French Jacks new Rogers & Spencer cartridge conversion

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Here are some photos of one of two Rogers & Spencer Cartridge conversions I am doing for French Jack (Bob Chenault). It is in .44 Colt cal. I made the cylinder and the recoil ring which has a floating firing pin just as the original does. I used the on illustrated in McDowell's book as an example, pretty nifty...eh?

Bill

[deucedaddyj]

Hey, that's nice. I've always had a private love of rogers and spencer revolvers, as well as those old Starr revolvers.

[Books OToole]

Bill;

Could you make a replacement cylinder for a Molel 1 1/2 S&W that would fire center-fires?

Books

[deucedaddyj]

Funny you should mention the Model 1-1/2, because I'm planning on buying one this weekend. They're my favorite "hideout" gun.

[Books OToole]

There are four issues of 1 1/2s.  The first three are tip up and fire .32 rim fires. (I have a third issue made about 1868.)  The fourth version is a break-top and fires .32 short center fire.   I think that they are neat little pistols.

Books

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Mike,
Probably, but I need to see the gun and I would have to have it here in my shop so I can fit the cylinder to it. If you can, e-mail me a couple of photos of it. We're looking at next march before I could get to it. bill@surf-ici.com
What caliber are we talking about, .44 Russian or .44 Colt. I don't have the reamers for the .44 russian but if I had a cartridge I could make it. I won't chamber any of these old style guns in a modern caliber.....If you want, bring it to the convention and let me take a look at it.

Deucedaddyj, Speaking of the Starr revolvers, I am going to convert two of them for a friend of mine, maybe next march sometime....

Bill

[deucedaddyj]

Ottawa: That's interesting, I just might have to think about getting a starr sometime soon, as if there aren't enough guns on my "to buy" list.

Books: The one I'm looking at is one of the tip up .32 models. It's a nickle plated beaut as well. Hey, do they still make ammo for those, or would I have to reload ammo or convert it like your speaking of?

[Books OToole]

Bill;

I will bring the pistol to the convention and we can talk it over some more then.  The 1 1/2 shoots a .32 rim-fire.  I think there is enought cylinder length to make a conversion cylinder to fire .32 short center fire.  I wouldn't want to mess with the pistol but if we could just slide out the rim-fire cylinder and slide in a center-fire cylinder, that would be sweet.

duecedaddy;

I am told that you can get .32 rim-fire but it is expensive.

Books

[Will Ketchum]

Nice work Bill !  When I was shooting NMLRA Pistol matches the Rogers & Spencer were very popular.  They were well made and very accurate.  I was always going to get one but never did.

Will Ketchum

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Mike,
Now that I know which gun we are talking about, one thing I might add is we may have to modify the hammer to shoot center fire. My suggestion is if you want to keep this gun in it's original configuration, is try to find a spare hammer to modify and keep the original hammer as is.

Will, Thanks it is a lot of fun to do....

Bill