Sidearms & Scatterguns To cartridge or to not cartridge

[Romeo458]

I have been considering getting the kirst cylinder converter for this one. The action is extremely nice the grip didn't fit worth a damn but I have that mostly reshaped. I definitely plan to chop the barrel shorter regardless of what I do and maybe contour like my Griswold. Not that I don't enjoy the hell out of shooting black powder, but I already have a couple in 36 in kinda want to do something interesting.

If any of you have done the cylinder conversion I love to hear your thoughts. Otherwise here is a picture of a very pretty 1851 Navy

 

[AXMC]

Nice job on the grips. I'm not sure why Pietta continues with the completely wrong grip shape they've had for years.....It not only looks wrong, but feels off too.
Are you planning on turning the barrel round and making a Leech and Rigdon replica?
The Kirst conversions are nice, but unless you sleeve the barrel or use hollow base/wadcutters, your accuracy is going to suffer..
Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[Romeo458]

Thanks, I didn't plan on it but the grips on this one were obscenely outside of the brass unlike some of their others that are only slightly outside here and there. That's why I ended up doing it. I was holding off because I had not found any ejection tube assemblies in stock but I found one over the weekend. Once it arrives I'm going to cut the barrel and finish the lathe work on the outside before I send it in to get lined.

 

[AXMC]

Nice. Post it up once it's done!

 

[Romeo458]

The conversion cylinder should be here soon. The lathe work is done and the ejector came in today so I can cut the length before the barrel is sent off for lining.

bout there looks good.

 

[AXMC]

Lookin good! Is that cold blued?

 

[skl1]

Nice!

It's easier to send it out, but the barrel lining isn't that hard, particularly if you're doing the lathe work already. I've had success with the Redman's barrel liner's from Brownells FWIW. Drilling out the barrel for the liner is the hardest part.

 

[Romeo458]

Yes it's cold blued. I've never done a barrel liner before, don't even know how. I wouldn't mind doing myself though.

 

[skl1]

Romeo458,

Basically, drill the barrel out .004 to .006 over the OD of the liner (it helps to have a piloted drill; you can grind or turn a pilot on the drill bit on the grinder or on the lathe, or Brownells sells them for some of the liners, IIRC). Then the old way was to silver solder it in place. Now people just use Acraglass to glue the liner in. Or there's a great Loctite product for locking one steel cylinder press fit inside another, Loctite 609. Leave the liner long. Face it off. Cut a crown if you want. You don't need to cut a chamber.

Brownells and Track of the Wolf sell the liners.

 

[Romeo458]

I haven't found any in the right diameter, but I have to look when I get to an actual computer instead of a phone. It does sound doable with what I have, and I have some of that loctite already.

 

[Romeo458]

I haven't been able to find the proper sized liner in stock but in the meantime I've been busy.

The ejector rod is still going to need a little bit of fitting work, but she's coming along nicely.