Introduction: How to Make a Colt Western Pistol in 3-4 Hours
This is how I made a 1860-inspired Colt for my Son. NOTE: The intention was not to make an exact replica, but to make a robust wooden toy with enough details to be interesting.
Step 1:
1. step was to make a drawing of the pistol, cut it out and use it as a template to draw a cut line on 18 mm plywood. I Chose 18 mm plywood because it is easy, to remove one or two layers to make some details.
Step 2:
2. Step was to cut out the handle and half of the stock cylinder.
Step 3:
3. This step shows the pistol after cut out and what it looks like after I glue the handle and the cylinder parts on to the body. Note also, how I have removed some layers of the plywood to ad details.
Step 4:
4. After sanding I painted the pistol. First black all over so there would be no unpainted spots. After this, I experimented with a pure "iron" version, but settled with a "iron" and "brass" version.
Tool and material: Electric jigsaw, rasp, sanding paper, carving iron, drill, glue, acrylic paint, varnish, 18 and 3 mm plywood, 40 mm round stick
Time spend all in all: 3-4 hours. Have fun!
38 Comments
11 years ago on Introduction
I can remember being 10 years old and wanting something like this. The only power tool at my disposal was an electric drill, though. Toy guns like this that I made were not nearly as nice as this, but I was still probably the only kid in our one-room K-8 country school who made any of his own toy guns for our shootouts at recess. Thank you for publishing this.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Guns are such good toys. The kids get to run around using their imagination. I have made around 40 different guns by now. Infortunately I didn't know Instructables then, so I haven't got any documentation of the proces to post, but I could add a couple of pictures of the finished result. They are all made the same way as in this example...
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
A number of Instructables were done "after the fact." Make close-up photos of the detail you are explaining in each step and mention that you are making the Instructable now, even though you made the actual project some years ago. Or, I have also made a second copy of the item and documented the steps for making it. Thank you for pictures of your other toy gun projects.
When I was 10 years old there was a national Davy Crockett craze. I made my own Davy Crockett rifle from a broomstick (the barrel), a piece of porch railing we were replacing (stock), some odd pieces of steel I shaped (lock and trigger guard), tin can pieces folded (barrel bands), and some nails. We still have it almost 56 years later. We just turned it over to my daughter and her husband for our new grandson.
8 years ago on Introduction
Don't forget the blaze orange tip! You don't want your kid to get shot by a cop who thinks this is a real gun.
Reply 8 years ago on Introduction
Thanks Colonel Hogan! That's a valid reminder!
8 years ago on Introduction
Hello, I know this is an old post, But I have a question: How did You remove the layers of the plywood?
8 years ago on Introduction
make sure to put a bright orange band around the barrell for saftey!
8 years ago
I am new and have never worked with wood, how did you make the cylinder half,did you layer it and how
Reply 8 years ago
Cutting a cylindrical wooden stick in half is always the hard part. I did it with a hand saw, sanded it and glued one piece on each side of the gun. In order for the cylinder to look right, you have to make to cuts about 8 mm apart from each other...
8 years ago
I am new and have never worked with wood, how did you make the cylinder half,did you layer it and how
8 years ago
I am new and have never worked with wood, how did you make the cylinder half,did you layer it and how
9 years ago on Introduction
I think you guys would love the handguns that I make then... ahah
9 years ago on Introduction
Is there a way so the barrel can reload?
Reply 9 years ago on Introduction
Actually after I did the gun, I googled something like wooden Navy Colt and found a guy, who had been a real gun maker. When he retired, he started making wooden functioning replica colts.
Search for "Robert A. Talbot colt" and be amazed!!!
10 years ago on Introduction
For some reason it the Captcha won't activate when I'm replying to a comment. The over/under is quite nice. Are the layers in order? Also how did you learn how to make the guns like this?
10 years ago on Introduction
I would love to see how you made that double-barrel shotgun. It'd be a nice prop for videos.
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Sorry Biff! I don't have the drawings any more and it is a bit fragile so, I won't disassemble it for now. But maybe this drawing of a over/under Beretta can inspire you...
10 years ago on Step 4
Well done inspired by wood!
10 years ago on Introduction
Do you happen to have any of the dimensions? length/ high? thankspr
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
If you want it to have the original measures, check this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_1851_Navy_Revolver, if it's for a kids hand, you could look for at picture where it is in someone's hand. then print it so the hand size matches that of the kids hand + a bit... Hope this helps...