How to make sure a black powder revolver is safe to shoot?

Ok I aquired a black powder reolver (colt navy replica in .44) that i guess was a kit. I took the whole thing a part, replaced some internals and filed down the grips and brass in some parts to make it fit. What kind of checks can I do to make sure this is safe to fire?How to make sure a black powder revolver is safe to shoot?
This is what I would do.





Go to a gun range with the following equipment...





The revolver. Black powder. Caps. Balls. Long cord. Several sand bags (shot bags filled with silica sand). Safety glasses.





Follow directions and load only ONE CHAMBER of the gun with a light black powder load. Cap it, and put it on and under the sandbags with the barrel facing safely downrange. The cord is already tied to the trigger. Cock the hammer. Stand back, wearing your safety glasses the whole time. Pull the cord gently. It should fire. Do the same with another cylinder. After two successful firings, you will know that it is safe.How to make sure a black powder revolver is safe to shoot?
This is a rather simple gun. I'd just make sure all the screws are tight, cylinder locks up correctly in line with the barrel, everything functions, etc. Just give it a good looking over and it should be ok.





Remember not to load it very hot being a brass frame and a navy. 20 grains should be the max.





Edit


Don't have a gunsmith look it over - it's not needed. If you bought it used, 100 dollars was too much to pay. And you're going to spend 1/4 that at the gunsmith?
Find a gunsmith that knows blackpowder stuff and have him look it over.
Have a qualified gunsmith check it out. Ryan E it's illegal to call yourself a Doctor when you are not (felony).!!!!!
Doc Hudson gave you good advice. I would add a couple of small points.





First, the thing that locks the gun together is called the wedge. Make sure that when the barrel is seated against the frame the wedge is tight. It should go all the way through both sides of it's slot in the barrel, but the head of the wedge should not be in contact with the barrel.





Make sure that the two little pins on the front of the frame are a reasonably close running fit to their holes in the barrel.





With the gun assembled, check the gap between the cylinder and the barrel, it should be between .005'; and .025';. This gap is there to allow the cylinder to rotate.





Cock the gun and look to see if the bolt is reasonably well engaged with it's notch in the cylinder. Check this for all six of the notches.





Now one more thing, the brass framed guns will fall apart with a lot of shooting. Brass is somewhat soft, and so the base pin will start to loosen. The recoil shield will also pound up. In my experience, these guns are good for about 200 shots, and then they start to have problems. I personally only use the brass framed guns to shoot blanks.
The best advise I can give is to tell you to make sure the chambers align with the barrel. The easiest way to do that is to place a .44 caliber button type cleaning jag on a cleaning rod, patch it if the fit is not tight. Then insert the rod into the barrel of the assembled revolver and make sure the jag enters the chambers without hitting the rim of the chambers. That will tell you whether or not the thing is properly timed.





Then I'd suggest you fire some proof loads.





Pour as much FFg or FFFg powder as the chamber will hold under a round ball, grease the chamber mouths with crisco, heavy gun grease, axel grease, or some other heavy lubricant. Strap your revolver to a tire, fence post or other heavy object, co-ck the weapon and use a long lanyard (25 feet or longer) to fire the revolver, preferably while you are safely behind a stone wall, a clay bank, truck or other object that will prevent you from being hit with flying metal if the gun lets go. You will of course have tomanuallyy co-ck the revolver for each shot.





After you've proof tested your revolver, you should keep your loads pretty modest. As I'm sure you are aware, the Model 1851 Colt was designed for the .36-caliber chambering and was never offered by Colt in any other chambering. Since it is a .44-caliber brass framed revolver, if you routinely use heavy loads it will shoot loose and get out of time. You will note that not only is the cylinder rebated so the .44 caliber cylinder will fit the .36-caliber recoil shield, but the frame has a step cut into it to allow the larger cylinder diameter needed toaccommodatee the six .44-caliber chambers. This cut-out weakens the frame and causes the frame to stretch under the pressure of heavy loads.





And always seal the chamber mouths with grease or a felt overpowder wad to prevent chain firing.





Good Shooting,


Doc
You can't. Guns are super dangerous and also they can kill. You should turn yourself in to the police before you hurt anyone.