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Wow - cap-and-ball revolvers are awesome fun, who knew?

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BoBo522

32 Cal
Joined
Nov 15, 2022
Messages
4
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Location
Huntsville, AL, USA
Just my second post. I got two Pietta 1851 Navy revolvers a couple of weeks ago and just made it out to the outdoor range today to try them out. All I can say is, wow, what took me so long to try this? Amazing fun, the whole process of charging, ramming, capping… much more than just the shooting, which was also a blast (sorry for the pun). My brother and nephew were along for the ride and we’re already planning next week’s outing. So cool!
 
Just my second post. I got two Pietta 1851 Navy revolvers a couple of weeks ago and just made it out to the outdoor range today to try them out. All I can say is, wow, what took me so long to try this? Amazing fun, the whole process of charging, ramming, capping… much more than just the shooting, which was also a blast (sorry for the pun). My brother and nephew were along for the ride and we’re already planning next week’s outing. So cool!
The whole process makes them fun, shooting cartridge revolvers is boring for me now
 
I like the process too, plus you don’t burn through ammo so quickly.

Sorta like doing your own work on your car, you feel that you put more of yourself into it than just driving or in this case just shooting.

Cleaning is more involved but not too much more. I am paranoid about rust so I probably am more anal about it than I need to be.
 
Yes, it's very, well almost contemplative. No matter how much you think you know, you can always learn something new or a different way of doing the same old thing. You just have to keep your mind open. My son (a newly minted USMC, Pvt., thank you very much!) has learned a lot of "range patience" shooting my 1851 Colt Navy. It's not always the amount of lead that you can put down range in the shortest time, sometimes it's better to slow down and actually hit the target.
It's all good fun! Get dirty, make lots of noise, produce as much smoke as possible and make your mother gasp in horror at your smiling, but filthy, face!
 
Yes, it's very, well almost contemplative. No matter how much you think you know, you can always learn something new or a different way of doing the same old thing. You just have to keep your mind open. My son (a newly minted USMC, Pvt., thank you very much!) has learned a lot of "range patience" shooting my 1851 Colt Navy. It's not always the amount of lead that you can put down range in the shortest time, sometimes it's better to slow down and actually hit the target.
It's all good fun! Get dirty, make lots of noise, produce as much smoke as possible and make your mother gasp in horror at your smiling, but filthy, face!
It's more rewarding to put all 6 into the target at 25 yards because you know you have a 2 or 3 minute reload afterward, so make em count
 
It's more rewarding to put all 6 into the target at 25 yards because you know you have a 2 or 3 minute reload afterward, so make em count

And besides, how many shots do you need to shoot in one day anyway?
With most people that burn thru hundreds of rounds of cartridge gun ammo in a day, they are just making noise and blowing money without improving their skill.
Most people, as they mature, get over that.
 
Just my second post. I got two Pietta 1851 Navy revolvers a couple of weeks ago and just made it out to the outdoor range today to try them out. All I can say is, wow, what took me so long to try this? Amazing fun, the whole process of charging, ramming, capping… much more than just the shooting, which was also a blast (sorry for the pun). My brother and nephew were along for the ride and we’re already planning next week’s outing. So cool!

Don’t waste your time and effort putting grease over the balls in the chambers like some people will tell you to do. They are well-meaning, but in error.
Greasing the loaded chamber mouths has no effect on reducing chain-fires, which are pretty uncommon anyway.
In all my years of shooting thousands of rounds through percussion revolvers, I have had it happen once in about 1974, and the chambers had lube over the mouths.
If you use undersized balls and have a chain-fire, it will not hurt you or the gun.
Some people seem to live in terror of them.
 
Don’t waste your time and effort putting grease over the balls in the chambers like some people will tell you to do. They are well-meaning, but in error.
Greasing the loaded chamber mouths has no effect on reducing chain-fires, which are pretty uncommon anyway.
In all my years of shooting thousands of rounds through percussion revolvers, I have had it happen once in about 1974, and the chambers had lube over the mouths.
If you use undersized balls and have a chain-fire, it will not hurt you or the gun.
Some people seem to live in terror of them.
Load and put you favorite lube over the ball. Then after each shot see how much lube is left in the chamber and how much is all over the gun.
RIGHT!! "pinching" caps to fit is the road to a chain fire. Here is a learning experience just cap but do not load a chamber and pop the cap in a darkened area. You will be surprised at the ball od fire from the cap. You don't see it when shooting but the fire will set off another chamber or two.
Stay safe
Bunk
 
Don’t waste your time and effort putting grease over the balls in the chambers like some people will tell you to do. They are well-meaning, but in error.
Greasing the loaded chamber mouths has no effect on reducing chain-fires, which are pretty uncommon anyway.
In all my years of shooting thousands of rounds through percussion revolvers, I have had it happen once in about 1974, and the chambers had lube over the mouths.
If you use undersized balls and have a chain-fire, it will not hurt you or the gun.
Some people seem to live in terror of them.
The day I made my above video I put 12 cylinders through the 12" Brasser , with Crisco over the chambers and it kept going, no binding. I could have kept shooting but I was done for the day. It keeps the fouling soft. I know it has no effect on chain fires, it keeps the gun running.

Lubed wads work too but it's easier to just smear Crisco over the balls. Or Tallow, or a similar product. I have used both and a lube over the chamber works better to "spray" it all over the arbor, cylinder face and forcing cone. As well as keeping the fouling in the bore soft.
 
And besides, how many shots do you need to shoot in one day anyway?
With most people that burn thru hundreds of rounds of cartridge gun ammo in a day, they are just making noise and blowing money without improving their skill.
Most people, as they mature, get over that.
If I'm setting aside time to shoot, I like to actually shoot instead of just putting 24 rounds downrange and going home to clean the gun or guns anyway.

I usually pack a lunch and spend hours at my semi-private club where you can post up in a pistol pit, it's all yours until you leave, and you can do whatever you want in there as long as you're not violating the rules so shooting 100+ through a cap and baller is easy. Sometimes I'll bring a rifle-musket and put 50 through that too. Driving home with a car full of filthy guns is a good day.
 
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