Revolver shop project question

[Hannibal]

Just curious if anyone here has made a revolver in their home shop? Not a hand cannon of any type. Just like a .38 special or black powder pressure project. Not with caps but metallic cartridges.

Thanks in advance for looking.

[John Taylor]

I have made a few cylinders but not a frame.

[Hannibal]

I have made a few cylinders but not a frame.

Did you work off of the old cylinder or was it a plan on paper and produce project?

Reason I'm asking is I'm kicking the idea of making one for myself around but thus far I've found very little available information.

[John Taylor]

Mostly to make a percussion revolver to cartridge. ATF said I should not do it again. Also made a cylinder for an 1877 colt to 32 S&W. Worked off the original cylinder for size.

[Hannibal]

Mostly to make a percussion revolver to cartridge. ATF said I should not do it again. Also made a cylinder for an 1877 colt to 32 S&W. Worked off the original cylinder for size.

Thank you for the information. I appreciate it.

[Texas by God]

My machinist brother made a swing barrel single shot .22 pistol. Kind of a larger Colt/Butler type with a six inch barrel.
A revolver from scratch would definitely be a complicated project!


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[KenH]

You might take a look at this series of videos on building an 1880 style SA from a block of metal.

https://youtu.be/80wm9GY7IwI?si=15hWbfVwbvWFZ7If

[contender1]

It's not impossible nor anything,,, otherwise we wouldn't have all the ones we currently enjoy.

HOWEVER,, there are federal laws about such stuff, so the very first thing I'd consider would be a polite discussion with the ATF. Prevent a felony,, as you'd be "manufacturing a firearm." They have a license to buy before you can make a gun.

[georgerkahn]

Just curious if anyone here has made a revolver in their home shop? Not a hand cannon of any type. Just like a .38 special or black powder pressure project. Not with caps but metallic cartridges.

Thanks in advance for looking.

Waaaay back -- in New York City -- I recall youth drilling holes in pallets, said holes to provide a snug fit for a .22 round; holding pallet vertically, and striking .22 with a hammer. Hammers were readily found at construction sites -- oft just left there when dropped from several-level heights, and the pallets -- locals called them "skids" -- were also in abundance. I, too, recall hearing -- I never saw one of these -- about rounds cut for machine parts having holes drilled in a circle to enable their being fired -- albeit more, imho, like a gattling gun than a revolver . Not a "home shop" -- but I'd not be surprised vis ALL sorts of firearms being made out there.

[deltaenterprizes]

It's not impossible nor anything,,, otherwise we wouldn't have all the ones we currently enjoy.

HOWEVER,, there are federal laws about such stuff, so the very first thing I'd consider would be a polite discussion with the ATF. Prevent a felony,, as you'd be "manufacturing a firearm." They have a license to buy before you can make a gun.

Unless there has been a recent change by Congress you can build one firearm for your personal use
per year .
It can’t be sold but it can be passed on to your heirs.
I know that there has been a lot of alarm about “Ghost Guns” because they don’t have serial numbers but the Supreme Court ruled that you can remove the serial number from your gun.
To be safe I would put a serial number on it if for any other reason than that you can identify it if it should get stolen. And it may make ATF happy!
The big problem with the “Ghost Guns “ is that they are being sold to prohibited persons by individuals with no license to manufacture firearms.
Pre 1968 many guns did not have serial numbers.

[Hannibal]

It's not impossible nor anything,,, otherwise we wouldn't have all the ones we currently enjoy.

HOWEVER,, there are federal laws about such stuff, so the very first thing I'd consider would be a polite discussion with the ATF. Prevent a felony,, as you'd be "manufacturing a firearm." They have a license to buy before you can make a gun.

As mentioned above my understanding is that something made by yourself but later sold is when you get into trouble. Further, I don't think you're able to cross a state line with it either but I'm not certain about that.

[contender1]

I'm fully aware of the ghost guns issue & such. This is why I suggested a polite call to the ATF first. THAT'S where you get correct, up to date, legal information on what you can & can't do.
I know a few FFL 03 license holders, and they all suggest that you get legal clarification on any such ventures before trying it. Due to the ever changing state & federal laws,, and the other crap,, it's best to have it in writing, prior to doing stuff that might get you into trouble.

[super6]

I have often thought about a home made 38 special the right steel and the tooling puts it past the diminishing returns. Unless you plan to make many and sell, Just not worth the investment. Never mind the ATF.

[45workhorse]

I'm fully aware of the ghost guns issue & such. This is why I suggested a polite call to the ATF first. THAT'S where you get correct, up to date, legal information on what you can & can't do.
I know a few FFL 03 license holders, and they all suggest that you get legal clarification on any such ventures before trying it. Due to the ever changing state & federal laws,, and the other crap,, it's best to have it in writing, prior to doing stuff that might get you into trouble.

Till about the ten year mark then they change things!

[LAGS]

I would be in favor of building myself a revolver if I still had my lathe and mill.
Yes the cost is going to be great.
Mostly in your time and equipment.
I have Re Built and Modified lots of revolvers over the years.
For the most part modifications were a great improvement for what I was trying to do , like make them more compact or fit my hands better.

[GONRA]

GONRA sez - make SURE you hava "dividing head" on yer Vertical Mill"! !!

[mace2364]

Guys,

As far as federal laws(state laws vary considerably), You can build as many guns as you want for personal use. You can even sell them. What you aren’t supposed to do, is build firearms for the purpose of selling them without a license. Not that I condone such things, but I’ve even seen quite a few people get away with even doing that through the years. The term the ATF uses is “engaged in the business”. Yes, that’s a pretty vague description-intentionally so I believe but I digress. But that’s what the atf says on the matter.

You DO NOT need to contact the atf to get permission to homebuild a firearm. You only need to make sure you don’t run afoul of the existing laws(NFA stuff primarily), and whatever your state/local stuff is.

Now, if you want to go into the business of making revolvers and/or selling them, then you’ll need an ffl.

For what it’s worth, I hold an 07 FFL and I have a gunsmithing business. I’ve also been building my own firearms for sometime(although that’s really slowed down in the last few years-no one pays you to work on your own stuff).

But as of today, you can still homebuild your own firearms, as long as they would otherwise be legal to possess where you reside(and there are no applicable state or local laws about home building).

Now, if you then take your homebuild to a gunsmith some time later, he will have to put a serial number on it and log it into his bound book if it’s there overnight. That was the last “guidance” they gave us on the subject. And if/when there’s a change, they’ll have to tell the FFL holders how to deal with it.

[mace2364]

Almost forgot, if you do try to contact the ATF, they will likely not give you a straight answer. They usually just refer you to whatever the applicable regulations are and expect you to figure it out.

[Scrounge]

It's not impossible nor anything,,, otherwise we wouldn't have all the ones we currently enjoy.

HOWEVER,, there are federal laws about such stuff, so the very first thing I'd consider would be a polite discussion with the ATF. Prevent a felony,, as you'd be "manufacturing a firearm." They have a license to buy before you can make a gun.

Not unless it's changed very recently. You can make a firearm for your own use. Can't be a machine gun, can't be over .50cal unless it's a muzzle loader, and some other restrictions. Doesn't have to be serial numbered, but you're encouraged to put a serial number on it. And most important of all, you cannot sell it.

This is the current website: https://www.atf.gov/firearms/qa/does...m-personal-use