Ammo for 1851 Navy with conversion?

[Robereno]

In a few weeks I will have a Uberti 1851 Navy with a R&D drop in conversion. Yay.

I’ve been getting “wrapped around the axel” on what to shoot in this. To keep things simple I was just wondering what other people are shooting in their guns with a similar configuration?

My original plan was to hand load 38 special cartridges with 38 lead hollow based wadcutters. Using a load to keep it under 850 fps.

Ideas?

Thanks

 

[Wayner]

Congrates on the gun and the drop in conversion. I'd follow what the manufacturer recommends. Is the conversion cylinder 38Colt chambering? I know the manufacturer recommends "Factory Cowboy Ammo" or the blackpowder equivilent of that. If it's 38 Colt chambering than using 38 special can cause extra pressure and extraction problems because the 38 special is a little too long for the 38 Colt chambers where the placement of the cylinder throat is located. The step in the throat of the 38 Colt chamber can cause the 38 special to not have adequate room to expand the very edge of the case mouth to let the bullet out without building extra pressure. The SAMMI specs dimensions of the chambers and the cases bear this out. People still fire 38 specials from the conversion cylinders put have reported extraction problems. At least with the ported Kirst conversion cylinders. Anyway I don't remember if the R&D drop in is 38 Colt or 38 special.

 

[Robereno]

Yeah, of course I'll find out when it arrives; I’m just trying to get a head start on my loading supplies. The documentation they provide is vague. They leave it open by just saying to use “cowboy ammunition and to keep the pressures in the 38 LC range.” They don’t specifically say if it is chambered for Colt or Special. I suspect it’s 38 LC but I’ll see if I can find the R&D website and check.

Thanks, I’m kind of new at this.

OK I found the site at: http://www.randdgunshop.com/catalog.php?page=2&category=Drop%20In%20Cylinders

It says "The 1851-U was designed for the Uberti 1851 or 1861 Navy revolver and converts it to fire the .38 Long Colt cartridge. You can also use 38 Special Hollow Based Wadcutter ammunition."

 

[ribbonstone]

Part of it will be taht you are using the original barrel...and it will be somewhere between .367" and .377" (know that's a wide variation...most of them are towards the low end). Tossing a .358" bullet down a .370" hole is going to take a bit of tinkering to get real accuracy.

Soft lead bullets, hollow based, and black powder does the trick nicely. Smokeless just doen't bump up bullets until pressures are considerably higher than black powder....not that you can't do it, but perhaps at more pressure than is wise in those conversions.

However, the big deep hollow base of a 148gr. HBWC will bump up with lighter smokeless loads....your first thoughts about using those wee right. They don't work great with black powder becasue they only carry a thin coat of wax lube, but recoverd 148gr. HBWC's fired over 2.7gr. of Bullseye (and old tradtional target load) does sow full engravement at the base (but not at the nose...it comes out a bit bigger in rear than in front...no real matter, they shoot very well.