New here

[lukewepy]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to the forum. Looking into getting my first single action revolver. Very interested in the Man With No Name model but was wondering what is involved in making a cap and ball into a cartridge. Don't really like the look of the R-M conversion. Guess I'm a sucker for Clint's in GBU. Please let me know what is needed to make a MWNN version. Is lining the barrel really necessary?

Basically I'm trying to decide between the MWNN offered by cimarron(what is the current availability?), a R-M by Uberti, or getting the cap and ball and having a gunsmith convert it for me. So many choices!!

Thanks,

Luke

[Pettifogger]

The MWNN is not really a conversion.  It is an 1872 Open Top with a 51 Navy barrel.  There is no conversion plate.  Current availability, who knows?  These and all Uberti conversions and open tops are limited production and Uberti just runs a batch every now and then.  Best to call Cimarron and see what they have in stock.  Making a cap and ball into a cartridge gun involves grinding the frame for the loading gate.  There are two kinds of cylinders.  One is bored straight through and is designed for the original .375 barrel diameter of the cap and ball gun.  You have to used healed or hollow base bullets.  The other has a normal chamber and is designed for using standard .357 diameter bullets in a sleeved barrel.  Having done conversions and having bought factory conversions and 72 Open Tops it is far cheaper and easier to just buy a gun that is already set up for the cartridge you want to shoot.  I love the MWNN, but if I were ordering them I would get them without the snake.  $200.00 extra for the snake won't make it shoot any better.

[lukewepy]

Thanks for the info.
Would it still be cheaper if I got a set of 51 navy cap n balls for free and did a conversion?
At the moment I have a repro 1842 smoothbore springfield musket that I'm looking to trade for the 51 navies. The musket is from back in my Civil War re-enactor days.
If I'm just paying for the conversions, what would a ballpark price be?

Luke

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[Pettifogger]

There's only two brands of conversion cylinders and parts.  Kirst and R&D.  Just Google them and look at the prices.  They are seldom discounted.  The cylinders run around $250.00 to $275.00 the ejector assembly is another $150.00 or there abouts.  So, you will have around $400.00 in parts before starting the conversion and you will have the wrong bore size and will need to sleeve the barrel if you want to use standard .38 ammunition.  You can buy a new gun for less than $500.00.