We have a variation on this theme over here that may interest some of you.
As you know, we can’t own centrefire pistols under a certain barrel length; so an enterprising has thought of a way to get the next best thing. Basically this means taking a SAA and converting it to operate as a muzzle-loader but using smokeless powders.
The way this is achieved is as follows:
Firstly the rear periphery of the cylinder is taken off leaving the centre portion with the ratchet that is used to turn the cylinder. The lost metal is replaced with a separate plate, which contains a spring-loaded firing pin. Instead of boring the cylinder though to accept a cartridge (Oh how I wish!), the remaining threaded holes, into which the nipples were screwed, are enlarged to accept shotgun primers. These provide excellent ignition and do not break up and fall into the works. An added bonus in the UK is that shotgun primers and cheaper than caps!
The main pressure-bearing area of course is the cylinder, which needs to be modified in order to accept modern powders. To achieve this a sleeve, made form old gun-barrels, is inserted into the rear of each chamber. These sleeves are of uniform length and not only add the strength necessary; they also allow the ball to be seated to the correct depth.. You now have a gun that goes off every time, doesn’t jam up with broken caps and doesn’t suffer from binding due to BP fouling.
Here’s a pic from a magazine of the cylinder were you can see the ends of the sleeves:
To load your SAA you use a loading-press similar to the one shown in Arcticap’s post no 8. With the sleeves fitted, the ball can now be loaded before the powder rather than after. The restricted capacity of the sleeve means it’s almost impossible to overload the cylinder, and turning it over, allows the powder to be poured through the hole for the shotgun primers.
After the primers have been inserted, the conversion ring is slipped over the rear of the cylinder and the whole assembly put back in the frame. After shooting, the cylinder is removed and the spent primers knocked out with a small screwdriver.
Here’s a pic of a completed SAA.
These conversions are proofed for 3.5g of Bullseye behind a 142g lead ball. This may sound like a load of 'faffing about’ to you folks who are able buy a ‘proper SAA’ and use cartridges, but for us in the UK it’s the closest we can get to the real thing again.
Just askin’. Heck, am feelin’ free to speak, on account of having passed that half-century mark, myself – as have many others, here. (Well, a couple of ‘em, for sure, anyway.) Kind of a half-milestone, I reckon.
