Chapter 7 – Bibliography and Attachments

7.3 FROCS Special – Check List and Authentication

 

7.3 7.3.1 7,3,2 7.3.3 7.3.4

–             FROCS Special – Check List Mandatory Modifications Optional Modifications Brass Rod Loading Plunger Letter of Authentication

 

7.3.1

Mandatory Modifications

 

7.3.1_1 Centaure RNMA 1st variation 2nd sub-variation #11477 altered into FROCS Special #FS11477

 

1. Barrel marking of FROCS Special: Either “1960 NEW MODEL ARMY” or no barrel marking at all! If the barrel marking “1960 NEW MODEL ARMY” is to be engraved in a barrel without markings like a Marshal care must be taken that the proper Belgian fonts are used.
2. Barrel length: Barrels need to be cut to 10.18 cm/4.0” incl. forcing cone +/- 5 % as appropriate or needed, to maintain the barrel marking “1960 NEW MODEL ARMY” with sufficient length in front of the line to fit the front sight.

 

7.3.1_2 Measurements in cm/mm

 

3. Barrel lug modification: The front portion of the barrel lug is to be removed and recontoured by a cut through the lug angling 90° down from the bore line. With the pistol laying on the right side in front of you and the muzzle pointing to the left, measure left ca. 13.01 mm/.512 inch from the left side of the slot of the wedge to the forward rim of the barrel lug (above picture). The exact line for this cut will eventually be depending on the placement of the proof marks on the left side of the barrel. They must not be damaged by the cut and subsequent contouring and finishing.
4. Contouring: Once this cut has been made do some light contouring by carefully tapering towards the front side of the cut.
5. Crowning of the muzzle: This is required in line with the contour of the original barrel crown as executed back then by the technicians of Fabriques d‘Armes Unies de Liège (F.A.U.L.).
6. Front sight: Use the original blade or a newly made one of the same silhouette. It shall be installed in a keyway like the original with or without a dovetail. A historically correct bead of post sight may be fitted, too.
7. FROCS Special prefix: Have prefix FS for FROCS Special added above the serial number underneath the barrel lug only, see picture at the top of this page (stamp S only if the project gun comes with a F prefix already).

 

7.3.2

Optional Modifications

 

I am bouncing off a few ideas:

a)     Close the visible holes under the barrel that engaged the pivots of the loading lever,

b)     Plug the slot of the loading lever in the barrel lug but maintaining the round hole for the plunger,

c)      Fit a fluted instead of a rebated cylinder or vice versa. Have rebated cylinder engraved with a naval scene, either the Centaure proprietary or the Colt/Ormsby style engagement scene.

 

7.3.2_1 Location of FROCS membership number

 

d)    FROCS and your FROCS membership number may be engraved using cowboy fonts like COMIC SANS MS, on the upper wide area of the backstrap behind the hammer in 2 lines.

 

7.3.2_2 Engraving of FROCS may be executed in a semi-circle “engulfing“ membership number

 

7.3.2_3 Location for engraving of your alias is the backstrap

 

e)     Transforming the frame of your RNMA: If you fancy the round frame of the Civilian or Pocket Army weld or have welded shut the two notches in the recoil shield like done in the „Mystery“ Conversion, see chapter 5.5.2.1 for details. Contour to proper shape. Same applies to the toe on the butt. Make sure the country-of-origin mark MADE IN BELGIUM is not affected by this procedure.

f)      If you wish to re-contour the grip some care must be taken that the mark MADE IN BELGIUM on the butt remains intact.

g)     Apply your finish of choice: Whatever your preference like traditional blue/case colors, high gloss polish/“in the white“, nickel plating, antique, etc.

h)    Action jobs and test firing: As per the request of the owner. The piece must be safe to shoot.

 

7.3.3

Brass Rod Loading Plunger

 

Urbane cowboys or cowgirls will demand a loading rod of appropriate length to load their FROCS Special in style. It needs to be period correct, too. This rod will have to be lathed. It might be contoured after the lines of the Trapper model loading tool of the Colt 1862 Police but thicker and longer.

• Assuming a barrel length incl. forcing cone of ca. 10.18 cm/4.0” of your FRCOCS Special the OAL of the rod portion of the loading rod, i.e. without head should be ca. 10,00 mm/.039” longer. If a flat or lentiform design for the head is chosen its diameter should be ca. 25.34 mm/.997”. If you prefer a ball-shaped design that is just as well.

The rod portion itself has 2 different diameters, identical at the tip and towards the head: ca. 10.10 mm/.398”, slightly thicker at 10.91 mm/.429” in the guiding portion. This latter diameter is identical to the original Centaure plunger of the loading lever. The length of this guiding portion of the rod should be ca. 30.00 mm/1.181”.

 

7.3.3_1 Factory issued loading rods of 3rd generation Colt 1862 Trapper Model

 

7.3.3_2 Recommended measurements for the loading rod of the FROCS Special adopted from the Colt Police Trapper in mm/inch

 

• The length of the tip area should be ca. 12.00 mm/.472”. The tip should have a concave opening like the plunger of the original loading lever.
• The expensive way is to lathe rod and head from one piece of brass. It might be more convenient to make rod and head as separate parts that will be screwed together.
• If you want to have FROCS and/or your FROCS membership number engraved on the flat of the head a semicircle arrangement is suggested like on the upper part of the backstrap, see d) above. Have your engraver use the same type of fonts.
• You may also want to consider stamping the serial number of your FROCS Special with prefix FS on the loading rod.

 

7.3.3_3 „Clinical“ view of FROCS Special #FS11477 with newly lathed loading rod

 

 

7.3.4

Letter of Authentication

 

You wish to receive below Letter of Authentication with FROCS letterhead for your Centaure newly altered into a FROCS Special? Please, paste, copy and print below letter. Then have your gunsmith check and complete the upper section of it with serial number, barrel length and type of front sight mounted. His or her signature, stamp and address are required, too.

Please, email this checked and completed letter to Long Johns Wolf at info@niederastroth.com.

On behalf of FROCS Wolf will counter-sign as witness and return the document to you.

 

FROCS Special – Letter of Authentication

     Witness

 

 

 

October 5, 2022/WDN

© Paden & Wolf 2007/2022

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