Remington Cartridge Conversions

[Tuolumne Lawman]

Posting the information on the cartridge conversion books, got me thinking that we need a Remington conversion thread.  Most people do not realize that Remington was converting New Model Armies (1858s) to 5 shot, .46 rimfire revolvers for the US Army in 1868, 3 years before Colt's Richards and Richard Mason .44 conversions.While no one knows exact numbers, the Remington conversions were as popular as the Colts.  Just as today, for some models (especially Belt Model .36s), the simple swapping in of a rimfire cylinder gave you a metallic cartridge revolver.

Both books I mentioned have a ton of information on Remington cartridge conversions, including 45 Colt conversions of the NMA (1858). There were lots of Remington conversions that used the two piece cylinder like the R&D.  I even read in another book about an 1858 that had a two piece, 6 shot cylinder in .44 henry rimfire.  Lots of belt model Remmies had two piece .38 rimfire cylinders... 

I actually handled an original .46 rimfire conversion and a .38 rimfire conversion of a belt model with its two pice R&D style cylinder.  The Remington conversions (and percussion models, too) were much more sturdy than the Colts, thats why I went with 1858s with R&Ds, instead of 1860s. The R&D cylinders are actually fairly period correct, as Kenny Howell got the basic design from originals.

My CAS persona is an ex-military, now lawman that carries an 1860 Henry and a pair of Remington cartridge conversions in 44 rimfire to go with the Henry.  He had a gunsmith in Sonora make the 6 shot two piece rimfire cylinders, and reline the barrel at .440" from .454".

[Tuolumne Lawman]

[Tuolumne Lawman]

OK, I started it, so let's all post are cartridge conversion Remmies, whether it is Kirst, R&D, Uberti factory, or home made.

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[River City John]

R & D Conversion cylinder.



RCJ

[Long Johns Wolf]

1971 made Uberti custom converted to an "Arsenal Conversion" in .44 Colt.
Long Johns Wolf

[Tuolumne Lawman]

Nice weapons, guys!

[Long Johns Wolf]

Thanks Tuolumne Lawman, great idea!
Long Johns Wolf

[Tuolumne Lawman]

I had toyed with the idea of doing Kirst gated, or Uberti factory conversions, but here in the Peoples Socialist Republik of Californication, I can only get one pistol every 30 days.  Last month I got an S&W 9mm Shield, this month I got an S&W .38 Special Victory Model (WW 2 vintage).  The would make it two more months out before I could even think of start shooting.  Besides, here in CA, it make sense to go with the BP pistols and conversion cylinders.. They can be sold to others without dealers!  Easy money in the bank.

[Coal Creek Griff]

Those are some great photos, gents!  I love photos of guns arranged with period items.

CC Griff

[Abilene]

Those are some great photos, gents!  I love photos of guns arranged with period items.

CC Griff

ditto.  Nice pics!

One of our local CAS shooters named Chisos, has a pair of the Ubertis in 44-40.  He is not a fast shooter.  But he went a number of months before he had his first miss with them.  Remmies and Schofields are cool guns but I can't reach the hammer with my smaller hands.  Since folks were smaller back then I sometimes wonder if this was an issue with them or if people just held them further up on the grip.

[badlands]

Here's one I put together a couple of winters ago.  The one with the rig I built for a film.

[Abilene]

Badlands - very nice rig!

[badlands]

Thanks Abilene!!

[Tinker Pearce]

New here, and some might find this a bit heretical but I love it. Kirst gated conversion, .45 Colt  'snubby.'

[Major 2]

I had picked this one up in trade many years ago...and added Gripmaker's faux ivories.
It is the first year intro of Uberti's  Forged Frame conversion in 45 Colt.

TL you may recognize it  .....it has since moved on to another's safe however.

[Coffinmaker]

Aah Hem!!

Hey Tinker.

You will find .... around here there are several practitioners of Snubbie Guns.  Some converted to cartridge, some still percussion, a few consigned to the trash can (who me??).   But most of us whom lurk about these pages think SNUBBIES ARE KOOL!!!

Your Remington examples are OUTSTANDING even though I can't and don't shoot Remingtons (they beat hell out of my middle finger).

[Tinker Pearce]

Aah Hem!!

Hey Tinker.

You will find .... around here there are several practitioners of Snubbie Guns.  Some converted to cartridge, some still percussion, a few consigned to the trash can (who me??).   But most of us whom lurk about these pages think SNUBBIES ARE KOOL!!!

Your Remington examples are OUTSTANDING even though I can't and don't shoot Remingtons (they beat hell out of my middle finger).

Thank you! There's a fix for the middle-finger thing, BTW- there is ample room to remove 1/16- 3/32" behind the trigger guard. Might let you expand your horizons- although you do seem to keep busy with cool stuff already. Very nice guns your own self, sir!

[Coffinmaker]

Thank you Kind Sir.  It is rather nice when "others" appreciate your work,  SNUBBIES ROCK!!