.22-5-40 wrote:Hello, Dellboy. Back in 1972, I bought a Colt re-make of their 1851 Navy .36 percussion revolver. This gun was so nice..I couldn,t bring myself to fire it. Saved up pennys, & bought another. The plan was to use one, and keep the other NIB.
Well, they were both so nice..I couldn't bring myself to dirty either of them! Fast forward 30 some years..I "found" these, in back of closet..wife asked me..what am I going to do with these guns if something should happen to you? I asked myself..Just who am I saving them for..they haven't gone up that much in value..why not enjoy them?
Sometime before this, I had purchased a Kirst Konversion cylinder in .38 Long-Colt. This dropped right in & timing was perfect. This unit has a built-in loading gate..but I just couldn't bring myself to cut on that beautiful case-colored frame..so brl. must be pulled for loading..not really a problem.
The problem was ammunition..the groove dia. is larger than a modern .38. Original loads used a "heeled" bullet..like a .22 rimfire..outside dia. of bullet was same as case dia. Later a hollw-base design was used. regular .38 revolver bullets fall thru bore. I had a mould on order..but wouldn't be shipped for a few months..commercial hollow-base wadcutters were out of stock everywhere.
I had waited nearly 30 years to shoot it..and now I couldn't..or could I?
I found some 148gr. roundnose bullets I had cast of nearly pure lead. These measured .360"..a snug thumb-push in bore..but in no way would begin to take the rifling.
Using a .360" dia. Lyman sizer die, I pressed base flush to die mouth..chucking this up in my wood lathe..I used a 3/8" ball cutter to hollow base .100 deep.
At the most, I was hoping base-band would at least obturate enough to take rifling & give me some sembelance of accuracy.
I spoke with Mr. Kirst about the strength of the cylinder..he said they were 4140 Chrome-moly steel & proofed as any modern smokeless cylinder.
The weak point was that mid-19th. century three-piece held together by a wedge design. I held charges quite low.
Setting up a sandbag rest at the 25yd. range, 1.8gr. Bullseye shot about 5" above point of aim..and grouped in a bit under 2".
Now that might not sound earthshattering but with hammer notch rear, & bead front, plus 50 something eyes, I didn't think it was too bad! Any heaver load & it shot higher & groups opened up.
The mould finally arrived that fall, but as of yet, I haven't been able to do any more testing.
I alos have a 1980 re-make of the Colt 1860 army .44 percussion, of which I have fitted a Kirst .45 Long-Colt cylinder.
I am still testing loads with this one, but so far none have equalled the accuracy of the .38. Best of luck!
if only we could get them here ......