Nitro in a BP revolver.

[pothunter]

You can take it to the bank that NEITHER UK Proof House would proof-test-fire a BP handgun for ANY nitro load. Apart from the fact that it would be illegal, that is.

A firearm made for a nitro load is deemed fit for use with BP - indeed, many replicas of rifles can shoot both types of cartridge safely - Trapdoor Springfields [with lead only], Sharps, Smith, Rolling blocks, High Walls et al, ALL with lead projectiles, but not the other way around.

Why would it be illegal for the proof house to carry out what is effectively a pressure test on a BP firearm with nitro, when the reason for its existence is to pressure test firearms to ensure that they are safe??
Before submitting it to a proof charge the firearms are inspected to indicate as to whether they are safe to test and can be rejected at that point.
Rather than individuals submitting firearms for proof or reproof it is normally done by a maker of smith who has already carried out any work required prior to submission.

This is the link to Birmingham, Linky

[harrysmith]

I always assumed that it would be the complete firearm that is proof tested. So, if a BP pistol is converted to nitro is only the cylinder tested? Doesn't this mean that the only part of the firearm that is nitro capable is the cylinder? Or is that the only part that needs to be.

[simgre]

I had a nitro converted revolver years ago when they first began to emerge. First point, as with your friend, I chrono’d mine and was also surprised at the very low velocity. It was a .36 cal and with ball gave an average of 565fps! That’s a ME of just over 50ft/lbs! But, I lived with it as the ES was very, very low and this consistency equates to very nice groups at 25yds!

Secondly, the proof marks were displayed on the barrel, frame and cylinder and on the barrel was etched something like; (3.0gns Herco. #209) with a proof mark after it. That was the load and primer it had been proofed for.

[vbull]

As most of you guys know, there are several companies in the US that manufacture nitro conversions for most BP revolvers. The frame and barrel of a BP revolver will apparently take the extra stresses of nitro but the cylinder will not which is why these conversions are basically a stronger cylinder and separate back plate which holds the shotgun primers. If you look at the cylinder walls on say a 44 BP revolver and compare to a 44 nitro revolver cylinder you will see the BP cylinder walls at the front are thinner. Edited in: Just to clarify, the back plate I referred to above DOES NOT take shotgun primers, they have five or six firing pins depending on which model of conversion you go for. These conversions I'm talking about allow the use of metallic cartridges. Sorry if I caused a bit of confusion there, I think the lockdown is getting to me...

[loiner1965]

As most of you guys know, there are several companies in the US that manufacture nitro conversions for most BP revolvers. The frame and barrel of a BP revolver will apparently take the extra pressures but the cylinder will not which is why these conversions are basically a stronger cylinder and separate back plate which holds the shotgun primers. If you look at the cylinder walls on say a 44 BP revolver and compare to a 44 nitro revolver cylinder you will see the BP cylinder walls at the front are thinner.

love to have one on my 1858 but sadly we cannot even though brownells uk do sell them i believe

[vbull]

love to have one on my 1858 but sadly we cannot even though brownells uk do sell them i believe

Section 5 over here unfortunately..

[harrysmith]

love to have one on my 1858 but sadly we cannot even though brownells uk do sell them i believe

Section 5 over here unfortunately..

Are you sure? What about Westlake and Anvil conversions?