Finished it up today. I scored a round single cut bastage file & used my ratty Dremel for the job. Another worthwhile tool is a dedicated SAA screwdriver.
The cylinder came with cut-out templates you are supposed to glue to the frame as a guide where to cut. The Dremel quickly messed it up.
Never say die - I did the cut-n-try bit. I started out using 100 file strokes until I had quite a bit of metal gone - then 50 file strokes and lessening numbers as the cut got close to where a 38 special would drop right into the cylinder.
Now that I'm done, I really can't recommend this to others. I had to remove a lot more metal than I thought, but once I started I figured there was no turning back.
So it was file file file - grind grind grind - repeat as necessary. Took about 2 hours altogether which was what the directions said. Put a flexible abrasive tip in the Dremel to polish everything & cold blued the cut. Made up 20 of the wimpy loads & it worked just fine.
I like it! Being too cheep to buy the dedicated ejector rod @ $125, I found an old pen that works just fine.
Now I need to watch the G,B & U to see if Blondie's pistola has a cut for loading cartridges. I'm pretty sure his doesn't have an ejector rod & still has the ball rammer.
Bottom line? I think you'd be just as well off to score a Cimarron 38 already converted... unless you can grab a Pietta or Uberti for way cheep.
This was a lot harder to do than it looks. SW
1) The frame with the cheep template in place. It didn't last long.
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2) About halfway done.
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3) Back together & ready to shoot.
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4) Tools used: Round file and Dremel. I also recited a few pages from the Funk & Wagnals curse word compendium.
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5) Another shot showing how much metal I had to file away.
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