1860 conversions... 6 shots?

[Dakota Widowmaker]

Is there any conversion, current or historical, where they used a cylinder with 6 rounds instead of 5?

The R&D conversion is very nice, but, only holds 5 rounds.

I was wondering if a 44colt conversion is offered anywhere...

[Crow Scout]

As far as I know, all of the 1860 Army conversions were 6 shot if you are referring the Richards and Richards-Mason.  Then again they were all 44 Colt.  I'm not sure what's available now for the 1860 Army. 

Oh and if I'm wrong about the above info then please correct me.  You won't hurt my fellings 

[Pettifogger]

Depends on what you mean by a conversion.  The R&D cylinder for the 1860 really isn't a conversion, it's a drop in cartridge cylinder.  All of the original conversions and the conversions offered by Cimarron, Taylor and the other importers are six shot.  The bore on an 1860 is actually .45.  On original conversions Colt bored the cylinder straight through and used healed bullets.  In effect, the bullet was a .45, but the case is what would today pass as a .44.  The factory built conversions have a slightly bigger cylinder so they can use standard .45 Schofield or .45 Long Colt ammo.  Loading healed bullets is a pain.  Even what they call the modern ".44 Colt" is nothing like a real .44 Colt.  The modern version uses standard inside lubed .429 bullets so it is a true .44.  Since the bore is .45 on the modern reproduction 1860s (just like the originals) if R&D made the cylinder to fit modern .44 Colt ammo, and get six rounds in the cylinder, the bore would be to big.  You would have to handload hollowbase .44 bullets to make it work.  (Or ream the front of the chamber out to .45)  Thus, R&D chose to go with standard .45 rounds and had to limit the number of rounds to five in order to make them fit.