1849 Pocket with Howell Conversion Cylinder Help

[Kenebec Bill]

I installed a Howell Conversion Cylinder on a Uberti 1849 Pocket Pistol.  There was NO cylinder gap which prevented the cylinder from rotating.  I sacrificed a Dillon #2 button to get the correct arbor length.  (I didn't drill the hole in the arbor for the button shaft.  The #2 button shaft was removed so I basically have a little brass disc which works as long as I don't lose it when I disassemble the pistol for reloading or cleaning.)

The conversion cylinder now rotates, but there is still not much cylinder gap.  The thinnest feeler gage I have is .0025 inches and I cannot fit it into the cylinder gap.

My request for help is twofold:

1.  Is there enough "meat" in the 1849 pocket arbor to drill the hole to accept the #2 button with shaft without unacceptably weakening the arbor?  I expect that there is, but I would like to hear from people more experienced than I.

2.  Because the cylinder gap is so small, should the front of the conversion cylinder have a few thousandths (I'm thinking round .003) removed or should the forcing cone have a few thousandths removed?  I'm leaning towards the conversion cylinder, but, once again, I would like to hear from more experienced personnel.

Thanks for your time!

Kenebec Bill

[Pettifogger]

Remember on a Colt C&B there is usually no apparent cylinder gap as the hand pushes the cylinder forward.  To measure the gap you have to put the hammer on half cock and pull the cylinder to the rear, then measure the gap.

[Kenebec Bill]

Remember on a Colt C&B there is usually no apparent cylinder gap as the hand pushes the cylinder forward.  To measure the gap you have to put the hammer on half cock and pull the cylinder to the rear, then measure the gap.

Thanks! I forgot about that.  I will give it a try.

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[Kenebec Bill]

Remember on a Colt C&B there is usually no apparent cylinder gap as the hand pushes the cylinder forward.  To measure the gap you have to put the hammer on half cock and pull the cylinder to the rear, then measure the gap.

Half cock and pull the cylinder to the rear.  It does provide for a little more cylinder gap.  I was able to start a .002" feeler gage into the cylinder gap, but the feeler gage did not pass all the way through.

I didn't try with the percussion cylinder, but I'm sure the cylinder gap was larger than what I get with the conversion cylinder.

[Coffinmaker]

Milling anything off the face of the cylinder will be a real RPITA.  Much much simpler to get a facing cutter from Brownells and take a little off the breach end of the cylinder.  Yours needs to be trued up anyway.  Pie shaped B/C gap not good MoJo!!

Coffinmaker