Nitro in a BP revolver.

[tacfoley]

[/COLOR]

tac, can you support these two claims? Seems to me that nitro proof testing a gun which already has BP proof marks is no more risk than nitro proof testing a gun which has no proof marks. And exactly what law is broken here? Just trying to learn.

Completely understood

Be my guest, and take your BP proofed gun to London or Birmingham and ask for it to be proofed for nitro. The law is the CIP regulations, which are NOT advisory, but compulsory in those countries that have signed up to them. The UK is one such country and the rules are called the Proof Acts, which make them into law.

I'll just say it again - if your .44cal under-lever rifle or carbine has been proofed for nitro, as most, if not all, modern production are, then it will be safe to use the equivalent BP load.

But if your original .44cal under-lever rifle or carbine was proofed for a BP load, then it would be extremely unlikely to survive the nitro-proof load, typically 1.25 - 1.5 times the maximum load for a NITRO firearm. The words 'black powder only' on a firearm are not there for fun.

[springfieldm6]

I don’t believe there is any legislation which specifically prohibits you from sending your blackpowder proofed revolver to the proof house to be reproofed to nitro - many have had firearms reproofed from blackpowder to nitro. HOWEVER the proofmaster may not accept a firearm for proofing if he considers that it will put him and his assistants in “unusual danger”. The consequences of using nitro in firearms intended for blackpowder are well documented. I believe that the revolver cylinders made by the likes of Westlake and Anvil for nitro loads are specially made for nitro, rather than modified blackpowder proofed cylinders, and I do not doubt that they would have exercised, and have been able to demonstrate, diligence to the proof master prior to submission for testing. Personally I would not risk using nitro in a blackpowder revolver - i value my hands, face, friends, etc too much. I’d also question how your friend has managed to get authorisation to use the revolver on his own land - vermin control?!

[sclg]

I’d also question how your friend has managed to get authorisation to use the revolver on his own land - vermin control?!

That's a very good point. I can't see the police ever giving authorisation for a BP pistol other than for 'target shooting' which means an 'authorised range' condition would apply. i.e. a range with a formal risk assessment and full insurance cover.

S

[Turnup]

[QUOTE=springfieldm6;7845586 I’d also question how your friend has managed to get authorisation to use the revolver on his own land - vermin control?![/QUOTE]

That's a very good point. I can't see the police ever giving authorisation for a BP pistol other than for 'target shooting' which means an 'authorised range' condition would apply. i.e. a range with a formal risk assessment and full insurance cover.

This has little to do with my post but trust me on this - in respect of firearms law it's all legit (never quite understand why folk instantly jump to other conclusions). He has an appropriate range on his own land. He has vermin control on his own land. He has Humane Dispatch with no limitations on location. I will not go into further detail as this might identify him but there are good reasons for this endeavour.

[Turnup]

Be my guest, and take your BP proofed gun to London or Birmingham and ask for it to be proofed for nitro.

Not my gun and like you I want nothing to do with the whole idea - trying to keep my friend in one piece.

The law is the CIP regulations, which are NOT advisory, but compulsory in those countries that have signed up to them. The UK is one such country and the rules are called the Proof Acts, which make them into law.

That is no answer to the question "What makes it illegal to submit a BP proofed gun for nitro proofing" You have asserted that to do so is illegal and when asked for support you in effect have simply repeated "It is against the law (CIP and Proof Acts). There is no such provision in either of them. Neither is there any particular law against owning or shooting a gun which is not proofed, or is out of proof or in loading it with more than the proofed load. The law prohibits only the sale of such an item.

[tacfoley]

Not my gun and like you I want nothing to do with the whole idea - trying to keep my friend in one piece.

That is no answer to the question "What makes it illegal to submit a BP proofed gun for nitro proofing" You have asserted that to do so is illegal and when asked for support you in effect have simply repeated "It is against the law (CIP and Proof Acts). There is no such provision in either of them. Neither is there any particular law against owning or shooting a gun which is not proofed, or is out of proof or in loading it with more than the proofed load. The law prohibits only the sale of such an item.

Sir, since you clearly know far more about the Firearms and Proof Acts in this county than I do, particularly with regard to requesting that a gun made explicitly for BP propellant be retested to see if it will withstand the rigours of shooting a nitro load, I hand the thread over to you.

As noted above, Mr Westlake's cylinder are made to shoot nitro loads, as, indeed, are the cylinders used to convert the ROA to shooting nitro cartridge loads. AFAIK, and I'm sure that you can correct me here, of all the countries on the planet where BP firearms are legal, only 3/4 of the UK has this ridiculous loose-nitro muzzle-loading revolver requirement.