I have a 'belly gun' cartridge conversion of a Pietta 1858 using a Kirst gated backplate that is permanently installed. I am wondering about what hoops would have to be jumped in order to sell it without having a potential conflict with the feds. Do you suppose that it would be kosher to sell the gun & the cylinder(s) separately?
Selling an 1858 conversion
- Thread starter oldwheat
- Start date
robhof
Do you have the original C&B cylinder, if so you can sell it with that and it will fall under the rules of B/p firearms, then sell the Kirst separate as it's not a firearm. Complex, but legal and sure beats going through 2 FFL's. The person I got my 1st ROA from offered me a conversion cylinder for a special price after I won the auction for the gun, he had to ship it separate to be legal, but both were shipped USPS legally.
Do you have the original C&B cylinder, if so you can sell it with that and it will fall under the rules of B/p firearms, then sell the Kirst separate as it's not a firearm. Complex, but legal and sure beats going through 2 FFL's. The person I got my 1st ROA from offered me a conversion cylinder for a special price after I won the auction for the gun, he had to ship it separate to be legal, but both were shipped USPS legally.
Bishop Creek
New member
If the frame has been altered, i.e. a loading channel cut into it, it is now considered a legal firearm and no longer a simple cap 'n ball pistol.
Bishop Creek
New member
Don't have it in front of me, but the BATF has it in their regs.
Bishop Creek
New member
This is from Jay Strite, co-owner and gunsmith for Kirst Konverter:
When you have a percussion revolver converted it is legal to own and sell. As long as you follow state and federal law.
If you own the percussion revolver before it is converted there is NO NICS check.
If you are in a state like Texas you can sell to a private party with no paper work.
If you are in a state like Calif you will need to do the NICS or what ever system the state has in place.
If you buy a converted revolver from a dealer there will be a NICS check.
If you send your percussion gun to a gunsmith to convert there is No NICS check
Jay Strite
Kirst Konverter LLC
When you have a percussion revolver converted it is legal to own and sell. As long as you follow state and federal law.
If you own the percussion revolver before it is converted there is NO NICS check.
If you are in a state like Texas you can sell to a private party with no paper work.
If you are in a state like Calif you will need to do the NICS or what ever system the state has in place.
If you buy a converted revolver from a dealer there will be a NICS check.
If you send your percussion gun to a gunsmith to convert there is No NICS check
Jay Strite
Kirst Konverter LLC
This topic, or a variation of it comes up over & over.
There never seems to be a consensus of what exactly the law is. Every time the topic appears there is a reversal of the previous topic's results.
Look here for example:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=456949
Maybe this topic needs to go into "legal" so we can finally get a definitive answer about what does & does not constitute a "conversion"?
There are some exact laws quoted in the thread BTW, but that just seems to provoke more discussion.
There never seems to be a consensus of what exactly the law is. Every time the topic appears there is a reversal of the previous topic's results.
Look here for example:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=456949
Maybe this topic needs to go into "legal" so we can finally get a definitive answer about what does & does not constitute a "conversion"?
There are some exact laws quoted in the thread BTW, but that just seems to provoke more discussion.
It's C&B when it's sold with a C&B cylinder in it, whether or not someone took some metal off it. NO ATF rule covers this. NO ATF rule says that once it has a loading groove cut into it, it's now a firearm even if it has a C&B cylinder in it. Sometime take a look at the Uberti 1873 Cattleman Steel Frame Cap and Ball Revolver. It has a loading gate and a loading channel, but is cap and ball and requires no ffl or buy or sell. Try this thread: http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=310467
Well, past experience with BATF has shown me that normally they don't give a rodent's rump about such trivial matters unless there is a point to be made or you are on their s*** list. At any rate, if someone were to make a reasonable ( or even semi reasonable) offer. I would sell the gun = Pietta 1858 with 3 1/2" bbl., 'permanently' installed backplate & 2- .45 Colt cylinders. Otherwise, I'll merely hold onto it for now.
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