Ever wonder??

[1911crazy]

I like the look of the old blackpowder handguns but I would like to shoot newer calibers too besides blackpowder.  I just wonder why they never added an extra a cylinder with the blackpowder handgun for shooting a modern  caliber too?  A 44cal blackpowder could also shoot 44spec/44mag to? It would be awesome to have one gun that could do both rounds.   I think the combination of brass and the bluing looks awesome on these old looking guns.                            BigBill

[jhm]

Bill ;  I would say safety dont think the black powder handguns would stand up to smokeless powder loads, buts that just my opinion   JIM

[Flint]

BigBill, R&D and Kirst both make cylinders to covert most Cap & Ball revolvers to cartridge.  The 44 C&B bore is actually 45 caliber, and the 44's convert to 45 Colt.  The Navy converts to 38 Long Colt or 38 Special, but must use a hollow base bullet as the 36 bore is 375 and the 38 is 357.  To shoot 44 Special or Russian, the barrel would have to be relined, and could no longer function as a Cap & Ball unless you made new cylinders.  No Cap & Ball design is strong enough to handle the 44 Magnum except maybe the Ruger Old Army.

[S.S.]

I have seen a Ruger Old Army with a .45 Colt
Cylinder and a Cap & Ball Cylinder.
It looked like a factory job, Does Ruger have a
custom shop I wonder?

[Flint]

The Ruger you saw most likely had either a Kirst or an R&D cartridge cylinder, as Ruger does not make one.