looking for a american rifleman article....

[ratboy]

rumor has it that there is a issue of american rifleman from the 50's that has an article about a guy who converted a smith and wesson 38 to be a cap and ball revolver.
i am looking for a copy of the article, the magazine itself or even just finding out which issue has it so i can go looking.
does anyone have recollection of this or back issues they can paw through?

[williamwaco]

One question? Why?

You can buy a new one delivered to your front porch for a lot less money.

[Multigunner]

In some countries civilians can only own a handgun if its a Cap and Ball front loader.
In France they once marketed a replica of the Colt Peacemaker with Cap & Ball cylinder and hammer.

Some early cartridge revolvers used spare cylinders to convert back to C&B if cartridges were not available.

I've been considering converting a .32 RF revolver to C&B.

[ratboy]

One question? Why?

You can buy a new one delivered to your front porch for a lot less money.

that is part of the reason i am looking for the article.

[Mk42gunner]

...In France they once marketed a replica of the Colt Peacemaker with Cap & Ball cylinder and hammer...

Strangely enough they tried to market that concept here about a dozen years ago. IIRC Uberti made them and Cabela's was selling them. I don't think they sold very well, and I haven't heard anything about them for a while now.

Robert

[gwpercle]

I remember seeing the cap and ball replica colt, ( now I wished I had bought one ) I don't remember if it had a loading lever on it or not. But since it was a cap and ball , you could mail order it.
If you want a convertable I would go with a Remington 1858 cap and ball with a convertable center fire cylinder. Can get a 36 with 38 special conversion or a 44 with 45 colt conversion.
Has to be cheaper and easier than reworking a double action S&W to cap and ball....then how do you swap it back.
Gary

[Multigunner]

Has to be cheaper and easier than reworking a double action S&W to cap and ball....then how do you swap it back.
If the C&B cylinder used the standard shotshell pimer as some modern muzzle loader rifles do then no permanent alteration of the hammer would be necessary. Then simply switching out the cylinders would restore it to use with cartridges.

I seem to remember a C&B cylinder conversion of the small .22 or .22 WMRF revolvers. Not sure if these could be switched back to cartridge use.

The British Brocock precharged pneumatic cartridge air guns have been converted by UK gangs to use a 8mm theatrical blank to launch a .22 lead slug at lethal velocity. Seems like these could be easily converted to C&B.
They outlawed the brocock revolvers because of such misuse.

Many European airguns and blank guns differ little from the cartridge firing guns they were based on. Some use actual firearms frames and other parts converted for blank or airgun uses.