1860 Army RM ?

[Texas Scout]

I have a ASM 1860 Army put together from a kit back in the mid 80's. I am wondering if there is a RM kit for this model.
I did not see anything on R&D's and kirst's web sights.
Any ideas?

[Major 2]

assuming it is a steel frame model ... the R&D Uberti Cyl. should require little work to get it to function...

That said ... $ 225- 240 for the Cyl. is a bit pricey on a maybe.... but I believe it will fit , Taylor's... If you buy the Cyl from them will fit it free....

If by Kit you mean a gated kit ... neither R&D or Kirst offer one for the 1860 (though R&D had said "one was in the works over a year ago" )

Kirst is adamant he won't make one ....

[Texas Scout]

assuming it is a steel frame model ... the R&D Uberti Cyl. should require little work to get it to function...

That said ... $ 225- 240 for the Cyl. is a bit pricey on a maybe.... but I believe it will fit , Taylor's... If you buy the Cyl from them will fit it free....

If by Kit you mean a gated kit ... neither R&D or Kirst offer one for the 1860 (though R&D had said "one was in the works over a year ago" )

Kirst is adamant he won't make one ....

 Thanks Major 2

 I was thinking about the gated kit.  I will just have to wait for R&D

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[Jubel]

I went ahead and converted my 1860 Pietta using the R&D cylinder. Loading is not fast but it's acceptable. I've waited for the gated version so long that well  http://www.libertyhigh56.net/special%20pages/dancing.htm  says it as better than I can. And of course I naturally had to have a mate for that 1860 so I bought a Richard Mason 1860 in 45 Schofield, the only one I could find and it is in the original finish however it is an 8"er.

[litl rooster]

Can someone explain to me why neither R&D or Krist only offer conversions for the 1860 in .45 cal and noot .44 ?

[Major 2]

R&D does in the 5 shot converter Cyl. and it's a honey

Walter Kirst will not....

It has to do with the rebated Cylinder the thickness and Diameter of the 1860 cylinder .. there is not enough meat to seat the 45 Colt head or wall thickness at the bolt notches.
Kenny Howell made the 5 shot and added safety notches to rest the hammer between like the C&B Cylinder solves the problem.
I have one of the R&D 5 shots ( don't miss the 6th. anyway because you should not load it safety wise )
The 2nd Gen Colt it is used in actually shoots better with it than it did with the C&B it replaced.
Tighter groops and POA a 10 yards...
Though it chambered for 45 LC.. I feed it 45 Sch it a little tighter with these, besides it being the round my 72 OT uses.

R&D has said ..." a gated Kit was coming ... "  but that's been 16 months ago.
I know Howell is swamped, it may be quite some time longer.

[litl rooster]

Major, I may have worded my question wrong.  I realize they offer conversions for the 1860 in .45lc and .45 sch can be chambered.  I am curious why it's not offered in .44 since that is what the my 1860 is set up for as a C&B.   My OT's are .44 colt, and wouldn't mind a conversion in that caliber.

[Quick Fire]

litl rooster, it may have to do with the 44 cap and balls revolvers being 454 diameter the same  as 45 colt

[Flint]

If you loaded the 44 Colt as it was originally made, a heel based 45 caliber bullet, or a hollow based 44 bullet, the 44 Colt chambering would work.  As it is, the "modern" load for a 44 Colt is inside the case bullet, making it a 429 caliber like the 44Russian/Special/Magnum.

As mentioned by Quick Fire, the 44 Colt bore is .454, so it must be chambered for 45 Schofield or 45 Colt to work with that bore.

No doubt, having the boring and rifling tools set up in the Colt factory for the 1860 Army, the 45 SAA Colt was designed to use that bore from the get-go.

[litl rooster]

Thanks................that what I was looking for

[Halfway Creek Charlie]

It could be chambered for the 44 Rem/Colt That uses 44 Colt brass and the Heeled bullet by Old West Moulds. That is a .451 Drive band bullet. R & D and Kirst both chamber Conversion cylinders in this caliber and it'd be a lot more authentic too, but the Factory Conversions being sold now will not use this cartridge. It's a shame that a company would invest so much in a"Conversion" then it not be a conversion at all. A Conversion is just that, a Conversion from C & B to cartridge with the BBl being kept as is. The new conversions are another open top. Nice but not authentic. IMHO!

[Flint]

Halfway, the reason the conversions are scaled up is for added strength by increasing the cylinder diameter.  Colt revised existing Navy cylinders in the original 38 caliber conversions, but that cylinder is not large enough to accommodate 44 caliber cartridges, so Colt upscaled the Opentop for the Henry cartridge, and later transition models were enlarged to accept 44 rimfire and centerfire cartridges.   

Uberti is using the Opentop cylinder for strength and safety, and since we don't expect to use the Uberti parts to fix a real Colt conversion, I don't have a problem with that, particularly since many shooters are poading smokeless powder.

[Jubel]

I got an E-Mail yesterday from R&D they advise the gated version for the 1860 will be available, possibly in late August of this year.