Kirst Konverter

[Metman2]

I am curious about this product, with a few basic questions.

1. Has anyone used it or had it installed?
2. Has anyone ordered one? They are about $350 for the cylinder and latch ring, $130 for the ejector.
- Buffalo Arms carries it but seems to want to ship through an exporter to Canada = mucho pesos.
- however, according to their own web page, Kirst Konverters will themselves ship to Canada. I guess Buffalo Arms is just being cautious.

http://www.kirstkonverter.com/shopcontent.asp?type=shipping

3. The examples shown on various web pages invariably show a milled-out loading ramp on the gun itself. Is this required? If one were to install just the ring and cylinder on an unmodified frame, could one load cartridges without having milled out a loading gate?

 

[drslav]

i read it over. Kind of cool idea... so I have some gunsmithing experience. My question is what will you be using it in? These are mostly designed for usa market where antique cap and ball replicas are considered same as antique where no license is required. Spending massive money on canadian antique and converting it is not viable. Consider the fact that these are not direct drop in. Gunsmith Fitting and timing will be required. This will cost. Inless of course you have a replica and want to shoot cartridges out of it and have 2 in 1 gun then its neat.
. Buffalo will not ship as the us law prohibits anyone from shipping frames, barrels and cylinders, bolts etc.. kirst just doesnt care.
No you dont need to cut the gate but to load you will have to remove the cylinder. Also read all of the site. Not sure how much knowledge you have on ammo reloading but i think to use this would be the best to get into reloading just as with any other antique guns. Some guns require hollow base bullets or other specific so you cant just buy ammo and go shooting. you will cause yourself trouble. they speciffically state on most that under 1000 fps ammo to be used. i imagine this means: reloads are required
Hope this helps.

 

[tokguy]

I've a original Remmy 44 with a new cylinder & bbl. Should be good to go, right?
1st shot of that new Alliant substitute, about 27 gr...jumped the bbl ahead about 2 threads.
Instant heirloom.
Cleaned up the threads and soldered the bbl in place. Still works fine with true BP but I can never with conscience sell it.
These old dogs always have a weak spot.
Keep that in mind.
And don't use that Alliant sub!
Too hot IMO

 

[Skinny 1950]

Metman2........you don't mention what kind of gun you want to convert... a restricted reproduction or an antique, if it is an antique you will most likely have to reload for it to keep it antique.
If it is a restricted reproduction you would probably be better off buying a gun that is chambered for ammo that you can get off the shelf, if you don't reload.

 

[Metman2]

Good replies.
Background: my gun is a Pietta 1860 Colt repro. It shoots fine with Pyrodex and lead balls, using the Lyman BP tables. My conversion-curiousity arose after reading an article in a recent "Guns of the Old West" magazine about the Kirst conversion units. The article gives one the impression that it's not a difficult conversion.

Given the "informercial" nature of such articles, I wished to seek more empirical information. What is really involved, and is it feasible or worth it? If it were a reversible conversion it might interest me. However, without milling in the loading port, the cylinder would need to be removed to load cartridges, so loading would still be slower than a standard single action revolver.
Using smokeless powder properly would reduce cleanup requirements, but I can't say I shoot the Pietta frequently enough that it would save that much time.

Perhaps a single-action .45 Colt would be a better purchase. I was looking to see if others had any experience.

I reload a lot for my modern handguns, as well as for my antique rifles using smokeless (light loads, cast bullets, no heroics), so I am sufficiently aware of the issues involved. However, I'm not really interested in shooting antique revolvers, as they are too pricey for my budget.

 

[Aries-]

it is a neat idea. id be worried about over pressurizing it and bending or breaking something using factory loads. i wouldn't want to be shooting anything but light hand-loads through it.

mind you, i do play things on the safe side when modifying a firearm to be shooting something it isn't generally supposed to shoot.

 

[Mean Steak]

I have a Uberti Walker and a 1851. Both have cartridge conversions. The walker has a .45 LC conversion and the 1851 has a .38 long colt conversion. No timing work needed, just frame modification needed for the loading gates. Both convert back to their black powder cylinders quickly if I need a dose of smoke LOL
Oh and they recomend cowboy action loads only.

 

[QM 8687]

I've a original Remmy 44 with a new cylinder & bbl. Should be good to go, right?
1st shot of that new Alliant substitute, about 27 gr...jumped the bbl ahead about 2 threads.
Instant heirloom.
Cleaned up the threads and soldered the bbl in place. Still works fine with true BP but I can never with conscience sell it.
These old dogs always have a weak spot.
Keep that in mind.
And don't use that Alliant sub!
Too hot IMO

Good advice.

 

[dingus]

Well that one krist makes if you use it in and orignal 1858 you need to cut away part of the guns side frame to be able to use the Loading gate.
The Pietta ones have 6 fireing pins and you just take out the cylinder after its been shot empty (like Clint in the old west movie Pale Rider)
so i vote for pietta so you dont have to alter the gun you would have to alter the uberti and other repo 1858s as well if you buy a krist with one fireing pin and a loading gate.
Im just going off my memory here unless krist has changed there cylinders i think krist is only 5 shooter as well .
I have a pietta comeing and and old antique 1858 to try it in. im pretty sure the pietta ones fit in the orignal guns with less messing around.
Keeps the gun more orignal looking to.