# 45 Sheriff?



## Sharps40 (Mar 23, 2016)

Another one in the works.  Was looking to come up with one in 45 that had no ejection.  Just a good beat around and woods gun.  Grabbed up a nice 45 convertible Blackhawk.  So far its coming along and the initial test shooting with the bulk of the hard work done and I love it as a single handed shooter.  So far I've test fired with 45 ACP, 45 ACP +P and light and heavy loads in 45 colt.  Will have to try out some 45 Super.  What I really wanted was a 45 auto revolver and this one happened to come with the colt cylinder to.  Perhaps I can also set it up with some long shell shot loads in the 45 colt cylinder and have a 5 cartridge convertible.  I think it'll be a keeper....already shortened the mernikle crossdraw holster for the 2 7/8" barrel.  A good bit more work to do but its coming along nicely.

List of work so far includes shortening barrel, tapered the front of the cylinder pin, losing ejection system from the barrel, removing ejector loop from the frame, flat top, coltish nose work, starting to round over the top strap (probably more to follow), scallop the recoil shield and loading gate, Bisley hammer, Bisley trigger, indian head nickel front sight and the brass lightning grip frame.  Mebby off to the range again this weekend.

I'm thinkin it'll be brown with black cylinders.


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## Sharps40 (Mar 27, 2016)

While I wait a couple days for the ProBed2000 to kick hard on the Coach project (its a durn site slower than acraglas in the hardening department), I think I'm nearly done changing the 45 Sheriff to suit me.

Started with knocking the sharp edges off the front of both cylinders.....






And then I knocked the sharp edge off the front circumference of the barrel.....a wider chamfer looks better on this stubby barrel.






Took the ruger label off the left side of the barrel.....and contrary to the optical delusion, Ol Chiefs nose is a good 1/16" back of the muzzle so he won't get his lips blown up into the back of his eyeballs.






Overall, and likely ready for the refinishing.....maybe grips yet but nearly there.....


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## Sharps40 (Mar 29, 2016)

Taking some of the square off the nose.....a bit more work to do with jewlers files but close......needs to come down more on the leading edge of the top strap.






Not a melt though.  Remember, Melt is Kimbers marketing strategy for retaining low wage polishers of dubious skill and attention span.


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## Sharps40 (Apr 3, 2016)

Had it out to the range.  The mernickle cross draw holster really needs a hammer loop for better retention.  Didn't drop it but it doesn't ride as tight to the hip as I like and the angle is sufficient, I'll feel more comfortable out and about in the yard and the woods with a hammer loop.

That said, the function and accuracy is great and the target at 15m and all the plates to 25m suffered badly.  Shot 150 of the 45 acp, factory 230s, handloaded 230s and handloaded 185s.  The range of adjustment is fine and should work nicely for the 45 colt cylinder as well.  

Suspect its time to clean off the Black T and the Cold Blue and get this one done up black and brown.


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## Sharps40 (Apr 22, 2016)

Of all the painted on crap that folks put on firearms, and I've had to take off, nothing is as resistant to abrasion as good bluing, rust or hot tank (other than chrome, nitride or that ugly gold brown finish on LCR cylinders).  Its a real chore to remove proper bluing, even with chemical stripping.  But, the Black-T on this one is close.  Though it still chips like paint its pretty tough.  I'd say, 80% as hard to remove using wire brushing as bluing and it was over the factory blue, so, two finishes to remove.  But, its off and I'll be doing a textured finish in two colors with one chemical.

Black on the cylinders, gate and cylinder pin and front sight base and plum brown on the barreled action.  The brass grip will be polished and then treated to an antiquing that leaves it spotted dull brown as if it's aged.  

Since the Black-T is almost tuff enough to suit me, and since its over the factory blue, I left it on the cylinder faces and the cylinder window.  It will match up pretty well and keeps me from having to worry with getting rusting solution inside the cylinders or aft end of the barrel.

Overall, I think it'll be the right look.


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## Sharps40 (Apr 22, 2016)

1 hour at 80% humidity and 74F.

Good start.

