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Peacemaker Drawings

Figbash

Plastic
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Location
Michigan, USA
I want to build a model circa 1873 Colt Peacemaker but am having no luck in finding any type of dimensioned drawings and don't have access to one to measure. I know Jerry Kuhnhausen has published a book on the Colt single action revolvers, but I think that's more of a shop manual for working on them not building one. Anyone have any idea where to find such info? It would make a fun project.

Thanks,

Tom
 
What do you mean by "I want to build"? Do you want to make one from parts, or totally machine the entire gun? You would certainly have a project if you intend to machine one, but I think it would be less than fun after a little while.

There are several parts that need to be heat treated to certain levels and barrel making is a real pain. You might want to consider making a conversion cylinder for a 1851 Colt or a Remington 1858 Army as a first project. The blackpowder guns are plentiful and inexpensive compared to everything you'd need to do to build an 1873 Colt.

Give it a little thought, and keep looking for those blueprints.
 
I'm a prototype machinist by trade so building one from scratch is the challenge I'm looking for. I do have a friend who has an original Colt Navy and if I can talk him into lending it to me for a while, I may model it in CAD for use as a future project.

BTW, the Colt Peacemaker IS a black powder gun so heat treatment would only require simple case hardening. Smokeless powder didn't become practical until near the turn of the century. The cool factor of the Peacemaker is its use of metallic cartridges.

Still no luck on the drawings.

Tom
 
Kuhnhausen's books are as good a place to start as any. I haven't seen this one, but the ones on the 1911, M-1, and Carbine have a lot of dimensioned drawings in them. Not dimensioned to the point of being able to take the book to the machine and make the parts in most cases, but a whole lot better than starting blind.

If nothing else, you'll get a really good idea of how the parts work together and how they're supposed to fit.
 
I have kuhnhausen's 1911 series and they are very good. Hopefully the Colt Single Action book will be as detailed.

I did find a few blueprints on eBay, but none for the single action Colt. If anyone is interested, they had the 44 caliber Walker, the 1851 Colt Navy and several others. I don't know how accurate they were but they did contain a lot of detail.

Tom
 
I'm guessing any prints probably won't include detail measurements. You would probably need another gun to use as a template. Fwiw, I have a receiver casting along with all the other parts to make an adjustible sight, single action, flat top style revolver.
 
This site offers prints for various firearms including an 1851 Navy and the big 1847 Walker.

Welcome to Western Sky

I have the Remington Rolling Block drawings from him and I'm quite satisfied.

A mixture of modern CAD, from actual measured parts, as well as original period drawings are included.

I was a Prototype Machinist / Tool Maker for 30 years with a lot of Cad/Cam experience.
I'm pleased with the quality of the prints and I feel I could machine a fully operational rolling block action using the drawings I purchased from Western Sky.

I haven't seen the handgun drawings but I would expect them to be of as high a quality as the package I received.

I have no connection to Western Sky.

Have fun!

Tim
 
To the OP:
I visit folks in Ohio fairly often. I could bring along a Colt Bisley and disect and measure over a steak if the restaurant owner is a gun guy. Heck I'll bring it as a bag of parts. It is a 1902 build.

As to making it. As a prototype machinist, I enjoy it and never remember being given a choise on a build, you found a way to do it.
More than once I've made a part and enjoyed watching someone figure out how to get it on paper. You always help them buit you let them sweat it a little..........
Keep in touch
 
Colt Peacemaker reproduction

It would seem to me that the frame of the Colt would be the most difficult part to make even if you had the prints. So buy a functional Colt peacemaker revolver (I wouldn't recommend that it be a collector grade gun) and take it apart. :eek:

Make the repro frame as if you were making a repair part using the original frame as the model...so that all the other parts fit on it... If you find that you really can't make the frame, there is no sense in making the smaller parts. :nutter:

Then once the repro frame is functional, make the simpler reproduction parts one at a time and make sure they work in the original gun. Finally assemble them on the frame you built.

Once your project is finished, put the original Colt back together and sell it... this project will likely take you so long that the original Colt will have appreciated in value and you will make money on the deal...:typing: :cheers:
 
Tim:

I spent 23 years as a research machinist with a DOD contractor. I'm currently doing mechanical design and prototype machining for bi-research instrumentation company. It's more design than fabrication but I still manage to get my hands dirty on occasion.

