I need help from the Colt SAA Afficianados

Wow, it sounds like you hae your work cut out for you. I would look into Bowen Arms or Single Action Service for the repair work that can't be done by yourself. Personally I would do a .38-40 since that is the caliber I always wanted (have never been able to afford a Colt SAA in any caliber let alone a .38-40).

How about a 32-20 good caliber for an old Colt.... Just a thought.

CG, first thing to come to terms with is that you are looking at a total rebuild. Keep in mind that original black powder frame guns are going to be Black Powder ONLY, unless you are fortunate enough to own one of the few at serial number 192, 000 or above. This does not mean you can use light smokeless loads-it means you can only use real, original black powder propellant. This may-or may not be a big deal.
The single most important feature you must be sure of is proper timing. Setting timing, on a gun like yours, will likely mean replacement and fitting of a new hand, bolt, mainspring, and probably a check of both frame and cylinder to be certain they are without dangerous cracks/flaws. Unless you are a skilled smith, you are going to have to send it out for this work.

Lack of ejector assembly is not necessarily an issue. Remember, a few old timers actually ordered their SAA's without ejectors. If you look around, and are a good scrounger, you could probably locate a used ejector assembly, and have your smith fit it. Refinishing can be done very much on the cheap, depending on if you wish to strip the metal and use a baked on finish, or go with something very basic, like the kind of parkerized finish used on the USFA Rodeo. Of course, you could also send it to Colt for a Royal Blue, or even Nickel. I would not recommend a cold blue.

Since you most likely are going to have to stay with BP loads, the 41 Colt is actually at it's best with such loads. Last I checked, a couple of places still offered cast pills for the 41-both inside lubed and outside-heeled. Goex and Swiss are both excellent suppliers. BP is simple to load-just fill up the case to the bullet base. Cases are available from Starline. The 41 was known in two different manifestations, the 41 Long Colt, and the 41 Short Colt. Both were identical except for the length of the brass, and style of the bullet. The earliest version used an outside lubed, .401" bullet. The later version used a .389" inside lubed bullet seated in taller brass. When using real black powder, the smaller bullet would expand with the explosive force of the charge and fill the bore. The .41 in both versions was a popular caliber, but in its later version, the Long Colt, it earned its reputation as a fight stopper. The obdurated 200 grain slug was known to inflict fearsome wounds.
Essentially, I recommend that you rebuild, but keep the 41 Long Colt. If you have deep pockets, you can probably get a second cylinder fit in the 38 WCF/38-40-but with the black powder stipulation, it probably would be an extravagance. Some smiths who have and can do this type of rebuild would include; Alex Hamilton, Hamilton Bowen, Tom Sargis, and of course, Doug Turnbull.
Can you send along some pictures?

Mak, thanks for the info.
At this point,
I have no serial number yet.
 
I know it has the screw type retainer for the cylinder pin (on the front of the frame as opposed to the cross pin)
 
As I remember,
 
the cylinder notches are shot, all but gone.
 
Front sight has been goobered up six ways fromSunday
 
I had it apart many years ago and the trigger, hand, and hammer are solid, notches fine. I somehow think the hammer is not original to the gun
 
I am a pretty good 'smith. I have rebuilt a few newer S&W DA revolvers, "K" and "N" frames. I learned form a top drawer PPC specialist in the 70's
 
BUT. BUT, BUT I am also smart/experienced enough to know my limits.
 
Now the depth of pocket isn'r really an issue. I have helped a local gunsmith and dealer restore a few 73.86,92 Winchesters (there is a story) and I know about the costs involved. however this is kind of an unusual project. Dad acquired the gun on a whim and "stuck it back as a "someday" project. That day never rolled around for him. He had a pretty good collection but that one sat untinkered with. A few years ago, he decided it was time to put some things in the safe deposit box. We did, in an uncharacteristically (for us) rather ceremoniously manner. "When the time comes for you to take these papers out and settle my affairs, take this old gun out and make her work again." with that he put it on top of the papers in the box.
 
Now I am an avid handloader and have been interested in the sort of "rediscovery of the .41 Colt" as you have mentioned and I do not consider it out of the realm of possibility. I am just certain that the condition of the original barrel would be more conducive to the use of shotshells than attempting to throw a solid slug in anything like the general direction intended.
Among the options I have toyed with are,
 
Leaving it in its current condition and aging replacement parts to match, giving the appearance of an "old clunker" but completely mechanically sound
reboring a .357 cylinder (I know I would have to deal with the cylinder bushing issue) to .41 Special or a modified +40 case of some type cut 1/10" to preclude my "Working loads" from being chambered in it. This of course providing it was in the "smokeless safe" range. In BP loadings case capacity would be of importance.
As far as the cosmetics are concerened I in no way intend to make the finish a focus that takes away from its purpose. That is to say a completely authentic and completely original restoration would make me very hesitant to take it out on horseback or hunting, or use it around my place as a "working gun". Therein lies the conundrum. I would have no trouble shipping i t off to any of the fine experts you mentioned for a "full treatment" but it isn't a "special gun" to me in that way, its "special" stature is as a completed shooting and using gun. I would also like to have what I am going to do, after exploring possibilities, firmly in mind before I pester a professional restorer with annoying questions and repeated communications.
 
I do appreciate the .41 Colt info. I had heard that it was an available option but have not kept up with its "redevelopment" as it were. When Dad picked the gun up, for a pittance, the ammo was such a collectors item that 20 rds sold for more than he paid for the gun!  I am starting to like that idea a lot as I sit here.
 
