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Top Break technology
bobguz
Member Posts: 54 ✭✭
I own several different top break revolvers. I've looked very closely at all of them and have decided that the rib and barrel and back strap are one, solid piece. What I'd like to know is how did S&W, H&R, Iver Johnson and others manufacture these guns - in great numbers - back 100 years ago?? Was ths part milled or ground from a casting? Anybody know the history of this gun making?
bobguz
bobguz
Comments
Yes, I know you rather be just "Bob", but you deserve the title.
I can't answer your question, but I have a couple of S&W that belonged to my grandmother and great aunt, their "house-guns". I will be interested to see the answers you get.
Too bad you are not closer by, I would invite you to an old fashion "Florida Cracker Labor Day Weekend" get together in one of the hammocks of the "Big-Bend" area.
Best Regards To You And Yours
And Hi Quail Hunter. Yeah and my youngest up in Virginia's going dove hunting Monday.
bobguz
Many of the first 1847 Colt Walker Dragoon barrels burst in the field and those damaged pistols that could be shortened,were. I suspect those barrels were cast.
As for S&W's Schofield.....I don't know, but you might give them a call and ask. Forged or cast, I'm sure it's a good gun. Have you looked at the Schofields made by Aldo Uberti? Could be some collusion.
Investment casting is todays' refinement of this process. Ruger as well as other manufacturers in Spain and Italy have for some years supplied the U.S. gun industry with high quality steel investment castings. The investment casting and pressure casting methods were a breakthrough since steel has been difficult to cast in thin sections by traditional methods.
To determine if your revolver frame was cast, remove the grips and look inside. A rough texture except in the areas of hammer & trigger bosses and hand, bolt and hammer spring cutouts are evidence of a baked sand core from the sand casting process. Such an examination of cheaper revolvers, single and double barrel shotgun receivers and other pistols such as the Stevens Tip Up going back to the 1870's will also show them to be cast. I have a few oldies and the frames are all castings.How else in the absence of a sideplate are they going to get inside to machine the interior features?
There is no way that investment castings can replace a properly made steel forging in highly stressed applications. To assume so in critical applications might really spoil your afternoon.