just got my 1st BP pistol check it out!

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shoebox1.1

New member
just picked this one up today.. the bug has officially bitten me. i wasnt real crazy about the brass frame and 36 caliber but its brand new unfired (20 yrs old!) imported by hawes CA. research i have done shows it was probably made by j.p. sauer (of sig sauer fame). this paritcular gun does not say sauer or germany but rather "made in italy". the quality seems to be just as good as another other italian replica ive seen. it is brand new and shows no signs of ever been fired. even got a nice replica powder flask with it! i still want to get a steel pietta 44 navy, then a pair of armys with ivory handles!
 
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marcseatac

New member
If your going to have a brass frame .36 cal makes more sense anyway. Less stress, balls are cheaper and you get more shots per lb. That's great, I wouldn't hesitate to use a .36 in a gunfight. I think you'll really enjoy it.

How did you come to acquire a 20 year old NIB revolver, if I may ask?
 
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shoebox1.1

New member
i placed a want ad here in the handgun for sale section but i think this guy hit a ad i placed on craigslist.com. you cant sell guns on there i dont think but i just titled the ad "blackpower revolver wanted". it didnt seem like 2-3 days later i get a email from this gentleman, sent me a couple pics and the deal was on! picked it up today. seems he wanted to get into it years ago and just lost interest and it sat in the closet! ive already field stripped it into 3 parts and it needs a cleaning. let the fun begin!! we went shopping tonight and im looking for tubs and soaps and brushes... my wifes like " what are you doing??" lol i got a starter kit at bass pro today from traditions. nice kit came with brass measure,capper,nice brass flask,balls,lube,solvent and cleaning kit! was like 54.00 the gun came with a replica colt flask which will go in the display box im going to make. i have 2 pics of the gun and etc. but i http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r141/shoebox1_album/2006-07-17018-1.jpg cant seem to size them correctly .. im working on it
 
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marcseatac

New member
Nice! Get you some Brasso polish, that thing will pass Admirals inspection.

If you want to post those pics up on the board use
just post the same url in between.
 
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marcseatac

New member
I remember Photobucket changed it now the give you 3 choices, you copied the top one URL, the bottom link can be copied and pasted in any forum with no changes. It says forum on that third choice! Hey it works fine pic's are great!
 
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arcticap

New member
That same model is also listed in the 1980 Gun Digest, and it lists Hawes as importing it along with a number of other well known outfits.
That's a nice looking pistol with a very pretty grip. :)
 
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shoebox1.1

New member
well its 3 am........ lol ive been working on this gun all night! full teardown clean and inspection. one of the 2pins that locate the body to the barrel assm. somehow got pushed in below the surface! it was like this when i got it today... it wouldnt come out... so i had to drill a couple small holes under the cyl area (top of the lower frame) and make a pin punch and drive it out. took me all nite. relocated the pin depth then i filled the holes with epoxy. so the epoxy wont let them get pushed into this void again! i guess they drilled the holes too deep or it had a pocket in the casting. also i might have gacked the hand/spring. the gun works but the cyl over-rotates and the timings way off. you click to the next round and the hammer would hit the cyl not the nipple. one of the springs is ethier not installed correctly or broken. at least im femiliar with all the screws(pain!!!!!!) and general assembly. used wonderlube on everything during reassembly. only thing i need to shoot is powder,wads,and balls. i have no idea what kind of oooomph to use. the close local gunshop only has 777 and pyrodex P i think. basspro is quite a drive but they have several goex choices. whats the safety difference between real black and fake?? my wife smokes unfortuntely (and ill of course be xtra careful) but ive never handled high explovsives before!!!!! :) lil worried about the powder
 
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pohill

New member
Brass frame, .36 caliber - I'd go with real black powder (fffg) or Pyrodex P(fffg), maybe 15 grs.
777 is hotter by 15% from what I've read.
The .375 balls might work, but might be too small (you might need a .380 ball).
#10 caps might fit until the nipples foul, then you might want #11s and pinch them to keep them on.
 
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pohill

New member
From what I've seen, The P in Pyrodex P just means that it's equivalent to fffg.
Also, in regards to caps - 10s are smaller.
This is from an old Colt Industries pamphlet:
"Percussion caps are now made in sizes from nine to thirteen. Ten and eleven are the best numbers for the small and medium-sized arms, and twelve for the larger sizes, although, as different-sized nipples are sometimes met in specimens of the same model, no hard and fast rule can be given. It is better to have caps slightly too large than too small, as large caps can be pinched together at the bottom enough so they will stay on the nipples, but small ones must be driven down on the nipple by the blow of the hammer, and this process frequently cushions the blow to the extent of producing a misfire."
 
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LEE3370

New member
Here you go,
Really a beautiful revolver.
Are there any roman numerals on it or a box with two letters in it? That will tell the year that it was made.
Lower the loading lever and look on the barrel and see if there is any writting or logos.
Look on the bottom of the frame right in front of the trigger guard for any stampings or logos. If you could post a picture of anything you find, it could help uncover the history of that beautiful piece.
Hawes sold some pretty fine blackpowder revolvers and yours looks like proof of that.
Lee



2006-07-17017.jpg





2006-07-17018-1.jpg
 
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shoebox1.1

New member
it does have a stamping under the loading lever. it is stamped "gdg". and the way the letters are it looks exactly like this g
d
g

ive never seen those before . around the 2 locating pins is a 5 digit number i dont remember what it is
 
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shoebox1.1

New member
i fixed the timing problem.. the hand spring and the other spring were a little weak i guess. i tweaked them to have more tension and the timing is perfect. the action on this hawes feels every bit as good as a uberti remmie and a pietta colt ive played with.
 
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shoebox1.1

New member
lee i could kiss you right now! lol just kidding! THANKS!!!! ive really ever only heard of good things about euroarms/armi san paolo. wouldnt have known to look for that mark
 
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