Best Conversion Cylinder for BP Revolver??

R

ROA

Inactive
Do you guys have any experience with conversion cylinders for BP revolvers?
What brands have you tried out? What are the pros and cons of each??

I have 2 kirst konverters. So far I have not had even a single hiccup with either. They both work extremely well for me. I see the taylors, R&D, and others.. Which is the best? Any experience with this, guys? Thanks in Advance!:)
 
I have an R&D for my Rem replica '58. Like you, I've not had any probs at all. Very fun & accurate to shoot mild/medium loads with W231 and 250gr lead (I only use lead bullets no copper jackets).
 
I dont shoot only cowboy loads..

Hey KW, I shoot standard loads regularly also. I found that as long as I don't us the +P ammo, it should be safe. The cylinders are pretty well made, people act like they will explode, I don't think so. As long as the back of the conversion cylinder stays in place and doesn't explode, it will be fine. Its cast Steel, and that would bend way before it cracked. Its not brittle like aluminum. If you have ever shot the Goex Black Powder ammo, you will know it really KICKS! It feels like it has just as or a little more pressure than a standard SAAMI spec load. And thats saying a lot, because black powder usually doesn't have that much recoil.
 
Its cast Steel, and that would bend way before it cracked.
Click to expand...

Got news for ya, ROA, cast steel will crack and break more often than it'll bend, even with good heat treatment. It tends to have a larger grain structure than forged steel does, and is notably weaker. This is one of the reasons so many folks prefer forged frames to cast.
( As an aside, it's actually the heat treatment that "makes or breaks" steel. Good heat treatment can make mediocre steel behave quite well, whereas screwing up the HT can turn even the best steel into worthless garbage. )


J.C.
 
The R&D conversion cylinders are made from chromium-molybdenum (4240) steel and are very strong.

I have been using mine in a ROA for sometime with smokeless loads.

One of my favorites is a 230gr LRN over 5.5 gr of TrailBoss. I can print 2" groups off hand @ 30' all day with this mild load. No leading, very little powder residue to clean.
 
The conversion cylinders are made with ordinance quality chrome moly steel. This is why they are so expensive. Think about it. Replacement cylinder from Cabelas $39, conversion cylinder $250.....................
 
Price of the conversion cylinder..

I think the price isn't because the metal is higher quality, its because the companies just try to charge as much as they can!! They feel that people would pay that much for the cylinder. If I had the facilities, I would make a conversion cylinder for $100- $150- and make it for all makes and models of black powder arms on the market, even a .44 magnum for the walker maybe??

I still paid because they literally have a monopoly on the business, although I don't know what their actual sales figures are, I doubt if walk kirst drives around in a lamborghini, although he must make a pretty decent living doing what he loves, and you just gotta envy that!!

Jamie, I'm surprised about what you said, but it makes sense, I didn't look at it that way. But i have been shooting both standard loads and cowboy loads through mine, and it handles it just fine. I don't think it would be too flimsy not to be able to handle a standard load. I use the Buffalo Bore Standard load 255gr keith bullet when hunting.

ROA
 
ROA, I doubt any "standard" .45 Colt load will damage a conversion cylinder. Mostly because the standard loads are kept relatively mild so that the ammo companies don't get themselves into a court case 'cause "Bubba" took his granpa's old Colt SAA out and blew it up with modern cartridges.

Now, I wouldn't want to shoot any +P or +P+ loads in a conversion cylinder that wasn't specifically marked for such, but I doubt plain old "vanilla" .45 loads are going to do much harm.

As for the cost of a conversion cylinder vs. a Cabela's replacement cylinder... well, I can't help but notice how soft the replacements are. That pretty much tells me there's little or no heat treatment involved in their manufacture. The conversions, on the other hand, are reported to be a bit harder, so I'm guessing there's at least a couple of extra steps taken in making them. And too, there is that whole "monopoly on the market" thing.

I did notice a while back though that one of the on-line dealers had a 1858 Navy Remmie conversion for sale for around $400. It had a loading gate, cartridge cylinder, and an ejector rod. After looking at the same site's price for the cylinder and gate - $300- and the ejector rod and housing - $100 - I came to the conclusion that they were pretty much giving you a gun if you bought both items from them.
Especially since the standard percussion version of the pistol sold for around $300 or so.

Interesting marketing, any way you look at it.


J.C.
 
yeah

I think that was on Buffalo arms.com - They had the remmies with the conversion cylinders, but what kind of remmie would it be? maybe piettas?
 
but what kind of remmie would it be? maybe piettas?
Click to expand...

The one I was looking at was Uberti. ( I don't think Pietta does a 5-1/2 inch Remington Navy. I believe theirs is a 6-1/2 inch barreled one. )

Cimarron Firearms also lists an Uberti 1858 navy conversion for $479.70, for the .38spl 5-1/2 inch version.


J.C.
 
Last edited:
Is it legal to ship BP arms to Brooklyn, Ny??

Jamie, how come colts cost so much? Also, I had a dealing with another fellow, and I tried to buy a black powder arm from him.

He said that he needed to ship to an FFL in NYC vicinity area. And called me a liar when I told him I didn't consider brooklyn to be part of NYC, although I always consider Manhattan as NYC.

Now, I'm not a lawyer, nor do I pretend to be, but I have been ordering black powder arms for years from cabelas, cheaper than dirt, Natchezss, etc... And they always shipped with no problems. Is it illegal to ship to a NYC area for the black powder arms?????

Was I wrong in saying something???
 
Sorry, ROA, but I can't answer either of those questions.

The guy you talked to could either be paranoid, or just too lazy to look the state statutes up, or both.

I know people in NJ can't get BP arms through the mail, but I have no idea about NY state. And everybody knows you can't have anything in NYC. :o


J.C.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top