• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades

Short Barrelled Single Shot Pistols

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Desperate Lee

45 Cal.
Joined
Jan 2, 2019
Messages
576
Reaction score
535
Location
Texas
I have several parts left from trades I've done . One complete Colonial kit and almost enough to do 2 more Colonial kits. I may take one and maybe build something like this.
1555620976372-1464163887.png
It is a 5" barreled full stock pistol. I would also like to take one kit and make a 3" shorty type hideout gun. Kinda like a daringer only bigger.
1555628227392-1170749817.png

You guys got any ideas to kick aroundaround?
DL
 
Yeah that top pistol kinda grows on you. Found that picture here on this forum. I believe it was in a post my Grizz44Mag.
 
On the beginning of the Plains Pistol thread I started, there are pics of a couple of really nice short barreled Plains Pistols. I'm Talking really really nice. Like way nice, or way-way nice. Check them out.
 
I was thinking that one with the half-round/octagon barrel was a shorty, but it's not. But the half round sure looks nice, I'm thinking about getting a kit one of these days, and doing that. Maybe take a couple of inches off too.
 
Rat
Yeah I like the half round barrel also. I was thinking about my half stock 45 doing the half round barrel but I don't have access to a lathe anymore so it stays like this till I get access to a small lathe again.
DL
IMG_0665.JPG
IMG_0650.JPG
 
Stan
That is nice. Let me show you what I may be planning to use to come close to that look.
IMG_0710.JPG
IMG_0712.JPG
IMG_0709.JPG


I got this about 20 years ago and it has been in my tool box all this time. I even got the warranty. I can get it to about 4" barrel. It is about 5 1 /4" right now. I can't think this one down too much because the cut bout a 3" channel in the stock so you can put the trunnion and pin anywhere along the barrel you want. I
I may have one that will work. It has a small trunnion slot about 1\2 long.I can think this one at down. Barrel can be cut to anywhere between 4 and 5 inches. No drum and nipple just like top picture. God I got too much time on my hands.
 
Last edited:
DL,

You can make it oct/rnd the old way and file itto 16 and then 32 flats. Shouldn't take to long to do on a shorter pistol barrel.
I also don't have a lathe, so have to do everything by hand or hire it done. And I am a cheapskate, done more than my fair share of dumpster diving for parts over the years.

Mike
 
Never thought of filing a barrel round. One could leave the very bottom flat enough to retain the under-rib, rather than re-fitting one made for a round barrel. Interesting. 16 flats might even look pretty cool. Got to get me a kit.
 
I bought off evilbay a Kentucky stock and barrel for $40 bucks. Knowing it was not quite right. The stock I stripped and I also stripped the browning off the barrel. This was a kit some poor slup really messed up. Holes were drilled off center and the inletting was really sub par. Anyway I fixed almost everything except the stock is a little twisted or warped.

What I see when I look at that first picture is a short barreled, round grip Kentucky pistol. Well there you go. Looks like I can make a 4", or a 5", or even a 6" shorty. That still leaves me some room for a loading rod thimble underneath. I will post a picture later.
 
Contemplating this a little I’d opt for 6” if it were me. Thinking along the lines of a revolver the first 2” would essentially be the chamber leaving the last 4” as useable barrel. Having spoken with a fellow who cuts barrels down on revolvers, he felt it took 3.5” to completely consume a standard charge of powder (~30 grns of 3F?).

I do like the lines of the Philadelphia pistol but we also see how poorly it worked on Lincoln at point blank range. Not to mention you’d have a longer sight radius.
 
Yes, I think 6" would look nice, and still have some decent ballistics.
 
Yes I agree the 6" would be good. I also liked the 5" one. I may compromise and do a 5 1/2" one. Got a couple weeks to decide. Thanks for your suggestions.
DL
 

Latest posts

Back
Top