How do I unscrew the barrel from my replica 1858 Remington .44 revolver?

[Linstrum]

I have an older but unfired replica 1858 Remington revolver that I need to remove the barrel from. I checked it out for drive pins that lock the barrel from unscrewing but didn't find any, and made sure that the barrel threads are right-hand - they are visible in front of the cylinder. After checking out everything, I clamped the part of the frame where the barrel screws into it in my big vise, put a wrench on the octagon barrel, and tried unscrewing it. At about 50-foot-pounds nothing was happening, so I quit and came in the house to write this.

Any ideas? The revolver is new-unfired even though it is about 25 years old and nothing is rusted yet. I suppose if the barrel isn't pinned then it is set with Loc-Tite, which would account for its not coming loose. Loc-Tite is easy to get loose by heating to about 350°F, which is below the critical temperature for most heat-treated steels, but before I CAREFULLY take a propane torch to it, anyone have any suggestions to get it out?

I have a real nice brand new dark-blued 18.5-inch octagon carbine barrel I want to put in, which slugs at 0.443", the same as the 8-inch barrel that is in it now. I have the shoulder stock and windage-adjustable rear sights to convert my new revolver into a revolving carbine. And yes, I'm aware of getting hit in the wrist in the event of a chain-fire.

Any ideas on getting the old barrel out will be appreciated!


rl605

[Bull Schmitt]

You might try posting your question on the SCORRS (Society of Remington Revolver Shooters) forum at CAS City:

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/board,55.0.html

[Linstrum]

Hi, Bull Schmidt, thanks for the URL. I did get the barrel out after asking here at Boolits and it turned out there are folks here who know how to do the job; but if I had not had success I would have followed through by posting at the site you gave.

The initial problem was I didn't know if that particular gun manufacturer/model uses a "secret" or not readily apparent way of pinning or locking the barrel in, like some manufacturers use. After doing gunsmithing work for about 40 years I learned not to just "barge ahead" and use brute force when something doesn't disassemble like one thinks it should - it takes days or even weeks to repair damage done by not applying a little common sense first - if you are lucky! Been there, done that.


rl607

[Bull Schmitt]

Glad to hear you had success. Will the new barrel screw in now?

BTW check this site: www.scorrs.org

Bull S

[delmar]

Hi, Bull Schmidt, thanks for the URL. I did get the barrel out after asking here at Boolits and it turned out there are folks here who know how to do the job; but if I had not had success I would have followed through by posting at the site you gave.

The initial problem was I didn't know if that particular gun manufacturer/model uses a "secret" or not readily apparent way of pinning or locking the barrel in, like some manufacturers use. After doing gunsmithing work for about 40 years I learned not to just "barge ahead" and use brute force when something doesn't disassemble like one thinks it should - it takes days or even weeks to repair damage done by not applying a little common sense first - if you are lucky! Been there, done that.


rl607Sure would be interested in how the job turned out. A photo would be nice too!

[Linstrum]

Hi, delmar, I got seriously sidetracked with other projects and doing my estimated taxes. I put the revolver back together and use it for a carry pistol for the time being, it is quite accurate with the 7 inch barrel. I am currently working on a 28 gauge/.54 caliber falling block rifle.


rl660

[delmar]

Hi, delmar, I got seriously sidetracked with other projects and doing my estimated taxes. I put the revolver back together and use it for a carry pistol for the time being, it is quite accurate with the 7 inch barrel. I am currently working on a 28 gauge/.54 caliber falling block rifle.


rl660

So was there a special trick to getting the barrel off? I am looking to put a 12" barrel on a steel frame 1858. Did you ever fire yours with the 18" barrel, by the way?

[halfslow]

I was wondering this also.
Found another thread where he answered the question:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=62171

Oh yeah. The answer is heat from a torch and he used motor oil as a temperature indicator.

[Linstrum]

Hi, guys, no, I haven't fired the 18" barrel in the pistol yet. Still busy with other things.

Motor oil is a darned good temperature indicator for the range of about 350°F to 400°F since that is the range where it begins to smoke heavily. The magic thing about that temperature range is that it is hot enough to loosen up tight or rusted parts (drives the moisture out of rust and the rust shrinks, loosening its grip) parts but not hot enough to take the temper out of most carbon and high alloy steels.

I lightly heated my 1858 Remington revolver frame where the barrel screws in with a propane torch and then put some torque on it with a 24-inch Crescent wrench that I machined the jaws square and polished. If you do remove your barrel, don't stick a bar or hammer handle through the cylinder window to put torque on it since it is possible to bend the frame and ruin it. I had a wrench on one part and the other part firmly clamped in a very large and sturdy machinist's vise. There wasn't any kind of locking pin, set screw, or jam nut used for my pistol barrel, which was my main concern since some firearms use something like those to help keep the barrel from turning from "rifling torque" when the gun is fired. My barrel was a bit hard to get loose but once it started to turn it came out real slick. It has right hand theads, also. Every once-in-awhile I run across left hand theads on guns; Smith & Wesson likes to use them for some parts, like the cylinder axle on my S&W Model 19 .357 Mag Combat revolver.

Good luck!


rl663