Guns & Outdoors Forum

I got this one cheap from gunbroker and it sent straight to my door without my ffl. Apparently pinfires aren't considered firearms by the alphabet people. It's a 7mm pinfire pistol and I couldn't pass it up. The barrel has absolutely zero rifling left in it, but that works out okay because I have plans. I want to make my own ammo for it and itnwould be nice to start out with something that's widely available. There's nothing close thatll fit the cylinder but I think I can ream the chambers to 32 caliber and use a chucking reamer for the barrel and then press a 32 caliber rifling button down the barrel. I have loads of 32acp brass that I can turn the case heads off of, solder the flash hole closed and then pop holes in the sides for a piece of 2mm brass rod that will rest in a percussion cap that's placed in the brass. Fill with black powder and top with a lead bullet, voila.... range time with new pinfire! I'll post updates as it comes along. I also have to tig weld up the hand to extend it and reshape to get it back in timing but that's no biggie. Oh 32S&W shown for comparison.

Interesting. Making that thing work seems right up your ally.

sakodude wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2024 1:36 am Interesting. Making that thing work seems right up your ally.

Yep, and it'll just be neat to get something like this shooting again.

sakodude wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2024 1:36 am Interesting. Making that thing work seems right up your ally.

JSD will probably just make a few measurements then mill a few out over the weekend

That’s beyond “weird.”

CPJ 2.0 wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2024 3:34 pm That’s beyond “weird.”

I wear kilts, Zorba wears skirts.
We both like weird things...
It suits me.

I like it! And making a new pinfire caliber is awesome.

Please keep us updated

bullsi1911 wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2024 8:02 pm I like it! And making a new pinfire caliber is awesome.

Please keep us updated

Will do. I had to order a .300 chucking reamer and the rifling button or else I would have gotten the barrel done today. I could probably make a pretty good return on this gun when I get it done and if I was to sell it with about 25 cartridges that are ready to go, but I think it'll be a keeper.

It was with a pistol like this, pretty much EXACTLY like this that Vincent Van Gogh killed himself. Could be the same pistol; if so, it's probably haunted.

Gene L wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2024 8:53 pm It was with a pistol like this, pretty much EXACTLY like this that Vincent Van Gogh killed himself. Could be the same pistol; if so, it's probably haunted.

I'll be sure to add that to the sale description if I ever sell it

Mr. Lefacheax would probably think you're insane and tell you to buy a S&W model 16.

I love it!

That’s freaking awesome. Just curious, any chance of making one of those a center fire?

Wambli Ska wrote: ↑Sun May 19, 2024 7:49 pm That’s freaking awesome. Just curious, any chance of making one of those a center fire?

I never thought about that but looking closer at it leads me to believe that it would be pretty easy to do. Of course I'd make it something in the small-ish caliber like 32s&w or maybe 25acp. If I really wanted to go crazy I could make a conversion cylinder to do it.

I would think the hammer aspect would not work for a CF round. I believe you'd have to re-make the hammer to strike in the middle of the chamber instead of on top of it.

Gene L wrote: ↑Mon May 20, 2024 2:12 am I would think the hammer aspect would not work for a CF round. I believe you'd have to re-make the hammer to strike in the middle of the chamber instead of on top of it.

True, but there could be two ways around that. Make a hammer that hits a firing pin through the recoil shield or make a hammer with an anvil thatll strike through the recoil shield. Either one would work. In all honesty I really just want to make this a 32 pinfire and have fun shooting it.

On a different note. They made these in 15mm! That's a big honkin bullet for a revolver. I'd like to find either the 9mm or the 12mm.

Worry not! Pin-fire cases can be bought and used many, many times over. https://www.henrykrank.com/pinfire-cart ... -6-320-mm/ Obtainable in the U.K. and I'm sure they will ship. Have dealt with Kranks many times (worth looking over their catalogue) and they are okay. I load all brass pin-fire cases for my shotguns. The pistol may be Belgian or French; would have to see the proof marks to be certain. Here's alink to someone on your side of the Atlantic who does pin-fire stuff https://aaronnewcomer.com/

Sounds like a project! Keep us posted with all the work you do. A "gunsmith's gun."

T'owd Mon wrote: ↑Mon May 20, 2024 3:45 pm Worry not! Pin-fire cases can be bought and used many, many times over. https://www.henrykrank.com/pinfire-cart ... -6-320-mm/ Obtainable in the U.K. and I'm sure they will ship. Have dealt with Kranks many times (worth looking over their catalogue) and they are okay. I load all brass pin-fire cases for my shotguns. The pistol may be Belgian or French; would have to see the proof marks to be certain. Here's alink to someone on your side of the Atlantic who does pin-fire stuff https://aaronnewcomer.com/

That's good info to have for future reference if I end up finding another one but this one is so shot out that the only option really is to just go up a caliber in size. I got the reamer for the barrel in today as a matter of fact. I think it'll be pretty neat as a 32 pinfire with black powder loads. Might be my new carry gun

Justsomedude wrote: ↑Tue May 21, 2024 4:21 am
That's good info to have for future reference if I end up finding another one but this one is so shot out that the only option really is to just go up a caliber in size. I got the reamer for the barrel in today as a matter of fact. I think it'll be pretty neat as a 32 pinfire with black powder loads. Might be my new carry gun

Hey, besides being a "gun" it can also provide you a smoke screen

Justsomedude wrote: ↑Mon May 20, 2024 4:12 am

Gene L wrote: ↑Mon May 20, 2024 2:12 am I would think the hammer aspect would not work for a CF round. I believe you'd have to re-make the hammer to strike in the middle of the chamber instead of on top of it.

True, but there could be two ways around that. Make a hammer that hits a firing pin through the recoil shield or make a hammer with an anvil thatll strike through the recoil shield. Either one would work. In all honesty I really just want to make this a 32 pinfire and have fun shooting it.

On a different note. They made these in 15mm! That's a big honkin bullet for a revolver. I'd like to find either the 9mm or the 12mm.

I get it, I was just curious. But I thought you’d be able to just drill through the beech and have a hammer mounted firing pin like they used to have on Colt SA Peacemakers or the old S&W setup. If I found one cheap enough I’d think about making a .32 or .38 S&W out of it just for kicks. Oh well, curiosity satisfied. Thanks!

How about a 12 shot model? https://www.henrykrank.com/antiques/ant ... revolvers/ Seems a shame to destroy its originality.

T'owd Mon wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2024 2:38 pm How about a 12 shot model? https://www.henrykrank.com/antiques/ant ... revolvers/ Seems a shame to destroy its originality.

This one is so badly used that I doubt it has any sort of value to it. Besides, all I want to do is be able to shoot it and there's no sense in making it more expensive to reload for.

Ceracoat it a flamboyant color.
I love goring sacred cows.

Well, guns were made to shoot. That's why I use my pin-fire shotguns and make my own ammo for my 8 bores.

T'owd Mon wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2024 4:34 pm Well, guns were made to shoot. That's why I use my pin-fire shotguns and make my own ammo for my 8 bores.

That’s too cool