1858 steel frame uberti new army .44

[ezwider85]

MY GUN IS STEEL SOLID FRAME 1858 NEW ARMY UBERI .44 THE KIRST CONVERSION CONVERTS IT TO A .45 LONG COLT/SCOFIED.MY KIRST CONVERSION IS A CYLINDER WITH ONLY 5 SHOTS I GUESS FOR SAFTY REASONS? WITH A LOADING GATE WICH HAS 1 FIREING PIN IN IT.THE WEB SITE SAID THE ONLY FACTER WAS IN ORDER TO LOAD IT IN THE GUN YOU HAVE TO BORE A SLIGHT HOLE IN THE FRAME TO FIT THE BULLET THRU IS THIS TRUE? I WOULD RATHER NOT DO IT IF I CAN JUST LOAD IT OUT OF THE GUN.
ANY ONE WITH ANY KNOWLEGE ON THIS?ON TOP OF IT ALL IM TRYING TO FIND .45LONG COLT AMMO COWBOY LOADS.ALL WEB SITES SEEM TO BE OUT OF STOCK.NEEDS TO BE COWBOY LOADS DUE TO BREECH PRESURE I BELIVE ANY WERE UP TO 850 FPS?

[Cuts Crooked]

You should be able to load the .45 Colt cylinder out of the gun and then put it, shoot it, and take it out to unload/reload, if you want to do it that way.

As for "bore a hole in the frame", I think you mean mill a trough on one side for the cartriges to fit into the cylinders like a regular Colt SAA. This is fairly easy, some guys have done it with files and cleaned up with a dremal, and they work fine. However you should be aware that if you make this mod to your gun, it can not be resold. It's legal to modify it, but federal regs will not allow you resell the gun after doing so. Basically, if you do it, you own it....forever.

[ezwider85]

thanks i was werey of grinding metal out of the frame and ruinning the structual entagertie of the frame.i didnt plan to ever sell it though i didnt know you couldnt if you made the mod.
i also saw that kirst makes a .45 acp cylinder but im not sure if you have to buy a differnt fireing pin other than the one thats comeing with my .45 long colt cylinder?so in turn i can just buy a acp cylinder just because the .45 acp ammo is easier to get.and ive heard the .45 acp bullets are stronger so some say even though they make the conversion it is sketchy.sill have not received my .45 long colt conversion yet but i heard its the better choice out of the 2.and still dont know if i want to grind on my gun.
any thoughts are apreciated.

[Cuts Crooked]

Well the earliest catridge Colts were conversions of the open top designs, So I wouldn't worry much about weakening it by making the trough in the frame. But, as noted, there is nothing wrong with leaving it as is and taking the cylinder out to load it.

Regarding the .45ACP cylinder. A close freind of mine had a .45ACP cylinder for his 58 Remington and  it was a great shooter! If you keep you loads at BP levels it should be fine. The .45ACP makes a GREAT black powder round in revolvers too. I have a 75 Remingtom that came with a .45ACP cylinder along with the .45 Colt, and I really like shooting smokeless in it with the .45ACP cylinder. I have loaded some BP rounds in that chambering and it's a sweet shooter in CAS matches!

[P.A. Myers]

I have an R&D six shot in my Uberti '58. I remove the cylinder to load it. It gets easier as the day goes on. I shoot what amounts to factory 45colt loads, no problems. The cylinder now has a mid-chamber hammer groove I put 6 rounds in it. I found a good BP load; 1 45acp full of 777 in the 45colt cartridge is just right. They still make a mess.

[Flint]

ezwider85, if cutting in a loading port would weaken the frame to be unsafe, the SAA Colt could never have been made, to say nothing of all the conversions.

[ezwider85]

thanks for the input.i had to back order .45 long colt from cabelas they were the only one who could give me a date on it.hopefully they start cranking out more ammo soon its inpossable to find any not on back order.had to pay 70$ for 2 boxes of 50 cowboy loads.i asked kirst about changing the .45lc cylinder out and switching it with .45 acp but leaving the same backing plate with the fireing pin in it.they said it is the same. so i might order another cylinder in .45acp since it is only 109.$ but i also wanted to know how strong of bullets i can shoot in the .45acp and where can i find the right ammo? i was thinking it would have to equal the same breech pressure as the .45lc since the backing plate is the same for the .45lc.but im not sure and not sure what to go by for the strangth of my gun other than the breech pressure if there is a better way please share it with me.thanx

[Flint]

Basically, the strength of the conversion revolver is based on the strength of the cylinder.  Both the Kirst and the R&D cylinders are rated for standard SAAMI loads.  A standard 45ACP cartridge will work and be safe in the conversion cylinder chambered for it.  Do not handload above the loading manual's suggested loads, and remember, it's not a Ruger.

I know an Uberti 36 Navy Remington that accidently had a Kirst 45 Colt cylinder dropped in, and fired 5 rounds of factory Remington 45 Colt through the 36 caliber barrel.  Hit the target OK.  After 4 rounds it froze the cylinder because of the lead in the forcing cone.  After cleaning, the gun, barrel, backplate and cylinder are fine and undamaged.  Had it been an opentop Colt type, it might have been a different story.