Pietta Spiller & Burr Revolver

[ZUG]

I just got my Pietta Spiller & Burr Revolver and was cleaning off the oil preservative and noticed that there is no forcing cone cut into the end of the barrel face. The barrel end and the inside of the frame are flush. Is this common for this revolver? I never came across any revolver repo or modern that did not have a forcing cone cut into the end of a barrel.

 

[Secesh]

Mine as well.

Blackie Thomas has a video, I believe, where he machines the breech end of his S&B for a forcing cone but that of course involves removal of the barrel.

I’ve been trying to come up with a way to do it without having to remove the barrel. Should have good effect on accuracy

 

[ZUG]

Mine as well.

Blackie Thomas has a video, I believe, where he machines the breech end of his S&B for a forcing cone but that of course involves removal of the barrel.

I’ve been trying to come up with a way to do it without having to remove the barrel. Should have good effect on accuracy

I don't know why you want to remove the barrel when they sell/rent barrel forcing cone tools. I got an email to a place that rents forcing cone cutters. Here is the web site <https://4drentals.com/product/revolver-forcing-cone-tools-383579mm/>. For $35.00 this tool is cheap and easy to use by hand. No need to remove the barrel. The difference between a modern .38-.357 and 9mm and a .36 caliber percussion pistol is very small. My barrel I.D. is .365". I am waiting for conformation from 4DRentals for their OK. If the .38-.357 and 9mm forcing cone cutter that they rent is too small for my barrel then I will go up to the .40 caliber and make a smaller pilot bushing, but I am sure that the .38-.357 and 9mm forcing cone cutter will be fine.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

They’re all like that.

The Spillers are kind of a different breed and can take some work to get best results.

Blackie Thomas on YouTube has a whole series on percussion revolvers that’s excellent and he covers the Spillers.

 

[Secesh]

That’s most definitely the way to go.

Maybe Blackie had additional reasons for removing the barrel, I do not know but that is what he said in the video.

Removing the barrel is just too much sugar for a dime, in my opinion.

 

[Secesh]

I don't know why you want to remove the barrel when they sell/rent barrel forcing cone tools. I got an email to a place that rents forcing cone cutters. Here is the web site <https://4drentals.com/product/revolver-forcing-cone-tools-383579mm/>. For $35.00 this tool is cheap and easy to use by hand. No need to remove the barrel. The difference between a modern .38-.357 and 9mm and a .36 caliber percussion pistol is very small. My barrel I.D. is .365". I am waiting for conformation from 4DRentals for their OK. If the .38-.357 and 9mm forcing cone cutter that they rent is too small for my barrel then I will go up to the .40 caliber and make a smaller pilot bushing, but I am sure that the .38-.357 and 9mm forcing cone cutter will be fine.

Let me know how well it works out for you. I’ll be interested as to which cutter works for you.

 

[ernbar]

I only replaced the front post with a taller brass one and hour glassed the main spring to reduce the heavy hammer pull it had. Mine was made in 1998 and is plenty accurate as is.

 

[Secesh]

That’s pretty good! 25 yards?

 

[ernbar]

That’s pretty good! 25 yards?

Thanks, 20 yards.

 

[ZUG]

Mine is dated 2023 and it locks up tightly at full cock but I can't verify that the cylinder lines up perfectly with the barrel. My way of thinking is that the barrel should have been champhered for a forcing cone - just a practical way to build a revolver - my two cents worth.

 

[ernbar]

I got mine recently but was unfired. So far so good.

 

[Secesh]

Mine is dated 2023 and it locks up tightly at full cock but I can't verify that the cylinder lines up perfectly with the barrel. My way of thinking is that the barrel should have been champhered for a forcing cone - just a practical way to build a revolver - my two cents worth.

I’ve never had the privilege of examining an original and all photos of originals I have seen the cylinder wasn’t removed in order to view the barrel breech. I’m curious to know how much of a cone, if any, did the original Spiller & Burr have?

 

[ZUG]

Me too

 

[ZUG]

I got an email from 4D Rentals the other day and they were no help. They sent me a voucher for their E-Book on "Gunsmithing Tools" which told me "ZIP" about forcing cone cutters or their dimensions . I feel 90% sure the .38/.357/9mm forcing cone cutter will work but I am too cheap to invest the money to find out that I am correct . I have to give it more thought and maybe see what else is out there .

 

[ernbar]

Mine has a hair of a lip but it shoots just fine as is.

 

[CyrusP]

I can’t say enough about 4D rentals. Rented a chamber cutter for an unmentionable and it made a world of difference. Regarding the forcing cone, or lack fhereof, how does it shoot?

 

[ZUG]

Great picture Ernbar. My barrel and frame are flush with each other. Very little clearance (0.002" - 0.003") between barrel and inside of frame.

CyrusP - I just got it the other day and will not get to the range for a while. I ordered a new main and bolt springs to modify to get a lighter hammer fall. The original mainspring is a bit strong for my liking.

 

[springfield art]

Interesting thread. I'll be getting one at some time in future, maybe the originals were made the same? (I lovingly call them "Biller & Spur")

 

[ernbar]

Great picture Ernbar. My barrel and frame are flush with each other. Very little clearance (0.002" - 0.003") between barrel and inside of frame.

CyrusP - I just got it the other day and will not get to the range for a while. I ordered a new main and bolt springs to modify to get a lighter hammer fall. The original mainspring is a bit strong for my liking.

I hour glassed my main spring and that cut the atrocious hammer pull quite a bit. Is the replacement spring you are ordering rated for lower pull?

 

[ZUG]

No - the springs that I ordered are factory replacements - not reduced power springs. I can alter them as I wish to get the tension that feels right for me.. I've seen some people cut a vertical slot in the middle of the spring about 1/2 the length of the spring. I may give this a try.