If I understand what I am seeing, there were 2 things done during the conversion.

Start with any S&W revolver originally chambered for .45 ACP.

1- The .45 ACP chambers are deepened to accept the longer .45 Colt case

2- The ejector/ratchet star for the .45 ACP is removed and replaced by a custom ejector/ratchet star that was cut to hold the .45 Colt cartridges the proper distance from the firing pin bushing and recoil shield on the back face of the cylinder window of the frame.

Just swap extractors, already fit to the sixgun's hand, and there you go!

This would be a tremendous thing for some good gunsmith to set up!

That is a great piece, 45wheelgun!

Hamilton Bowen, are you reading this?

Congratulations on that incredible piece! I stopped by Murphy's Guns in Tucson today, that is one awesome store. Several nice pieces in their cases there that would be mine if I had the $$$.

Actually it is the original numbered to the gun extractor that has been modified. It appears to me that they removed the ratchet from the star, and then added (silver solder?) a second star. The first star, fitting flush with the cylinder and the second star for holding the rim of the 45Colt. Then they put the ratchet on the top. All fits amazingly well. Note how well the replacement (1917) star fits the cylinder.

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Dave

I agree. It was a pleasure to get to examine it in person at Tucson. My eyesight isn't all that great. That's where I noticed the 1917 extractor.

The piece of an extractor (the star) that was silver soldered to the original extractor came out of a magnum. If you look at the ratchet pads, they are of the shorter height like the kind you see on a recessed cylinder. It's my personal opinion that the gun had the conversion done post 1956. I think that is the extractor star out of a .44 magnum that was used. I think that because the dimensions are close enought o a .45 Colt to make the project "viable".

Going through my saved threads and found this one. I have not a lot of interest in the 45 long Colt but this method of conversion is very interesting.

Dave, can you tell if the chambers were deepened to accept the long Colt cartridge or was all of the conversion in the extractor?

Thank you.

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

The chambers had to be deepened in order to accept the 45LC cartridge.

I'm going to get this one out and fondle it a bit. It is still one of the most interesting guns I own.

Sent from my SM-N975U1 using Tapatalk

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Dave

My thanks to StrawHat for reviving an interesting thread that started before I arrived here.

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Expect the unexpected

You are welcome.

It had been on my mind for a while to dig this thread up again. I searched for modified 1917s and got nowhere. Finally went through all of my saved threads one by one.

It was worth it!

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

So, the ACP must be clipped to fire. AR works okay? And long Colt also works unclipped.

It is still a fascinating work around.

More photos please, if the urge strikes you.

Have you ever had it to the range?

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

Dave, you still have this! That's great. It is an innovative and well thought out piece of engineering. It is unique. One great reason to be in the S&WCA. If you go to the annual meetings, you get to see things like this in real life.

Burt

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S&WCA 1729

The more I look at the photos, the more I appreciate the creative craftsman who made it.