Thanks for the link to Western Sky. They don't have exactly what I'm looking for but they definitely have some interesting prints. I actually have a book on the 1911 that looks like the one they offer and it is excellent. I think I'll check out some of the others, especially the rolling block.

Jabezkin:

Your offer is temping but that's a lot of measuring and sketching for over dinner. Maybe lunch AND dinner might work. ;)

Biometrics:

I have considered your option but even a Peacemaker in terrible condition still brings a healthy price. I'll have to keep my eyes open on Gunbriker and at the gun shows.

Tom
 
RustnPits said:
What do you mean by "I want to build"? Do you want to make one from parts, or totally machine the entire gun? You would certainly have a project if you intend to machine one, but I think it would be less than fun after a little while.

biometrics said:
Make the repro frame as if you were making a repair part using the original frame as the model...so that all the other parts fit on it... If you find that you really can't make the frame, there is no sense in making the smaller parts.

Is this Practical Machinist or did I step off at the wrong stop?
 
A-Pmech.........Not to worry........

figbash just sent me a PM telling how he just bought a 1873 CNC exactly like Colt used to make the original Peacemaker.
Everyone knows there is no way to make ANYTHING without a CNC.
Okay I lied about the PM..........
One of my jobs was to make prototype parts EXACTLY like the casting would look, with every radii and champher.
How do youi think Sam Colt did it??????
In another thread a guy wanted help with a hammer. Said he liked the site, very polite.
Got some help but some "experts" were handing him a line about Ruger hammers not being cast and no good gunsmith would touch it.
I don't mind other views but please. The "expert" never LOOKED at a Ruger hammer. You can see the casting lines.

And no good gunsmith would touch it???? Keith's Number 5 had a hammer made of two parts. Maybe Keith's gunsmith was a hack.....
Rant almost over.
If YOU don't have the ability to do something, don't discourage those that do. Usually, saying it can't be done means YOU don't know how. You give yourself away.......
it is the biggest tell in the world.
I just got a chunk of Titanium to build a Redhawk just to screw with another Redhawk shooters mind.
I figure figbash will finish his Peacemaker before the nasayers learn what real machining is.
Rant over
Figbash: I have a cohart in crime near Troy I will visit soon. Where you at? He is a hack too. He restored a 1948 Cessna 195, their last radial.................... Can't see how he did it....luckily he finished before someone told him he couldn't do it without a CNC!!!!!!!
Rant really over, mongo sorry, NAAAA

Next.......
 
It would seem to me that the frame of the Colt would be the most difficult part to make even if you had the prints. So buy a functional Colt peacemaker revolver (I wouldn't recommend that it be a collector grade gun) and take it apart. :eek:

Make the repro frame as if you were making a repair part using the original frame as the model...so that all the other parts fit on it... If you find that you really can't make the frame, there is no sense in making the smaller parts. :nutter:

Then once the repro frame is functional, make the simpler reproduction parts one at a time and make sure they work in the original gun. Finally assemble them on the frame you built.

Once your project is finished, put the original Colt back together and sell it... this project will likely take you so long that the original Colt will have appreciated in value and you will make money on the deal...:typing: :cheers:

I will be working on some Colt Patterson repoductions and IMHO, the frames are no that hard to make. The internals and getting them to work properly will be the biggest challenge. There will be plenty of filing and hand fitting.
 
A-Pmech.........Not to worry........

figbash just sent me a PM telling how he just bought a 1873 CNC exactly like Colt used to make the original Peacemaker.
Everyone knows there is no way to make ANYTHING without a CNC.
Okay I lied about the PM..........
One of my jobs was to make prototype parts EXACTLY like the casting would look, with every radii and champher.
How do youi think Sam Colt did it??????
In another thread a guy wanted help with a hammer. Said he liked the site, very polite.
Got some help but some "experts" were handing him a line about Ruger hammers not being cast and no good gunsmith would touch it.
I don't mind other views but please. The "expert" never LOOKED at a Ruger hammer. You can see the casting lines.

