mrgrzeskowiak
member
Any thoughts on a conversion cylinder for a 1858 Remington Army? Are they reliable? Any input would be apprecieated.
1858 Remington
- Thread starter mrgrzeskowiak
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folks I know that have them,like the idea of them,but say in use they get old fast.removing the cylinder each time to load is a pain.and remember,with the conversion cyl. in place,it's no longer a BP pistol and subject to all rules for a modern firearm. jwr
I'd say just get yourself a single action cartridge gun instead. I thought about a conversion cylinder for my '58 too, but the prices are just ridiculous. For the same price you can buy a used Blackhawk, or slightly more for a new one. Then you can shoot smokeless too, so you don't have to clean it so often.
Burt Blade
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I occasionally use a pair of replica (Uberti made) Remingtons in Cowboy Action Shooting matches, sometimes as cap-n-ball guns, sometimes with conversion cylinders. They work very well for me. As long as you start with decently made replicas, and the conversion cylinders fit properly, a Remington conversion should work quite well.
Uberti and Pietta make their Remingtons to slightly different dimensions. The conversion cylinder has to be made for the proper make of gun. They are not interchangeable between brands of replica.
If you get two conversion cylinders for one gun, you have a decently quick reload for your Remington. Several makers sell holsters and cylinder pouches for these. Just be careful during the swap. If you smack one of those firing pins hard enough, it will set off the cartridge underneath. This is generally a Bad Thing to Do.
As always, carry only five chambers loaded (cartridge or cap-n-ball). When the hammer is down, it rests on the firing pin, which rests against the primer of a chambered cartridge. (It rests on the percussion cap of a c-n-b cylinder) A modest blow on the hammer can cause a rather loud accident. This is another Bad Thing to Do.
Do not use full power or plus P ammunition in a conversion cylinder. The Remington frames are not designed for the increased pressures of modern ammunition, nor for the increased back-thrust of hot loads. The gun probably will not burst (at least at first), but it will quickly wear out. Those super-hot loads form Cor-Bon, Buffalo Bore, and others, are absolutely not for conversions. (Using such ammunition is a Very Bad thing to Do.)
Uberti and Pietta make their Remingtons to slightly different dimensions. The conversion cylinder has to be made for the proper make of gun. They are not interchangeable between brands of replica.
If you get two conversion cylinders for one gun, you have a decently quick reload for your Remington. Several makers sell holsters and cylinder pouches for these. Just be careful during the swap. If you smack one of those firing pins hard enough, it will set off the cartridge underneath. This is generally a Bad Thing to Do.
As always, carry only five chambers loaded (cartridge or cap-n-ball). When the hammer is down, it rests on the firing pin, which rests against the primer of a chambered cartridge. (It rests on the percussion cap of a c-n-b cylinder) A modest blow on the hammer can cause a rather loud accident. This is another Bad Thing to Do.
Do not use full power or plus P ammunition in a conversion cylinder. The Remington frames are not designed for the increased pressures of modern ammunition, nor for the increased back-thrust of hot loads. The gun probably will not burst (at least at first), but it will quickly wear out. Those super-hot loads form Cor-Bon, Buffalo Bore, and others, are absolutely not for conversions. (Using such ammunition is a Very Bad thing to Do.)
Shawnee
member
Uberti makes a really nice replica of the 1875 Remington that looks a bit like the 1858 Remmie but it is a .357/38 Special cartridge gun. It's grand fun to shoot and, though I've had mine for only 6 or 7 weeks, it seems well made and is surprisingly accurate - at least with 38s. Haven't tried .357s yet. 
Doc Rizzi
Member
I just sent my 1858 Pietta Remington back to Midway
Ok...now we will see what happens. I have been shooting it with the Taylor R&D conversion cylinder (.45)for CAS. I have been using very light loads (4.3 trail boss). I have been very happy with the performance. I was cleaning it after the match and I noticed a crack in the barrel front from the crown, down past the site. The crack was a total of about an inch and a half. It looked like it cracked through the tap where the front site was mounted. This makes me wonder now if the tap was too deep causing a structural weakness in the barrel or if even my light load was too much pressure for the barrel. My son offers a theory about the temperature that is interesting too. It was really cold during the shoot...38 degrees. He asserts that the immediate increase in temp from firing the revolver combined with the defect from a potential over tap was more that it could bear. I am interested in how Midway will deal with this. I am within the warranty period, but depending on how they see it, I may or may not be able to exchange for a new one. I will keep the forum posted. Has anyone had an experience like this?
Ok...now we will see what happens. I have been shooting it with the Taylor R&D conversion cylinder (.45)for CAS. I have been using very light loads (4.3 trail boss). I have been very happy with the performance. I was cleaning it after the match and I noticed a crack in the barrel front from the crown, down past the site. The crack was a total of about an inch and a half. It looked like it cracked through the tap where the front site was mounted. This makes me wonder now if the tap was too deep causing a structural weakness in the barrel or if even my light load was too much pressure for the barrel. My son offers a theory about the temperature that is interesting too. It was really cold during the shoot...38 degrees. He asserts that the immediate increase in temp from firing the revolver combined with the defect from a potential over tap was more that it could bear. I am interested in how Midway will deal with this. I am within the warranty period, but depending on how they see it, I may or may not be able to exchange for a new one. I will keep the forum posted. Has anyone had an experience like this?
Vern Humphrey
Member
And there's the rub -- why buy a conversion for the price of a whole gun?
D R Greysun
Member
Burt,
Don't mean to be telling you your business but you said:
"As always, carry only five chambers loaded (cartridge or cap-n-ball). When the hammer is down, it rests on the firing pin, which rests against the primer of a chambered cartridge. (It rests on the percussion cap of a c-n-b cylinder) A modest blow on the hammer can cause a rather loud accident. This is another Bad Thing to Do."
I can't speak for Remington conversions, don't have them. I do load and carry my '58's loaded six times and the hammer down on the notch between the nipples. My Grandad told that's the way to do it and I can see no reason not to. After all that's what the notches are there for!
D R
Don't mean to be telling you your business but you said:
"As always, carry only five chambers loaded (cartridge or cap-n-ball). When the hammer is down, it rests on the firing pin, which rests against the primer of a chambered cartridge. (It rests on the percussion cap of a c-n-b cylinder) A modest blow on the hammer can cause a rather loud accident. This is another Bad Thing to Do."
I can't speak for Remington conversions, don't have them. I do load and carry my '58's loaded six times and the hammer down on the notch between the nipples. My Grandad told that's the way to do it and I can see no reason not to. After all that's what the notches are there for!
D R
Doc Rizzi
Member
Midway came through
Midway USA took back the 1858 Remington mentioned above and approved an exchange for a new one. They agreed that that the crack in the crown extending down the barrel was caused by a weakness in the barrel caused the front sight hole being too deeply tapped at the Pietta factory. A new one is on the way. I am pleased.
Midway USA took back the 1858 Remington mentioned above and approved an exchange for a new one. They agreed that that the crack in the crown extending down the barrel was caused by a weakness in the barrel caused the front sight hole being too deeply tapped at the Pietta factory. A new one is on the way. I am pleased.
unspellable
Member
A failure at the muzzle end of the barrel as described above is due to a flaw of some kind. The pressure from even a hot load has dropped to quite a low level by the time the bullet reaches the muzzle. The classic bannana peel or bulge near the muzzle failure in a shot gun is not due to pressure per se, but rather the momentum of the fast moving gas piling up behind the obstruction. True pressure failures occur near the rear end of the barrel.
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