Black powder conversions

vostracker · June 17, 2008, 06:22 PM

Just courious on how many of you have converted your BP pistols to cartridge and how do you like them. Are they holding up well?

timothy75 · June 17, 2008, 06:33 PM

Do you mean with a conversion cylinder like R&D or professionally done like the orignals?

Fingers McGee · June 17, 2008, 07:03 PM

Had a pair of Pietta '58 Remingtons with R&D cylinders. They were reliable and were fun to shoot; but didnt trip my trigger (I prefer Colt style revolvers in C&B). I had them a couple years using them off & on, and finally sold them so I could buy more 2nd Gen Colt BP revolvers.

mykeal · June 17, 2008, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Do you mean with a conversion cylinder like R&D or professionally done like the orignals?

Speaking for just myself, and not the original poster, I'd like to hear from both.

vostracker · June 17, 2008, 10:19 PM

Timothy75: I'm interested in both.

Bootsie · June 18, 2008, 01:50 AM

Have a 1971 Uberti Remmie 58 converted in "factory" style, i. e. no gate/thin plate with PC ejector in .44 Colt (.429 inside lubed bullets). Due to the bore a new barrel was fitted. That is a tack-driver.
My Centaure Colt Richards conversion was just completed in May to also shoot the .44 Colt. The bore dia was reduced to proper size using some galvanizing technique. The original pistol was manufactured 1966 in Belgium. That one is a beauty but doesn't like my regular light CAS load with the 200 gr nor my "accuracy" rifle load with 230 gr bullets. I am still in the load-finding process using hollow based bullets.
Bootsie

grymster2007 · June 18, 2008, 09:44 AM

I have a '58 Remington with and R&D cylinder. Really haven't shot it much yet, but seems fine. I'll be putting a few hundred rounds through it next week and will report any problems.

I also have on order from Taylor's, an R&D cylinder for an 1863 Pocket Remington. Don't have the gun yet, but will probably pick it up soon. In fact, I was in Cabelas Reno last Friday and would have bought the gun if they had it.

sundance44s · June 18, 2008, 11:40 AM

I`ve got 4 1858 Remmies converted to 45 LC..mine shoot better than the Colt 1873 Clones I own and have tried ..Seems all the Colt clones I`ve shot would shoot high and a little left ( someone let me know if there`s one made that doesn`t ) ...all my Remmies with conversion cylinders shoot POA .
The grips on the 1858 fit my hand perfect also ...I just ordered a batch of Schofield brass to start reloading the 45 Schofield rounds for my conversion cylinders ..The 45lc with a tank full of black powder is a bit much for target shooting for me , the Schofield rounds will reduce the charge with out adding fillers .

w_houle · June 18, 2008, 12:01 PM

I have an 1851 Colt that I converted to 45 Colt using an R&D cylinder and I think it has given me the opportunity to run a lot more rounds through it than if I C&B loaded it.

grymster2007 · June 28, 2008, 12:27 PM

Well, I'm back from my week in the woods and while I did shoot the '58 w/R&D conversion, for several reasons, I didn't shoot it as much as I had hoped. Part of the problem was that the gun's loading lever popped open every shot or two. I thought I had solved this problem, but apparently have more work to do. The latch just does not engage enough to take the recoil of most loads. It will take the 250gr LRNFP over Trailboss loaded to ~610 fps, but I only had a few of those. The other load was the same bullet and powder loaded to shoot ~710 fps and that popped the latch most shots. I need to either mill or file the latch for better engagement.

One of the other problems was all the guns available to shoot. Must have been 25 guns for 11 guys. Hadda try this and hadda try that.

It all takes time.

The other problem was the 5000+ acre forest fire a mile or so from camp.

That was scary enough that we kept half our equipment loaded back onto the vehicles for a few days in case we needed a quick getaway. While this was going on, my neighborhood back home was subject to voluntary evacuation due to the 4000+ acre Napa fire.

Seems I spent two days constantly driving the 15 miles to get cell signal, talk to the wife and try and determine whether I should head home or not.

All and all, a good trip, but rather stressful.

Now I really need to go fix the Pietta.

Hawg · June 28, 2008, 01:01 PM

Maybe your latch spring is weak. That's a pretty deep notch in a 58 to be jumping out under recoil.

grymster2007 · June 28, 2008, 02:23 PM

Quote:

That's a pretty deep notch in a 58 to be jumping out under recoil.

Looking at it closely, I can see it was meant to be deep, but looks like Guido may have had too much sangiovese the night before he machined this one and there isn't a whole bunch of engagement. The spring seems fairly stout, but I'll keep your suggestion in mind.

June 17, 2008, 06:22 PM	#1
vostracker Senior Member Join Date: February 4, 2007 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 416	Black powder conversions Just courious on how many of you have converted your BP pistols to cartridge and how do you like them. Are they holding up well?