And no good gunsmith would touch it???? Keith's Number 5 had a hammer made of two parts. Maybe Keith's gunsmith was a hack.....
Rant almost over.
If YOU don't have the ability to do something, don't discourage those that do. Usually, saying it can't be done means YOU don't know how. You give yourself away.......
it is the biggest tell in the world.
I just got a chunk of Titanium to build a Redhawk just to screw with another Redhawk shooters mind.
I figure figbash will finish his Peacemaker before the nasayers learn what real machining is.
Rant over
Figbash: I have a cohart in crime near Troy I will visit soon. Where you at? He is a hack too. He restored a 1948 Cessna 195, their last radial.................... Can't see how he did it....luckily he finished before someone told him he couldn't do it without a CNC!!!!!!!
Rant really over, mongo sorry, NAAAA

Next.......

Sam Colt most like made a sand casting of the frame and then hand finished it. Today it would likely be investment cast. I've cast brass and aluminum at home but never tried steel. I don't think the neighbors would appreciate a cupola furnace in my back yard.

I have a friend who has completely restored a Stinson Reliant, I mean it's as new and has nearly finished a Hatz which he completely built from scratch. I don't know where he finds the time to devote to such a project. I'm just finishing up a complete restoration on 1972 Chevelle SS and it's taken ten years. Of course I have kids and he doesn't.

I live in Farmington Hills BTW, about 10 miles SW of Troy.

Getting back to the original point of this post, I found a new Spanish made Taurus single action revolver that looks to be a carbon copy of the Colt 1873 Army, for $300. The only difference that I could see was the logo in the grips and any engraving on it. That may be the solution to my dilemma. I could keep it long enough to generate drawings and then sell it.

Tom
 
Tom,

I did 10 years of high precision metal stamping dies and automated production tooling work before I landed a job with a big manufacturer of valves and power regulation equipment.
They had dozens of engineers and no end to the list of projects and prototypes needed.
Once I had the challenge of making prototypes I was hooked and later went on to Wire EDM and custom medical implant work.
After 30+ years in metalworking, and the loss of too many jobs to Mexico and China, I threw in the towel and now work in operations in an oil refinery.
I have a complete shop in my back yard so I still make a lot of chips.


You can also see some of the Western Sky drawing sets on eBay and maybe save some money too. That's how I got my Rolling Block plans.

Look for eBay Member id wdshpbiz

I just won some 18-3 and 17-4 SS HT 1100 off eBay that will be great to start the Rolling Block or maybe an 1885 project


Tim
 
R/E building a colt peace maker

After reading a lot of this thread I thought I would add my 2c worth. My dad was a master machinist for the great northern railroad he started back in 38 when steam was still going strong, no cnc then use a lot of good old conventional know how and head scrathing and a will to succeed. During the 60's mattel produced several cap guns that used a spring loaded cartridge along with "stickem" caps for the bang, they produced a six shooter that was a dead ringer for the colt even in size , well one day I cannot find it and being typical kid forgot about it, until my dad brought it and the pistol he made using the toy as a pattern, he fit a commercial barrel and shot 45 long colt black powder loads through it . When he brought it home it was in the rough and I was given the monumental task of doing all the finnish work , no power tools allowed! it was all done by hand so I could be taught the old way of things ,sadly when he died I never did find it in his stuff It did teach me that the modern ways and techniques are not always the answer
thanx smitty:cheers:
 
Smitty, I got one of those for Xmas, that thing was huge for a small boy. It ended up broken and thrown out, but I had one or two of the cartridges around for several yrs., they looked pretty authentic.
James
 
I still have just one of those Mattel cartridges and the plastic bullet that goes with it. A spring was the force for the bullet and range was limited. They used Greenie (sic?) Stick-em Caps on the cartridge end for the noise and were really cool.

Those Mattel pistols go for some big bucks today.

I also had a lever action rifle that had a zinc cartridge and hollow red plastic bullets and the cap actually supplied the propellant charge through a hole in the cartridge. A notch in the cartridge base held a square tear off cap from a sheet like postage stamps. You could fit 6 or 8 caps in the slot and that really perked up that plastic bullet. Sadly I left it on the back deck of the car on a summer day and it turned into a gun that shot around corners.
 








 
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