Hi Everyone, I'm a long time browser and first time poster. I'm a full time gunsmith who has had a love affair with Colt open top revolvers for as long as I can remember. I've been building and restoring Percussion models for years, but after getting my hands on Bruce McDowell's excellent book, A STUDY OF COLT CONVERSIONS and taking a look at the "Private Conversions" section, I decided to try my hand at converting one myself using the same methods employed by the gunsmiths who converted them some 140 years ago.
I copied my gun after a specific conversion pictured in McDowell's book (pictured below). I used an Italian-made M1851 Navy as a base and copied the original as closely as possible with one exception: mine is chambered in .38 special while the original is .38 rimfire. This brought about some unique challenges (namely the need to install a recoil plate against the recoil shield to keep the primers from bulging and jamming the action) but it shoots like a dream now.
In addition to converting the revolver, I also did some standard "defarbing" work to it like removing the Italian markings, re-shaping the hammer spur and grip profile and thinning out the base of the trigger guard. I finished it by lightly antiquing it to give it the look of a pistol that's spent years in the saddle. I also made up a holster rig for it using a surplus Civil War era infantry waist belt, a cut down Civil War era flap holster and a Civil War era cap pouch which now carries spare cartridges.
I've never seen this style of conversion replicated before. It was a fun project; my only regret is that I didn't take any pictures of it along the way. Most people I show it to don't have a clue about what it is, but I figured if anybody would appreciate it, it would be y'all.
Thanks for your time