1858 Conversion Cylinder

Cartridges should be roll crimped Into a crimping groove. No way the bullet is moving under recoil if properly assembled.

I've shot several boxes of Hornady Cowboy Loads through my Pietta '58 w/a Taylor's conv cylinder without any issues. Maybe you got a box that didn't get crimped ??

45 long said:

Maybe you got a box that didn't get crimped ??

Click to expand...

If you have a handloading setup, you could run the rest of the rounds through a crimping die to make sure.

Hornady might like to know about it.

I'm not seeing any crimp at all in that photo. Surprised you made it through 3 rounds before you had trouble.

unspellable said:

Hornady might like to know about it.

Click to expand...

Good idea.

I'm going to say they should look like this -

Is this what you mean when you say crimp?

Look close for the light crimp

Pull one of them and measure the diameter just for fun. Maybe they loaded .440s or something.

Those bullets have no crimping groove that I can see. No grease groove and no cannula. No cannula means they are taper crimped, not enough it would seem. They also look to be a semi wad cutter.

Call Hornady. They will want to know this.

IronHand

NoahBP said:

Is this what you mean when you say crimp?View attachment 914501

Click to expand...

Yup! That's a properly assembled 45 Colt round. (smile)

Dave

NoahBP said:

Is this what you mean when you say crimp?View attachment 914501

Click to expand...

That mid indentation half way down the case is not a crimp. The slight pinch at the top is the crimp

Howdy

Those Hornady cartridges have no crimp at all that I can see. The bullets, which are swaged, not cast, have no crimp groove on them. That is why they are jumping forward under recoil.

This is a random sample of some of my 45 Colt reloads. Notice the crimps roll over into the crimp groove. That is why this style of crimp is called a roll crimp. These rounds are stuffed to the gills with Black Powder and recoil a whole lot more than those Hornady cowboy loads will, but the bullets never jump forward under recoil.






The pinch below the bullet in one photo is called a cannelure. The theory was that it would prevent a bullet from setting back, not forward. Bullets setting back, or telescoping into the case, can be a problem with rifles with tubular magazines. As each round is stripped out of the magazine, the follower slams them all back forcefully under spring pressure. Bullets that do not have a good crimp can telescope into the case under those conditions.

Here is a photo of a couple of old 38-40 rounds with cannelures behind the bullet. I have not seen any ammo loaded like this in a long time.

unspellable said:

Hornady might like to know about it.

Click to expand...

From things I've heard about their CS, they won't care.

OP try some different ammo and you don't specifically have to use "Cowboy" ammo .45 Colt, that's insurance speak for no jacketed bullets or anything Buffalo Bore/Underwood/Doubletap. I've spoke with the manufacturer of the Taylor's conversion cylinders and he said as long as the bullet is lead, you can push the velocity to 1000 fps no problems.

I can't imagine the R&D is any different.

I've shot Federal 225 gr SWC hollow point ammo in my Pietta 1858 with no issues and that is a great defensive load for converted black powder revolvers.

Fark said:

The cowboy loads were all I could find that weren't jacketed

Click to expand...

I picked up a 500rd case of this ammo to shoot in my conversion cylinders:
https://www.sgammo.com/product/amer...lt-200-grain-lead-bullet-american-cowboy-ammo

Runs $28.95 a box of 50:
https://www.sgammo.com/product/amer...lt-200-grain-lead-bullet-american-cowboy-ammo

Figure I can reload the brass once I've finished off the case.
No issues with my conversion cylinders of Ruger Redhawk 45.