ASM 1851 COLT .38 CONVERSION

[JOSE ENOS]

IN 1999 I BOUGHT FROM CIMARRON A SO-CALLED 1871 RICHARDS CONVERSION.

I IMMEDIATELY HAD IT ENGRAVED AND THEN FOUND, TO MY EVERLASTING SORROW, THAT THE QUALITY CONTROL WAS WORTHLESS.

APPARENTLY THE CYLINDER TEETH WERE NOT HEAT TREATED BECAUSE THEY WORE DOWN TO NOTHING, AND IT NO LONGER WILL PROPERLY INDEX OR STAY IN TIME.

ASM IS OUT OF BUSINESS, AND PARTS ARE UNAVAILIABLE.  I HAVE TOO MUCH INVESTED TO USE THE PISTOL FOR A PAPERWEIGHT.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS AS TO A REPLACEMENT CYLINDER?

THANKS, JOSE ENOS

[Flint]

Ask the fine folks at VTIgunparts.com.  You can call the phone number on their website and get lots of good advice.

[JOSE ENOS]

FLINT:

THANKS FOR THE PROMPT REPLY.  I HAVE DEALT WITH VTI FOR OTHER REPLICA PARTS AND THEY ARE VERY HELPFUL.

BUT THEY SAID THAT MY CHANCES OF FINDING THE CYLINDER FOR THAT PARTICULAR CONVERSION RANKED RIGHT
 UP THERE WITH "HEN'S TEETH"

JOSE ENOS

[Advertising]

[Coffinmaker]

Jose,

There is no source for ASM Conversion parts.  When the "big" importers dropped the ASM Conversions, they dumped their parts inventories for pennies.  Those parts are now gone.  Your only prayer is to watch the different Cowboy forums that have classifieds and pick up a "parts" gun in the hope the cylinder is useable.  I wouldn't get your hopes up though, as most of the parts guns have already been "parted out."
None of the other manufacturers conversion cylinders will fit.  I've tried.

Coffinmaker

[Raven]

Another option is to find a percussion cylinder and have it converted. It won't be cheap, about $300 but it is probably easyer to find an ASM percussion cylinder. Check with Lisa at VTI.
The work intails turnning the rear of the cylinder down to the ratchet, boring the chambers through and reaming for .38.

Regards
Raven

[White Buffalo Chip]

Howdy JE,
I assume you've tried Numerich........
maybe a chance, who knows??

WBC

[Dusty Morningwood]

I think Seth Hawkins is selling a pair.  If the engraved gun is that valuable to you, buy his for a supply of parts.

[River City John]

If after everything else . . .

Display in a nice shadowbox along with other "Old West" memorabilia and count your blessings that it wasn't an even more expensive lesson?

RCJ

[Joe Lansing]

    How about making new teeth?  The "teeth on original Starr revolvers are held in place with a screw and indexed with a pin. You may be able to bore out the back of the cylinder, thus removing the old teeth and press fit a ring with new teeth with a pin to keep it indexed.

                                                                   J.L.

[JOSE ENOS]

COFFINMAKER

YOU ARE CORRECT---NOBODY ELSE'S CYLINDERS FIT THOSE DARN ASM PISTOLS. IN FACT, THE NICE LADY AT VTI SAID THE SAME THING.

HOWEVER, ONE OF THE 'STORM' CONTRIBUTERS HAS COME TO THE RESCUE WITH A PAIR OF THE IDENTICAL CONVERSIONS, AND SO I CAN GET MINE BACK INTO SHOOTING CONDITION.

THANKS FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS.

JOSE ENOS

[JOSE ENOS]

RAVEN

THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT.  I HAD TALKED TO THE LADY AT VTI ABOUT ANY KIND OF CYLINDER SO THAT I COULD TURN IT DOWN AS YOU SUGGESTED--EVEN A .44 AND THEN LINING IT TO .38.

BUT SHE SAID NOBODY'S CYLINDERS FIT THE ASM, SO I WAS OUT OF LUCK.

I DID AS YOU SAID SEVERAL YEARS AGO FOR MY .36 NAVY COLT RICHARDS-MASON. ONE CHAMBER WAS DAMAGED, SO I GOT A REPLICA PERCUSSION CYLINDER AND TURNED IT OFF, ETC.  STAMPED THE COLT S/N ON IT AND WENT BACK TO OCCASIONALY SHOOTING IT.  WHEN IT IS HANDED DOWN TO MY SON, THE ORIGINAL CYLINDER WILL BE WITH IT SO NO "FRAUD" CAN BE CLAIMED.

JOSE ENOS

[JOSE ENOS]

WHITE BUFFALO CHIP

THANKS FOR THE INPUT.  YEAH, I TRIED NUMERICH PLUS EVERY USED PARTS SUPPLIER I COULD FIND IN THE SHOTGUN NEWS.

NOTHING.  BUT I'M GLAD I JOINED CAS CITY, BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS CERTAINLY HELPFUL AND I HAVE FOUND A SOLUTION.

JOSE ENOS

[JOSE ENOS]

DUSTY MORNINGWOOD

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT.  YES, SETH HAWKINS CONTACTED ME AND I WILL PURCHASE HIS PAIR; ONE FOR PARTS AND ONE TO MY SON OR EITHER OF MY 2 GRANDSONS.

ALL 4 OF US SHOOT COWBOY ACTION, SO NO GUNS GO TO WASTE IN THIS FAMILY.

YES, THE ENGRAVED GUN IS VALUABLE TO ME BECAUSE OF THE MONEY SPENT; I'M JUST A VERY OLD RETIREE ON A FIXED INCOME.

DUSTY, I HAVE 2 RULES ABOUT GUNS:
1.  IF IT DOESN'T SHOOT, I DON'T WANT IT
2.  LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO SHOOT AN UGLY GUN.

JOSE ENOS

[JOSE ENOS]

RIVER CITY JOHN

AS OLD AS I AM (I WAS HERE WHEN THEY INVENTED WATER), I HAVE HAD SOME RATHER EXPENSIVE LESSONS I TRY TO FORGET.

A SHADOW BOX IS A VALID IDEA, BUT IF IT DOESN'T SHOOT--I DON'T WANT IT IN THE HOUSE.

I DO HAVE A PISTOL IN A SHADOW BOX, BUT ONLY BECAUSE IT IS RARE.  BUT I DO TAKE IT OUT ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS AND SHOOT IT.

JOSE ENOS 

[JOSE ENOS]

JOE LANSING

THANKS FOR YOUR RESPONSE.  YEAH, SOMETHING LIKE A STARR MIGHT WORK.  HOWEVER, THERE IS NO GUNSMITH IN THIS TOWN.

MY PISTOL HAS BEEN TO OUT-OF-TOWN 'SMITHS, AND THEY DON'T EVEN WANT TO TALK ABOUT NEW TEETH.

JOSE ENOS

[Dusty Morningwood]

DUSTY, I HAVE 2 RULES ABOUT GUNS:
1.  IF IT DOESN'T SHOOT, I DON'T WANT IT
2.  LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO SHOOT AN UGLY GUN.

JOSE ENOS

Words to live by.