1862 Pocket Police To .22wmr

Reverend Bow

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I am converting an old Black Powder, Brass Body .36 cal CVA (ASM) 1862 Pocket Police to .22 WMR.

I made a recoil shield that fits on the existing frame.

The original Black Powder configuration has the cylinder flush against the ring of the body.
Knowing that, I believe I can calculate the amount I need to take off the cylinder so the cartridges sit flush against the recoil shield....

The new recoil shield is 0.188" thick and fits snug over the ring.

The ring is 0.029" prone of the body

So 0.188 - 0.029 = 0.159" off the back of the cylinder to fit flush with the recoil shield.

The I take the thickness of the .22 WMR rim and add it to that:

0.159 + 0.045 = 0.204

So if I take 0.204 off the back of the cylinder, the cartridges should be flush against the recoil shield.

Can anyone give me some advice on the best way to symmetrically chuck up a 5-Shot Fluted Cylinder in a 3 jaw chuck?
 
what a great project!

But short answer? I wouldn't do it that way. As mundane as it sounds, I might be keen to do it on a drill press (or mill) with a spotface. That would get the depth down to the right place on a per-chamber basis without affecting the tracking and/or concentricity of the entire cylinder.

I mean, if i'm understanding this correctly, that is. I often do not.

Also interested to see how you handle the difference in diameter and bore all that.

Very cool sounding project all the same. And, of course, pictures would be welcome :)
 
Wrat,
Thanks for the reply and in site. I'm basic doing it in the spirit of the original conversions back in the days when black powders where on the way out and cartridges were coming into favor, like the Richards, or Richards-Mason conversions.

I'll backtrack a bit to fill in the rest of the story.

I decided to go .22 WMR because not many people do that caliber. Most go for .22LR. But the cylinder is plenty long enough to chamber it, so why not? It is probably the biggest cartridge one chan convert a brass Black Powder to without the fear of hammering the body to death with the cylinder...

First, I picked up some 0.375 OD x 0.065 Wall DOM Tubing for chamber liners

I decided to through bore the chambers to 0.359 and turn the DOM to an OD of 0.358.

I Punched the chambers all the way through to 0.359


The liner slid into the chamber nicely, it didn't fall in, but I don't think that is a bad thing...

post-3-63674-BoredCylinder22WMR.jpg
I can chamber a 22 WMR now....

The barrel was already for a .36 ball, so I picked up a .22 barrel liner with a 0.375" OD, and bored the barrel out to 0.375-ish with a 3/8" bit and hand drill. That gave me enough clearance for the liner and epoxy.
IMG_20161205_203203_960-1.jpg

IMG_20161205_203140_916-1.jpg

Looking through the muzzle to the hammer with the sleeved cylinder installed.... Clean shot...

IMG_20161205_203030_453-1.jpg


.22 cleaning rod with slug attached slides right down the pipe to the hammer, no snags...

IMG_20161205_203612.jpg

Through-boring the cylinder did have a downfall that will need correcting, the drill cut through about 1/2 the flat of the ratchet, so the hand is hitting the now angled portion of the flat and the pistol cannot be cocked... Just another challenge to overcome....

post-3-63968-RatchetHits.jpg

Started turning a 0.125" thick, 6061 Aluminium Recoil Shield
IMG_20161214_213259_547-1.jpg
IMG_20161214_213323_600-1.jpg
 
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That answered some questions for sure.
Trouble is, only the first pic came through (for me). I don't know the magic required to make pictures work, so i dunno i you did anything wrong or not
 
Yeah, I noticed the photo issue, I'll try to correct, but I'm limited to my phone until I get home Friday...

I'll see if I can fix it
 
I am back messing with this project after life got in the way over the past couple years.

I am trying to figure out the Non-cocking issue.

When the hammer is pulled back, the cylinder doesn't want to move without a bit of help.

I though maybe the Bolt was not dropping, but it does the same thing when I tried cocking it with the bolt removed.

The Hand seems to be the correct length, because after helping the cylinder and the hammer comes back to full cock, the cylinder indexes to the next chamber and the bolt locks as it should.

I am thinking the Star on the back of cylinder, that is now angled after the cylinder was thru-bored for the sleeve is causing it to bind?

I might try to spot weld the teeth on the cylinder Star to build it back up, the file it down to a more square shape.

Anyone have any other suggestions?

Thanks
 
Look at the engagement of the hand on the star. That little scallop cut by thru boring seems to be not offering enough purchase to the hand and it is sliding out and tying things up. It may be advantageous to cut from the face of the cylinder so you can stop short of the star and leave the engagement surface intact.
 
Have you checked chamber pressure with 22 vs. 36 cal..looks like a fun project ..be safe..
 
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