1858 Remmie 45 ACP Conversion

[Jim Bob]

I'm doing a Kirst 45 ACP Konversion on my 1858.  I'm new at 45 ACP conversion stuff so please take it easy on me  . Just wondering if anyone has done the same and what ammo are you using?  I don't have the equipment to load my own so looking to see if anyone is using store bought 45 ACP.  I would assume that I need to use lead bullets. Maybe there's some online store that may have some in stock.

Skinny Preacher,
Thanks for the input much appreciated.

Angel Eyes,
Don't get me wrong I love my black powders and I shoot my Colt repos as BP.  But the Remmie just lends itself to conversaion.
To qoute "Blue Book of Modern Black Powder Values™" Second Edition. By Dennis Adler. There is an undeniable romance about Colt and Remington cartridge conversions that seems to fascinate more collectors, enthusiasts and filmmakers today than the legendary 1873 Colt Single Action Army, regarded by many as the gun that won the west.
The 1858 Remington New Model Army appears to have been the first percussion revolver converted to fire a metallic cartridge, produced by Remington in 1868-69 (while the White patent was still in effect) and converted to chamber five .46 caliber rimfire cartridges. Later versions were converted to six-shot .44 caliber centerfire, and the New Model Navy to .36 and then .38 caliber.
These factory conversions remained in production until the new Remington Model 1875 Single Action Army was introduced.
As you can see BP conversions were a part of the old west history. So having a conversion pistol is just like owning any other piece of old west history, gun, hat boots etc. If I wanted a .45 cal 1911 auto I'd buy one but that didn't have a place in the old west.
I hope this clears things up alittle for you.   Have a great day pard.

[Skinny Preacher 66418]

Cabelas has 'bulk' ultramax in lead (LRN). Well they had it until the run on ammo.

I don't have a '58 in acp, but do have a acp cylinder for my Uberti '75 Remington.

I've fired full jacketed, hollow points, and lead in it. Accuracy is fine, and recoil is a sharper feel (i assume faster burning powder than the cowboy loads) but definately not a magnum feel.

The lengh of the cartridge case has to match cylinder's chamber depth since there is no rim on the cartridge. If the case is too short...the firing pin won't hit the primer good. If the case is too long, the cylinder will drag.

SP

[Angel_Eyes]

I may be missing the point here, but why would you buy a percussion revolver, only to shoot cartridge conversions when you guys in the USA can buy virtually any cartridge pistol you want??
If you were restricted to the type of small arms that we Brits are, and we were allowed the cart. conv.'s then I could understand it.
Shoot the thing with that for which it was intended!!

AE

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[Jim Bob]

Angel Eyes,

The conversion revolver had a place in time in the old west.  First there came the BP revolver then the conversion revolver and than the metallic cartridge revolver.   It would be nice to have at least one of each to represent each time period of the old west.  It's not owning a smokless revolver that is important here, it's the representation of a period of history.

[Harley Starr]

Angel Eyes,

The conversion revolver had a place in time in the old west.  First there came the BP revolver then the conversion revolver and than the metallic cartridge revolver.   It would be nice to have at least one of each to represent each time period of the old west.  It's not owning a smokless revolver that is important here, it's the representation of a period of history.

It's also important to remember that conversion revolvers were much less expensive than the new cartridge guns. Just owning one back then said alot about one's economic status.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Angel Eyes, I shoot Remmie conversions as my main match pistols. I do this for two reasons. First, they are indicative of the era I am portraying in my dress and gear. Second, they fit my hand like nothing else. I like shooting cartridges more than percussion. If a Colt SAA, Schofield, 1875 Remington or any other pistol felt as good, I'd shoot those. To shoot mine with cartridges requires conversions. With the conversions in them, they really look nice to me. I guess when you can buy any pistol you want, it becomes a simple matter of preference.

[Angel_Eyes]

Sorry guys, I guess I'm just jealous 'cos we cant have cartridge conversion cylinders.
If the missus pops off before me, I might have to consider re-locating,,,now, where did I put the rat poison?
( only joking,,,if she reads this)

AE

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I understand, I'd probably feel the same way in a similar situation.

[Galloway]

Another big reason no ones willing to admit is that we already have one of all the cartidge guns.  If we had to choose they wouldnt be as popular.

[Matt Bastardson]

I've got 2 1858 New Models in .45ACP

They'll shoot anything you wish to run through them, including .45ACP hardball ammo.  Just no +P rounds.  Of course, for CAS matches you need lead, so I use ('factory'). 45ACP lead reloads.....from Cheaperthandirt.com if memory serves me.

One word of warning though, they kick like a mule using standard (factory) .45ACP rounds, so after a CAS match my middle finger(s) -- shooting 'dualist' -- would be beat all to hell from the trigger guard slamming back into my finger each round, so after a while it is prudent to collect your brass, buy a simple (read: inexpensive) hand loader/press and dies, and start loading them down if you're going to be shooting them often (i.e. monthly).

[Jim Bob]

Thanks JC that is exactly the type of info I was looking for. 
Do you know of internet sites I might be able to look at simple inexpensive hand loader/press and dies? Maybe Cabela's offer them, I've have to check.

[Appalachian Ed]

Or, you could shoot them like god intended, with real BP and pure lead.

[Matt Bastardson]

Thanks JC that is exactly the type of info I was looking for. 
Do you know of internet sites I might be able to look at simple inexpensive hand loader/press and dies? Maybe Cabela's offer them, I've have to check.

No, it's been a while since I put mine together.  I simply got one of the basic Lee hand presses and .45ACP dies, some pistol powder and primers.....and 500 rounds of .45 ACP lead reloads for $79 - $99 (I forget exactly which, but cheap) for the brass.  Which shows you how long ago that was, i.e. pre-Iraq war.  You can't even hardly find deals on rounds such as .45 ACP any longer....reloads or not....which makes loading your own all the more attractive now

(And try not to get sucked into the expensive multi-stage loader game common around CAS.  Those basic Lee hand presses are perfectly fine for just shooting monthly matches or whatever, and they're very inexpensive too.....I think I paid something like $25 for mine brand new.)

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Don't bother with the old leeLoader.  Go to the Hand Press.  It takes regular dies, and can be used anywhere, like in front of the Tellie, or at the range.

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1246558223.1313=/html/catalog/rlpress1.html

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

I have a .45 ACP cylinder for my Pietta NMA, made by Joe Dlask in Delta BC to his own design.  I wanted a second body in .44 Colt/Rem, but Joe demurred for some reason.

I use 21 grains of FFFg under an RCBS .45 200 KT, that old Lyman 450229 155 gr, hollow based bullet (Boy, is this old HB bullet accurate if carefully cast!), or the EPP-UGG.

Here's the chart of old & current Lyman moulds;

http://www.three-peaks.net/bullet_molds.htm

[Freedom]

Thanks JC that is exactly the type of info I was looking for. 
Do you know of internet sites I might be able to look at simple inexpensive hand loader/press and dies? Maybe Cabela's offer them, I've have to check.

Probly Graphs and Son is a good place to buy the hand press. They have a great flate-rate shipping  policy and there prices are usually better than Midway, especially after the free shipping.