1858 .44 Colt conversion

[Tinker Pearce]

Trail Boss recommends loading the case to just under the seating depth of the base of the bullet then starting with 70% of that load. This method yielded a maximum load of 7.2gr. and a minimum of 5.0gr. After some experimentation I arrived at a load of 6.5gr. behind a 200gr bullet. I can't hazard a guess as to the velocity but it was sufficient to penetrate 1" into a kiln-dried Douglas Fir 2x6- much harder that the 1" pine board that was once standard for such tests. The board was free-standing and if it had been braced as is usual for such tests I am pretty sure it would have shot through the board. This round was never particularly powerful, and this will certainly be sufficient for target shooting and perhaps small game.

[Professor Marvel]

Ah My Good Tinker -
Thanks for the update!
Nice job with the backplate, cartridges and box .
The entire thing is looking great, and the load effort quite promising!

yhs
prof marvel

[Tinker Pearce]

Thanks Professor!

Test-fired the new load for The Dandy today. Mild recoil, accurate, didn't make the gun go KABLOOOEY! What more could you ask for? How about remembering to photograph a target before you only have three rounds left? Oops. This is at seven yards, and the flyer is totally my fault.


The gun does shoot rather low, so I'll knock a bit off the front sight. Other than that I am delighted with it!

[Professor Marvel]

Most Excellent, Tinker -

there must be a way to keep that lever all the way up...
perhaps a tiny rare earth magnet? those things are quite powerful and seldom affect the tragectory of lead bullets...

yhs
prof marvel

[Tinker Pearce]

Most Excellent, Tinker -

there must be a way to keep that lever all the way up...
perhaps a tiny rare earth magnet? those things are quite powerful and seldom affect the tragectory of lead bullets...

yhs
prof marvel

LOL- I actually considered that. No, the proper solution is a more robust tube- I got the top of this one too thin and it starts bending after repeated shots. I'll fix that before considering more exotic solutions.

[Baltimore Ed]

If I remember how my Remington c&b worked the lever was held up by a hook at the front but if you went with a hook you couldnt remove the cylinder. Not enough room to slide out the bbl pin with the cute short bbl. What if you moved the hook to the end of the cylinder pin so that the loading lever locked onto the pin? Depending on how loose the pin is a detent might be needed. Might be covering old ground. Nice job.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

If I remember how my Remington c&b worked the lever was held up by a hook at the front but if you went with a hook you couldnt remove the cylinder. Not enough room to slide out the bbl pin with the cute short bbl. What if you moved the hook to the end of the cylinder pin so that the loading lever locked onto the pin? Depending on how loose the pin is a detent might be needed. Might be covering old ground. Nice job.

I haven't been on this forum for a few years and I find this little gem. Nice work. I've often thought about cutting one down similarly but without some of the cool touches you did.

Have you thought of simply tightening the loading lever pivot screw so it is tight enough to keep it from dropping but still will let you pull it down? I've set mine too tight and there's no way it would creep down under use.

Alternately, how about a screw to keep it in place? Early Colt SAA's had a cylinder pin retainer screw. Nothing wrong with that method but you'd need to have a screwdriver to reload if you wanted a drop-in conversion cylinder.

[Tinker Pearce]

I haven't been on this forum for a few years and I find this little gem. Nice work. I've often thought about cutting one down similarly but without some of the cool touches you did.

Have you thought of simply tightening the loading lever pivot screw so it is tight enough to keep it from dropping but still will let you pull it down? I've set mine too tight and there's no way it would creep down under use.

Alternately, how about a screw to keep it in place? Early Colt SAA's had a cylinder pin retainer screw. Nothing wrong with that method but you'd need to have a screwdriver to reload if you wanted a drop-in conversion cylinder.

I've actually implemented a decent solution- the lever was dropping because I thinned out the tube over the latch too much and the top over the latch would bend after repeated shots. I removed that tube and soldered on a stouter tube for the latch to mount in and that solved the problem. .44 Colt is a pretty mellow cartridge so it holds up OK. Now if I dropped a .45 Colt cylinder in there it might not be strong enough...

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I've actually implemented a decent solution- the lever was dropping because I thinned out the tube over the latch too much and the top over the latch would bend after repeated shots. I removed that tube and soldered on a stouter tube for the latch to mount in and that solved the problem. .44 Colt is a pretty mellow cartridge so it holds up OK. Now if I dropped a .45 Colt cylinder in there it might not be strong enough...

Well, a fine solution, then. Good job on the whole thing.

I also like the ported breech plate. Kirst used to offer them but went to gated plates just before I got one of his. I like the ported ones so I suppose one day I'll make one. I use drop-ins for main match use anyway.

[Lucky R. K.]

Here is a picture of an Avenging Angel I built a few years ago. The barrel is cut to 3-1/2 inches. I hinged the cylinder pin so it could be inserted without messing with the lug.

Lucky

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Looks good, Lucky. What did you use for that front sight? Is it dovetailed in?

[Baltimore Ed]

Very clever solution there Lucky. I like it.

[Lucky R. K.]

Marshal, the front sight is a blade sight for a muzzle loading rifle and is set in a dovetail. Thanks for the comments.

Lucky

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Thanks for the information on the sight, Lucky.