My rationalization for a 5 shot 45 Schofield 1860....

[Tuolumne Lawman]

I am currently using my 1875 Schofield as one of my main match pistols.  I was pairing it up with an 1872 Open Top in .45, (Like Selleck in Crossfire Trail) but recently pulled my Kirst Saber River 1860 out of retirement.  It is so beautiful and is such a GOOD shooter! 

My Persona is a Lawman in the California Gold Fields in the 1870s.  He still has his Henry that served him well in the war and the post war years.  He chose the Schofield when it came out, as he wanted the latest pistol technology.  IF he was already using a Colt long cylinder in .44 rimfire, might he not have a 5 shot cylinder made to replace the 6 shot .44 Henry cylinder so his pistol would use the same ammo as his new 1875 Schofield?  It makes sense to me, as it would have been an improvement in accuracy!  The 1860 with its .45"+ bore would have shot .45 Schofields much more accurate than the .432" to .442" .44 Henry rounds.

When researching one of my articles years ago, I did find some historical references to 1860 conversions in .45, and I seem to remember reading there is at least one surviving 19th Century private conversion in .45.

[Coffinmaker]

   Hey There TL 

Makes perfectly good sense to me.  I shoot a pair of Kirst Konverted 1860s with 5 shot cylinders and they are just great!!  And, your rationalization also makes perfect sense.

Colt did not convert anything to 45 Colt cartridges.  For the same reason most of us who worked in the trade didn't convert 1860s to 45 Colt.  the cylinder walls were/are just entirely too thin.  Bad Joss there.  However, it is known there were several 1860s converted to 45 Colt by Gun Smiths around and about.  Not all that common, but there were a few.  And having both sidearms the same caliber makes perfect sense as well.  I do further pursue that goal by shooting Cowboy 45 Special in mine.

My pair are also the Saber River Konverters by Kirst which look UBER KOOL and go well with my factory laser engraving by Pietta.  I did, however, remove all that extra barrel out in front of the Ejector Assembly.  Just excess weight ya know 

Be careful out there!!
People are Hazardous to yer Health

PS:  Near forgot (actually did), besides, the only really safe way to convert to 45 Colt is a correct size cylinder is by converting to 5 shot.  As above, with 6, the cylinder walls are just entirely too thin.

[Rube Burrows]

All makes perfect sense. Have the Henry in one caliber and the two revolvers in the other.

[Abilene]

Rationalization is fine, but it is just a little mental game we play.  Nobody at the match will care, they will all just say, "Ooh, cool guns!" 

[Coffinmaker]

  WHAT )

Mental ??  MENTAL YOU SAY !!  I RESEMBLE THAT !!   

Play safe out there