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Modifications required for conicals?

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I bought my first C&B revolver in 1973. In all the intervening years, and all the different smoke wagons I've had, I have never fired a conical! It's been round ball for me every time. Now I'm curious and have decided to try conicals.

Exactly what will I need to do to my Remmy and Colt Army's to make them accept conical cartridges or loose components in the field? Specifically, I mean.

Dremel out the notch on the frame? How much? Do I need to do something to the rammer itself? How do I know when I've done enough, or too much? I'm a very handy guy, but I'm not a machinist. This is something one can do at home?

We're talking about .44's, Colt & Remington, and bullets cast by the .450 Lee conical mold.

Thanks much, and any suggestions, comments, observations, or name calling are very welcome. Well, maybe not name calling...
 
If you are using loose powder you don't need to do anything. The colts will be tight but they fit. Size the heels of your lee bullets before you go shooting, remove your cylinder, and push the heels of your Lee bullets in a chamber so they will go in the chambers freely. Just the heels, not the driving band. You can also use wads if you want but I always lube the bullets. I lube the bullets lube grooves using 50/50 beeswax, Crisco lube with my fingers. Uberti rammers work well round balls and pointed conical bullets. Pietta rammers are made for round balls and flatten pointed conical bullets. You can mod the rammer or fit a Uberti rammer. Lee conicals are rounded like a round ball so both will work with them. Enjoy shooting your Lee conicals. :)
 
Depending upon what the replica maker did to the design, there are some options. One option is to use bullets that fit the piece and that's the way I usually go, making bullets that fit. To do that I select a mold that will make castings that are adaptable and then size them to suit. All too often replicas built in the 1851 design do not have dimensions suited to anything but round ball so that's what I use in them. The same can be said for some 1858 type revolvers even though the originals were intentionally designed for elongated pointy penetrators. But hey, all replicas are not created equal.
 
This thread inspired me to open mine up because even my Johnston and Dows were rubbing on the barrel and would be loaded cockeye due to the way they was a sittin’ in there:
864632B4-BE13-4872-B35A-9B73454EA46B.jpeg

Now they slide right in and set properly for the rammer to seat them straight up and down. I used Mike’s video mentioned above. Turned out great!
 
Have a look at the Eras Gone Kerr Bullet. It will fit into the .44 cal revolvers without mods --- have a look:

During the Civil War about 9,000 Kerr Revolvers, made by the London Armory Company, were imported into America. 1,600 of those were purchased by the US Army in 1861, the remainder were smuggled into the Confederate States through the blockade. Along with the revolvers, bullet molds and ready made ammunition were also imported. The British referred to this bore size as "54 Gauge," but it was a standard .44 bullet that could be used in any .44 caliber revolver.

This projectile is a direct copy of a Kerr bullet recovered from a CS camp site in Tennessee. The bullet is 225 grains in weight and .457 at its widest diameter. The long grooved heal allows it to sit very low in the chamber. The low height will allow it to fit inside the loading port of any reproduction black powder revolver, even the ubiquitous Pietta .44 Navy.

These bullets should be cast with soft pure lead, just as the originals. The LEE Precision made molds come with handles and are ready to start casting
 
Always great info here, guys; thanks. I ran about 100 bullets the other day and when I loaded with loose components I had no trouble at all. I plan to make up some paper conicals soon, if I can find the blasted water glass. I swear I used to buy both that and saltpeter right at my local pharmacy. Now, they don't even know what I'm talking about.
 
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