Looking for BP pocket revolver advice

Goonerized 1862 2nd Gen Colt Pocket Navy!

So VERY difficult to decide, so over time I have them all! I Do especially like the "baby Remington" though!

Wolfman0125 said:

What size ball and conical bullet is best for an Uberti 1849 model in .31 caliber?

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A .323" ball worked very well in the .31's I had

Pietro said:

A .323" ball worked very well in the .31's I had

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So long as it "shaves" a slight lead ring when loading, it will work properly.

I use .330 in my Uberti 1849 pocket, as the instructions which came with it recommended. Buckshot is difficult to load, because of the hardness. Fortunately, I found an ancient Lee single cavity mold in .330, so I can cast pure lead balls. Pocket pistols are much more prone to problems than full sized revolvers, at least in the repros. The 1863 Remington I have just plain sucked, it hasn't seen the light of day in decades it was so bad. The Colt style pocket pistols by Uberti are better, and look and feel great, but still have problems. You will get cap jams most every shot with the factory nipples, as the hole is large enough to allow pressure to move the hammer back. And that is the second problem, the Uberti mainspring is far too weak to stay put when the gun is fired. I bought a second mainspring and doubled it up. That along with aftermarket nipples increased reliability to about 95%. So after you buy a $400+ gun, you will need to spend another $50-$70 to get it somewhat reliable. Just my experience, but an experience that many others have stated also. Now that I made those improvements, I really like my pocket Colts.

If you look at Lymans Black Powder Manual you'll see the 31 with RB is rated between 550 to 800 fps, with energy levels at 40 to 70 Ft/lbs of energy.
At those levels I'd carry a NAA unmentionable, which is much more reliable.
Remember when the revolver was introduced the world was mostly accustomed to single shot pistols, so if it went off twice it was a success.
For fun and plinking go with what you like. But for serious self defense get something designed with a cartridge.

I would hate to bet my life on a percussion arm. You don't get many do-overs in an armed confrontation.

Eterry said:

If you look at Lymans Black Powder Manual you'll see the 31 with RB is rated between 550 to 800 fps, with energy levels at 40 to 70 Ft/lbs of energy.
At those levels I'd carry a NAA unmentionable, which is much more reliable.
Remember when the revolver was introduced the world was mostly accustomed to single shot pistols, so if it went off twice it was a success.
For fun and plinking go with what you like. But for serious self defense get something designed with a cartridge.

I would hate to bet my life on a percussion arm. You don't get many do-overs in an armed confrontation.

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Very good detailed and rational opinion. Even Mike Beliveau has a video on this subject stating similar reasons not to use for self defense. Then again we are free to do as we see fit.

If I HAD to use a 19th century weapon against a 21st century mugger I might just prefer a hawk.

SOLANCO said:

If I HAD to use a 19th century weapon against a 21st century mugger I might just prefer a hawk.

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Great thing about a hawk or dirk is you never have to reload.

Cap and ball was good enough for Wild Bill, it good enough for me. Just make sure you carry seven or eight with you on your person, pre loaded if you get into a serious fire fight.

I would never use a cap and ball revolver as my primary weapon, if I had a choice. Some folks don't, and I'm just not talking about felons (who in most STATES, despite the federal regulations) cannot even possess a cap and ball revolver. Even a .31 cap and ball, properly loaded, has enough punch to put fella down for keeps. On a YouTube video, The Era's Gone Bullet guy shoots through 6 gallon jugs of water using a bullet and black powder using his .31 Pocket Colt. I have never shot bullets in mine, but a nice full load of Swiss goes about 1000fps with a .330 round ball, and plows right thru a couple of 2x4's. That would work. However reliability is the main factor, and if i am able, I would always choose a modern firearm for defensive carry. Some don't have that option.

The Wells Fargo doesn't have a loading lever to snag on pockets

I have a 2nd Gen Pocket Navy , just for fun I've carried it but I'm talking , to the grocery store, to and from work or on a quick trip. I wouldn't voluntarily pack it if I was going into Hostile country but honestly, 5 shots is 5 shots. In a clean revolver , using good caps I've never had a misfire in a cap and baller.