If all go's well and I don't get stuck mowing Daughters lawn, I'll be finishing up the bronzing work on Sat evening or Sun AM.  From here out, every two to three hours will see a boil on the black parts with carding of all and recoating to rerust for two more hours.


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## Sharps40 (Apr 22, 2016)

With some minor differences, using laurel mountain forge brown/black is much like using pilkingtons black.

Parts that I want to be grey to black are boiled after each rusting but before carding.






Parts that I want plum brown are not boiled.  Neither is laurel carded with steel wool.  Its softer/grainer than pilkingtons and all parts (whether the final is to be brown or black) are carded in scalding water with an old terry.  











Back into the damp box at 80% humidity after a very dry wipe of the carded parts with laurel forge.....2 more hours and I'll boil, scald and card again.  Repeat until completed.  Usually, some where around 4 to 6 rusts gives a durable finish with good color.  Its hard not to get streaks with laurel...its much more aggressive than pilkingtons.  In fact, when pilk won't start a good rust on an alloy part, I often use laurel to get the bloom going and then go back to pilk for all subsequent rustings.


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## Sharps40 (Apr 22, 2016)

Pilkingtons is difficult to use in that its a very mild solution, it takes a long while to make color but its wonderful in that it builds easily.

Laurel is difficult to use in that its a very strong solution, it builds color fast but also strips it off as fast as you put it on if you go too wet on solution preventing you from ever getting good color.

Also, Laurel needs deactivated after you're done....Pilk does not.

So, when the color, black or brown, is where I want it to be, the clean dry rusty red metal (black too if you like but oil is fine on the black) is wiped with my favorite low/medium/high speed pistol/rifle bullet lube.....50/50 Beeswax/Vasoline.  And then the parts are placed in the oven at 170F for about 15 to 20 minutes.  A final coat of beeswax/vasoline is put on the hot metal and its all set aside to cool.  I usually watch a brown finish for any after rust for a week, wiping it daily with a bit of TC muzzleloading lube.  Its most necessary to watch for after rust when doing a heavily textured brown finish with laurel as its difficult to deactivate it all in the rough finish.  But after a week, it always settles down and looks and wears lovely.


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## Sharps40 (Apr 22, 2016)

This is brown.  Lovely.

Thought I missed a spot when I saw the photo....but checked, its the bees wax throwing back the flash.  Once cooled I'll buff it out with clean terry but for now, its lovely chocolate/plum brown all over and with a light texture to the finish that says I'm Old but we know it ain't.


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## Sharps40 (Apr 23, 2016)

Cold bluing is not bluing.  Its a plating and oxidizing process.  That makes it poor for coloring steel and lovely for coloring brass and copper alloys.

When cold bluing, a thin layer of copper (cupric sulfate, etc.) is laid down, then in contact with the air, acids in the mix blacken the copper.....Wala!  Muddy black color on steel.

What makes it poor for coloring steel makes it fine for taking the sporting house shine off brass parts.  A wipe, a rinse in hot water and the brass looks like old.  And....though it wears well, it buffs off if ya really prefer the $2 Saloon Gal look.


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## Sharps40 (Apr 23, 2016)

Continuing the old theme on the cylinders, I brought them up to a nice black.  After the last boil I then carded much of the bluing off the cylinders with 0000 steel wool and oil rendering the cylinder faded grey and leaving the flutes the darker/unfaded black color.











Since the Bisley hammer is one of the harder to find carbon steel hammers, it'll rust too but not fast enough.  And its too shiny so, a light coat of oil on it and then wipe it with cold blue to stain it.  Now it looks more like an old factory hammer....stained dark above the line of the grip frame.











I think its done.  Time for some photos in the good sunshine.


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## Sharps40 (Apr 23, 2016)

Time to finish up the holster....a hammer loop is needed.


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## Sharps40 (Apr 23, 2016)

Fortunately there is an old looking holster to go with the old looking gun.  The Mernikel cross draw.  It was previously shortened and the edges riveted for this short barreled piece.  But since it carries nearly horizontal I felt the need for a bit better retention.  So, a thumb loop was added to go over the generous Bisley hammer spur and though it never fell out, I feel more comfortable with the added retention above simple friction.


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