Big bore ?

[RalphH]

Greetings, Gentlemen,

My .600 Gillon project is complete. Took a little while to arrive at a good load that was satisfying to me and "Thumper". I started with Elephant ffg. Full case(43 gr) only gave 450 fps velocity. Not fast enough. Changed to Goex fffg. Worked up to full case(43 gr). Gave 680 fps. Wow! By George, now we are cooking. Shot 15 rounds. Cylinder rotation got too stiff from fouling to rotate without help. Also latch screw is starting to bend, loosening frame lockup slightly.

After cleaning revolver and straightening latch screw, I ran out and bought a can of Pinnacle fffg to try. I compressed 45 gr in cartridge. Shot 20 rounds for average of 600 fps. Still has a pretty hefty recoil with lots of fire and smoke. A BIG NASTY for it's day. Latch loosened ever so slightly. I have settled on this loading, and will make a new latch screw from 4140. Should take care of that problem.

A word on my experience with Pinnacle. It is a very coarse powder. fffg looks like ffg black. Doesn't have the power of fffg black, which in my case is what I wanted. It doesn't foul like black. After 20 rounds, the cylinder turned just as free as before I started. I could look through the bore and see the rifling. It leaves a smooth waxy coating in the bore. Manufacturer claims no black powder lube is required. I believe them. Clean up is very easy using Hoppe's #9+. Don't need to worry about what soot blows into the action. I sprayed a little WD-40 into it. Blew it out with air, and lubed with Ballistol. One word on cases. I made the mistake of putting the cases in the tumbler without prior cleaning. The tumbling media stuck to the waxy substance and made a mess. Had to wash the cases in hot soapy water, then solvent, before putting them back in tumbler. Carry a jar of detergent water with you when you shoot, and drop the fired cases into it immediately. When you get home just rinse, dry, and tumble.

My eyes have been giving me trouble, and my new spectacles aren't in yet, so I shot this target at 30 feet, two handed, double action. 20 rounds fired. I am satisfied that it would do the job it was designed for. Long live the oldies. P.S. I did have to install a higher front sight. With the original, Thumper shot 16" high at 30'. Now, on to the next project.

[Dale53]

I am IMPRESSED! Highly interesting revolver. Firing a few of those should surely get your attention. I wouldn't think that you would have to shoot anything twice with this...

Dale53

[redneckdan]

what caliber do you make the cases from? looks to big to be ought-six

[JSH]

Ralph, that is a neat rig! Very interesting, what is the parent case?
Jeff

[RalphH]

Can be 577 NE or 24 gage brass shotshell. In this case it is 24 gage for more case capacity. Balloon head case.

[44man]

Holy smokes, is there room for powder?

[BOOM BOOM]

hI.
Now there is a pistol I'd love to shoot at least 1x.
A real piece of history.

[Swagerman]

Looks like a mighty interesting piece of shooting history there, wish it were mine.

Also, would make a dandy CCW revovlver in a back-pak holster...incase one runs into a Grizzly...probably a tad too heavy in a side hip mount holster.

Jim

[redneckdan]

to top that one, I think you'd have to chamber a revolver in 20 gauge and shoot slugges.

[Bret4207]

HOLY CRAP!!! A 455 Webley on steroids! Very,very cool. Getcherself a pith helmet and a swagger stick and head for the range man.

[lar45]

Sir Ralph, now that is a very interesting piece. I wish I could find one, been looking for awhile now. Where did you find it???

I too have a BIG BORE, but mine only holds 2 rounds.

70 cal pinfire. I wish it was a center fire.
Cases are made from turned down 50 BMGs or 16 ga brass.

Here is a case next to a .475 Linebaugh long x 1.6"

[RalphH]

Greetings, lar45,

I constantly search the internet for these early, large caliber, centerfire revolvers. I have a very nice collection, and shoot them all. I found this one on Gunbroker. Bought it last year, and cost me over $ 3000.00, but I've had that much fun with it. The fellows I bought it from had another one just like it that sold for a little over $ 2000.00 on auction in the middle of March this year. Too bad you were not watching. Keep an eye on the auction, as another could possibly surface in the future.

More complete review of the "Thumper" project:
http://www.gunboards.com/forums/topi...OPIC_ID=141043

Your .700 double is really a BIG bore. Who was the maker? Is the bore rifled? What are you using for projectiles? Fill me in on the particulars. I am very interested in what others are doing with these old guns. Nice SxS.

[9.3X62AL]

A year or so ago, an old New Service in 455 Colt became available via one of the gunsmith/dealer members at the range Buckshot and I infest. I gave some thought to grabbing that old critter and putting together some ammo for the beast, but thought of my friends' reactions to 275 grain .456" boolits going 700 FPS gave me a little pause. I see that I was being entirely over-sensitive in this regard.

[Bucks Owin]

A year or so ago, an old New Service in 455 Colt became available via one of the gunsmith/dealer members at the range Buckshot and I infest. I gave some thought to grabbing that old critter and putting together some ammo for the beast, but thought of my friends' reactions to 275 grain .456" boolits going 700 FPS gave me a little pause. I see that I was being entirely over-sensitive in this regard.

Haven't heard of that cartridge in awhile! I once found an unfired .455 Colt cartridge in an old abandoned trapper's shack up in B.C.....

Dennis

(Found a copper case .56/50 Spencer rimfire one time too! Same circumstances...)

[9.3X62AL]

Yeah, I nearly jumped on one of a couple really decent New Service 45 Colts at the Reno Show last month, but held off. There might be an outboard motor I can't live without in the near future, and I don't want to create a premature embargo condition through rash acquisitions.

[BOOM BOOM]

Good Gosh Man!
Where Are Your Priorities!