Colt Richard conversion
Colt conversions became rare with time, and Richards are even rarer than the others. There were three types of conversions: Thuer, Richards and Richards-Mason, most current being Thuer and rarest Richards-Mason, which is in fact only one simplification of the Richards system and which precedes immediately the model Open Top 1872 (7.000 manufactured specimens, the first Colt designed to draw from metal cartridges charged by the back (44 RF). I specify that the patent of Rollin White fell into the public domain in 1871, and that S&W launched its first revolver to metal cartridges in 1856. Colt would have better done to listen to White instead of transferring it. In Thuer conversion, the empty casing is ejected by before barrel while striking. It is necessary to move a small lever to eject the empty casings.
Colt converted the models Army 1860, Navy 1851 and 1861, Pocket 1849, Pocket off Navy Caliber, Police 1862.
Some very rare Richards conversions of the model Army 1860 have as 12 notches of blocking of the cylinder instead of 6, a speciality of Manhattan as the Colt firm tried out then given up God knows why, considering whom this system was better than their usual studs of blocking.
Marcel
