R & D Conversion Cylinders

bunker43 · February 5, 2005, 05:33 PM

Hello all,
Has anyone had anything to do with the R & D Conversion Cylinders from cap & ball to .45 Colt as in a Uberti copy 1858 revolver, I see them advertised & was wondering if they are worth looking at.

JNewell · February 5, 2005, 09:32 PM

While we're on the topic, I see that Brownells is now carrying two different models of conversion cylinders. Any comments on which is better designed, better manufactured, more reliable, etc.?

fal308 · February 6, 2005, 09:46 AM

Several of the shooters in our CAS club really like them.

44-40 · February 6, 2005, 11:18 AM

Altho I have never been around these I always wondered if a guy wouldn't be better off getting one that was already a converted model from cimmaron, seems like the R&D conv were kind of $$$$$$$$$$$

dev_null · February 6, 2005, 12:28 PM

At the time they first came out, the conversion cylinders from R&D and Kirst were the only game in town, since the replica '75's weren't out yet.

I have several of the R&D's from Taylor's, and I love them. My two Uberti Remmies are more accurate (and lots less expensive, even with the cost of the cylinders) than my Vaqueros. In fact, I'm thinking of selling the Rugers and keeping the Remmies.

OBTW, another nice thing (especially if you live in a state with OGAM rules or waiting periods): you can buy a BP Uberti through the mail. You can also buy the conversion cylinder through the mail. You can then put the two together.

- 0 -

Ozzieman · February 6, 2005, 03:25 PM

Since Colt capandball revolvers were 32, 36, and 44 cal.
The conversion to 45 Long colt must have left very few parts to the origional gun parts.

dev_null · February 6, 2005, 08:03 PM

.44 ball is close enough to .45 Colt that you can simply swap out the cylinder with the conversion cylinder and use RNL ammo in it. You can't use full-house FMJ loads in it, they won't fit (at least, when I tried to use some Blazer it didn't) and even if they did it probably would be too high a pressure to do it for long.

BTW, we're talking about replicas for the Remington '58, not for Colts.

- 0 -

klw · February 27, 2005, 12:15 PM

I've owned two, one for a Ruger Old Army and one for a Colt Blackpowder Arms Walker. The Ruger just dropped in. The Colt revolver had to be sent to R&D so that they could fit it. Took months and months. Now if you buy a Walker cylinder from Taylor's I think that you have to do the fitting.

I asked Taylor's about that at the last Shot Show. They said that most Colt cylinders did just drop in but not all.

Taylor's, incidentally, does not, as far as I know, sell all the cylinders that R&D makes. The Spencer cylinder, for example, is available elsewhere.

Of course R&D isn't the only company making these cylinders but they are the only brand that I have used.

Mike Weber · March 16, 2005, 04:58 PM

I've got two of the R&D Conversion cylinders for my Pietta 1858 Remington Clones. One of my R&D cylinders came from Taylor&Company as I still have the Taylor&Company packaging. The R&D cylinders are very high quality parts and are capable of handling light smokeless loads as well as BP and BP substitute loads. Allthough they are supposed to be drop in parts this isn't always the case with them. I had to do minor fitting to both revolvers in order to make them function smoothly with the R&D cylinders. If you're gonna use a 58 Remington to shoot CAS competition this is the route to go unless you plan on carrying ten spare loaded and uncapped percussion cylinders with you to the match which I sometimes do when I shoot my Remingtons as percussion guns. Someone asked "why not just buy one of the opentops or other ready made cartridge conversion revolvers?" An advantage to using the R&D is that you are able to switch the revolver back to its original percussion configuration by simply swapping the cylinders back to the percussion cylinders. You're not permanently altering the revolver with the R&D conversion. Some cartridge conversions such as the full Kirst conversion include adding a loading gate and ejector rod, these conversions are irreversible so once the gun is altered in this way "Permanently" it becomes a cartridge gun and subject to all the legal regulations governing cartridge guns

novus collectus · March 17, 2005, 03:06 PM

I totally agree. If you want to sell your pistol to a friend then you don't have to do the paperwork (or wait for a bgrnd ckeck or pay for a bgrd check) because it is considered an antique, and sell the cylinder ( almost for what you paid for it) as a part. Just don't sell them at the same time with the same person.

February 5, 2005, 05:33 PM	#1
bunker43 Junior Member Join Date: January 24, 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 12	R & D Conversion Cylinders Hello all, Has anyone had anything to do with the R & D Conversion Cylinders from cap & ball to .45 Colt as in a Uberti copy 1858 revolver, I see them advertised & was wondering if they are worth looking at.

