'Puglife' Pietta Remington 1858

[Michael Tinker Pearce]

Early last summer a friend commented that he really wanted a Remington 1858 converted to a 'Bulldog' type revolver after seeing a conversion on Youtube. We discussed it and before long his white-handled Pietta 1858 arrived, followed shortly thereafter by a brand-new, fresh from Cabella's gun. The deal being make on for him, keep the other for myself.

I shattered the barrels and reshaped the grip-frames, but we weren't really happy with using a set-screw to hold the cylinder-axis pin. It just doesn't look right to me... so I figured out how to shorten the loading lever and hold it in place. They can be used to help load the revolver, but since both guns are fated to have Kirst .45 LC conversions done eventually it was more important to be able to remove the cylinder easily. Tonight I finally finished the project by making and mounting the front sight on my gun, then blueing the barrel and loading lever with Van's Instant Blue.

I'm quite happy with the results. Yeah, the front sight isn't 'period-correct,' but I really like the look of it and think it compliments the gun. Anyway here's the result:

Can't wait until I can scrape up the money for a gated conversion...

 

[webrx]

Nice work, I have thought about doing this a couple times with 58 and a conversion cylinder. How are you keeping the cylinder pin from backing out?

 

[Armored farmer]

I like it

 

[Michael Tinker Pearce]

Nice work, I have thought about doing this a couple times with 58 and a conversion cylinder. How are you keeping the cylinder pin from backing out?

I bored-out the shortened loading lever and put in a spring-plunger that engages in a hole in the end of the cylinder-axis rod. If you look just under the barrel you can see the cross-pin and slot in the loading lever. Just pull the cross-pin forward and swing the lever down to remove the cylinder axis rod. If I were going to use the gun as a cap-and-ball I'd make a separate extension rod for the loading lever, but since this is going to get a gated conversion I haven't bothered.

 

[rodwha]

Nice work for sure!

 

[entropy]

Nice adaptation for the loading lever. I like the grip profile, also. Looks like it'd be a hoot to shoot, BP or .45LC! Your work on guns reminds me of the guns of Firefly. There's just that quality mixed with originality that's rarely seen.

 

[Erich]

Cooler than a fan!

 

[chicharrones]

That is a great customization of a nice BP gun. I bet if a company made those that plenty would sell.

 

[alexander45]

That really looks great very nice

 

[bannockburn]

Tinker

I like the looks of it too! Sort of what might happen if a future gunsmith could take a journey back in time and try his hand at converting period black powder revolvers into something much smaller and more concealable.

 

[Stormson]

Thats awesome!

With the "pinkky divot" up towards the lower front part of the grip, (where I would have repositioned the grip pin) where did you place the "grip pin" that holds the grip panels in place (usually located at the rear of the grip frame)?

 

[Michael Tinker Pearce]

Just behind the divot.