As to pictures I would love to. The pics I have posted on the Forum thus far are images from my Photobucket account. Since I have "converted" to  satellite service I lost the port on my home computer I used for my video adapter, and try as I might I cannot get this brand-new-freaking-driving-me-crazy-blasted-Gateway-laptop to recognize the devivce despite the fact that it has more holes in it than Bill Doolan in his final photo. 
This is a "long term". type project and I will document every ste, and even any missteps, along the way and will somehow find a way to share them.
 
Keep the ideas and knowledge flowing. I know that my basic idea may bend some purist sensebilities but, unfortunately I guess, I've been that way most of my life.   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

If the bolt notches in the cylinder are gone, it will be darn difficult to use the cylinder at all-it can be done, but it won't be simple. Current 3rd generation Colt cylinders do feature the removable bushing, however the flutes are the smaller smokeless type, not the larger-and prettier Black Powder style.Yes, the Black Powder frame does indeed have the set screw-not the cross pin. Since so few Black Powder frames were rated for smokeless, my instinct would be to consider the frame as unsafe for smokeless loads.
If, as is most likely, your barrel is gone, you can explore 2 possible options-lining, and/or reboring. With the soft alloys of BP, I'm not sure if this would cause a problem, or make the work easier. At this point, caliber choice is pretty much up in the air.

Honestly, if you do not find Black Powder a worthwhile option, and if you have a frame rated only for BP, you may want to pursue the option of mechanically restoring the piece, without concern for making it shootable. This would perhaps fulfill your dad's request-to get it working, but would not require you to tune it for timing, or to load for it, etc.
Best of luck, whatever you choose to do.

Countrygun,I've been off the net for awhile so just saw this.
  A SAA specialist you can contact to rebuild your Colt is Eddie Janis  www.peacemakerspecialists.com  Eddie is a top Colt rebuilder & he only works on Colts. His work is top notch. You might give him a call.

Frank

Well there she is, from the best side. I did manage to lay hands on a very old unused walnut one piece grip unit.

Countrygun, any way you slice it, this ol' girl has served her time, and then some. If she was anything else than an SAA, it would probably be next to impossible to perform much of a restoration at all. Being a SAA, parts-and skill are available-as long as you have necessary funds.

You most definitely have a frame made before the advent of smokeless. In a gun this old, I personally would never subject her to smokeless at all-if you decide to take the plunge for a full refurbishing.
Tough decision, really, on where to go from here.
Best wishes.

I would have her rebarreled in .38WCF along with a new cylinder to match.  I would replace the internals since there is no telling what they have been through as well.  Have the frame polished as much as is possible without removing the rollmarks and the rampant colt , and then have her reblued and CCH'ed.  Granted, I do not know your budget, but for an original Colt, I don't think you would be losing on your investment.  Peacemaker Specialists, as recommended above, does awesome work...
I carry a 1907 SAA in .38WCF on a regular basis as my concealed carry gun...  The one in the picture over there on the left...  It is the ballistic equivalent to the modern day .40S&W.  And yes, I carry the round in both blackpowder and in smokeless, depending upon my mood.  BP rounds aren't as bad to foul the gun as legend has it - as long as you use the proper bullet lubricant on the cast rounds.  I use a mixture of 50% beeswax, 40% Crisco, 6% anhydeous lanolin, and 4% sodium stearate.  I can run a box of 50 rounds of my BP cartridges through any of my SAA's without a hitch.  I could probably do more, but just haven't tried to see how far I could push it.  Why BP?  It's fun...  Smokeless rounds go bang.  BP rounds go KA-WHOOOM!!!  :-) 

Budget isn't too much an issue, especially since I want to keep it at a "practical" using/shooting level. I have had an eye on the 38WCF for  years and have been leaning that way. As a matter of fact, if the barrel is "saveable, and I think it is (Iwill know in a couple of days if I get some time) that would really be the logical choice. Since I do shoot some cap and ball replicas it would be a good excuse for more black powder and charcoal soot eveywhere.

on this project.  This could be a fun one to track since the old girl has sat around like she has for a while.  I did this sort of thing on an old Model of 1917 S&W that belonged to my grandfather... The old wheelgun was in rough shape, with finish being about 15% and the rest "in the white". Mechanically sound, but really ugly... There was some pitting where it had been in a holster for years, so I opted to go with a bead blast finish and then we Parkerized it in a dark charcoal color, with color case hardened trigger and hammer. I then went with a set of "Heritage" grips from Smith & Wesson.  It turned out pretty cool in my opinion, and since I would never sell it, I wasn't worried about the finish change hurting its value. After sitting for 60 years in rough shape, it turned out like this:

My grandfather used to sit on the front porch and shoot the sycamore burrs out of the trees with this old girl...  My dad later carried it as his primary side arm as a state Alcoholic Beverage Commission Agent (yeah, a revenuer) until agencies started to issue standardized weapons to all agents.  I don't think there is enough money out there to buy her from me.  Especially since my father inherited it from him and I inherited it from my father...  I can't help but believe that they are looking down saying "You made her look like she should, boy..."  It will be passed on to my son some day.

Raven6
That's a nice old six-gun. Having belonged to your Grandfather & Father & now you, I'd keep it in the family too. Thanks for sharing.
Frank