NRA Pistol goes Kaboom! (Revisited)

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

Remember this?

 

 

This is all that is left of my NRA Centennial Colt after it went KABOOM! thanks to a reloading error on my part.  It was a very distressing development.  I had pretty much given up on ever replacing it because these pistols have gotten more expensive of late.  

But then, I found this....



Not only did I find another one at my LGS, instead of $2500 plus, this one was $1700.   Still more than I paid for my original, but still reasonable.  And, I have replaced a gun I really liked having that I never thought would be replaced.   So, I feel good.

Yes, the grips are that much darker than the older one.  It's not just that there was less light outside when I took the pic.  

Oh, by the way, it's got a 2 digit serial number.  Well, 2 after the NRA prefix as opposed to the 4 digit one on my old one.

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263]

Nice find.  If you still have the damaged one, you could try switching out the grips.  May not be a perfect fit, but probably pretty close.  Even better, try switching out the grip frame; that should be an even better fit and no need to mess with the grips.

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

H.K.

 

Looking at the one you "kaboom'd," it may well be repairable.  I suggest gifing a call to Allan Harton in Texas for the frame, and if the frame can be repaired, replace the cylinder.  Just a thought.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

11 hours ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

 

H.K.

 

Looking at the one you "kaboom'd," it may well be repairable.  I suggest gifing a call to Allan Harton in Texas for the frame, and if the frame can be repaired, replace the cylinder.  Just a thought.

 

You know, I have wondered about that.  Interestingly, there is a local gunsmith here that I have used for far simpler things in the past.  I was recently looking up his website to refer a friend to him, and there was a testimonial from someone who said he straightened a frame on a pistol.  Maybe I'll take it by and see if he can do anything with it.

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

In my Sordid Gunplumbing past, were that item to arrive on my counter (I had a real small counter) I would certainly take a crack at it.  The cylinder, no way.  It's a pencil holder.  Just take the Busing out of the cylinder as a spare and source a new cylinder.  Although I would be inclined to use the Cylinder w/Bushing to check the dimension of the repaired window.  Well worth a shot (Pun intended)

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

Well, Colorado, it seems you were right.

Behold!



The "kaboomed" pistol is no longer kaboomed!   It has been repaired, and test fired by the gunsmith who repaired it, so it is again fully functional.  (Interesting side effect, I now have a "matched pair" of these.)

Anyway, the cylinder is a Kirst Second Generation one.  I rather annoyingly could not find a Colt cylinder pin, so this one got a Uberti pin, which fit right in.

Anyway, Sergey at Rustblue Gunsmithing was able to repair this gun, and I must sing his praises.  I really thought it was damaged beyond repair.  Never have I been so happy to be so wrong.  He was able to straighten the frame, and do the minor fitting of the cylinder and timing adjustments to get it all to work.    He's done more than a little work for me over the years, and this is probably one of the most impressive things he has done.  He's located on Natick, Massachusettsm and I think he does impressive work. 

I promised him I would sing his praises here on the Wire, and plug his website, so here goes...

https://rustbluing.com/

Now, I have done so.   Especially for all of us here in New England, he is worth knowing about.

[Eyesa Horg]

Mist impressive repair. Congratulations H.K.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

10 minutes ago, Eyesa Horg said:

Mist impressive repair. Congratulations H.K.

Thanks.   I am quite pleased with the work.

[Eyesa Horg]

Rustbluing needs to add a picture of your revolver to his page. Amazing that that was repairable! 

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

30 minutes ago, Eyesa Horg said:

Rustbluing needs to add a picture of your revolver to his page. Amazing that that was repairable! 

Needs the before and after

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

1 hour ago, Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L said:

Needs the before and after

I sent Sergey permission to post and sent the before and after pics to him.

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

H. K. 

Your local guy did a marvelous job.  Too Cool you betcha.  Congratulations for the repair and also congratulations for now having a matching PAIR!!

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

5 hours ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

 

H. K. 

Your local guy did a marvelous job.  Too Cool you betcha.  Congratulations for the repair and also congratulations for now having a matching PAIR!!

This is by far the most "complex" thing he has done for me.   Other work has been more run of the mill work like fixing the timing on things, action jobs, "regular" repair work of the type you expect on old guns like ours, and the like.  He also converted a .32 Rimfire Rolling Block to .32 S&W for me.  He's even done some wood work for me, such as the pistol grip stock on my 86 Mare's Leg, and recreating a front stock for my Rolling Block pistol, and the fitting of a full shoulder stock onto my Mann device.    He really can do a lot of general gunsmith work.  

I've never used him for any "restoration" work, but considering how good of a job he has done for me on all this other stuff, I may consider it.  I have a 94 Marlin that I've talked about here on the Wire that had it's finish scrubbed off by a previous owner.   I am toying with the idea of having him refinish the gun instead of going to Turnbull, IF I decide to have it done.

I guess the highest praise I can give him is that he seems to be every bit as competent at fixing things as Happy Trails was before he retired.

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329]

And.....You scored a coupla bottles of Trail Boss!!!