February 6, 2005, 12:28 PM	#5
dev_null Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2002 Location: Austin TX Posts: 615	At the time they first came out, the conversion cylinders from R&D and Kirst were the only game in town, since the replica '75's weren't out yet. I have several of the R&D's from Taylor's, and I love them. My two Uberti Remmies are more accurate (and lots less expensive, even with the cost of the cylinders) than my Vaqueros. In fact, I'm thinking of selling the Rugers and keeping the Remmies. OBTW, another nice thing (especially if you live in a state with OGAM rules or waiting periods): you can buy a BP Uberti through the mail. You can also buy the conversion cylinder through the mail. You can then put the two together. - 0 - __________________ The plural of anecdote is NOT "data."

February 6, 2005, 03:25 PM	#6
Ozzieman Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 6,117	Im a little confused by the queston Since Colt capandball revolvers were 32, 36, and 44 cal. The conversion to 45 Long colt must have left very few parts to the origional gun parts.

February 6, 2005, 08:03 PM	#7
dev_null Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2002 Location: Austin TX Posts: 615	.44 ball is close enough to .45 Colt that you can simply swap out the cylinder with the conversion cylinder and use RNL ammo in it. You can't use full-house FMJ loads in it, they won't fit (at least, when I tried to use some Blazer it didn't) and even if they did it probably would be too high a pressure to do it for long. BTW, we're talking about replicas for the Remington '58, not for Colts. - 0 - __________________ The plural of anecdote is NOT "data."

March 16, 2005, 04:58 PM	#9
Mike Weber Senior Member Join Date: April 24, 2002 Location: Northern California Posts: 238	I've got two of the R&D Conversion cylinders for my Pietta 1858 Remington Clones. One of my R&D cylinders came from Taylor&Company as I still have the Taylor&Company packaging. The R&D cylinders are very high quality parts and are capable of handling light smokeless loads as well as BP and BP substitute loads. Allthough they are supposed to be drop in parts this isn't always the case with them. I had to do minor fitting to both revolvers in order to make them function smoothly with the R&D cylinders. If you're gonna use a 58 Remington to shoot CAS competition this is the route to go unless you plan on carrying ten spare loaded and uncapped percussion cylinders with you to the match which I sometimes do when I shoot my Remingtons as percussion guns. Someone asked "why not just buy one of the opentops or other ready made cartridge conversion revolvers?" An advantage to using the R&D is that you are able to switch the revolver back to its original percussion configuration by simply swapping the cylinders back to the percussion cylinders. You're not permanently altering the revolver with the R&D conversion. Some cartridge conversions such as the full Kirst conversion include adding a loading gate and ejector rod, these conversions are irreversible so once the gun is altered in this way "Permanently" it becomes a cartridge gun and subject to all the legal regulations governing cartridge guns __________________ M. Weber "Molon labe" http://shootersfreehold.com/ A place for firearms enthusiasts to congregate.

February 5, 2005, 09:32 PM	#2
JNewell Senior Member Join Date: March 12, 2000 Posts: 1,092	While we're on the topic, I see that Brownells is now carrying two different models of conversion cylinders. Any comments on which is better designed, better manufactured, more reliable, etc.?

February 6, 2005, 09:46 AM	#3
fal308 Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 12, 1998 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,992	Several of the shooters in our CAS club really like them.

February 6, 2005, 11:18 AM	#4
44-40 Senior Member Join Date: January 31, 2005 Location: Wyoming Posts: 180	Altho I have never been around these I always wondered if a guy wouldn't be better off getting one that was already a converted model from cimmaron, seems like the R&D conv were kind of $$$$$$$$$$$

February 27, 2005, 12:15 PM	#8
klw Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2005 Posts: 118	I've owned two, one for a Ruger Old Army and one for a Colt Blackpowder Arms Walker. The Ruger just dropped in. The Colt revolver had to be sent to R&D so that they could fit it. Took months and months. Now if you buy a Walker cylinder from Taylor's I think that you have to do the fitting. I asked Taylor's about that at the last Shot Show. They said that most Colt cylinders did just drop in but not all. Taylor's, incidentally, does not, as far as I know, sell all the cylinders that R&D makes. The Spencer cylinder, for example, is available elsewhere. Of course R&D isn't the only company making these cylinders but they are the only brand that I have used.

March 17, 2005, 03:06 PM	#10
novus collectus Junior member Join Date: March 15, 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 940	I totally agree. If you want to sell your pistol to a friend then you don't have to do the paperwork (or wait for a bgrnd ckeck or pay for a bgrd check) because it is considered an antique, and sell the cylinder ( almost for what you paid for it) as a part. Just don't sell them at the same time with the same person.