Conversion Thoughts

[Fox Creek Kid]

Well, now that Uberti will own the market for ready made conversions, with their new '58 coming with both type cylinders, I wonder if Kirst or R & D will finally market an AUTHENTIC thin plate '58 conversion. Maybe we need to start a "movement" here & clamor for one. 
After all, as they are "boutique" gun shops, it only makes sense to market what has not been done. If they could keep it under $500 (you supply the gun) and have a decent turnaround time they'd have a winning program IMHO. Feedback? 

[Marshal Will Wingam]

R&D has been intending to release a gated conversion. I am waiting to see what they look like. Hopefully it will be a thin plate one.

[Ransom Gaer]

At present I'll stick with my current R&D conversion cylinders.  They work for me and I really don't want to invest much more in my '58 Remingtons.  I've all ready got over $500 ea invested in two guns.

Besides if something like that were to come out at $500 apiece and if I were to get two, then I'd have to wait on getting an 1860 Henry.  Right now that has priority.

Ransom gaer

[Long Johns Wolf]

I am ready to stand in line for an authentic 6 shot drop-in cylinder in .44 Colt caliber (.429 diameter bullet) with a thin backplate/no gate for my Uberti/Remington Army, unless I can come up with an alternative source.
These US export licenses & shipping fees are killing me!
Bootsie

[Oldelm]

Bootsie.......

You might want to consider a 44Colt six shot Kirst conversion cylinder for your Uberti '58 Rem. They're special order only, and aren't listed on their website. It doesn't have the thin backplate , though.

Here's a few pics of the one I got...................it has the loading gate, but I'm sure you could get it without.

http://i16.tinypic.com/344s3g9.jpg

http://i11.tinypic.com/4ckzxmq.jpg

http://i10.tinypic.com/2ivxw29.jpg

[Long Johns Wolf]

Oldelm: Thanks for sharing this one. I have some questions if I may. How much did it cost if I may ask? Is the cyliner actually for the inside lubed .429 bullets like the Black Hills Ammo, or for the outside lubed, heeltype .453 bullets? Was it necessary to do a lot of of fitting because I have these 2 left hands... to make the Remington working with this Kirst cylinder? Do I get this right and the backplate wiht the loading gate has one integrated firing pin, i. e. it will not be necessary to alter the percussion hammer?
Bootsie

[Oldelm]

Bootsie,

Kirst sells the 44 Rem/Colt cylinders through their distributors........

http://www.kirstkonverter.com/distributors.html


The gated ones sell for nearly $300.,......the drop-ins for about $250.
You have to ask about the 44Rem/Colt cylinders as to their availability with each distributor, but I do know that Walt Kirst just had a batch of them completed.  They'll take the outside lubed heeled bullet , as well as the inside lubed 44Colt and Russian.

  It's interesting that VTI is listed now as one of the distributors for the Kirst cylinders, and they list the 45 Colt, the 38 Colt, and the 44Russian, (which I expect is the same cyl. as 44Rem/Colt ).

https://www.vtigunparts.com/ab2240000Equick/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=137&cat=Kirst+Cartridge+Konverter+%2D+1858+Remington


If you use the inside lubed 44 Russian/Colt loads, it'd be best to have a barrel groove dia. in the vicinity of .429. The outside lubed 44 heeled bullets were meant for the .451 or so grooves, as I'm sure you realize.

The Kirst conversions have one firing pin, and you don't have to alter the percussion hammer. You may need to do a little fitting, but very little , if any,  and there's instructions that come with each cylinder for doing that.
I got mine through Bernie Rowles at Old West Moulds,.....you can e-mail him with questions, he's great to deal with. Bernie also sells moulds for heeled and hollow based bullets. He's on that distributors page I gave a link to above,...down near the bottom under "Ammunition"

Good luck

P.S.................my thoughts on this now are that it's probably cheaper to get one of these new factory made Uberti '58 Rem conversions all complete for $500. (I think that's around what they cost),...... than it is to purchase the '58 Rem Percussion gun, then the gated cyl. with ejector rod, and cut the frame to conform to the gate. If you want one chambered in .44, then get the .44-40 version offered by Cimarron ........

http://www.cimarron-firearms.com/New2006/1858NewArmyConv.htm

.......and have another cylinder made for it chambered in 44Spl...........then you can shoot 44Colt and Russian in it as well.

But then again, I remember you saying ya just want to get the .44 drop-in,...not the gated.

[Long Johns Wolf]

Thank you, Oldelm, for this additional information.
I will do my homework now and it is obvious that my "aftermarket" conversion will be more expensive than the Uberti factory conversion, if it materializes. Will not be able to beat these $ 500,00! I'll let your know when I am there.
Bootsie