2nd Remington 'Pug'

Tinker Pearce · Sep 2, 2017

A fellow on another forum wanted my Remington Pug, but I ain't selling. Instead after a brief conversation he sent me a pair of Pietta 1858s, one to be converted and returned and the other for me to do as I please with. No cartridge conversion for this one; he'll do that himself on his end. This is strictly a 'spare-time' effort, so it took a few days to get things done. Cut and re-crowned the barrel at 2-1/2", fabricated a new front sight and came up with a new way to use the shortened loading-lever to retain the cylinder-axis pin. I actually used the loading-lever latch this time; I cut it off and silver-soldered it on backwards to engage a slot cut in the head of the cylinder pin. Much neater in appearance and works a treat. Hopefully the pictures make it clear if the description doesn't.

I left the front sight a bit tall so he can make adjustments after he shoots it. After getting it all together I realized that my blueing chemicals had blued their last blue, so I ordered more. They ought to arrive late next week and hopefully I can have the gun refinished and on it's way home next weekend.

So now I have another Remington 1858 to play with. I'll shorten the barrel but not to the point that it is a snubby- about 3-1/2". It will get the pinky-groove at the bottom of the grip-frame but other than that will remain a 'plow-handle'shape. The front sight will be a version of this sight extended to form a full-length rib along the top of the barrel. Rather than buying a Kirst Konverter I will be attempting to bore the cylinder out for .44 Colt and construct a breech-plate myself, probably with a simple pass-through rather than a hinged gate. If that doesn't work of I may just make my first cylinder, in which case I might just make it a .44 Special and reline the bore. Or maybe something more exotic... we'll just have to see.

North Plains · Sep 3, 2017

Very cool. I like the look. How are they to shoot?

Mark W. · Sep 3, 2017

I would assume that they are way down on velocity. Having shot Cap and Ball revolvers for going on 35 years now Black Powder and the modern replacements are pretty slow burning. I'm pretty sure putting anything close to even half a charge of BP in that short of barrel will make one heck of a lot of Muzzle blast and smoke but not much speed. I would suggest a .451 Conical as the extra weight compared to a round ball will help bring pressures up faster.

Tinker Pearce · Sep 3, 2017

North Plains said:
Very cool. I like the look. How are they to shoot?

Mine shoots well with the cartridge conversion- I never fired it as a cap-and-ball. If I remember right (and I might not) this is a ten yard target shot with a 6-o'clock hold-

Even with the short barrel this is a pretty hefty gun, and it soaks up the recoil of a mid-range .45 Colt load pretty well; like shooting a K-frame .38.

Tinker Pearce · Sep 3, 2017

Mark W. said:
I would assume that they are way down on velocity. Having shot Cap and Ball revolvers for going on 35 years now Black Powder and the modern replacements are pretty slow burning. I'm pretty sure putting anything close to even half a charge of BP in that short of barrel will make one heck of a lot of Muzzle blast and smoke but not much speed. I would suggest a .451 Conical as the extra weight compared to a round ball will help bring pressures up faster.

I never fired mine as a cap and ball and don't think the owner of this gun will either. I believe he intends to mount a Kirst conversion in .45 Colt.

That being said I suspect that you are right and the best performance will come with a conical bullet if the gun is used as a cap-and-ball.

HuckleberryFun · Sep 3, 2017

North Plains said:
Very cool. I like the look. How are they to shoot?

There we get down to brass tacks. I love the look too, but first and foremost they have to be good (or halfway decent) shooters.

I really enjoy your creative tinkering, Tinker. Keep it up!

Tinker Pearce · Sep 8, 2017

Turned out my .45 Colt Kirst Converter dropped right into the new Pug so I took it out to test-fire it. Shot well but a bit low and left, so I reground it a bit. Ought to be pretty close to dead-on now.