Garage sale '58 Remington

[WillH]

At a rescent garage sale, I bought an original '58 Remington revolver in very sad condition; it appears to be a factory cartridge conversion in .46 cal and seems to be center fire. It has a long, six shot cylinder; chambers measure .470. Chambers are in descent condition; bore has minimum roughness and strong rifling. Thin breach plate, retained by a single screw, is missing; right side of receiver is dovetail milled for ejector housing but all ejector parts are missing. The old revolver has been in a fire at one time and was covered with scale, even on the inside cavities. Someone in the far past had filed all the barrel flats and front and back straps. Serial number is 108645 and matches on barrel, frame and trigger guard; left side barrel near the frame has "D"; "H" above hammer screw head; "K" and "6" and upside down "1" on left grip frame; "S" two places under trigger guard; what looks like "F" on right barrel flat and just behind on frame. Can some one provide info as to year of manafacture and any other information. Thanks so much...................Will

[gmaque]

Will
I don't have my serial number dates handy, but I think it's probably 1865. All of the "factory" conversions had 5 shot cylinders, so your's is probably a aftermarket or blacksmith conversion.
George

[WillH]

This is my first original '58 so I am not knowledgable on the gun. I thought from the quality of the conversion work (dovetailed breach plate and ejector rod housing) that it was factory work. It is a very professional conversion; of course I know that others can do good work as well.
I wonder what the thinking was on the 5 shot cylinder since there is pleanty room for 6.
Any idea when the conversion was made.
I know of another revolver that is most identical in the conversion work and a couple thousand numbers away.
From gleaning other post on the forum, it looks like the date would be late '64, probably Oct.

[gmaque]

Will
Indeed, many of the aftermarket or blacksmith conversions were very well done, some rivaling the factory conversions. I believe Remington had concerns about the wall thickness between cylinders and opted for 5 cylinders to insure adiquate strength. There are basically three variations or generations of "factory conversions", each being just a little different from it's predecessor, but all were 5 shots. You're probably right about the original date on your gun. I've never seen conversion dates.
George

[WillH]

It may be that the five chamber cylinders still made use of the safety notches between chambers as on the precussion cylinders; the six chamber cyl. doesn't have room for the notches..................Will

[gmaque]

Probably the most detailed info on the subject of Remington conversions is the book "Remington Large Bore Conversion Revolvers" by Rodger Phillips. I'm pretty sure this book can be ordered through this web site. On page 47 of Phillip's book he refers to information that indicates the 6 chambered cylinders could not be converted to .46 metalic cartridge because "the holes in the cylinders are so near each othere that the heads of the cartridges will not go in". That makes since and probably explains why the "factory conversions" are all 5 shot .46 rimfire. Remington conversions offer a great collecting oppertunity. There are a number of other Remington models that were converted. Remington conversions are fairly available, most are reasonably priced (depending on condition), they are quality guns that are historic since they were created for that short time when the Civil War was over and the American west was opening up. If the conversions have peeked your interest I highly reccomend that you obtain a copy of Mr. Phillip's book.
George

[WillH]

Thanks for the information George. I wasn't aware of the book you mention but I am interested in obtaining a copy.
I am currently doing a conversion on a Uberti .36 cal. to .38 extral long using the original cyl. bored through and thick breach.

As to my conversion; I have read that the cartridge rims had to be trimmed on some of the conversions but on this one, .44 special and mag. easily load without any modifications; cylinder is only a few thousands larger than the ones on my repo '58s. (1.615); I don't have an original precussion cyl. to measure.

Will