Colt revolver how to?

[Don]

Just got a 1851 Colt Navy in brass. It didn't come with any instructions so I have a few questions. I think I'm OK with loading because I've read some liturature about that but I don't know how to disassemble and clean the gun after shooting. I will be using Pyrodex P as the propellant but I could use some feedback about loads to start out with. If its important or relavant the gun was manufactured by Armi San Marco in Italy. Thanks in advance for any help.

Don

 

[RJR]

Funny you should bring up an 1851 Navy. I just finished rebuilding one I found in the garage attic that I bought in 1980, never fired and forgot all about also made by Armi San Marco. It had some surface rust but the barrel and chambers are clean and shiny. I'm going to start with 35gr FFFg and then try 40gr. I've shot some other peoples revolvers and most seem to like that range in powder. I'm planning on using wonder wads rather than greasing the chambers. Good luck with yours, I'll let you know how mine does Sunday. Take care, Rick

 

[musketman]

My Lyman's black powder handbook states the following for the 1851 Colt Navy loads...

.375 grain round ball (81 grains) and #11 percussion caps.

14.0 grains FFFg = 752 fps velocity
17.0 grains FFFg = 879 fps velocity
20.0 grains FFFg = 967 fps velocity
23.0 grains FFFg = 1017 fps velocity
26.0 grains FFFg = 1079 fps velocity
29.0 grains FFFg = 1097 fps velocity

*The Lyman load book also states that 29.0 grains is the maxium cahrge for a round ball in this revolver*

Lyman projectile #37583 (150 grains) and #11 percussion caps.

9.0 grains FFFg = 480 fps velocity
12.0 grains FFFg = 560 fps velocity
15.0 grains FFFg = 668 fps velocity

*15.0 grains being the max load for this bullet*

Do not forget to cover the bullets in the cylinder with lube to help prevent chain fires.

Here is a link on cleaning the 1851 navy...

http://www.civilwarguns.com/0210.html

NAVY ARMS 1851 NAVY COLT/.375" SPEER RB/REMINGTON #11 CAPS

20 gr. Pyrodex P
Ox-Yoke Wad
624 velocity

25 gr. Pyrodex P
Crisco lube
1084 velocity

 

[LRB]

You will find most percussion revolvers shoot best when you work up a load that will allow the ball to seat on the powder and have just enough clearance to operate. This is due to bullet jump from chamber to forceing cone. If you use lesser charges you need some sort of filler over the powder and this, over the years, has sparked some controversy as to concerns over the safety of some fillers, and the mess that others create. It has been many years since I have shot percussion anything, but I always got best accuracy with the full loads in a revolver.

 

[No Powder]

I once had one of them revolver things (decided it wes to modern) it was a 44. Anyways as I worked up my load I used cream of wheat between the powder and the ball to get rid of ball jump from the cylinder to the barrel. When I found my best load I made a small scoop for the right amount of cream of wheat and that made loading time faster.

 

[musketman]

Corn meal works well too.

 

[Zonie]

As you said the Colt was a brass frame I would strongly suggest you keep the loads Very Light.
These brass framed guns (which replicate the Confederate guns) have the same problem now that they did in 1860. Heavy loads will cause the cylinder pin (which holds the barrel to the frame) to loosen which can make the gun dangerous to shoot.
You didn't mention the caliber but I would recommend using 12 to 15 grains of Pyrodex P with a .375 ball for a .36 cal. or 15 to 20 grains of Pyrodex P with a .454 ball for a .44 cal. Note these loads are less than a steel framed gun would use.
As was mentioned cornmeal added over the powder (it doesn't take much) will allow the ball to seat just below the cylinder mouth.
If your cheap like me, Crisco works great over the top of the ball to provide lube and "seal" the ball to prevent cross fires.
You will find these light loads have plenty of power for killing any tin can or watermelon you can find.
Happy Shooting!!

 

[Zonie]

Not to keep kickin a dead horse but I guess I didn't answer all of your questions. Some may insist that the gun needs to be fully disassembled but I've found the following to work for me.

1. Using a soft hammer or block of wood drive out the barrel wedge from the right side.
2. With the hammer on the first click, rotate the cylinder so the ramming plunger is pushing aginst the area between two cylinders and use the lever to jack the barrel off of the center pin.
3. Remove the cylinder
4. Swab out the bore and cylinder bores with hot soapy water then with clean water and use dry patches to dry them out. It's best to remove the nipples and clean them and the surrounding areas too but this takes a special nipple wrench designed to get down in the small cap/nipple pockets.
5. Clean the frame and the recoil shield area with a damp wet rag. You really don't want a lot of water running down into the lock and cylinder pawl slot.
When you reassembly the gun, fill the grooves on the cylinder pin with grease or vasaline (TM). Use a water displacement oil like WD40 or a good gun oil and spray it into the various slots. This saturates any black powder residue and keeps it from absorbing water and causing corrosion as well as driving the water out of threads and other close fitting areas.
Oil the bore and cylinder bores and reassemble.
When tapping the barrel wedge back in check to make sure the cylinder turns freely. I have one gun that locks up if the wedge is driven in too far.

 

[graybeard]

I've found that cleaning the replica colts is the easiest cleaning of any blackpowder firearm. disassemble and take off the wooden handle. run a patch or two through the barrell with any blackpowder cleaner on it. do the same with each cylinder. then put all the metal parts in the dishwasher and run through a regular cycle. while the metal is still almost too hot to handle, take the parts out and spray liberally with wd 40. put a little axle grease on the appropriate parts and reassemble. graybeard

 

[graybeard]

I've found that cleaning the replica colts is the easiest cleaning of any blackpowder firearm. disassemble and take off the wooden handle. run a patch or two through the barrell with any blackpowder cleaner on it. do the same with each cylinder. then put all the metal parts in the dishwasher and run through a regular cycle. while the metal is still almost too hot to handle, take the parts out and spray liberally with wd 40. put a little axle grease on the appropriate parts and reassemble. graybeard

 

[musketman]

quote:Originally posted by graybeard:
I put all the metal parts in the dishwasher and run through a regular cycle. Are your guns dishwasher safe?

Its lemmon fresh too....

Just kidding, I use an old soft tooth brush to clean the outside of my guns, it works great.

 

[No Powder]

When I had mine I used to take apart clean the bore, scrub it good, rinse with hot water, put all parts on a cookie sheet except wooden handles and put in a 200 degree oven untill dry. Remove and lube.

 

quote: Using a soft hammer or block of wood drive out the barrel wedge from the right side. Some of these Colt replicas (like my 1860 Army) have a spring-loaded catch that keeps the barrel wedge from coming loose. Any advice on how to depress that without scratching the weapon?

 

[musketman]

Use a hard wood drift or soft plastic rod.

I would reframe from using a brass drift, but wood or plastic will do the trick.