[Fat Boy]

I have been reading about the conversion cylinders available for BP revolvers, that shoot "cowboy" loads, or something like that.

Being unsure on this I'll ask; what is a "cowboy" load? Are these specific to manufacturer, or is it type of powder/velocity, and so forth?

Will a Ruger Old Army handle standard load .45 long colt rounds, or is it also limited to the cowboy loadings?

Thanks!

[rcmodel]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=434419&highlight=blew

http://www.kirstkonverter.com/index.html

rc

[RyanM]

Personally, I'd shell out for a factory "conversion" revolver that's made in that configuration. Better steel, and they're generally able to use any standard-pressure ammo with lead bullets. Maybe even jacketed, depending on who you ask.

Uberti beefed up several parts of the old 1860 design specifically to make them strong enough to handle standard pressure .45 LC.

I've got my eye on this one. http://www.cimarron-firearms.com/Conversions/TypeIIRichConv.htm Just need about $500 more in the piggy bank. :(

If I got a conversion cylinder and put it on a standard C&B revolver, you wouldn't catch me shooting anything but black powder handloads in it. I sorta like having 10 fingers and 2 eyes.

[sundance44s]

I do enjoy useing my conversion cylinders ...it a lazy day still alot of fun to play with at the range ..I have droped down to useing the 45 Schofield rounds in mine ....it`s like a 45 LC short ....much easyer on the guns ....most if not all that are chambered in 45 LC will shoot the Schofields ......some of the older conversion cylinders wouldn`t chamber the Schofields because of the thicker rims on the Schofields .....but all of the newer ones I have will chamber both rounds ...even my 1860 Henery rifle .

[Riot Earp]

Duplicate.

[Riot Earp]

Interesting cylinder "blow-up."

I don't have experience with .44/.45 conversions, but the various Remington New Model Navies with .38 Colt/Special conversion cylinders will handle smokeless Cowboy loads with no ill effects.

[scrat]

heck ya they are worth it.

whats the deal on cowboy loads. Well let me skooool you. Due to legalites most 45 Colt are at or around cowboy loads. There are a few that are higher than standard 45 Colt loads. These should only be used in the Ruger Vaqureo which is designed to use higher than standard loads.

Now whats a hot or standard load.

Most 45 Colts were made to shoot at or around 800-900 fps.

Now take a look at the Walker the walker was a beast designed to shoot at 1000-1200 fps. Same time though the walker was designed to shoot up to 60 grains of powder.

The 45 Colt originally was a blackpowder cartridge, but modern loadings use smokeless powder. The original blackpowder loads called for 28 to 40 grains (b2.6 g) of blackpowder behind a 255-grain (16.5 g) lead bullet. These loads developed muzzle velocities of up to 1000 feet per second (305 m/s), for a muzzle energy of 566 ft·lbf

So how does this equate today for us. Well i load my own 45colt. Its a very very easy process. if you can load a cap and ball you can load a 45 colt. Sundance hit the nail on the head with the shofield. loading 45 colt i usually use 30 grains of powder a wad then bullet pressed to the powder. just like loading cap and ball. Now if you use 45 shofield then you can load 20 grains of powder then the bullet and it will be perfect. How does that work with you. Well if your shooting an 1860 army, 1858, 1851 or almost anything for that matter. those loads are what we use for cap and ball. The difference is this. At the range i usually start out using cap and ball. ITs fun mind u but its a long love process. Half way through the day. i want to play around at shooting steel. So i take out my black powder cylinder. go to the steel sillouette area. with a box of 45colts. Then load up and start plinking at steel. ITs really fun your own cowboy action shooting. Except i am using the same gun. The guys at the range love it as well always turning heads. Better than a 1873 peace maker. As i can shoot both

[Smokin_Gun]

Yup they be worth it...

[pwillie]

I just purchased a conversion cylinder for my Ruger Old Army made by R&D from Midway supply,on sale for 250.00 bucks,and stainless at that!Will this handle the standard 45 LC ?

