Am I missing something here?
Not entirely correct their mykeal. With out a proper FFL you can not manufacture a gun with the intent to sell, but you can make a gun and you can later sell said gun with out restriction. This is a gray area as batf&e doesn't give you any time limitations on holding said gun, how many you can do in a life time, etc.What you're missing is the fact that anyone can legally MANUFACTURE a gun for their own use (they cannot sell, rent or give away the completed gun) without the knowledge or consent of the Federal government in any way. When you install a conversion cylinder in a percussion revolver you are in effect manufacturing that gun. You may not then sell, rent or give away the gun in that configuration. You may, however, sell, rent or give away that same gun with a percussion cylinder, or no cylinder, installed, and then sell, rent or give away the cartridge cylinder separately.
it's legal.
Just keep in mind those cartridges aren't modern cartridges with smokeless gunpowder. They are "cowboy action" cartridges or loaded with black powder or BP substitute.
I would like to ad to Madcratebuilders statement and make you aware that "manufacturing" and "Federal Excise tax" come into play here and upon the 50th build tax is required (as well as reporting) of this firearm and the previous 49.Not entirely correct their mykeal. With out a proper FFL you can not manufacture a gun with the intent to sell, but you can make a gun and you can later sell said gun with out restriction. This is a gray area as batf&e doesn't give you any time limitations on holding said gun, how many you can do in a life time, etc.
Kirst's Catridge Konverter is not a firearm according to provisions of 18 United States Code Chapter 44, Title 27, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 178. Installing a Kirst Cartridge Konverter into a percussion revolver creates a firearm subject to those provisions, however under Federal law; an individual who is not prohibited from possessing a firearm can lawfully install the Cartridge Konverter in a percussion revolver for the personal use of that individual.... Permanent alteration to the frame of a percussion revolver, to accommodate cartridge use, will re-classify that revolver to a firearm and as such must be transacted as a firearm thereafter.
This bolded sentence is the current interpretation by the BATFE but is often missinterpreted by firearms enthusiasts as meaning that a port cut in the recoil shield constitutes a firearm. You have to have a conversion cylinder also. The port could be there for any number of reasons. Think of it like BATFE's definition of "Constructive Posession" (having a short barrel for a carbine that will easily or readily install in said carbine or a stock that will install on a pistol).One point that I haven't seen mentioned yet is the last sentence in this quote from the instructions that come with the Kirst converter: