Butchered Remington 1858

[tactical870]

Looking at the cylinder, it's either a replacement cartridge cylinder, or it's been welded up and machine to take cartridges. What does the hammer look like. From the pictures, it looks like you could put a percussion cylinder right back in it, and as long as the hammer strikes the nipples it should work. Most of the modern conversions use a shortened cylinder and a firing pin plate attached to the frame (Kirst style), not there on yours. Might be easier to put back to original spec that first thought.

Brin

The crack runs around the cylinder? through or near the locking bolt recesses?

If so that is where the cylinder was converted from percussion into cartridge.

They milled off the nipples and silver? soldered on a cylinder extention.

The reason you can see it is probably that the plating process started it's seperation. If it starts rusting between the joint it could be significantly weakened.

If you are shooting light BP loads it may be fine.

It is probably chambered in .46 rimfire.

It was converted under license of the "rolin white" patent, probably either at the Smith and Wesson or Remington factories.

You can probably drop a replacement percussion cylinder in without any other issues. During the early 1870's remington did offer convertable revolvers with both a percussion and cartridge cylinder.

You are 100% correct. Upon closer inspection I can see it is a soldered on addition rather than a crack. The cylinder accepts a 44spl, but not a 44 mag case. I doubt it could chamber a 46rf case although to be quite honest I haven't checked the case dimensions of a 46 rf. The hammer has definitly been altered for centerfire.

 

[Lee Enfield]

You are 100% correct. Upon closer inspection I can see it is a soldered on addition rather than a crack. The cylinder accepts a 44spl, but not a 44 mag case. I doubt it could chamber a 46rf case although to be quite honest I haven't checked the case dimensions of a 46 rf. The hammer has definitly been altered for centerfire.

Maybe 44 russian but probably 44 colt