[scrat]

hell ya. 250 wow thats a good deal

[pwillie]

scrat,is this a drop in (no machining) cylinder? Also what factory loads would you use? Thanks, Willie

[sundance44s]

This place has the best price for a ROA SS conversion cylinder I`ve found ....I bought 2 of them a few months ago ...http://www.auctionarms.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=9054100

[pwillie]

Sundance: How is the quality for the R&D? Willie,Does the cylinder work without mods?

[sundance44s]

The quality is real nice with the SS Steel ones I bought ....My 2 ROA`s are of different year vintage ..one is a 1979 the other a 1981 ...I don`t remember which one but I had to take a stone to the front end of one of the conversions ...the end bushing was a little long ...took maybe 1 or 2 thousands off it ...the other one fit perfect out of the box ..The SS cylinder cleans real easy also .
I noticed the 2 cap & ball cylinders on mine will not swap eaither ....thats probally why Ruger would not sell a spare cylinder without the gun being sent in for fitting .......no big deal if you`ve used a stone before ..a file would have takeing off too much too fast .

[madcratebuilder]

Well sundance, you got me. I've been resisting a conversion cylinder for the past year. Your post about the low price did me in, I have one on the way for my ROA. That's Ruger .45lc #4.

So, I have read that you can shoot 45 Scholfield in this conversion cylinder, more brass to buy.

[sundance44s]

Madcratebuilder if you do take up loading the Schofield ...let me know before you order bullets I`ll give you a site with good prices on .230 gr round nose bullets ...best price I`ve found .....they shoot real good from the Schofield brass ...round nose instead of the flatnose bullet , but with the shorter Schofiels brass there isn`t a problem with the longer OAL from the round nose bullet ............I have to seat them deep when I use them in my 45 LC brass or they will be too long and bind the cylinder , but they shoot well in the 45 LC too .
That place I posted for the SS cylinders ..me and Smokingun brought from him a few months ago , for 210.00 each ...now they are 235.00 but still the best price I`ve seen on SS ones .

[pwillie]

Sundance: I am new to the Ruger Old Army,and BP shooting,could you direct me to which off the shelf bullets I should buy when I crank up my new conversion? Weight and powder charge in the bullets? I don't wnt to blow myself up,thanks for any help, Willie

[sundance44s]

pwillie ..all of the standard 45 Lc ammo is safe( EXCEPT )those marked +P ....stay away from those ...check on the box of bullets you buy before buying uasually on the back printed the FPS...feet per second they fly ...stay at the 900 fps at the muzzle and under and they are fine . check and make sure you are buying lead bullets NOT copper jacket ......you`ll wear the bore out of a cap and ball pistol useing copper jacket bullets ..these guns are disigned for lead bullets , and thats what they shoot the best .
You`ll probally see alot marked cowboy loads ...2 or 3 companys have been putting those out for the cowboy action shooters ...you may find those with black powder loading and smokeless powder ...

[sltm1]

Scrat, When you load 30g bp in your cartridge and a wad, does this take up all the space in a 45lc shell ? I'm re-starting to do some reloading and used to do CAS reloading using 8g of Unique smokeless. That will keep me between800-900fps. Will 30g of bp stay around the same speed or does putting it in a shell increase anything? I'm using 255g fn bullets. Sure wish I had a chrono!!!!

[scrat]

Nope 30 grains of black with a wad. then you have to use a filler. cream of wheat or oatmeal. bring it up to a good point then put another wad on top. So that when you press in the bullet it will be at the correct height. as far as speed and performance. too many factors on bullet weight and type then gun and barrel length. however it should keep you at around 800 fps

[scrat]

i have a r&D cylinder for my Walker. its great it works very very good. i am looking at a kirst for my 1858 as i would like to get the loading gate feature. for my walker i did not want the loading gate as i did not want to do anything to the gun as far as porting. the r&d cylinder works very very good though