Gunny5821 said:

Great thing about a hawk or dirk is you never have to reload.

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Neither do they misfire.

I have a Wells Fargo and it is a neat little pistol. It is very anemic. But plenty of people have met their end to one of them. Anything past card table distance I wouldn't want to rely on it.
For plinking it is a fun pistol. If I had to get serious, I would not pick a pocket pistol. Unless I had no choice.

Also have a Remington Pocket Pistol. Only reason I like it is I can put a conversion cylinder on it, but the rounds it chambers are rather weak. I have some blanks for it if I ever need a starting pistol.

Honestly.... Those pocket police in .36 are a better choice.

I have an NAA Super Companion and it will shoot #4 buck. It's definitely pocket sized, but not very reliable at least with cci caps. I've heard Remingtons work better. FWIW.

Little .31 Pockets and the knockoffs like Manhattans were popular because people still tend to go away after you've shot them and it's hard to shoot back or keep attacking when little .31 balls are thumping into your body cavity or face.

Still, if i had to carry one I'd go with a pocket Navy, the cylinder is as long as a 51 Navy and you can still put 30 grains in each chamber .

I probably wouldn't buy another Pocket repro because for fun at the range I don't need concealment.

I have never entertained the thought of packing a C&B revolver for self protection. If carrying your C&B pocket piece, just pray that you don't snag the hammer on your clothing, and that you get the first shot off, and keep firing, because you won't know if you hit your target until the smoke clears. The shot(s) had better be well placed and the best shot of your life, because your life depends on it. If your lucky, when the thug sees your preferred pocket pistol, he might just keel over with laughter.

Gunny5821 said:

I have never entertained the thought of packing a C&B revolver for self protection. If carrying your C&B pocket piece, just pray that you don't snag the hammer on your clothing, and that you get the first shot off, and keep firing, because you won't know if you hit your target until the smoke clears. The shot(s) had better be well placed and the best shot of your life, because your life depends on it. If your lucky, when the thug sees your preferred pocket pistol, he might just keel over with laughter.

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I pack a cap and baller more just for my own entertainment, like here I am at Perkins 4 miles from my house with a percussion Pocket Navy in a Bianchi IWB holster. Not very often.

The fact is , people didn't keep using percussion revolvers into the 1880s for nostalgia, those that did either didn't want or need to pay $$ to have their gun converted or to buy a new gun. Anyone who had any need for a gun to actually protect themselves most likely got their hands on some kind of cartridge revolver as soon as they could possibly do so.

Even the Confederates sucked up as many Lafaucheaux pinfire revolvers and ammo for them as they possibly could. Upwards of 10,000 of them.

We love them, and they're cool, I love my stuff like my pair of Walkers and Colt Navies but if something is going down and I need to repel looters or some such I'm not handicapping myself with 1850s technology

I did get pulled over on my way to the range once and the police Officer asked if I had firearms in the vehicle, I told him I had a .22 Short revolver, a pair of loaded Colt Navies and a smoothbore musket , did he want to see them.....he's like no just leave that stuff where it is

Over the years I've heard the stories of people supposedly being shot with a 22 or 25 and taking the gun away from the shooter and beating them with it. If you get shot with anything your first thought will not be to take the gun from the shooter. More than likely your thoughts will be My God I've been shot, I am going to die. Now I would suggest that if you are armed with a small caliber you practice to hit 1 of 2 places. No1 the testicles, No2 the face. Either will be a fight stopper!

Back when I was a newly-minted prosecutor in the then wide-open Fayetteville, N.C. in the early '70s bikers often carried percussion revolvers in the misinformed opinion they'd not be counted as firearms nor concealed weapons under state law. I have a serious objection to carrying percussion weapons concealed just voiced in a thread above on percussion derringers as pocket back-up. Thrusting a percussion weapon into ones pocket, either on half cock or hammer down on a sensitive cap and the muzzle pointed at ones crotch seems, well, don't you see a problem here? And, if the handgun is holstered, well, most single-action semiautos are carried cocked and locked while the vast majority of cartridge revolvers and semiautos only require a trigger pull...and that for a reason.