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jason41987 · November 27, 2012, 06:43 AM

i have an 1873 SAA revolver that was given to me as a gift a while ago.. its a cap and ball version... anyway, i dont like it very much, and wanted to sell it and buy a real one, but it was a gift, so i do feel a bit obligated to keep it... so i was wondering, is there some way to convert it?....

i read a previous thread relating to these on another forum, and apparently standard SAA cylinders do in fact fit and line up fine.. but the firing pin hole is offset... the thread i read involved a guy drilling out the firing pin hole to fire it, and it did fire, however, the hole was enlarged a bit too much and it allowed the caps to pop off the cartridges and push the hammer back

so i was wondering if anyone whos more familiar with the colt design could shed some light onto this issue, and maybe give some advice as what could further be done to mine to convert it to a standard 1873 cartridge revolver?..

if im not mistaken, didnt colts have a larger-than-needed firing pin hole that had a bushing pressed in and pinned into place... this way the bushing could be replaced in the future when the revolvers would wear out in this area?.... would it be possible to get a colt bushing, drill the firing pine hole out and pin this bushing in to rebuild this area of the frame... thus converting it back into what it should be?

so... is this doable? or do i really need to sell this and buy one? or can it be converted by adding a recoil shield / bushing to the enlarged firing pin hole?

November 27, 2012, 06:43 AM	#1
jason41987 Senior Member Join Date: April 19, 2012 Posts: 479	colt SAA cap and ball to cartridge? i have an 1873 SAA revolver that was given to me as a gift a while ago.. its a cap and ball version... anyway, i dont like it very much, and wanted to sell it and buy a real one, but it was a gift, so i do feel a bit obligated to keep it... so i was wondering, is there some way to convert it?.... i read a previous thread relating to these on another forum, and apparently standard SAA cylinders do in fact fit and line up fine.. but the firing pin hole is offset... the thread i read involved a guy drilling out the firing pin hole to fire it, and it did fire, however, the hole was enlarged a bit too much and it allowed the caps to pop off the cartridges and push the hammer back so i was wondering if anyone whos more familiar with the colt design could shed some light onto this issue, and maybe give some advice as what could further be done to mine to convert it to a standard 1873 cartridge revolver?.. if im not mistaken, didnt colts have a larger-than-needed firing pin hole that had a bushing pressed in and pinned into place... this way the bushing could be replaced in the future when the revolvers would wear out in this area?.... would it be possible to get a colt bushing, drill the firing pine hole out and pin this bushing in to rebuild this area of the frame... thus converting it back into what it should be? so... is this doable? or do i really need to sell this and buy one? or can it be converted by adding a recoil shield / bushing to the enlarged firing pin hole?