The original colt cartridge conversions built mostly on 1851 navy. Outofprint books about bullets, cartridges, ballistics. Colt model 1862 new york engraved with tiffany grips pocket navy conversion. Us military cartridge conversion revolvers sass wire. Before the richards conversion was the thuer conversions, but they were not practical because of the reverse tapered cartridge and did not sell very well. This manual offers the handloader all the physical data, howto designs, tools and drawings needed to convert modern, easily obtainable materials into more than 900 rifle and.
Their short lived popularity in large eastern cities was short lived. Howell arms conversion cylinders, cowboy conversion cylinders for percussion revolvers. Patterned after an original remington design for a dropin fit. Nomenclature, rammerless models, address variants, production figures, londonmade models, thuer and other metallic cartridge conversions, serial numbers, inspectors marks and marking errors, fakes, engraving and inscriptions, cases, accoutrements and holsters, metallurgy and much, much more. Well, if you love wildcat cartridges, youll probably enjoy this book. It is just a shame that we could not have continued this field. Thuer cartridge conversion improved gary lee barnes. Colts manufacturing company, llc cmc, formerly colts patent firearms manufacturing company is an american firearms manufacturer, founded in 1855 by samuel colt. To reload, just drop the cylinder, pull the plate off and dump the fired cases. Nonte and associates, i was always impressed with his attention to every detail. The get around this, thuer developed his own proprietary centerfire cartridge with no rim and a very slight taper.
Alexander thuer and marketed by the colt company itself. Therefore, thuer conversions were the first to be offered in 1868. Feel free to look me up if this blows your skirt up. All models of their original series conversion cylinders are designed for use with either smokeless cowboy ammunition or black powder ammunition. Later the richards mason model came out, as a simplified modification of the richards conversion. The action is somewhat sticky at times, but does seem to be functioning in a reasonable fashion. They had a reputation as being unreliable and there was a lack of readily available ammo in far flung western towns. Lot detail a cased colt model 1851 thuer conversion. Alexander thuer with production in six different models of colt revolvers totaling only about 5,000 revolvers during the period 186972. These cartridges were loaded from the front of the cylinder and pressfit into place. The cartridges for colts thuer conversions i included a picture of the two cartridges in the middle of this picture on my august 2004 picture page, but am now including the other two variations of the thuer cartridges that make up the complete set. Thuer cartridges that could be reprimed and reloaded. The cartridges were loaded through the mouths of the chambers. The only conversions of the 1849 pocket as such were based on the thuer principle.
The thuer conversion was made by milling off the rear of the receiver and replacing it with a breechplate containing six internal firing pins. When the white patent expired in 1870, the colt firm rushed into the market for large caliber metallic cartridge. A small number about 1500 of model 1851 navy revolvers was converted, using frontloaded, slightly. This exceptionally rare revolver is one of the series of colt percussion revolvers converted to a central fire system designed by f. The more reliable richards and richardmason conversions came out shortly after the thuer conversion. Howell old west conversions cylinders and back plates are made from certified 4150 arsenal grade steel for insuring strength and durability.
Only about 5000 thuer conversion made in 6 different models. This is a really nice colt 61 navy original metallic cartridge conversion with 45% thinning blue and 55% vibrant case colors. The home guide to cartridge conversions by nonte, george and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Sep 04, 2017 there is far too much information in this book to go into here. The police and pocket navy revolvers, built on the pocket frame, were all. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. When cartridge revolvers began phasing out blackpowder pistols in the late 1800s, many shooters could not afford to buy new guns. Feb 28, 2017 this is the rimless thuer showing the modified rammer. The handloaders manual of cartridge conversions paperback.
This book on home guide of cartridge conversions is a perfect example of the detail given to all of the books we published. The home guide to cartridge conversions by george c. Handloaders manual of cartridge conversions i heard a rumor this week that the ollies discount store in monroe, michigan had stacks of donnellys reprinted book for. The system required only fitting a specially modified cylinder with a removable breech plate that included a firing pin and a slight milled spot on the right side by the top of recoil shield cutout. Case reforming cartridge conversions by molly i asked molly to put together some details on case reforming as he has done quite a bit of it over the years and for many today who are used to the abundance of good. The one thing that puzzles me and what i havent been able to find out about is how is ejection of the empties accomplished. The white patent was due to expire in 1869, and it was obvious sales of the thuer conversion were not going to take off. I the cartridge for of an original 9 mm cartridge ped midway 9 have added a photo some modern cartridges headstam s have cartridge handgun comparison. Bruce mcdowell who wrote the conversion book some y. The first such gun was the thuer conversion, followed by the much better richards conversion, and finally the simplified richardsmason conversion in addition to. The handloaders manual of cartridge conversionsnook book.
Cylinder and back plate fit together without screws. Richards conversion may be the best one in existance. Sixround conversion cylinder converts steel frame, cap and ball revolvers to modern centerfire. One of the first of these conversions was designed by f. Ive included in the pictures a couple of observations from bruce mcdowells excellent book a study of colt conversions and other percussion revolvers. Colt model 1862 police cartridge conversion revolver. The handloaders manual of cartridge conversion by john j. The handloaders manual of cartridge conversions kindle. Thuers conversion was put into production while the rollin white patent was still in force, and so it was prevented from using a boredthrough cylinder.
