Cartridge cylinder

H

Hardcase

New member
I'm giving some thought to getting a cartridge cylinder for my Pietta 1860 Colt. Such a deal, right? I can easily load 'er up and spit lead all day long. But I wonder about cutting a loading port. I haven't seen anybody describe the process - I just see sales literature saying that I "just" have to cut one and off we go!

Is it that simple? Can I do it with a file or so I need to break out a Dremel tool? The Dremel kind of worries me because, like Brylcreem, a little dab'll do ya. A lot makes a mess.

Then, what about finishing? Do I just cold blue where I cut and not worry about the mismatch between that and the case colors? Does it even really show that much?

Am I making a mountain out of a molehill?
 
It will require a Dremel, a drill and a file. Or you could just get the cylinder without the loading gate and break it down to load it.
 
Hardcase, before you install a loading gate check your local laws. In some jurisdictions it's the gate that defines a cartridge handgun (and its legal restrictions) from a BP conversion. MidwayUSA lists "Howell's Old West Gated Conversion Cylinder Installation Fixture 1860 Army" for $40.
 
Thankfully, sunny southern Idaho (or, as I like to call it today "Blizzardtown") doesn't have draconian firearms laws. Or, really, many firearms laws at all.

Kind of refreshing.

Thanks for the suggestion on the jig. I see that Midway is out of stock - hopefully it's not because of whatever trouble seems to be afflicting R&D/Howell's.

I guess a steady hand and a vise will ease my task. The reason that I want to use the loading gate is that I don't really want to take the gun apart to reload each time. It's a laziness thing :D
 
The reason that I want to use the loading gate is that I don't really want to take the gun apart to reload each time. It's a laziness thing
Click to expand...
Yep. If you've got to remove the wheel to reload metallics, why not save some $$$ and just get some spare BP cyl's?
 
robhof

I got 3 spare Ballistix cylinders for my ROA and still ended up getting an R&D just because...Now I can blast away with a total of 4 b/p cylinders and add another 6 from 45Lc, before reloading. The conversion is still faster to reload than the b/p's, but they're all equally fun.
 
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