Roots Sidehammer revolver action rifle conversion?

[Weird Guy]

How come nobody made a Roots sidehammer rifle conversion to use brass cartridges?

I know the big problem with a Roots sidehammer rifle was that holding the 30 inch barrel up with your off hand puts that very same hand at risk in case of chain fires.

However, brass rifle rounds should eliminate that problem. You would think Kirst Konverters or R&D would be able to make a conversion cylinder for this rifle. Especially since the rifle is designed to have quick changeout cylinders, like Remington Army revolvers do. That is the reason why it is a side hammer gun. The arbor pin that the cylinder rotates around can be pulled out from the back of the frame, dropping out the cylinder (remingtons pull forwards, provided you have the ramming lever dropped).

I guess I am thinking it would be fun to have a revolver action longarm that is safe to use.

 

[Manyirons]

Been thought of AND done but still has problem of gas from barrel/cylinder gap that'll just RUIN yer day! True, not as bad as chain fire but Remington's 'Keep BOTH hands behind this area' method is better.

Local 'Smith makes cylinders for oddballs like this.

 

[Old Dragoon]

I believe that there is a picture in Mc Dowell's Conversion book that shows a Root revolving rifle that was converted to cartridge.
I'd still not put my offhand at risk, lest I had a heavy leather glove.

 

[mec]

The Roots rifles and shotguns became known as Col Colt's revolving wheel of misfortune because apparently most contemporary shooters didn't know that you needed to keep your hand back of the cylinder. There were reports of coat sleeves being set on fire. There was even a quip publishe somewhere that you could tell how long a soldier had been in one of the units issued the rifles by the number of fingers missing.


Bates took a look at the Root rifle at Dixie Gunworks and was impressed by the fit and finish. Buyers usually report problems with accuracy due to varying chamber sizes- all of them different and none of them optimal. The Rifle is made by the Palmetto Arms Company which, all by itself, is enough to discourage most shooters and potential distributors.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Concur with precautionary warning. Even if converted to cartridge, you still have to be mindful of handplacement. Even without fear of chainfiring, shavings and gas still hurts. BTW, in my book will be excerpts from a letter from a sharpshooter who mentions how someone lost some digits when using the Colt Root Revolving Rifle.

 

[Weird Guy]

Ok, sounds like a good enough reason to me then. I had thought they could enclose the revolver area with a shield, but then I started to think all that would be is a good way to store lots and lots of fouling to be cleaned up later.

Bolt actions are no doubt better in every way, including the important reload speed using stripper clips or detachable box magazines.

Mannlichers are supposed to use a revolving magazine, but it is a bolt action. Maybe I will look for one of those instead.

 

[mec]

The prototype patersons did have a shield in front of the cylinder that covered every chamber mouth except the one in the firing position. they also had the rear of they cylinder enclosed so that the nipples were burried in the frame out of sight. This was pre-production and seemed likely to both promote chain fires and assure that they would blow up the revolver.