a kitchen table gunsmith with a Dremel tool. I have had people to bring me Colt Single Actions who attempted to remove the barrels resulting in damage to the barrel which had to be replaced. The worst one I have seen was the person used a slimed down ax handle to remove the frame. The end result was he twisted the frame to the point the frame was damaged beyond repair........

 

 

 

Goatneck

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I have never had that urge, the only reason I can think of to remove the barrel would be if the sights were way off, and I still even though I know how to do it wouldn't do it myself

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On the rare occasion when you must remove and remount the barrel, what tool do you use?

The SAA specific vise with bushing seems very expensive. I have used vise grips with leather protection

Use the CORRECT tool for the job. That's the difference between a real 'gunsmith', and just a parts changer ;)

It's way cheaper than a new Colt bbl or frame.......

BTW-X2 on sending it to Colt.

LG

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Use the CORRECT tool for the job. That's the difference between a real 'gunsmith', and just a parts changer ;)

It's way cheaper than a new Colt bbl or frame.......

BTW-X2 on sending it to Colt.

LG

What Lumpy says

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I've read articles that showed how to turn a barrel to adjust the sights.

The barrel is held in hardwood blocks inletted to hold the barrel, covered with rosin, in a vice. A wooden handle, looking like not much more than a slightly trimmed 2X2 is inserted into the frame and used to screw or unscrew the frame as needed.

BTW, the "How It's Made" at the Uberti factory shows this very method used to screw the barrel into the frame.

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I've read articles that showed how to turn a barrel to adjust the sights.

The barrel is held in hardwood blocks inletted to hold the barrel, covered with rosin, in a vice. A wooden handle, looking like not much more than a slightly trimmed 2X2 is inserted into the frame and used to screw or unscrew the frame as needed.

BTW, the "How It's Made" at the Uberti factory shows this very method used to screw the barrel into the frame.

There are dedicated bbl vise/clamps for this operation. They do not mar the bbl.

Wood blocks will slip/scratch and may break the front sight off.

Most of the time, it's allot more that just turning the bbl when a SSA windage is off. That's because the frame was not bored on C/L for the bbl. Or the bbl thread is off C/L.

LG

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On the rare occasion when you must remove and remount the barrel, what tool do you use?The SAA specific vise with bushing seems very expensive. I have used vise grips with leather protection

Bench vice and a long handle pipe wrench should remove the barrel.

 

Understand the gun's resale value will drop a bit.

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Folks ask me all the time, "what's it take to become a gunsmith."

 

Books, tools and schools certainly help. But, the real path is a series of very expensive mistakes you hope to never repeat!!!!

 

If you aren't willing to at least buy the right tools then you are well on your way toward paying for an expensive lesson.

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I've read articles that showed how to turn a barrel to adjust the sights.

The barrel is held in hardwood blocks inletted to hold the barrel,

covered with rosin, in a vice. A wooden handle, looking like not much

more than a slightly trimmed 2X2 is inserted into the frame and used to

screw or unscrew the frame as needed.

BTW, the "How It's Made" at the Uberti factory shows this very method used to screw the barrel into the frame.

Howdy

 

 

First off, are we talking about a Colt or a replica? The barrel threads are not the same. First and Second Gen Colt barrel threads are tapered, like a pipe thread. Just like a pipe, the threads start to tighten up quite a bit before the final fit is achieved.

 

Third Gen Colts and replicas have non-tapered threads. That's why the guy in the Uberti video can spin the barrel all the way in and snug it up just a bit at the end. You cannot do that with a 1st or 2nd Gen Colt.

 

The bit about sticking a piece of wood into the frame of a SAA for leverage is an excellent way to spring the frame. That's why the proper tools cost so much.

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Barrel vice and a frame wrench. But, unless there has been some catistrophic damage to the barrel, i can't think of a good reason for the average shooter to remove a SAA barrel,

Windage correction by minutely turning a barrel is very common. A miss-drilled frame, or badly threaded barrel?? Nah. Sorta like hens teeth.

 

Coffinmaker

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Changing barrel lengths would be one reason for removing a barrel... (Wish I had a pair of Merwin-Hulberts!)

Swapping out barrel and cylinder to change the caliber you shoot, could be another.

 

Personally, I just bought guns with different barrel lengths and different calibers :D:lol:

 

always looking for just one more.....

:wub:

Duc

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Well I found a nickeled .44 special Buntline barrel in .44 spcl that is now on a New Frontier, I also replaced the barrel on a Colt Winchester commerative from a .44-40 to a 4.75 .44 spcl and I haven't yet but I want to switch the 7.5 inch off another New Frontier and replace it with a regular 7.5, while also looking for a source that has the old rear ladder sights for the buntline. I also had my son's .22 New Frontier replaced when I found a again nickeled plated Wyatt Earp buntline barrel and the case for it at Spagenburg's for $100. SWo njow we have a matched set of .22 + .44 Colt Frontiers with 12" Barrels! And that's why you might want to change barrels.

 

Nimble Fingers (who has lots of barrels for future .44 spcls!)

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Gunner, Ive had Colt SA's since I was old enough to hold one. First my granddad's and then the few I bought. Ive never had an occasion where I thought I had to remove the barrel. Why do you think you have to take the barrel off? No offense intended here, Im just curious.

Tascosa

 

Stupid mistake. I used a rifle brush. When removing, the brush threads pulled out of the brush sleeve. I could not remove the cylinder because the brush was half way in the barrel and half way in the cylinder. I removed the barrel, removed the brush and reassembled.

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