Simple Loading Lever Latch

[RaceM]

This all started when I got an ASM brasser recently from a member. Don’t get me wrong, I like long barrels, but sometimes they just ain’t convenient, like when I’m riding the tractor, So, the notion was to lop off several inches of tube to end up with something a bit more handy. That part went just dandy, got ‘er cut, squared, re-sighted with no issues. The problem arose with the shortened loading lever.

The original notion was to go with a spring hook type of latch, similar to a Walker. Research on the subject showed it to be a flawed design causing the loading lever to drop under recoil, binding up the cylinder. Oops. Now what? After much head scratching, pondering, touching/feeling/fondling of the gun and lever I came up with a simple, yet elegant solution. Something that could’ve been done back in the day, so authenticity Nazis won’t get too upset, yet was easy enough that non-gunsmiths and/or metal workers should be able to handle it.

I took the lopped off bit of barrel and loading lever and soldered ‘em together at the big end (see pic) to make a forming mandrel. That way I could chuck it up in a vice to make bending easier. For material I went with a chunk of small diameter copper pipe, smashed flat to about 1/16” thick.

I started by taking a piece of 5/16” rod and bent the copper around it to make the “U” for the lever, and bent the remaining copper outward to about the angle of the barrel flats. With the vice jaws around the “U” I beat the mandrel down into it until flush. After that it was just a matter of beating the copper around each flat on the barrel, and cutting off the excess.
A note here: to keep the springiness in the copper you want to work it cold. If you anneal it (heat it up) it goes dead soft and won’t hold onto the barrel.

Yeah, I know, this thing’s about half ugly, but it is after all only a prototype and took less than hour to do. I need to look through my scrap to find some soft brass that’ll hammer and bend without cracking. Got some old silverware around here somewhere that also would work if I wanted a bit of bling. For a plain jane low profile look I could go with a steel band, but that’d scratch up the barrel after a few removals. Now I just need to refine my technique so I don’t have to spend a lot of time filing and sanding out tool marks.

If anybody out there’s already come up with this, great minds think alike.

 

[J-Bar]

Your next project is to show us the cheater you are going to have to use on that teeny loading lever!

You might find it easier to load the cylinder off the gun, in which case you could dispense with the lever altogether.

In any case, I admire your creativity and expertise with shop tools. If i attempted that, it would not look as good!!

 

[expat_alaska]

Well,

After much head scratching, pondering, touching/feeling/fondling of the gun and lever I came up with a simple, yet elegant solution. Something that could’ve been done back in the day, so authenticity Nazis won’t get too upset, yet was easy enough that non-gunsmiths and/or metal workers should be able to handle it.

Comment below, sir.

I took the lopped off bit of barrel and loading lever and soldered ‘em together at the big end (see pic) to make a forming mandrel. That way I could chuck it up in a vice to make bending easier. For material I went with a chunk of small diameter copper pipe, smashed flat to about 1/16” thick.

What diameter copper pipe, what type (K, L, or M), and refrigeration or plumbing size (it matters), and what is meant by "smashed flat"?

A note here: to keep the springiness in the copper you want to work it cold. If you anneal it (heat it up) it goes dead soft and won’t hold onto the barrel.

A note here: I have worked copper in plumbing and refrigeration for over 40 years, including soft-soldering (50-50 and 95-5) and silver brazing with solid silver or phos-copper. I agree that annealing creates soft copper, but hammering (or even bending) copper work-hardens it and is very prone to cracking when the slightest stress is applied in the opposite direction of the bend. You may wish to rethink your idea about annealing your finished piece, and to what degree.

Yeah, I know, this thing’s about half ugly, but it is after all only a prototype and took less than hour to do. I need to look through my scrap to find some soft brass that’ll hammer and bend without cracking. Got some old silverware around here somewhere that also would work if I wanted a bit of bling. For a plain jane low profile look I could go with a steel band, but that’d scratch up the barrel after a few removals. Now I just need to refine my technique so I don’t have to spend a lot of time filing and sanding out tool marks.

The only problem I have with your part is that it is not integral (physically connected to the lever or pistol) and that would necessitate putting it in a pocket, pouch, possibles bag, etc., not attached to the firearm, just to reload the firearm.

If anybody out there’s already come up with this, great minds think alike.

Have a good day, sir!

 

[RaceM]

@expat........... in order

1) Ummm would have to find another piece of it that's still round to measure it but it came in a coil, not lengths like regular copper plumbing pipe.

2) "smashed flat", as in laid on my anvil (in the round) and hammered until I had a strip, not a tube. Resulting thickness was about 1/16" according to the calibrated eyeball.

3)re annealing- the strip of copper is only being bent one way each time, and relatively minor bends at that. Now if I was contemplating a series of 90 degree bends close together I'd anneal. Work hardening is what I wanted so it'd act like a spring and clamp tight to the barrel. It takes two thumbs pushing hard to get that thing started off the barrel. Should get easier as it breaks in.

4) yeah, it's not integral, but it's not like you can speed load a c&b gun anyways, right?

@j-bar

I'll be using .451 size balls which ram pretty easy. Once they're started there's enough room on the lever to use my palm to finish. And yes, I usually use a reloading press with the cylinder off the gun. But, just in case I gotta do it the hard way, the lever's staying on.


Almost done with a brass version, so pics will be up soon.

 

[Acorn Mush]

I salute your ingenuity sir!

 

[BCRider]

While I also admire your ingenuity I'd have just removed the lever altogether and used my shop time to make an off gun cylinder loading tool

 

[44 Dave]

What about a Colt Paterson loading tool.

 

[RaceM]

Gettin' there...

Attempt #2 started out as a ring of soft brass pipe (more like a yellow bronze), annealed, flattened, then bent. Not quite up to my usual standard for fit & finish. Might have to leave it a bit thicker for forming so I can file the flats and make the angles crisper.

 

[desidog]

so authenticity Nazis won’t get too upset,

...they already got upset 'cause the gun is brass.

 

[damoc]

...they already got upset 'cause the gun is brass.

LOL

I like this simple idea thanks RaceM

 

[BCRider]

A regular cold chisel with the end dubbed over to some crisp but non cutting radius would be a good tool for sharpening up those bends. Also if you could somehow make up some octagonal stock of the same size (milling machine by any chance?) you could peen the brass enough to upset the metal into the bends so the outer edges of the bends would sharpen up too. You'd likely want to anneal the brass a few times during such a process to keep it cold flowing without cracking. And for the final shaping you'd work it the last bit then leave it somewhat work hardened so it doesn't deform too easily. This last bit is a judgement call based on working with the alloy and how hard you work it with the hammer or shaping punches. But when it's done right it's amazing how tough the brass can become compared to the butter like softness of it when freshly annealed.

This work hardening is what they did with the bronze swords in the days before iron became the metal of choice for armies.