Kirst question

schizuki · May 13, 2011, 09:21:26 PM

I e-mailed these questions to Kirst, but I got no reply. I figured somebody here might be able to help.

Are the "Pale Rider" conversion cylinders the same as Kirst's old non-gated style? And is the .45 ACP model a six-shot?

(I just don't trust those asymmetrical five-shots...)

Thanks!

Raven · May 14, 2011, 12:23:47 AM

Quote from: schizuki on May 13, 2011, 09:21:26 PM
I e-mailed these questions to Kirst, but I got no reply. I figured somebody here might be able to help.

Are the "Pale Rider" conversion cylinders the same as Kirst's old non-gated style? And is the .45 ACP model a six-shot?

(I just don't trust those asymmetrical five-shots...)

Thanks!

Sorry you didn't get an answer your E-mail must have gotten lost in the either.

The "Pale Rider" converter is the UnGated style And the .45 ACP cylinder is a 5 shot. The design uses a "Saftey Notch" so that the hammer can be let down on an empty chamber. There are still 6 locking notches and the gun still functions the same. So there is no reason not to trust an asymetrical 5 shot

Raven
AKA Jay Strite
Kirst Company

schizuki · May 14, 2011, 08:07:55 AM

Thanks for the reply, Jay.

I'm still kicking myself that I missed out on Brownell's sale back around 2000 when they closed the old style converters at $180 a pop, and I've had zero luck finding them on Gunbroker and such. I was glad to hear the old style was coming back and had hoped that the lesser machining work compared to the gated style would bring them closer to $220-$240 than to just $15 less than the $275 of the gated ones. But being neither a machinist nor a small businessman, I have no expertise to base that on, so I'm sure it's a fair price.

The reason I'm suspect about the asymmetrical spacing is simply because I can't picture how it works with the revolver's timing. The safety notch will necessarily move a shorter distance than the rest of the chambers, and they'll each be moving a longer distance than in the original cap-and-ball cylinder. Does it work correctly because of something that's done with the shaping of the notches at the rear of the cylinder which are moved by the hand? (I have no idea what those are called.)

I've been bouncing back and forth so much trying to decide between the Kirst and the Howell's that I've got Indecision Whiplash.

Raven · May 14, 2011, 08:44:26 AM

The 5 shot works because of the way the ratchet teeth are timed....we have never had a problem with a revolver because of the 5 shot timing. To my knowledge

We try to price our product affordably and it is 100% Made in the USA
Our converter only has one firing pin, that does not mushroom, and can be dry fired.
And we pride ourselves on our customer service.

Hope you choose Kirst

Raven

For pricing on Scratch and Dents PM me.

schizuki · May 14, 2011, 10:13:13 PM

I think you might have just convinced me, Raven. Thanks for your replies. Now I just have to get the scratch...

PS - PM sent.

Wolfgang · May 16, 2011, 05:40:28 AM

Quote from: schizuki on May 14, 2011, 10:13:13 PM
I think you might have just convinced me, Raven. Thanks for your replies. Now I just have to get the scratch...

PS - PM sent.

I have one of the old style that I aquired used a couple of years ago and it works just great.

Bishop Creek · May 17, 2011, 11:54:47 AM

I have had an old style Kirst Konverter for 10 years now and it still functions like brand new. Great product.

Tionesta Toby · June 28, 2011, 05:45:55 PM

A couple of years ago I had a Kirst Konversion for a Pietta Remington 5". I didn't shoot it often, but I liked using it. It was easy to load and reload. I did have a problem with miss-fires sometimes. When I examined the cartridge after it didn't fire, I noticed that the firing pin had struck it on the rim, not on the primer. So, I assume the cylinder wasn't indexing properly.

I never took the time to find out what was going wrong with that setup and have since gotten rid of that gun (and have been sorry about it ever since). I subsequently bought a new Pietta 5-incher, but haven't gotten around to getting a conversion cylinder for it. One reason I have been dilly-dallying around about it is because I don't want a gated cylinder -- and was torn betwen ordering a Civil War Kirst cylinder or trying a Howell cylinder. I have an 1860 Piettta Army with a R&D (Howell) conversion on it, but I remember something about Howell cylinders canting the .45 cartriges a bit to get 6 in the cylinders instead of 5 and I'm not sure how I like that idea. Now that I see that Kirst has issued the Pale Rider converter without the gate, I'm back in the Kirst camp, although I'm not in a hurry to get one yet.

Raven · June 29, 2011, 10:49:03 AM

Pale Rider style conversion rings (Non Gated) are back in stock.

They are available through the web site, VTI and Me (the factory).

Raven
Jay Strite
Kirst Konverter LLC
254-248-0663

Slowhand Bob · July 10, 2011, 04:59:04 PM

At one time I had a set of the ported, without gate, plates and four cylinders, two 45Colt and two six shot 45acp styles. This was a nice set and worked well but decided I wanted the uncut Pale Rider style so got some scratch and dents from Raven and have now set them up on some short barl Piettas. Not only does this give me the option of using the same pair of pistols in two categories, one can dry fire all one wants with the same guns you use in Frontiersman.