1862 Pocket Navy conversion to .380 ACP?

[ClemBert]

Uh, no loading gate = FAIL. Not that I ever load with the muzzle pointing up but I don't carry a bubble level with when shooting either... LOL Kind of funky looking.

https://www.shootingtimes.com/editorial/cimarron-model-1862-pocket-navy-conversion-380-acp/370997

 

[Carl N. Brown]

I have an old 19th Century Forehand & Wadsworth .38 S&W five shot revolver with no loading gate.
If you cock the gun with the muzzle pointed up, the cartridge chamber will briefly align with the loading groove in the frame.
Fired casings normally stay in place but an unfired cartridge could fall out or bind the cylinder.
That bug is a feature of some 19th century revolvers.

"... due to the lack of a loading gate ... the muzzle must be pointed down in order to cock the hammer.
"If the muzzle is tilted up, the cases will start to fall out of the chamber and will bind up the cylinder.
"At all other times, the alignment of the cartridge and frame will hold the cartridge in place."

Yep sounds like manual of arms with the F&W.

I have been taught to hold a cap'n'ball revolver pointing up as you cock it so if/when the fired caps falloff they won't go down into the firing mechanism.
So that Navy conversion would not interest me.

 

[StrawHat]

The cylinder revolves which way? If clockwise, empties are going past the cut.

Kevin

 

[Miguel Loco]

I had the opportunity to play with one a little. Everything works fine unless you cock it with the muzzle pointing almost straight up. I never do that when shooting much of anything, so it was just never an issue for me. It handled perfectly fine in all respects. I rather enjoyed the experience. I may pick one up one of these days.

 

[CraigC]

Like some of the original conversions, they are supposed to be clocked so that the cartridges do not line up with the loading port with the hammer down or at full cock. The idea being that you would tilt it slightly downward when cocking. Mine doesn't do this and unloads itself while I'm shooting. Plus the retractable firing pin feels and operates like crap.

 

[StrawHat]

Like some of the original conversions, they are supposed to be clocked so that the cartridges do not line up with the loading port with the hammer down or at full cock. The idea being that you would tilt it slightly downward when cocking. Mine doesn't do this and unloads itself while I'm shooting. Plus the retractable firing pin feels and operates like crap.

Craig,

“…Unloads itself while I’m shooting…”

Is it spitting out live ammunition or empties?

And, how about some images?

Kevin