Black Powder Pistols > Open Tops
Richards Mason Conversion replicas
Zulch:
Hey Cap. Great and thanks I’m headed for some good reading😁👍
Bishop Creek:
--- Quote from: Captainkirk on March 23, 2022, 09:46:25 AM ---Good articles on the history of the RM conversions
https://gunsmagazine.com/guns/handguns/colts-cartridge-conversions/
https://americanhandgunner.com/handguns/colt-conversion-sixguns/
--- End quote ---
From the first link, the author states:
"Surprisingly, the Colt Conversions made in the greatest numbers were those built on the 5-shot frames of the .36 caliber Model 1862s. According to Flayderman’s Guide To Antique American Firearms, Colt produced about 25,000 of these between 1873 and 1880. They too became .38 caliber cartridge handguns: some rimfire and some centerfire.
The cartridges developed for these conversions are likewise interesting. What was done to make them was simple. The bullets were built like those used in cap and ball revolvers, the elongated projectiles and not round balls. These had a reduced diameter shank at the base that fit into the cap and ball cylinders. Then the wider portion was swaged as the projectile was forced into a cap and ball chamber by the rammer. Cartridge designers of the 1870s built cases that fit onto that reduced diameter shank and made the widest part of the bullet the same diameter as the outside of the cartridge case. These are called “heel-base bullets.” End of quote.
I think the author is a bit confused, he is actually referring to the Thuer conversion made by Colt in the late 1860s to circumvent the Rollin/White bored through cylinder patent. It was Colt's first attempt at a cartridge conversion model. The Thuer conversion cylinder was not bored through and the cartridge was loaded from the front using the loading lever.
StrawHat:
I have two of the ASM version of the Richards Conversion of the Colt’s 1860.
You can see the shorter ejector rod housing, the rear sight on the conversion ring and the loading gate.
In the second image, you can see the spring loaded firing pin in the conversion ring.
In the third image you can see the modification to the hammer face.
These are both chambered for the modern 44 Colt cartridge. The original 44 Colt used a bullet of about .455 caliber with a heeled base and loaded it into the case only as deep as the heel. The modern 44 Colt utilizes technology similar to what Colt’s did with the 41, 38 and maybe the 32 Colt when the modernized them. They used a bullet that would fit inside the case and tightened the bore to match. In the case of the 44 Colt, ASM chose to use a .430 bullet and a .429 bore. (Just like the 44 S&W Special and the 44 Remington Magnum).
I load a 200 grain RNFP cast bullet over as much black powder as I can comfortably squeeze into the case. BP lube and a primer and I am good to go.
No one currently makes a copy of the Richards Conversion which is too bad. To me it is the finest of all the conversion revolvers.
Kevin
Captainkirk:
Nice looking hardware, Kevin! You still have those pieces?
StrawHat:
Yes, still have them and exercise them a couple times a year.
Kevin
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