Kirst or R&D Conversion Cylinder??

[Steve E]

I have a Pietta 1858 Remy Pistol coming and am interested in getting a 45 Colt conversion cylinder. I guess my choices are between the Kirst and R&D Cylinders.
I like the loading gate of the Kirst but have no actual experience with either. What are the pro's and con's with both of them. Thanks for any info.

              Steve E.........

[buckskin billy]

 i have no experience with the conversion cylinders, but i thought r and d offered one with a gate on it as well.
 r and d has been building conversion guns longer than any one else. he builds them for tom sellect's western movies and because of r and d gun shop, they are the reason we are able to buy conversion replicas today.
 kirst has a simple conversion kit that looks like any one can do it. the ones i've seen look to be well made.
 r and d has done some gun smithing work for me, and i'm very please with the job that was done.
 i think either one would be good

[jls]

steve, I have a r+d on my pietta and have had no problems what so ever. I had to remove a small amount of metal in the cylinder window in front of the bolt for clearance( took about 5 mins) but r+d said that might have to be done.other than that, no issues. the kirst kit requires a channel cut in the recoil shield but a dremel tool or die grinder will do it. hope this helps some.

[Flint]

Kirst offers both versions, last I knew, a gated and ungated version, R&D's is ungated.  Pros and Cons to me vary depending on the gun involved.

For a Remington, loading and unloading is actually faster ungated, by removing the cylinder, separating the backplate and ejecting empties and reloading, reassemble the gun.  To use the gate, like a Colt SAA or Remington 75, you must eject each fired case individually (presuming you have an installed ejector rod) and reload individually.

You can unload/reload a Kirst gated by removing the cylinder as well, if speed is needed.

With the colt cap & ball, removing the cylinder is a much more tedious affair, removing the wedge and drifting off the barrel before removing the cylinder.  On the open frame Colt type, a gated version, made by both Kirst and R&D, is faster and easier, as well as more authentic.