New Remington Conversion- Making my first Cylinder

[Tinker Pearce]

I picked up an 1858 Replica at a good price, and decided to do a cartridge conversion. This time I had a different plan; rather than boring out the cylinder for .44 Colt (original) I'd make a .45. Since there isn't room for six chambers with a .476 case I'd emulate Remington's solution and make it a five-shooter- meaning that I would have to make my own cylinder, which I have never done before.

I bought a chunk of 1-3/4" 4340 round bar in half-hard condition, chucked it up n the lathe, center-bored it for the cylinder-pin and turned it down to 1.620"- slightly larger than the stock cylinder but it will still fit in the frame. I turned down the back for the ratchet, leaving it over-sized on the theory that it is easier to remove material than add it. I fitted to to the frame, and that was it for last night.


This afternoon I finished my work-day and picked up the cylinder. The first order of business was to cut the teeth for the ratchet... but how to space the five teeth evenly? After a few minutes contemplation I drew a pentacle with each line touching the center-hole. This gave me five perfectly space points around the circumference. I cut the teeth using a cut-off wheel on a flex-shaft tool, then mounted the cylinder and marked where the locking lug touched the cylinder with the hammer back and the hand at full extension.

I marked a line around the cylinder where the lock was centered and again, using the cut-off wheel on the flex-shaft I carefully cut the first lock-notch. Of course the engagement was not perfect, so I adjusted the ratchet tooth until it locked up in the notch. Now I had one of five positions timed.

I used a five-shot Kirst Colt cylinder it index off of that position and mark the other four notches, then cut them one at a time, adjusting the ratchet teeth for each notch as I went. In a couple hour work I had a timed, functioning cylinder... with no chambers.


My plan is to pull the barrel and install a shortened barrel bored out to 1/2" with a liner, and line-bore the staring holes for each chamber with a bit fitted to the liner. When all five chambers are located I'll bore and ream them to caliber, then run a chambering reamer in from the other side.

After that I'll turn the ratchet down to size, make the breech-plate and cut a loading port in the frame.

Some debate about the caliber; the five-shot cylinder would accommodate .45 Colt but I am thinking of other options. I considered .45 Cowboy Special, but I am leaning towards .450 Adams since I recently started reloading that caliber for my British Lion and Webley RIC revolvers. With factory ammo being virtually unobtainium I at least wouldn't need to worry about someone loading an over-powered round. Not that it's likely there would be opportunity for that to happen, but you never know.

So the next operation is pulling the barrel... should be interesting.

I'll be replacing the grips, BTW. I don't like how these came out, and I've got some very tasty Desert Ironwood...

[Tuolumne Lawman]

Very cool! Keep us posted.

[Tinker Pearce]

Line-bored the chambers then reamed them to .452.  Ran the chamber- reamer in from the other end, milled room for the rims. When all that was done I turned down the sprocket, and the cylinder is basically finished. Now on to the Breech-plate...

[Tornado]

That is some impressive work! 

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Looks good. Did you finally settle on the Cowboy 45's? It looks like that's what you have lying around it in the middle photo.

[Tinker Pearce]

Looks good. Did you finally settle on the Cowboy 45's? It looks like that's what you have lying around it in the middle photo.

I do reload .45 Cowboy Special, but those are .450 Adams, which is what I decided to go with.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

I do reload .45 Cowboy Special, but those are .450 Adams, which is what I decided to go with.

Thin rims on the Adams cases? You are a masochist.

ALERT! Thread drift;  Has Starline, or anyone else, decided to re-issue .455 Webley cases?

[Tinker Pearce]

Thin rims on the Adams cases? You are a masochist.

ALERT! Thread drift;  Has Starline, or anyone else, decided to re-issue .455 Webley cases?

Starline does make .455 Webley brass- you can buy it here: https://www.buffaloarms.com/455-webley-mkii-starline-brass-cases-str455web  Ignore the photo which is of .445 Supermag for some reason.

[Tinker Pearce]

Got the Breech-plate made this evening. Now I just need to fabricate and install the firing-pin, cut the loading port and refinish or replace the grips.

[Professor Marvel]

Ah My Dear Tinker

you cut the cylinder teeth and notches freehand with a dremel!
you continue to astound me!

I bought a small rotary index table for my cheap HF bench mill just for the purpose of trying to make a cylinder, and haven't had the
guts time to try it yet 

and I love the look!

yhs
prof marvel

[Coffinmaker]

THAT ....... Thank you very much ...... IS one really nice conversion !!!!  Not to be argumentative (yes I do), but I really like those grips!!

[Tinker Pearce]

THAT ....... Thank you very much ...... IS one really nice conversion !!!!  Not to be argumentative (yes I do), but I really like those grips!!

I'm actually liking them better all of the time myself. But that ironwood... you can see why I'm tempted.

[AntiqueSledMan]

Hello Tinker,

Looks very nice. Any issues with the 5 shot cylinder? I have picked up both an R&D and a Kirst gated cylinder for my 1851 and both lock up after pulling hammer. Seems like they try to turn the cylinder before the locking bolt has released, also the hand doesn't quite turn it to full battery position. I think I need a lesson on how to time these things.

AtiqueSledMan.

[45 Dragoon]

Antiquesledman, assuming you're talking about a 5 shot cyl for a '51 of "Army caliber "  ,

 You can start by making sure that cyl lockup and full cock happen simultaneously by adjusting the length of the hand. When you achieve that, you can reduce the height of the bolt head until the cylinder will unlock with normal cycling. Then, you can adjust for bolt drop fully before the locking notch.  
    You may/will need to radius the front outside corner of the left arm to keep the cylinder from unlocking as the hammer falls. This happens because the notches in the conversion cyl are not as deep as in the cap cyl and the arm locates in a different position (further forward) allowing the cam to catch the (non-radiused) arm which unlocks the cyl during hammer fall. The cap cyl with deeper notches will allow the normal alignment of cam and "bolt return bevel" ( which is what your radiusing is extending) on the arm. That should get it functioning!! It's possible (probable) that if you're going for mechanical accuracy with the conversion, the cap cyl may not function correctly or satisfactorily.

Mike

[AntiqueSledMan]

Hello Dragoon,

Thanks for the advise, the project is kinda set on back
burner but I will be working on them later in the fall.

Thanks again, AntiqueSledMan.

[Tinker Pearce]

I had few issues, and I think the post by .45 Dragoon probably covered things better than I could have!

The gun is functionally complete now, though there is still some refinishing to do, and I will be installing an ejector.



The proof, as they say, is in the pudding, so we'll see what happens when I get it out to the range later this week.

[Professor Marvel]

Looking forward to the results.
However are you holding the lever up?
Yhs
Prof Marvel

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Nice conversion. Are those C45S cartridges?

[Tinker Pearce]

Nice conversion. Are those C45S cartridges?

No, those are .450 Adams

[Marshal Will Wingam]

No, those are .450 Adams

Thanks, they're similar looking. I got some of the C45S cases and played with them but couldn't find an accurate load since they were going into cylinders bored for .45 Colt.