Which conversion cylinder for 2nd Gen Colts'

[Butler Ford]

...or does anyone even make one that will fit the 2nd generation Colts' Navy's?

BF

[bubba.50]

don't know the answer to yer question but, I believe the second generation Colt's were made by Uberti if that helps any.

[johnson1942]

howell or krist. you want one with a loading gate. the only thing you will have to do is relieve the area where you put in or take out the cartridges. that can easily be done with a round file or dremmel tool. then polish the area again and use touch up bluing.now here is the kicker, the cylinder will be made for a 38 special. the barrel is made for a 36 cal round ball or short cast bullet. you have 2 ways to go to make it shoot accurate and these are it. 1. you get a mold for a heeled (hollow based) bullet. this bullet will bump up and shoot well in you larger diam barrel. 2. the other way is send the front end of you navy colt to howell and they will sleeve it to accept a 357 bullet. i would do the second way but it will cost more than a heeled bullet mold but not a whole lot more. i have a 1851 navy already converted. i got a 358 push through reduceing die made and reduce 36 cal round balls to 358 diam and shoot them over a 60 thousands fiber wad in 38 special cases. man is it accurate. it is sighted in to 15 yards and it is a 1 hole gun at that range. snakes beware, it will take their head off from on a horse. if you gun is a good one, do the cylinder with a loading gate and resleeve the barrel. the 1851 navy fits the hand like a glove and points like a finger. it is mild to shoot but packs a punch. wild bill hickcock found it enough in a good fight with a well placed round. let us know what you do, it would make a interesting follow up. on my 1851 navy i never took off the loading lever as i like the looks of it. i just carry a small wooden dowel to push out the cartridges when it is time to reload. i also have two 1972 open tops and a remington 1875. love shooting all 4 of them.

[bubba.50]

unless your "Navy" is a 44 [smilie=l:

[Omnivore]

Did Colt ever do a "Navy" 44 in the 2nd gen series?

Johnson1942 is close, but a heeled bullet is not typically a hollow base bullet. Those are two different things. The heeled bullet has the full chamber diameter in front of the case, with a smaller heel inside the case, just like our current 22 rim fire, so the forward larger portion of the bullet is what reliably engages the rifling. Here's an example of the old, transition cartridge style bullet (but they'd typically have a grease groove);
http://accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=38-120C-D.png

The other way to go is the hollow base bullet made for 38 Special. They work something like a Minie Ball. The hollow base expands into the rifling, so in this instance the back end of the bullet is what engages the rifling.

Either way you can get good rifling engagement if you do it right.

Loading a 38 Special cartridge case with a heeled bullet that's about .357" inside the case, and as big as you can slip into the chamber in front of the case, or as large or larger than the rifling groove diameter, gives you, essentially, a 38 Long Colt cartridge. That requires you get get your own mold and cast your own bullets, and load all your own ammo, unless you can find someone to do it for you, probably at a high price. Using a hollow base bullet in 38 Special means you can probably find factory ammo for it, usually in the form of the hollow base wadcutter load. I believe Speer and Hornady both make them, and probably others as well.

People report good results from both options.

I believe Uberti did make the parts for the 2nd gens, but they were fitted at Colt's. I'm sure the conversion cylinder makers would be able to tell you what you need. Personally, if I were to get a conversion, I'd probably buy one ready made as a conversion. They're cheaper to buy already "converted" than to do it yourself, and you save all the work. Cutting into a perfectly good 2nd gen would be something I'd avoid, but of course it's your gun.

You'll find a number of ready-made conversion revolvers here, for example. You get one of those and you're all ready to go;
http://www.buffaloarms.com/cowboy_revolvers_pr-4490.aspx

[Butler Ford]

Thanks Ya'll, I appreciate your time and knowledge. The Howell conversion looks great but for the cost of it being done right, I can purchase an Open Top. Probably what I'll do.

BF