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Conversion cylinders for .36 cal CB Revolvers


Slapshot

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Anyone using the conversion cylinders on a CB .36 caliber? What is the accuracy like using them with the .375 cal barrel? Its my understanding that you have to use heel based bullets or hollow based 38 cal bullets. Anyone use either that can enlighten me on the accuracy or either/both out of a conversion cylinder?

 

Right now I'm geared up with 2 Pietta 44 CB with 45 cal conversion cylinders. Accuracy out of the 5.5 " is really good. 

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I have a pair of Pietta '51's and '58's with conversion cylinders. Make my own bullets, using a Big Lube mold, and size them to .357. I have had no problems with accuracy at SASS distances.

Lucky 

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31 minutes ago, Lucky R. K. said:

I have a pair of Pietta '51's and '58's with conversion cylinders. Make my own bullets, using a Big Lube mold, and size them to .357. I have had no problems with accuracy at SASS distances.

Lucky 

What is your barrel diameter? Is it .357 like your bullet or is it .375 original CB barrel?

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9 hours ago, Bullett Sass 19707 said:

I have pietta 1858 36cal and with hollow base bullets I get a 12-14 in group at 20-30 ft.  Dont waste your time.  Bullett 19707

Yeah that's terrible. I was thinking of doing the heel based bullets.

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10 hours ago, Slapshot said:

Anyone using the conversion cylinders on a CB .36 caliber? What is the accuracy like using them with the .375 cal barrel? Its my understanding that you have to use heel based bullets or hollow based 38 cal bullets. Anyone use either that can enlighten me on the accuracy or either/both out of a conversion cylinder?

 

Right now I'm geared up with 2 Pietta 44 CB with 45 cal conversion cylinders. Accuracy out of the 5.5 " is really good. 

 

I had set up a pair of Pietta "1858" .36s with Kirst Konverters.  They have a 6-1/2" barrel.  Also opened up and squared the rear sights, had to adjust the front sight a bit.  Then, lighter springs, smoothed the innards.  Using 148gr lead (not alloy), Hollow Base Wad Cutters, I was able to keep all shots within a tight group at 7yds. shooting duelist, unsupported.   I only used them for CAS, so I don't know what they'd do at a longer distance. 

 

  

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I have a very old '51 conversion that has a .38 S&W cylinder. It didn't shoot factory ammo worth a damn. Tried .38 HB lead bullets. With the right load (to expand the base), it shoots fine for cowboy range. Never shot it at distance. Accuracy only comes in when the load is stout enough to expand the base. 

 

Rev. Chase

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My '61 Navy Uberti with a Kirst Konverter cylinder has the original .375 bore.  I'm shooting my regular 125gr main match ammo in it, except that I have to seat the bullets a tad deeper since 1.42 is the max for the cylinder.  In six CAS matches at 4 clubs, it has yet to miss.  It may not be very "accurate" but at what distance?   I may eventually get the barrel lined on this one as it will never be used as a percussion gun.  YMMV

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I converted an old raggedy ‘58 to .38 years ago with the R&D cylinder.  I received the gun after purchase on a blind auction site.  It was NOT what was advertised and the seller refused to even respond when I called him out on it. I threw it in a drawer and forgot it for a while.

 

A year or so later, I got the bug to fix it up and see what I could come up with.  I disassembled it and put the frame into my caustic carburetor cleaner tank.  This guy has used polyester body filler and painted the gun!!  When I pulled it out of the dip tank, it was badly pitted but no rust was present. The internals were in pretty good shape, but the cylinder was ruined and the barrel was really rough and pitted inside and out.

 

I ordered a conversion cylinder and found a stainless Ruger .357 barrel on Gunbroker.  We, (my gunsmith and I) removed the old barrel and had the Ruger barrel rethreaded to match the ‘58 frame.  While the barrel was out, we cleaned up the worst of the pitting and bead blasted the frame. The hammer was jeweled and all new screws were fire blued. We left the trigger guard petina brass and blued the trigger. 
 

When the barrel came back, my gunsmith filled the screw hole for the ejector rod housing, installed a half dime for a front sight, dovetailed the bottom of the barrel for the latch on the loading lever, and dressed the end of it with the “target recess”.

 

A knife maker friend made a set of water buffalo grips for it and inlaid a pair of antique dimes into them.

 

When we assembled it, the cylinder had to be timed. It turned out that it wasn’t the right one, so I sent the gun to Taylor’s and they fitted the correct one to it and sent it back, free of charge.

 

It turned out to be a great shooter and it’s a pretty good looking little gun!

7A32D4E0-A9A7-4A99-927D-F26B30FE82FC.jpeg
 

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CBD4D2E2-F0CB-442F-931B-84875BAD7D45.jpeg

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2 hours ago, McCandless said:

 

I had set up a pair of Pietta "1858" .36s with Kirst Konverters.  They have a 6-1/2" barrel.  Also opened up and squared the rear sights, had to adjust the front sight a bit.  Then, lighter springs, smoothed the innards.  Using 148gr lead (not alloy), Hollow Base Wad Cutters, I was able to keep all shots within a tight group at 7yds. shooting duelist, unsupported.   I only used them for CAS, so I don't know what they'd do at a longer distance. 

 

  

 

+1

--Dawg

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On 3/10/2022 at 9:50 AM, Slapshot said:

What is your barrel diameter? Is it .357 like your bullet or is it .375 original CB barrel?

The bores of the guns are as original at, I guess, .375. I have never checked them. As I said earlier, at SASS distances they do just fine if I don't mess up.

Lucky

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26 minutes ago, Lucky R. K. said:

The bores of the guns are as original at, I guess, .375. I have never checked them. As I said earlier, at SASS distances they do just fine if I don't mess up.

Lucky

Thanks was just curious which it was.

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