Thinking outside the box. Convert in-line to cartridge?

[ohland]

First, I have some respect for pressure.

With that out of the way, imagine a T/C Contender muzzleloader breech plug bored out and chambered for a 45 caliber cartridge. Now imagine a suitable boolit stuffed in front of a load of black powder.

Failing that, there is always drilling out the barrel with a step drill and stuffing in a barrel liner. Bore out the plug to the liner OD, then silver solder the shell of the plug onto the barrel liner.

Reality is for the unimaginative.

[Omnivore]

Well, the idea of converting a muzzleloader to fire cartridges goes back a ways. By the 1860s it had become an industry, and the 1873 "Trapdoor" rifle was a cartridge conversion that was adopted by the U.S. Government. The Sharps breechloading rifle, which used a paper cartridge originally, was also converted to chamber metal cartridges back in the 1870s.

So there's plenty of precident, and doing it with a current in-line would certainly be possible, so long as you find a way to lock the breech properly to contain the pressure safely. That requires the construction of a mechanism of some kind, being that the cartridge must be inserted from the rear and extracted from the rear.

The 1873 "flop top" was pretty simple, if rather slow and problematic at times. At times the user ended up prying the spent case out of the chamber using a knife., and that wasn't good, being that the enemy may have been using a Winchester or Henry repeater against him.

You'd be "reinventing the wheel" so to speak, but obviously it can be done. The remaining question would be; "Why?" I will always acccept the answer; "Because I think it would be cool!"

[triggerhappy243]

contenders never were available as inline muzzleloaders. so you must be talking about the t/c encore.

[Rick Hodges]

As a matter of fact they did make a Contender in a 45 cal. muzzleloader and there are a host of Traditions and CVA break action muzzleloaders out there too. My question is why when they also make the same weapons in centerfire rifle/pistol cartridges?

[triggerhappy243]

only in the G-2

[ohland]

why when they also make the same weapons in centerfire rifle/pistol cartridges?

Why not? Heck, they have made .22LR barrels for the Encore. If THAT isn't a true head-scratcher, then WHAT is?

[khmer6]

So you can have a rifle that is not a "firearm" capable of shooting a centerfire cartridge. :D

[mooman76]

The 1873 "flop top" was pretty simple, if rather slow and problematic at times. At times the user ended up prying the spent case out of the chamber using a knife., and that wasn't good, being that the enemy may have been using a Winchester or Henry repeater against him.

"

It was because of rifle design that cartridges would stick in the chamber. It was because some of the first cartridges were made of copper rather than brass. Copper would expand and not shrink back down like brass does. That's what makes brass ideal to make cartridges out of.

[ohland]

So you can have a rifle that is not a "firearm" capable of shooting a centerfire cartridge. :D

Dear me, oh my! Is that even possible?

[John Taylor]

You could get yourself in trouble if you ever try to sell it. It comes under the law about manufacturing a firearm. If you are making it for self then it may be OK but you can not make it to sell or for someone ells. BATF had a little talk with me several years back when I converted a few Remington pistols to a cartridge that was no longer sold. I was told that the ammo was now available on the internet and it was suggested that I don't do it any more.

[rhbrink]

So that makes me wonder about the Ruger Old Army that you can buy a replacement cylinder for it to shoot 45 Colt ammo? Is that not legal per BAFT?

RB

[John Taylor]

So that makes me wonder about the Ruger Old Army that you can buy a replacement cylinder for it to shoot 45 Colt ammo? Is that not legal per BAFT?

RB
It's legal because you are not doing anything to the frame. If the frame is altered in any way then you are manufacturing a firearm. When I did the Remingtons I installed a loading gate on the frame.

[rhbrink]

Thanks John, I have a friend that has one of those and since he has no intentions of going back to shooting cap and ball I suggested to have it modified for a loading gate. Good thing he didn't follow my advice!

RB

[John Taylor]

Thanks John, I have a friend that has one of those and since he has no intentions of going back to shooting cap and ball I suggested to have it modified for a loading gate. Good thing he didn't follow my advice!

RB

It's OK to build one for self, just can't do it for sale of for someone ells unless you get a license and pay the appropriate tax.

[ohland]

It's legal because you are not doing anything to the frame. If the frame is altered in any way then you are manufacturing a firearm. When I did the Remingtons I installed a loading gate on the frame.

Same applies to my original query on modifying the Contender barrel. The barrel is modified. Though other things are possible, I want to be able to use multiple barrels on one frame. That's all.

[John Taylor]

Same applies to my original query on modifying the Contender barrel. The barrel is modified. Though other things are possible, I want to be able to use multiple barrels on one frame. That's all.
The frame is the firearm if it will take a cartridge barrel. If it was set up for muzzle loading only and never set up for a cartridge barrel then it remains a muzzle loader. The frame by itself, the part with the S/N, is the firearm if it was designed to take a cartridge barrel. Barrel and wood by them self are not considered a firearm.

[Geezer in NH]

Why??, I may ask