I agree with you Pards on the defected design of the OpenTop 1872 and the Richards Mason conversion 45's. Thing is.....if they didn't make the under side of the forcing cone part of the barrel extra thin for that bushing in the arbor hole of the barrel the barrels probably wouldn't crack. It's that extra they take off to get the bushing in the arbor hole. I don't understand the reasoning for the bushing. Originals had them? I'd guess not.
Mako...what diameter do you want for the chambers of the 45's? Chamber part(where the case sits) or cylinder throat part of the chamber?
I have to believe that the Italians know the barrels crack on the 45's. Why don't they remedy that by leaving the arbor hole bushing out of the design? I mean....don't they test the dang things before they put them in production?
I never knw the Open Tops were over size. I'd read the cylinder on the Richards Masons was oversized for the 45's. That mean the cylindrs are oversized on the 44's too? Heck I'd like that. I never handles an original Open Top 1872.
I's guess a machinist could make his own cylinders and conversion gated back plates if they had a mill and a rotary table and could get the holes and nortches in the right place and also the ratchets at the rear. I'd wish to have a lathe to make the stock piece the right diameter first off. I have no lathe.
Thing is....a Pard could make a conversion with a stock cap&baller but...the steel would be softer in the frame than a gun from Uberti that is "Cartridge" right out of the factory right? Real ordanance grade steel right? Right. I dream alot too.
Anyway....I'd wish to make my own cylinders for conversions and then line bore the chambers ot the barrel . Make a target grade Open Top. ha ha ha Why not?
Anyway.....wouldn't the Italians worry about liability ifin those 45 barrels cracked and spit a chunk of barrel at someones face or head?
Whatever happened to the Pietta Open Top that was on the market for awhile when the San Marcos was on the market?
You knmow....there were some really cool guns back in the day and no one replicates them. Those Belgian guns and those Manhattans and the Coopers and those double action English cap&ballers and cartridge revolvers. I've seen some pictures of some other guns besides Colt and Remington. Some are just plain arse cool. Wish they would replicate some of the others. Like Pietta id good enough to replicate the Starr and the LeMatt. I like the Manhattans or the Coopers (whichever it is)that look like a cross between the Colt and the Remington. I think it was the Cooper that had that thin spring steel wrapped around on the recoil shield that kept the caps from catching on anything. The hammer struck it so it struck the percussion caps. Bang,bang,bang,bang,bang,bang...all six shots without the fear of caps hangin the gun up. You know like a Remington does because of it's thought out design. Like the Rodgers and Spencer also. And the Starr too.And other cap&ballers. Not the Colts though.
No one of the enterprising people that work Pards guns make a capguard like the Coopers that were authentic to the time and worked. I've though about doing it but.....wonder.....how a thin piece of spring steel being hit by the hammer so it hits the caps would hold up?
You Pards know what I'm referring to right? Anyone know about the Coopers original to the time cap guard? Hope it's the Coopers that had that. Maybe it was the Manhattans.
Ladt thing said....I wouldn't recommend a 45 Open Top or Richards Mason to anyone.
I loaded mine the last time out with 6gr. TiteGroup and a 200gr. bullet that was ...................hardcast lead.
. Man that dang gun was accurate too. Pleasure to shoot. Shot high though. Get used to it after awhile. Like the Pards back in the day had to get used to them or change out the front sight.