Lubing revolver bullets?

Does anyone lube those grooves like a Minie or are these more bands for engaging rifling ?

Yes, you should lube them. Crisco, beeswax, bore butter, et. al.

I'm thinking of getting another Walker or Dragoon to play around with (had both at one time but was too young and stupid to use them right so I sold them) and I want to use conicals.

Wondering just how heavy I can go with bullets .

While this video is about luring combustible cartridges, the materials would apply to single conical I believe. The Eras Gone website is a good one for many of our needs.

Stantheman86 said:

Does anyone lube those grooves like a Minie or are these more bands for engaging rifling ?

Click to expand...

Yes, I use em for my Walker, love em.

Greasecookie said:

Yes, you should lube them. Crisco, beeswax, bore butter, et. al.

Click to expand...

Ditto, what he said.

You bet, finger lube 'em when loading and then lube on top.


Same thing for smaller caliber bullets with no grooves, lube before sticking in the chambers and after they are seated.

20???
Throw some 50 gr. fff and light em up!

I think people were shooting Colt type repros loose with heavy charges and conicals.

The last time I played with conicals in a cap and baller was those. 375 Buffalo Bullets, I put a heavy (I forget how much) charge in a Pietta .36 Navy with conicals and peened the barrel wedge slot.......I did the same with my Uberti .36 Navy and it was fine.

However people have stretched the arbors on Walkers by shooting 60 gr of 3f or 2f with balls or conicals.....I don't believe the originals were designed for charges that heavy.

My ASM has been fine.

How many 50 gr charges with conicals you have down the pipe?

I'm asking for research purposes because I'm just about to buy (another) Dragoon except this time I actually plan to use it as designed.

I may even get a Walker. The only thing that gives me pause is shooting it loose with conicals.

Many, I don't even remember. Really, no I idea.

I can shoot some pics...

I’d stick with an Uberti if you plan to use it as designed, or with heavy charges and bullets. I’m told that Pietta are equal to Uberti these days but my personal experience has been with Uberti. I’ve been shooting the open top .44’s with bullets and full chambers for most of my life. I’ve never shot one loose. I have peened an arbor slot but cleaned it up, fitted a new wedge, hit it and the arbor with Kasenit, and it’s running just fine years later. Good luck with your endeavor!

nkbj said:

You bet, finger lube 'em when loading and then lube on top.


Same thing for smaller caliber bullets with no grooves, lube before sticking in the chambers and after they are seated.

Click to expand...

I’ve seen your mold before... who did the modifications for you? Thanks!

That work was done by Erik at hollowpointmolds.

I pan lube conicals with SPG. No grease over the bullet after seating.

SPG is one of my go to's. Also trying some of this Gillies Lube I got off Ebay which is probably basically knockoff SPG lube.

I'm guessing Javelina or anything with Alox is a no go for the wheel guns.

If the sale on 1st Model Dragoons at Dixie lasts until I can free up some funds I'm grabbing one. If the sale expires and they're all the same price I'm getting a Walker. The Uberti Dragoon is $325 right now which is too good to pass up. That's like Pietta prices.

I'm kicking myself because I sold a brand new Uberti 3rd Model Dragoon 10 or so years ago that I fired exactly 1 round through. If I'd have kept that thing I'd be thanking my past self right now.

I’ve kicked myself and thanked myself on multiple occasions, and often the same day...

and... thank you, @nkbj !

A piece I regret not getting was once sold by Dixie. It was a .44 built on a standard 1851 frame with a 7 1/2" round barrel instead of octagonal. They didn't pretend it was the reproduction of anything, just a nice pistola.

When I was in college I had that Pietta "Reb Navy" brass frame. 44 Navy with the round barrel. I just thought it looked cool. I'm sure lots of people were swapping these barrels onto Pietta 1860 Armies .

GunBroker has the steel frame 12" "Buntline" .44 "Navy" by Pietta. It's neat, not a repro of anything. They've had the brass frame one for years but now they sell the steel frame. Not cut for shoulder stock........I mean, the whole cool factor of this would be the detachable stock