Cartridge Cylinders

[Dixie Slugs]

OK, Friends....How about some straight answers on cartridge replacement cylinders for the Ruger Old Army. Are they only for black or can the be used with factory load 45 Colt? How does factory ammo match the land/grooves? Are they worthwhile or just a gimmick?
Thanks and Regards, James C.

[DLCTEX]

Bump this up. I would like to know also. DALE

[Bent Ramrod]

A friend has one. I'm not sure if it's a Kirst or an R&D. If I recall, it holds five .45 Colt cartridges and has a plate with five separate firing pins that screws out of the back of the cylinder. He's only shot factory .45 Colt smokeless cartridges in it, and it drops in and works OK. (I can't imagine there would be any trouble with the smokeless loads, the Ruger Old Army is built like a tank.)

I didn't notice that it was more accurate with the cartridge cylinder than the cap and ball cylinder; with that in, it's the most accurate cap and ball pistol I've seen. (He doesn't reload very much; only shoots factory ammo, so it might not be a fair comparison.) By the time he gets the cylinder out, removes the plate, punches out the shells, puts in new cartridges, replaces the plate and replaces the loaded cylinder, he could have reloaded the cap and ball cylinder, greased and capped it, and fired six aimed shots.

So to my mind, it's kind of a cumbersome and expensive makeshift, but he seems to like it.