C&B conversions for "Modern" Revolvers?

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kBob

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So this rant about the Euro/faux 1873 C&B got me wondering if any one has made a C&B conversion for a modern revolver.

Seems silly when you could just load BP cartridges, but I was just wondering.

-kBob
 
OK. Why would I want a C&B conversion for a Modern revolver?

If I wanted to spend a lot of time at the open air range for very little money, my rickety old brass frame repro 1851 and 1858 revolvers are a lot of fun still yet. I imagine a modern C&B revolver could be cheap fun too.

I have shot my .45 autorim Webley Mark IV, .357 Security Six and my son's .357 GP100 with BP in the local black powder cartridge matches.*

The Webley has a collar on the front of the cylinder to keep BP residue off the cylinder pin, as do my BP era Smith & Wesson and Forehand & Wadsworth cartridge revolvers.

The modern revolvers do not have a protective collar on the front of the cylinder. Smokeless residue does not gum up the works like BP residue plus bullet lube, so why have a protective collar? Because when you shoot a modern revolver with black powder, the BP residue on the cylinder pin does gum up the works and is very hard to clean.

Bottom line to me is that, for a C&B conversion cylinder on a modern revolver, they just do not handle BP residue on the cylinder pin very well.

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*(The BP match rule is cartridges must be loaded with Black Powder or BP substitute, Pyrodex, 777, etc. The guns can be modern. but most participants go traditional BP cartridge arms. Muzzleloadin rifles and C&B revolvers may be used. Pistol events total 20 shots for score, 7 matches per season, total 140 shots for score not counting load development. I've been at it for well over a decade so early on I fired a lot of BP .45 ACP in moon clip and .38 Special. Cleaning the Security Six and GP100 were a pain and a half; ypu really need to remove the cylinder from the yoke.)
 
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I suppose there's always someone that feels that they need to have something different. But considering the reason that led to making such guns I fail to understand why anyone in the US or Canada or any other country with a shred of common sense would want such a thing. It's sole purpose is to get around the Draconian anti firearms laws in Britain and any other country that have a total ban on cartridge handguns.

And yes, you CAN shoot black powder rounds in any modern revolver. It just means you need to break down the crane to clean it correctly at the end of the day. And if you make a habit of it I'd knock off the side panel and flush out the action about every 200 to 300 rounds. Some of the BP fouling will sneak inside through the hand's clearance slot and through the small gap around the stop bolt. And by that many rounds it'll be getting fairly crusty inside.
 
I mentioned in the other thread that I've often thought of having a Cap'n'Ball cylinder made up for my OM .45 Colt Vaquero. I'd have it use 209 shotshell primers. I'd dig it because 209 primers would be a game changer in terms of reliability and power in a C'n'B revolver. I haven't done it to date because of the cost, and minimal advantage over my Ruger Old Armies. With the rising cost of ROAs, anyone wanting a serious use C'n'B, for blackpowder hunting season, this might be a viable option. I'd like it for the strength and reliability of a modern Ruger action, plus plenty of room to use heavy bullets at full powder.
 
Seems silly when you could just load BP cartridges, but I was just wondering.

Yup. Pretty silly. I shoot cartridges loaded with Black Powder all the time. In 2nd Gen Colts and antique Smith & Wesson Top Break revolvers. They work fine with BP cartridges. Big enough collet on the front of the cylinder to keep the fouling off the cylinder pin, as was mentioned earlier. These revolvers were designed in the 19th Century, so they were designed to shoot Black Powder, and do it just fine because of the sizeable collet on the front of the cylinders.

By the way, modern Ruger Vaqueros work just fine with Black Powder too, they have a sizeable collet machined onto the front of the cylinder. Would work fine in a Blackhawk too, I only ever shot one match with my old Blackhawk loaded with Black Powder cartridges, but it worked fine.
 
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