Belgian Top Break

[Doc Hoy]

Bought this revolver at a gun show last week. It is in terrible shape.

All of the screw heads were essentially destroyed. Nearly every spring in the revolver is either broken or missing.
The case ejector operator disc needs to be replaced and probably the bolt as well.

I know these parts are not available so, over time I will try making them.

Here is a photo of the pistol as I bought it.



I took it apart.....Sorry for the miserable photo....One of these days I am going to learn to use my camera...or just start using my iPhone.



I had to drill out the screw for the barrel latch and the screw for the cylinder latch spring.

I made the screw for the barrel latch from one I had in spares. The shank was too small in diameter, so I had to make a tiny sleeve so to prevent the barrel latch from moving around too much.



The hole in the barrel latch is a good bit bigger than the screw I made. Sleeve takes up the slack.



Nuther thousand hours and I might have the thing working.

My intent is to get it working but prolly won't shoot it.

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

it you go through the work of getting it functioning, why not shoot it, provided chambers & bore are acceptable to do so ???

... 38 S&W I assume ???

I have a load that uses a pinch ( maybe 0.5 grains of Trailboss ) & a soft lead round ball, that I feel is safe to shoot in any revolver that times correctly, & locks up... they're pretty easy to put together

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Neat cow horn grips!

 

[James K]

Having seen what you can do, I have no doubt you can succeed in getting that gun working again. What other folks think is beside the point.

Jim

 

[barnbwt]

I've got a 44 Russian just like that (in fact, that big 'ol cylinder looks like a 44cal, too), has the same hammered-and-folded-from-wire extractor cam, too . Mine had a stripped/stuck latch pivot screw, as well as the cylinder axle retaining screw. I was lucky in that the cylinder retainer (bent piece of sheet metal that keeps it from falling out when unlatched) was intact (the folded tip is usually broken) but was utter rust-welded to the upper frame (only rust on the gun besides the mainspring's dusty coating).

If your gun is anything like mine, it has a 25lb DA trigger, and a firing pin hole in the breechface so big it's scary (might want to bush that while you're at it)

Here's mine taken down to pins and labeled in case it's helpful;

 

[Doc Hoy]

Coupla responses....

Barnbwt,

As Peter Boyle aptly put it......"HOLY CRAP"

That is a great photo of the exploded pistol, Barn.

James,

Thanks greatly for the vote of confidence.

Deshivs,

Not shown in the photo is the fact that there are some deep pock marks in the grips. As though termites had gotten to them. Never knew that termites would eat cow horns. ;o)

MWM,

It is .44-40 and a .44-40 does appear to fit.

The chambers are a bit corroded but appear to be okay. I am no metallurgist and can't speak for the integrity of the metal of the chambers. I have no clue what a qualified gunsmith would do to determine if the cylinder would take (for example) a substantially reduced BP load in a .44-40 case. What I am saying is that I don't know if there is a non-destructive test that would serve to examine the remaining strength of the metal.

This is the primary reason for my reluctance to shoot it.

Any of you who are more informed than I am are certainly invited to chime in.

The bore is actually in pretty good shape. Rifling is very good but the whole thing is a bit pitted.

 

[Doc Hoy]

Barn....

I just had a chance to take a closer look at the photos you included and am very thankful for them.

They will be real helpful in this project.