Nitro Muzzle Loading Revolver
Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 12:49 am
This one is really somewhat unusual and a little exclusive as well! I've had it for years now but seldom shoot it now. Cabinet rationalisation is on the cards due to other shiny things on gunshop shelves I've seen and desire greatly! This one I have kept purely for the joy of ownership.
Right, a little history. Back when we lost cartridge handguns so many of us bought B/P revolvers. One of the biggest gripes for those used to feeding smokeless ammo in their hadguns was, they take just too damn long to clean! Some still feel that today. But, there were one or two gunsmiths who ventured on the possibility of a smokeless M/L revolver.
One of the company's looking at this employed a very skilled engineer who was also an avid gun nut. He was right in from the start of the designs to the eventual production, that he carried out. Problems arose in the business relationship and so this engineer left. I know this to be true for he was my friend and we shot together for years.....
The gun itself started life as an Italian made, Colt 1851 Navy, in .36 cal. The original makers name was removed so that the original maker would not be associated with the nitro conversion should it have gone wrong. But, I believe it started life as an Uberti. It is however noted on my FAC as maker Unkown.
The gun itself was made to resemble a cartridge conversion of a percussion revolver, which was very popular in the US just after the civil war. Likewise, a lot of these conversions were carried out by small town gunsmiths and this resembles the "rustic" approach common back then. The cylinder has been milled shorter and the nipple threads reamed to accept 209 shotgun primers. There is a small loading gate through which the caps are fitted and, retained by the original loading rammer which is kept to assist loading, is a rudimentary ejector rod for knocking the primers out of the cylinder. The standing breech has a spring loaded firing pin and the hammer has been modified to strike this pin. The rear sight is still on the hammer but has been considerably widened over the usual tiny notch.
One of the special things with this revolver are the grips. They are genuine antique elephant ivory!! They are a lovely set of grips with no cracks or splits. Supposedly, these grips came off a SAA that was surrendered in '97. They themselves have been very well looked after.
As for the shooting of it, use standard .375 round ball. The nitro charge is either 3gns of Bullseye or 3.2 of Unique with a 209 shotgun primer as mentioned. When fired, the gun goes off like an old .38 special. It is a real pleasure to use. If you do your bit, it comfortably groups around three inches at 25 yards.
Looking for £575, which isn't far off what the grips would be worth on their own!
This one was proofed for nitro in 1998
Right, a little history. Back when we lost cartridge handguns so many of us bought B/P revolvers. One of the biggest gripes for those used to feeding smokeless ammo in their hadguns was, they take just too damn long to clean! Some still feel that today. But, there were one or two gunsmiths who ventured on the possibility of a smokeless M/L revolver.
One of the company's looking at this employed a very skilled engineer who was also an avid gun nut. He was right in from the start of the designs to the eventual production, that he carried out. Problems arose in the business relationship and so this engineer left. I know this to be true for he was my friend and we shot together for years.....
The gun itself started life as an Italian made, Colt 1851 Navy, in .36 cal. The original makers name was removed so that the original maker would not be associated with the nitro conversion should it have gone wrong. But, I believe it started life as an Uberti. It is however noted on my FAC as maker Unkown.
The gun itself was made to resemble a cartridge conversion of a percussion revolver, which was very popular in the US just after the civil war. Likewise, a lot of these conversions were carried out by small town gunsmiths and this resembles the "rustic" approach common back then. The cylinder has been milled shorter and the nipple threads reamed to accept 209 shotgun primers. There is a small loading gate through which the caps are fitted and, retained by the original loading rammer which is kept to assist loading, is a rudimentary ejector rod for knocking the primers out of the cylinder. The standing breech has a spring loaded firing pin and the hammer has been modified to strike this pin. The rear sight is still on the hammer but has been considerably widened over the usual tiny notch.
One of the special things with this revolver are the grips. They are genuine antique elephant ivory!! They are a lovely set of grips with no cracks or splits. Supposedly, these grips came off a SAA that was surrendered in '97. They themselves have been very well looked after.
As for the shooting of it, use standard .375 round ball. The nitro charge is either 3gns of Bullseye or 3.2 of Unique with a 209 shotgun primer as mentioned. When fired, the gun goes off like an old .38 special. It is a real pleasure to use. If you do your bit, it comfortably groups around three inches at 25 yards.
Looking for £575, which isn't far off what the grips would be worth on their own!
This one was proofed for nitro in 1998
