Muzzle Loading S&W for UK Market

M

MikeAI

Inactive
Guys, as you know our gun laws here are awful. When it comes to handguns, we have to have barrel of at least 12 inches and a great big TV aerial/coat hanger appendage coming out the grip to maintain an overall length.

We can however shoot BP revolvers. A guy over here is now doing conversions to allow Taurus revolvers to be converted to muzzle loaders firing SW lead bullets and using shotgun primers. We can then cut the barrel down to 5" and hack the horrible bit off the grip.

My question is, has anybody come across anybody in the US converting S&W revolvers into muzzle loaders (I know, why would you!) as I'd much prefer a S&W to a Taurus!

Thanks.
 
No.
No reason to bastardize one for no real useful return.
Can't imagine anybody bothering.
Denis
 
Now are these going to be cap and ball revolvers, as in you can load and shoot six shots, or is it going to be just a single shot muzzle loader?
 
Nne that I know of. Though the market abounds with cap and ball revolvers by several makers of reproductions.

I would recomend getting a reproduction if you could. Quite a few good ones come out of Italy.
 
I've always thought about a modern cap and ball. Not a reproduction of some old Colt, but a real modern design. The issue with the repros is that they are slow to load, single action only, and even the smallest ones are kind of bulky.

I would be interested in something right around the size of a J-Frame, double action, with a cylinder that swings out and can then be slid off the crane and replaced with a loaded one for quick reloads.

I guess you could essentially modify a modern snub to do that. All you need is a new cylinder and probably a new crane.

Wouldn't be much use here in the States, but I can see how it can be a handy piece across the pond.
 
Guys, as you know our gun laws here are awful. When it comes to handguns, we have to have barrel of at least 12 inches and a great big TV aerial/coat hanger appendage coming out the grip to maintain an overall length.
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Is this something like a shoulder stock? That would be a short barreled rifle here.

Never mind. I found one. Wow. Never seen a contraption like that before. Yeah, I'm thinking a Ruger Old Army or a Remington 1858 clone would be far more practical.

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Well take off the radio antenna and it's not so bad.

Where do those long barrels come from though? Is it manufactured like that by Browning/Taurus? Or are the guns imported with a shorter barrel and then modified by some shop before being sold? Never seen a barrel that big on any gun maker's site.
 
It seems that the Taurus conversion is not a black powder revolver but a muzzleloading smokeless powder revolver, although I suppose you could still use black powder if you really insist.

http://westlakeengineering.com/14911.html

These guys also convert traditional cap and ball revolvers into muzzleloading nitro (smokeless) revolvers, this involves using a cylinder that uses 209 primers instead of percussion caps.
 
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I don't know about Smith & Wessons, but I remember, Cabelas, I think it was, used to sell a look alike copy of the Colt Peacemaker that was a cap & ball gun.
 
There is a person who competes in the Texas Muzzleloading Rifle Association revolver matches using a Smith and Wesson converted to cap and ball. He didn't ruin a perfectly good revolver to do it. It was one of those confiscated guns that was cut into and sent to the scrap dealer. He basically used its frame and lockwork to make himself a home made cap and ball revolver.
 
Well take off the radio antenna and it's not so bad.

Where do those long barrels come from though? Is it manufactured like that by Browning/Taurus? Or are the guns imported with a shorter barrel and then modified by some shop before being sold? Never seen a barrel that big on any gun maker's site.
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I think its specially order that way for their country. Dang thats heavy... Wouldn't want to shoot it lol.
 
The Taurus revolvers and the Buckmarks are supplied like that. That's as good as we get in the UK.

I have a Ruger Old Army cap and ball revolver but want something more modern. The conversion mentioned and undertaken by Westlake Engineering is good but he only does Taurus models and as I mentioned, I'd like a S&W.

You guys are really lucky with your current gun laws even with the increase in background checks etc. Your NRA is a credit to your country.
 
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