Cap n' ball revolver

[Don]

I finally got to shoot my 1851 navy and it was a hoot. Accurate too. I only stood off 10 paces and shot at a paper plate but I did better than when I've shot modern hand guns. I can't wait to get to the range for an extended shooting session with it. Only one draw back; it was a pain in the a*# to clean. So many crevices and parts to clean. Anyway, just thought I'd share.

 

[musketman]

Cleaning is part of the "charm and lore" of black powder shooting, and you can bet that the Civil War troops grumbled about the many crevices and parts to clean too.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Get yourself a three pound size coffee can, a heavy leather glove for your off-hand, some Ivory bar soap and a toothbrush. Boil water in the can, shave in a little soap with a knife and scrub the gun with the solution. Run a cotton patch through the barrel (dip it in the water and draw it up inside like a piston pump)and into each cylinder. Be careful to keep the water out of the action, though. The soap cuts the residue and the water, being hot, evaporates off (the barrel will get so hot you'll need the glove to hold on to it). Wipe lightly with your choice of oil to protect the metal when done.

 

[MGM]

I own a Ruger Old Army ss revolver. A great cap and ball pistol to shoot, albiet not a direct repro. I also own a kentucky style pistol, a Philly deringer, and had a Walker at one time. For durability and ease of cleaning I`ll take the ss Ruger anytime.

 

[Zonie]

quote:"and the water, being hot, evaporates off (the barrel will get so hot you'll need the glove to hold on to it). Wipe lightly with your choice of oil to protect the metal when done." I might add to Stumpkillers method that it is a good idea to spray some WD40 on the screw threads. The "WD" stands for water displacment which is what it was originaly developed to do. That will drive the water out of the threads and prevent rusting.

 

quote: Be careful to keep the water out of the action, though. On the 1851 Navy, the barrel is held on by a retaining wedge, driven in from the left-hand side and held in place by a spring-like keeper. If you use a plastic mallet and hold your tongue just right, you can tap the keeper down and push the wedge back, both at the same time. Then pull the wedge out and you can pull both the barrel and the cylinder off of the frame.

Now you can soap and wet the barrel and the cylinder to your heart's content. Use a damp soapy rag to wipe the hammer, hammer groove, cylinder advance mechanism and the cylinder pin.

As someone else has mentioned here, you can dry the barrel and cylinder in an oven at 200 degrees.

Just be sure to use a plastic mallet for removing and replacing that wedge -- unless you want that "weathered" look....

 

[graybeard]

Easiest way to clean a blackpowder revolver is to disassemble it and take the wooden handle off. Run a patch with solvent down the barrel and in each chamber a couple of times. Then put it in the dishwasher, barrel and cylinder holes vertical, and run it through a cycle. Take it out while still hot, spray heavily with WD 40, wipe down, grease where called for and reassemble. That dishwasher routine really takes all the powder residue out. Wish I could get my rifles in that machine. Graybeard.

 

[graybeard]

Easiest way to clean a blackpowder revolver is to disassemble it and take the wooden handle off. Run a patch with solvent down the barrel and in each chamber a couple of times. Then put it in the dishwasher, barrel and cylinder holes vertical, and run it through a cycle. Take it out while still hot, spray heavily with WD 40, wipe down, grease where called for and reassemble. That dishwasher routine really takes all the powder residue out. Wish I could get my rifles in that machine. Graybeard.

 

[musketman]

quote:Originally posted by graybeard:
That dishwasher routine really takes all the powder residue out.And it makes it lemon-fresh...

 

[Chuck Deaton]

In the past we have used a dishwasher to clean all sorts of things, but never used it to clean a gun. Dishwasher detergent is stout stuff. A dishwasher does one hell of a job of cleaning greasy car parts.

 

[Haggis]

My wife bought me a .44 Army revolver and an extra cylinder some 10 years ago for Christmas, someday I intend to load it and shoot it.

 

[musketman]

quote:Originally posted by Haggis:
My wife bought me a .44 Army revolver and an extra cylinder some 10 years ago for Christmas, someday I intend to load it and shoot it. Do you have loading data for it?

My Lyman Black Powder Handbook does, I will be happy to post the data if you need me too...

 

[Haggis]

quote: quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Haggis:
My wife bought me a .44 Army revolver and an extra cylinder some 10 years ago for Christmas, someday I intend to load it and shoot it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Originally posted by Musketman:
Do you have loading data for it?

My Lyman Black Powder Handbook does, I will be happy to post the data if you need me too...
No loading data. It just hangs on the wall and stares at me accusingly with its .44 caliber eye.

 

[hardykev]

Musketman,

If you would be so kind as to post max and min data for the 1860 Colt Army .44 I would sure appreciate it.

Thanks

 

[musketman]

quote:Originally posted by Kevin:
If you would be so kind as to post max and min data for the 1860 Colt Army .44 I would sure appreciate it.The following loads are from the Lyman Muzzleloader Handbook... With both FFFg and FFFFg loads for the same projectiles.

TEST GUN: 1860 Colt Army .44
BARREL LENGET: 8 inches
BORE: .440"
GROOVES: .444"
PROJECTILE: round ball (138 grains) (.451 diameter)
LUBE: Lyman
IGNITION: Remington #11
POWDER: GOEX
GRANULATION: FFFg
MIN. CHARGE: 19.0 grains (706 fps.)
MAX. CHARGE: 37.0 grains (1032 fps.)

TEST GUN: 1860 Colt Army .44
BARREL LENGET: 8 inches
BORE: .440"
GROOVES: .444"
PROJECTILE: round ball (138 grains) (.451 diameter)
LUBE: Lyman
IGNITION: Remington #11
POWDER: GOEX
GRANULATION: FFFFg (FOUR-F)
MIN. CHARGE: 19.0 grains (776 fps.)
MAX. CHARGE: 37.0 grains (943 fps.)


TEST GUN: 1860 Colt Army .44
BARREL LENGET: 8 inches
BORE: .440"
GROOVES: .444"
PROJECTILE: Lyman #450229 (155 grains) (.450 diameter)
LUBE: Lyman
IGNITION: Remington #11
POWDER: GOEX
GRANULATION: FFFg
MIN. CHARGE: 19.0 grains (705 fps.)
MAX. CHARGE: 28.0 grains (861 fps.)

TEST GUN: 1860 Colt Army .44
BARREL LENGET: 8 inches
BORE: .440"
GROOVES: .444"
PROJECTILE: Lyman #450229 (155 grains) (.450 diameter)
LUBE: Lyman
IGNITION: Remington #11
POWDER: GOEX
GRANULATION: FFFFg (FOUR-F)
MIN. CHARGE: 19.0 grains (759 fps.)
MAX. CHARGE: 28.0 grains (885 fps.)

 

[Haggis]

Musketman,
Thanks a heap Ol' Hos.

 

[hardykev]

Aye, thanks Musketman.

I think I will try some bigger loads. So far I have only tried 30 grains with the round ball.