Uberti & Centaure Thuer Army Conversions

[Long Johns Wolf]

Austrian smith Karl Nedbal who made the "Mystery" for me is doing customs Thuer conversions of Uberti Armies regularly since 1997! Including loading tools and the Thuer cases and all. He made the first Centaure Thuer 2008.
Below is a pic of 2 of these Nedbal Thuers: bottom pistol was made from an early 1970s Uberti, the tope one however, is made from my early 1968 production Belgian Centaure. The pic was taken minutes before some comparative V2 chronographing was executed last Winter: Uberti Army with alternately the Thuer and C&B installed vs Centaure Army with alternately the Thuer and the C&B installed.
BP loads and bullet weights (200 grain conicals) used were identical in the cartridges and the C&B loads.
This is a collector's forum but I am mentioning this here because the front loading Thuer cartridges are so different. IMHO shooting these newly made oldtimers like our forfathers did is an essential part of the collector's fun...to fully understand the strengths and weaknesses of this innovative conversion system which was plagued by functional flaws...and to appreciate the advantages of the breech loading revolver conversion designs.
Long Johns Wolf

[StrawHat]

I have only a brief knowledge of the Thuer system.  Can you enlighten me or direct me to a good description?  I know the cartridges loaded from the front of the cylinder (to get around the White Patent) but how did the whole thing work?

Thank you.

[Long Johns Wolf]

Barrel side view of the Thuer conversion ring with integrated firing pin and ejector. To bring the piece into the firing mode turn conversion ring with the knob til the firing pin is in front of the hammer.
Long Johns Wolf

[Long Johns Wolf]

Here is what you need to shoot the Thuer. Note tapered cases of the cartridges. They are kept in the cylinder by friction only!
Long Johns Wolf

[Long Johns Wolf]

Load the cartridges from the front into the cylinder...push them home into the chamber with the loading lever.
Long Johns Wolf

[Long Johns Wolf]

Cock your Thuer and blaze away. Enjoy the sparks & the smoke!
Long Johns Wolf

[Long Johns Wolf]

Eject the empties: turn the conversion ring with the knob to the "Eject" mode. Cock the hammer, pull the trigger... and hit the ejector in the ring.
This will throw out the empties through the breech side of the cylinder...usually.
Long Johns Wolf

[StrawHat]

Cartridges are kept in place by friction!!  Makes for an interesting situation if held in a holster muzzle down for a while wouldn't it?  I can see why the White patent was so sought after.  A rim helps a lot.

[Long Johns Wolf]

This "friction only" could have led to hairy situations back then: I don't want to go into a shoot with a Thuer like after a ride. Or the empties or loaded cartridges can move forward from recoil and disable the pistol in the middle of the Indian attack...
If you like to read more about loading and shooting experience with the modern made Thuer please go to the Conversion page of www.1960nma.org and click on "The Making of the Centaure Thuer".
Long Johns Wolf