1873 traditions 44 BP

[pwillie]

I purchased a 1873 BP Traditions six shooter .My question ,is it has two cylinders,and the bullet press. It came in a case but had no papers.How will this be loaded,it has a spare cylinder.I went on line, but the PFD file want print.My question is,does anyone make a conversion cylinder (45 LC) for the revolver. I love the gun,but would like a conversion.Anyone with BP experience with one of these please reply. Willie BTW,the spare will not fit into the frame,I think it needsfiling and fitting.

 

[Olmontanaboy]

I don't believe anyone makes a cartridge conversion for this revolver. The firing pin hole is offset in the frame making conversion to cartridge impractical. Yes the cylinders need to fitted for most of these.

 

[pwillie]

Could you not change the hammer? Also,it has the gate opening and the extractor pin? Whats up with the design? Could this be a shooter(cartridge) converted to black powder by Traditions? Thanks for any knowledge about this revolver,Willie

 

[pwillie]

Could you not change the hammer? Also,it has the gate opening and the extractor pin? Whats up with the design? Could this be a shooter(cartridge) converted to black powder by Traditions? Thanks for any knowledge about this revolver,Willie

 

[mykeal]

Yes, you can change the hammer, but notice that the offset hammer fits into an offset hole in the frame, so you'd have to machine or replace the frame. And the timing on the cylinders is set up for that offset hole, so both your cylinders would have to be changed also. Kinda getting to be not worth the price.

The gun was made for sale in locations where the citizens are prohibited from owning or possessing cartridge firing handguns (in particular, Great Britain). There was a desire to own a replica Colt Peacemaker or Single Action Army, but since those are cartridge guns the percussion version was 'invented'. The gun is deliberately designed to make conversion to a cartridge gun difficult if not impossible to satisfy the law in those countries.

 

[arcticap]

It sounds like you have the Pietta model rather than the Uberti Cattleman.
Maybe the cylinder isn't made to fit the Pietta?

Back in 2008 when Cabela's was selling the Uberti Cattleman on clearance, Classicballistix posted about these models and how the Pietta could be converted.
He stated in Post #28:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=4441592&postcount=28

My example has a removable striker set perfectly in the hammer face and an offset EDM cut for it that could easily be replaced with a primer striker setup, leaving only a swap of the available .45 Colt cylinder.

Classicballistix has his own business website so maybe you can ask him for more information about exactly what would be required to convert your revolver or if he could do the work for you.

 

[pwillie]

Artic: I can't seem to find the part of your quote? Can you help?I checked the post,thanks Willie.

 

[arcticap]

It's in the 6th paragraph from the top of his post:

...From what we read at French and German gun forums, the introduction of these guns created something of a stir. They, like the Ruger Old Army, are not replicas of anything that went before. Unlike anything else in the European menu of availability, they share enough lines and pieces with cartridge guns to have drawn the ire of regulators as a threat. My example has a removable striker set perfectly in the hammer face and an offset EDM cut for it that could easily be replaced with a primer striker setup, leaving only a swap of the available .45 Colt cylinder. Oddly, individual European buyers seem to have been able to legally import these guns from U.S. distributors within their own "replica rules" when the guns were made unavailable to their domestic markets....

I don't know about the accuracy of his statement, but then he manufactures aftermarket ROA cylinders so he must know a lot more than I do.

 

[pwillie]

Artic: Thanks again,I will try to contact him, Willie

 

[pwillie]

I found every thing I need from VTI,and ordered it today. I think there is away to change the firing pin(on the Tradition model) to make it work,oh well what else do I have to spend my money on.

 

[arcticap]

That was very interesting thread that you started over on The Firing Line and you received some good first hand advice about doing the conversion.
I hope that it all works out and that you will show us the results.
Good luck!

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=361675

 

[BHP FAN]

You'll need to do some welding on the frame where the firing pin goes through.You could do a bushing like the original Colt did,or just a hole like the Italian clones did.I had a 51/2'' and a 71/2'' that were probably the smoothest action six guns I'd ever owned..but I got rid of them for the same reason I've owned and gotten off of three ROA'S and a Vaquero[even though they are built like tanks]they're great guns,in the case of the Ruger,maybe even the best...but I have this ''historically correct'' bug up my backside,that makes me ditch whatever I couldn't have found in the period,even though I no longer even dabble at reenacting,and there's no one to call ''FARB'' on me but myself.Odd,eh?