Old Dragoon,
So's not to wake a month old thread "Shooting My ' 58's", the '58 "parts gun" came in today. If you remember from the pics on the auction site, the rammer catch was gone, too.
Question for you is, when you cut the catch out of your barrel on the one with high spots in the bore, did you note how it was installed? Reason I ask is that the hole in my barrel, a BU Pietta ( Damn, I can't find the date chart in my bookmarks), the hole is just about .045 deep. I thought at first it was broken off, got a glass and a scraper, cleaned up the bottom, and it's just a flat bottomed hole just that deep. Couldn't have been the cause of the lumps in your barrel. I guess the sight is the same, a flat end mill .045 or so deep. Hole is, I think, .260 diameter.
I don't even think it is soft or hard soldered in, think it might be epoxied, as a small screwdriver scraped the residue out of the hole.
The gun doesn't look too bad, now, a little drawfiling got most of the tooth marks out, dumbass got a couple bites on it, frame to 3 1/2 inches from it.. Couple vise toothmarks on the frame under the barrel, not too noticable, might leave them alone, still blue.
Don't know if I am gonna take the bite marks all the way out of live with them. Measures .700 minus a couple across the flats, back and front, have to take off all the lettering to get down to .6875, for 11/16. Probably use a rope wrench to get it back on. Don't want to ding the flats, again.
BTW, if you want an accurate chamber measurement, why don't you seat a couple balls with the rammer, drive them out through the nipple holes with an 1/8 inch rod, and measure them? Closer than trying to get the inside caliper perfect. Find out the size AND if they are round.
Blue this one, maybe give it to my shootin' son in law, have someone to shoot BP with.
As an aside, I don't know how many of you shoot modern, was at my garage today, mentioned I got a new BP revolver, guy said Hey, my b'in law needs money, got a .44 Mag, Smith 29-2, 6 inch nickle plate, 350, offered 300. Always liked Smith 29's. Rather have an 8 3/8, but would put up with it.
Whatta you think?
Cheers,
George