Was it a mistake?

[Slowhand Bob]

Guys, I just had an opportunity to buy a used Howell 1860 Pietta Conversion unit at an excellent price.  It looks to be very lightly used with 99+% blue and no hammer mushrooming evident, I would rate it as a 4-star deal BUT I figured that I needed to jump fast and did!!!  After the cool down I now have two concerns, the pair of guns that this purchase was made for have Manhattan conversions and I have never heard of anyone using conversion cylinders in these modified guns.  I now assume there will be no blockage I will not know for sure until I can get to the range, opinions???  The pistols are baby dolls with all action work, 5" barls and Navy grip frames, leaving me needing just one more Howell conversion cylinder to have a pair of my convertible dream guns.  These will take a bit longer at the loading and unloading tables than do my gated conversions BUT I far prefer the ability to swap between C&B and cartridge shooters.  I have not found one set of shooters that feel better in the hand than these do, HMMM, well almost true.  There is the pair of Uberti 1860 Avenging Angels with birdshead grips and then I almost forgot the pair of.....   

[Professor Marvel]

Greetings My Dear Bob

without seeing them, it is hard to say for certain, especially as the Manhatten Conversion can vary from 'smith to 'smith.
If I recall correctly, they usuallly have a shield with a slot with tight clearance for the hammer. But I seem to recall there was one variation that used a flexible shield... so...

however,  I am willing to hazard a guess that, if the hammer can reach the percussion caps, it "ought to" reach the Howell firing pins. but you'll only know for sure once you have one "in hand and on gun".

don't know if this helps, but it's a fun topic for speculation.

yhs
rof marvel

[Coffinmaker]

Hi Bob .....

All depends on what you are calling a "Manhattan" conversion.  The true, original, Trix are for Kids "Manhattan" conversion was a thin metal plate that rode between the recoil shield and cylinder to prevent caps going down the hammer slot.  The next popular item, as practiced by Rowdy Yates (and some others) was a plate silver soldered across the recoil shield with a slot cut an the center and the hammer was presented with a narrowed nose.  The fore-going was a simple embellishment of the post from Professor Marvel, LLC

In my Sordid past, I have been accused (rightfully) of modifying anything I could get my hands on.  Some more successfully than others.  But I digress .......  With the original Manhattan conversion, an R&D type conversion cylinder would not function reliably.  With the "Cap Guard" style Manhattan, an R&D will function just fine.  As an adjunct, an R&D will also function perfectly with a "Cap Rake" (post in the hammer channel).

I have, also in my Sordid past (well ..... recently too), set up Cap Guns to run R&D type cylinders (Taylors) and Percussion cylinders interchangeably.  Frequently, the hand will require a little "massaging" to run the R&D.

Coffinmaker

[Slowhand Bob]

Best of my memory these were actually done by Rowdy.  Not like it would be a big deal to simply slide a primer into an empty, sized case and see if it will pop!  Living two miles from an indoor range has added to my lazy factor But I do need to get to the outdoor range and spend a day playing cowboy again!  Seems like the harder I run the further back I get now days. 

[Professor Marvel]

Best of my memory these were actually done by Rowdy.  Not like it would be a big deal to simply slide a primer into an empty, sized case and see if it will pop!  Living two miles from an indoor range has added to my lazy factor But I do need to get to the outdoor range and spend a day playing cowboy again!  Seems like the harder I run the further back I get now days. 

as long as you are going to the trouble, you could shove some "wax bullets" in there and aim them at an old box .... :-)

yhs
prof mumbles