Spiller & Burr

[Drydock]

https://www.full30.com/video/99b911af3ea7c237c0366a49851aecdd

[tommy4toes]

Anyone ever come across a Spiller & Burr conversion revolver ?

T4t

[Blair]

Dave Kline, a fellow here where I live, had the largest, privately owned collection of Confederate made hand guns in the world.
Needless to say, Spiller & Burr were well represented within his collection.
He showed me a number of these at different times over the years, but never a cartridge conversion. As a pure collector of things Confederate, Dave would have considered a cartridge conversion a kind of "bastard" step child. Many Colt collectors felt the same way about Colt cartridge conversion during this time period.
I do not mean to say Dave didn't have such a thing, it only means He did not consider it as valuable and therefore never brought one out to show me.
My best,
Blair

[tommy4toes]

The cartridge conversions are fascinating to me, because they bridge the gap between the two technologies. I have seen a Starr conversion. ..... impractical but interesting.

T4t

[hp246]

Thanks for sharing these videos. 

[Trailrider]

Fascinating! I have a "Spiller & Burr", which cost me $60! It is marked "Joan's Gun Shop".  I haven't shot it in a number of years, but when I did, it was one of the most accurate cap-and-ball revolvers I've ever shot!  In fact, it shot tighter than an original Whitney Navy I once owned! Whitney Navy would shoot about seven or eight shots before it fouled. The S&B replica would go through about 3 cylinder-fulls before needing cleaning! 

[Mogorilla]

I have seen a photo of an original converted Spiller and Burr, for the life of me I thought I saved the picture and now I cannot find it!   Deep in the throws of CRS syndrome.  As I recall it was shown with a few other converted Confederate revolvers.   

[Major 2]

here is one

http://www.cowanauctions.com/auctions/item.aspx?id=179051&utm_source=auctions&utm_medium=www.barnebys.com&utm_content=the-legendary-m-clifford-and-lynne-young-collection-of-confederate-arms&utm_campaign=barnebys

Spiller & Burr Cartridge Conversion Revolver
4/26/2016 - The Legendary Cliff and Lynne Collection of Confederate Arms
.38 RF caliber, 6.875" octagonal barrel, S/N 700. The only markings are on the left side of the frame with C.S. in the bottom left corner.  Brass frame with steel cylinder, barrel and hammer.  Walnut grips. This revolver was converted to rimfire cartridge after the Civil War using an original Spiller & Burr revolver.  The original cylinder had the rear portion sawed off with a collar added and the frame notched so the hammer could strike the back of the cartridge.

This specific Spiller & Burr was the subject of the article "A Spiller & Burr Confederate Revolver Conversion", R. Bruce McDowell, The Gun Report, 12/99.


Provenance:  Cecil Anderson, Tom McVay, Fred Edmunds, M. Clifford Young

Condition:  Brass with untouched patina. Barrel and cylinder have a dark plum patina. Loading lever is evenly matched with the barrel and cylinder. Grips with untouched patina and a small chip out on the right side of the grip.  Overall excellent untouched condition.