I bought a Pietta 1851 Confederate Colt Navy .44 cap & ball revolver a few months ago and i have recently been looking to convert over to cartridge. I was looking around and i noticed that alot of these cylinders say "not to use with brass frame pistols", well i have a brass frame and i was wondering just why you cant use them with the brass frames? and are there any you CAN use with brass frame? I bought a brass frame because i thought it looked beter... last time i buy for looks :/
Cartridge Conversion Kits for 1851 Colt Navy.
- Thread starter thorne90
- Start date
- Status
Remo223
member
Brass is not as strong as steel
BHP FAN
Member
It's a lawyer thing. If 20 gr. of BP works in a brass frame revolver, why couldn't you shoot a cartridge loaded with 20 gr bp [black powder] charge with a bit of cornmeal or a wonder wad as filler [you can't have airspace in black powder guns, or black powder cartridges] in a brass frame revolver? The answer is of course you can, but they are afraid you'll be at the range, run out of black powder, and black powder cartridges, and reach for your buddy's .45 Long Colt full house Smokeless hunting loads, and stretch your revolver out of time in about twelve shots, and then sue them because your gun is ruined [your fault] or worse yet,something beaks, and you somehow get hurt or killed, and your family sues them....again, your fault, but that's why it says ''not for brass frames''.
Oy vey! 
My advice to anyone is to avoid the brass framed revolvers unless you just have to have one to complete your collection or you really need it for reenactments. Why, because over and over I see folks come over here to find out that their brassers just won't take the punishment that the steel framed revolvers will. The we get to feel their pain.
The reason why "they" don't want you using a conversion cylinder in a brasser is because the stipulation on conversion cylinders is that only "cowboy loads" be used. Essentially, a load below 1000 fps. Unfortunately, the brassers just don't hold up well over time with cartridges fired at 999 fps.
I'm probably going to catch some flack now over MHO on brassers. :banghead: I'm gonna retreat under my rock for a while as they look for the nearest oak tree to string me up on.
My advice to anyone is to avoid the brass framed revolvers unless you just have to have one to complete your collection or you really need it for reenactments. Why, because over and over I see folks come over here to find out that their brassers just won't take the punishment that the steel framed revolvers will. The we get to feel their pain.
The reason why "they" don't want you using a conversion cylinder in a brasser is because the stipulation on conversion cylinders is that only "cowboy loads" be used. Essentially, a load below 1000 fps. Unfortunately, the brassers just don't hold up well over time with cartridges fired at 999 fps.I'm probably going to catch some flack now over MHO on brassers. :banghead: I'm gonna retreat under my rock for a while as they look for the nearest oak tree to string me up on.
BHP FAN
Member
Everyone that gets all weak in the knees everytime they shoot thier ''dangerously weak'' brass framed revolvers should ship them directly to me. A buddy of mine bought a pair of round barrel .44 Pietta ''Confederate Navy's'' with the intent of firing them to destruction with 30 grain charges of 3f black powder, with the intent of writeing an article for The Cowboy Chronicle. Long story short, he put 100's of rounds through each revolver, with no signs of wear, and sold them to me. I shot hundreds of 20 grain charges through them, and finally sold them, and as far as I know they are still out there somewhere, blazing away.
BHP FAN
Member
here's my current pair of brassers...
kameron1858
Member
http://www.kirstkonverter.com/ and a ejector is a good idea to
BHP FAN
Member
I like the R&D [Kenney Howell] cylinders as well. I have both. I like the R&D better for the Remmies and Kirst for Colts.
Smokin_Gun
Member
You probly have a Pietta Brass Framed 1851 Navy Model in .44 cal ... yyou'd need to order the one for an 1860 Army Colt Pietta .44cal and it'd be a 5 shot drop in cylinder from Kenny Howell or R&D same person.
Not sure what Walt Kirst has but both Mfg/ Products are xlint.
I'd srtill put it in a steel frame, but if you get one and use it then change yur mind I'll be around contact me if yur sellin' it.
SG
Not sure what Walt Kirst has but both Mfg/ Products are xlint.
I'd srtill put it in a steel frame, but if you get one and use it then change yur mind I'll be around contact me if yur sellin' it.
SG
Last edited:
i found this on kirst. its a .45 cylinder and carries five, it works for the 51 so thats good for me... unfortunatly like i said, it only holds five :/
Does anyone know if there are any cylinders that hold 6 and STILL has a gate? because i dont like the drop in cylinders because it seems pretty inconvieniant to load.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------http://http://www.kirstkonverter.com/coltnavy.html
Does anyone know if there are any cylinders that hold 6 and STILL has a gate? because i dont like the drop in cylinders because it seems pretty inconvieniant to load.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------http://http://www.kirstkonverter.com/coltnavy.html
kameron1858
Member
I think you can only get a conversion to 45 schofeild or 38 long colt for 51&60's i think the cylinders are to short for 45colt but 45ACP probley would fit if you can find a cylinder
- Status
