Video - Shooting Colt's Cartridge Conversion Revolvers

[Bottom Dealin Mike]

This video shows various Colt cartridge conversions in action, ringing steel and making smoke. You'll see a blacksmith's conversion of an 1851 Navy model, a Richards conversion of the 1860 Army revolver, an 1872 Open Top and a replica of a Colt factory conversion of an 1851 Navy revolver.

I want o give a tip of the cowboy hat to my gun club, the West Shore Sportsman's Club in Lewisberry, PA. I'm lucky enough to live in an area where I can belong to two gun clubs with excellent facilities. The Middletown Anglers & Hunters club has fantastic target shooting facilities. I do mose of my gun tests and ammo tests for my articles there, and the West Shore Sportsmans Club is a great acion shooting club. I film most of my videos there.

Also thanks to my CAS club the West Shore Posse for letting me use their cowboy steel in this video.

When you watch this video, I hope you'll appreciate how much nerve it takes to be my cameraman.  

[santee]

Nicely done. Thanks for posting it.

[Paladin UK]

Lurv the behind the steel camera. Thanks for posting 


Paladin (Whats gonna ask Annie `O` ta hold PUK`s camera  ) UK

[Bottom Dealin Mike]

Thanks Paladin.

I always have openings for new camera crew...

[The Pathfinder]

Hey, Mike, I've got a few of my customers that I'd like to volunteer...

[Will Sellit]

Great video Mike. Thanks for posting.

if you don't mind I have a question.
I have a Ken Howell converted 1851 from a second generation Colt percussion gun. I bought this from an individual who had the work done by Ken. it was done in the Colt factory version.
My gun even though it is a 1851 was converted with the floating pin in the conversion shield. I don't believe this was done that way back in the 1870's. I thought all were converted with a fireing pin riveted to the hammer.
I was wondering on your guns, and I believe I heard you say you had a pair of them, do they have the floating fireing pin or the hammer fireing pin?

Thanks

[Bottom Dealin Mike]

My Howell conversion from the 1990s is an exact replica of a Colt factory conversion, except the barrel is lined for .357' bullets. It has a firing pin mounted directly on the hammer.

My post 2005 Howell conversion was made using his new cylinders and conversion rings, which have the floating firing pin. Kenny started making them that way for the DIY market, but he is doing his own conversions using those parts now because it substantially lowers the cost of the conversions.

The museum quality conversions were getting so expensive that very few people were ordering them, particularly after the Italians started selling ready-made conversions at low prices

[Will Sellit]

Thanks for the response Mike and again thanks for the video.

[Crow Choker]

Nice video Mike, in fact as I watched it and after, just watching you shoot, seeing the flash and smoke from the black going off got me so 'riled up' to go shoot my Richards II and Open Top I could harldly stand it. Only problem it was approx 10:35 PM and dark out. Now what am I to do? Suppose I could get my shootin irons out and 'fondle em", maybe put a small pile of black powder out on the sidewalk and touch it off somehow to see the flash and smoke. Oh well, maybe I'll get rained out at work tomorrow (heavy equipment operator-can't push and haul mud) and I can head for the river to do some shootin. Anyway thanks for yer efforts and fine work. PS-had the volume way up when watchin, my wife made me turn it down due to all the steel clangin'! Yers, Crow Choker

[wildman1]

Shootin BP after dark is the best way ta shoot BP.  WM

[Bottom Dealin Mike]

Hi Crow Choker,

Glad you liked it.

That steel is loud on the video. For some of the shots the camera and microphone was right between two steel targets...those almost make me hold my ears.

I need to get better with my editing software to try to control that. I just shot my first video in my life back in March, so I have an awful lot to learn.



. 

[Crow Choker]

"Yo thar Mike"---As we used to say back in the day (still use it and hear it some) "No Sweat" on the noise volume of the bullet meeting steel. I had the computor volume on max anyway due to a window A/C hard at work 20 ft away, TV on, and my not so perfect hearing capability (due to inheritance, yrs of shooting and working at times around farm and heavy equipment without proper ear protection). Whenever anyone starts doing something new, there is always new things to learn, change, etc. Experience is always the best teacher. Still an excellant video, 'high fives' to ya for having the courage to make all of them you've done. Keep em coming!  Crow Choker

[Harley Starr]

The Blacksmith Conversion with the Eagle grips was especially interesting.