It is the successor corporation to colts earlier firearmsmaking efforts, which started in 1836. It has colts patent on left side of the frame in an unusual pattern. Not the wealth of information that the mcdowell book is, but pretty good. Cartridge conversions, george nonte, stackpole, 1st ed. Thuer cartridges that could be reprimed and reloaded were also produced. The thuer conversions were produced from 1869 until 1872. Howell old west conversions howell cylinders and back plates are made from certified 4150 arsenal grade steel for insuring strength and durability. Thuer s conversion was put into production while the rollin white patent was still in force, and so it was prevented from using a boredthrough cylinder. Now available for the first time since 2003, the handloaders manual of cartridge conversions explains the processes and tools needed to convert standardized brass into hundreds of different rifle and pistol cartridge types. Us military cartridge conversion revolvers sass wire sass. I can do race work on your sass or cowboy action firearms as well as period correct work for gaf and ncows.
Apr 28, 1987 now available for the first time since 2003, the handloaders manual of cartridge conversions offers the handloader all the physical data, howto designs, tools, and drawings needed to convert modern, easily obtainable materials into more than 1,000 different rifle and pistol cartridge cases, ranging from the obsolete patterns to modern, cuttingedge wildcats. The barrel must be removed to load just like any other dropin conversion. The nipplelike portion of the primer assembly is also. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. The first metallic cartridge revolver made by colt was the thuer conversion model revolver, a design that would not require a cylinder with cylindrical chambers so as not to infringe on the rollin white patent. The metal on the barrel has been almost entirely cleaned with nickel only in the protected. The handloaders manual of cartridge conversions by john j.
The two separate parts of the case are readily apparent in the small section from the drawing for the british patent on the pistol, shown above, and in the picture shown here of a sectioned. Preproduction sample of the new thuer conversion the. As this was a front loading cartridge there was no need for an ejector. Switch from percussion to cartridge by changing cylinders. This unique cased set includes a hartford made 1851 navy thuer conversion revolver with british proof marks. Thuer conversion colt 1849 at james d julia as the selfcontained metallic cartridge because popular, a niche industry developed in converting percussion revolvers to use the new cartridges. After the rollin white patent expired, richards came up with his conversion model. The first of these conversions was patented on september 15, 1868 by colt engineer, f. The thuer casing is made of two parts, a tapered brass cylindrical body and the internal brass primer assembly at the base. As the selfcontained metallic cartridge because popular, a niche industry developed in converting percussion revolvers to use the new cartridges. This is the rimless thuer showing the modified rammer. In addition the thuer replica is a 5 shot rather than 6 shot as were the originals. This is only the second thuer conversion ive owned in over 40 years of collecting and the only pocket model.
One of the most desirable and hardest to find of the colt conversions, this ainsworth inspected u. Colt guns colt conversions page 1 collectors firearms. Fake colt model 1860 thuer conversion army nra museums. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Do you own a cowboy cartridge revolver and want to customize it. Some folks seem to have them permanently attached to their ear and we have the joy of listening in on their half of every conversation no matter where we happen to be. Nonte, 1967, stackpole books edition, in english 2d ed. Detailed procedures, with illustrations and tables of data, for converting commercially available cartridge cases to form new cases for obsolete calibres. Conversion cylinders if your not sure about which cylinder will best fit your needs give old south a call and we will do our best to answer your questions. Original thuer conversions were loaded from the front and were. Dec 14, 2009 open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published.
The other book that is pretty good is dennis adlers metallic cartridge conversions book. Thuer conversion 1968 uberti 1861 navy spruced up with my proprietary thuer conversion in 38 colt. Thuer conversion colt 1849 at james d julia forgotten. Instead they tried to circumvent it, beginning in 1869, with the thuer conversion. The home guide to cartridge conversions book, 1967. I have been intrigued by the thuer conversion ever since i saw a picture of a cartridge in a book. To reload, just drop the cylinder, pull the plate off and dump the fired. The colt thuer conversion is the rarest of all factory converted revolvers and are most sought after by advanced colt collectors.
Having been an associate of georges in his firm of g. Thuer conversion colts werent well received out west. Cased london 1849 colt pocket, pistols historical and. Set of 3 cartridge conversion books if this is your first visit, be sure to check out the faq by clicking the link above. This included the richards 12stop, richards 2nd model, richardsmason, and thuer conversions. Fake colt model 1860 thuer conversion army manufactured between 1869 and 1872, thuer conversion revolvers were colts first metallic cartridge pistols. The thuer replica is not a true copy of the original. Wildcatters road map cartridge conversion book daily. Now available for the first time since 2003, the handloaders manual of cartridge conversions offers the handloader all the physical data, howto designs, tools, and drawings needed to convert modern, easily obtainable materials into more than 1,000 different rifle and pistol cartridge cases, ranging from the obsolete patterns to modern, cuttingedge wildcats. By john taffin how did we ever survive without cell phones. The handloaders manual of cartridge conversions donnelly, john j. The following article was originally published in the. The thuer conversions were the first colt metallic cartridge revolvers and are thus very desirable, and very few of these model 1849 pocket conversions were manufactured. They were not very commercially successful, only about 5,000 were made.
The 5 calibers to claim the most powerful handgun in the world title reupload duration. Having said that, i should point out that at least one other variation may exist, that being an experimental frankford arsenal insideprimed. Preproduction sample of the new thuer conversion the high road. Thuer conversion colt 1849 at james d julia forgotten weapons. Feb 23, 2015 the get around this, thuer developed his own proprietary centerfire cartridge with no rim and a very slight taper. Browse the large selection of caliber conversions products offered by numrich gun parts.
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