June 17, 2008, 07:03 PM	#3
Fingers McGee Senior Member Join Date: March 19, 2008 Location: High & Dry in Missouri Ozarks Posts: 2,113	Had a pair of Pietta '58 Remingtons with R&D cylinders. They were reliable and were fun to shoot; but didnt trip my trigger (I prefer Colt style revolvers in C&B). I had them a couple years using them off & on, and finally sold them so I could buy more 2nd Gen Colt BP revolvers. __________________ Fingers (Show Me MO smoke) McGee - AKA Man of Many Colts - Alter ego of Diabolical Ken; SASS Regulator 28564-L-TG; Rangemaster and stage writer extraordinaire; Frontiersman, Pistoleer, NRA Endowment Life, NMLRA, SAF, CCRKBA, STORM 327, SV115; Charter member, Central Ozarks Western Shooters Cynic: A blackguard whose faulty vision see things as they are, not as they should be. Ambrose Bierce

June 17, 2008, 10:19 PM	#5
vostracker Senior Member Join Date: February 4, 2007 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 416	R&D,Krist, and others Timothy75: I'm interested in both.

June 18, 2008, 09:44 AM	#7
grymster2007 Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2007 Location: In the oak studded hills near Napa Posts: 2,203	I have a '58 Remington with and R&D cylinder. Really haven't shot it much yet, but seems fine. I'll be putting a few hundred rounds through it next week and will report any problems. I also have on order from Taylor's, an R&D cylinder for an 1863 Pocket Remington. Don't have the gun yet, but will probably pick it up soon. In fact, I was in Cabelas Reno last Friday and would have bought the gun if they had it. __________________ grym

June 18, 2008, 12:01 PM	#9
w_houle Senior Member Join Date: March 29, 2007 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 1,391	I have an 1851 Colt that I converted to 45 Colt using an R&D cylinder and I think it has given me the opportunity to run a lot more rounds through it than if I C&B loaded it. __________________ How could you have a slogan like "freedom is slavery" when the concept of freedom has been abolished?

June 17, 2008, 06:33 PM	#2
timothy75 Senior Member Join Date: April 19, 2005 Location: Nevada Posts: 1,146	Do you mean with a conversion cylinder like R&D or professionally done like the orignals?

June 18, 2008, 01:50 AM	#6
Bootsie Senior Member Join Date: April 30, 2007 Location: Hofheim/Germany Posts: 102	Have a 1971 Uberti Remmie 58 converted in "factory" style, i. e. no gate/thin plate with PC ejector in .44 Colt (.429 inside lubed bullets). Due to the bore a new barrel was fitted. That is a tack-driver. My Centaure Colt Richards conversion was just completed in May to also shoot the .44 Colt. The bore dia was reduced to proper size using some galvanizing technique. The original pistol was manufactured 1966 in Belgium. That one is a beauty but doesn't like my regular light CAS load with the 200 gr nor my "accuracy" rifle load with 230 gr bullets. I am still in the load-finding process using hollow based bullets. Bootsie

June 18, 2008, 11:40 AM	#8
sundance44s Senior Member Join Date: February 6, 2006 Location: Hernando , Ms. Posts: 579	I`ve got 4 1858 Remmies converted to 45 LC..mine shoot better than the Colt 1873 Clones I own and have tried ..Seems all the Colt clones I`ve shot would shoot high and a little left ( someone let me know if there`s one made that doesn`t ) ...all my Remmies with conversion cylinders shoot POA . The grips on the 1858 fit my hand perfect also ...I just ordered a batch of Schofield brass to start reloading the 45 Schofield rounds for my conversion cylinders ..The 45lc with a tank full of black powder is a bit much for target shooting for me , the Schofield rounds will reduce the charge with out adding fillers .

June 28, 2008, 12:27 PM	#10
grymster2007 Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2007 Location: In the oak studded hills near Napa Posts: 2,203	Well, I'm back from my week in the woods and while I did shoot the '58 w/R&D conversion, for several reasons, I didn't shoot it as much as I had hoped. Part of the problem was that the gun's loading lever popped open every shot or two. I thought I had solved this problem, but apparently have more work to do. The latch just does not engage enough to take the recoil of most loads. It will take the 250gr LRNFP over Trailboss loaded to ~610 fps, but I only had a few of those. The other load was the same bullet and powder loaded to shoot ~710 fps and that popped the latch most shots. I need to either mill or file the latch for better engagement. One of the other problems was all the guns available to shoot. Must have been 25 guns for 11 guys. Hadda try this and hadda try that. It all takes time. The other problem was the 5000+ acre forest fire a mile or so from camp. That was scary enough that we kept half our equipment loaded back onto the vehicles for a few days in case we needed a quick getaway. While this was going on, my neighborhood back home was subject to voluntary evacuation due to the 4000+ acre Napa fire. Seems I spent two days constantly driving the 15 miles to get cell signal, talk to the wife and try and determine whether I should head home or not. All and all, a good trip, but rather stressful. Now I really need to go fix the Pietta. __________________ grym

June 28, 2008, 01:01 PM	#11
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,189	Maybe your latch spring is weak. That's a pretty deep notch in a 58 to be jumping out under recoil.