Unusual conversion

[James K]

At the gun show today, I picked up a conversion I have never seen before. It is a Belgian conversion of a .44 Starr double action (so-called) to .45 Colt. It is very neatly done and appears to be from the post-CW period (i.e., not modern), though obviously after 1874.

They didn't try to convert the cylinder, it is new and the cylinder, frame and barrel bear Liege proof marks. A new recoil shield has been made and attached to the frame with four screws.

The cylinder has only five chambers rather than the six of the original, due to the larger chambers. There are other differences. The hand has been altered due to the changes to the cylinder, the built-in conical cylinder center pins have been replaced with a base pin in the frame, and the hammer has been altered to use a firing pin.

The case heads are recessed; there is no loading gate or ejector, though there is a cutout in the lower right of the recoil shield that allows the cylinder to be checked for loads. Fired cases would have to be punched out, possibly by using the front of the rammer, which is intact, or the base pin.

IMHO, this is no gunsmith work; it is very well done with no signs of "cut and try" work. The serial is 12253. There is no sign of a stock cartouche or any indication one was removed.

Other than the conversion work, the two guns are identical.

I am aware that after the CW, many U.S. surplus guns were bought up be Belgian and other European arms brokers, with many percussion guns converted to use metallic cartridges. But this is the first converted Starr I have seen. Has anyone else seen one of these, or seen similar Belgian work on other percussion revolvers.?

Jim