Cylinder Loading Press

[NaturalPath]

Wondering if anyone has plans for or, a picture of, a simple homemade cylinder press, for loading the cylinder out of the gun? Preferably, it would be made out of mostly wood and, could be made with simple hand tools. I know that these can be purchased but, I like to make things myself, whenever I can.

Also, I was wondering if anyone transports their cap and ball handguns with the cylinder loaded and, out of the gun?

 

[necchi]

I can't answer you about the homemade press besides there's a lot of pressure needed that a "wood" design might not handle, or at least do it well for an extended period.

Here in Minn it is legal to transport a cap and ball revolver with fully a loaded cylinder,,, fully assembled as long as it's in a proper zippered case or closed carry box-
-as long as the cylinder is un-capped.

Like an unloaded CF, it's considered unable to fire until a cylinder is capped

 

[NaturalPath]

Yep, I do realize that I might have to use some metal parts but, I don't have the equipment necessary to make it all out of metal so, that's why I'd rather use wood for as much of it as I can.

I should have mentioned that I live in Canada since I'm sure that different regions have different laws regarding my second question.

Even so, I figure that a cap and ball pistol would be considered unloaded, if the cylinder was removed from the gun, in most jurisdictions. However, I would not be capping the cylinder until the cylinder was back in the gun and, I was ready to use it.

 

[necchi]

You should ask the local authorities what they think.
That's just what I did. I walked into the County Sheriffs office and asked,, the lady at the desk didn't know, so she asked a Deputy that was in the office to speak to me.
When he came out I asked him,, he didn't know, but he did know that another Deputy was involved in cowboy action stuff and he called that man directly.
I got my answer and Thanked him. Before I left I asked him personally as a Road Warrior what he would think if he pulled over someone with a cap and ball revolver in a case with an un-capped but loaded cylinder laying on the passenger seat.
He shrugged and said, "It's a gun,, so what?"
Then he asked me about what the guns I had where and why I chose the sport, it all ended well for both of us, :wink:

 

[NaturalPath]

That's a pretty cool story and, I know that there are lots of places in the US where gun ownership is not as frowned upon, as it is up here in Canada. All of my guns are black powder guns, which are classified as 'antique status' and I did that for a reason. No registration required. The authorities up here don't want anyone to have guns, except them and, they will always try to find a reason that you can't do this or that with a gun, even if they don't know for sure, they will err on the side of anti-gun and, that especially goes for a handgun. If I walked into a Police station to ask a question about my cap and ball handgun, you can be sure that the first thing they will want to know from me is name, address, drivers license and, whatever else they can get. Then, I would be registered as a gun owner, which defeats my purpose of buying all those black powder guns.

 

[necchi]

Hmmm, I get that.

 

[azmntman]

:metoo:

 

[garra]

Here is a picture of my homemade press, used parts and bits that i had laying around from old computer spindle jigs to motorcycle parts. There is even a piece from an old shotgun barrel in there.

 

[NaturalPath]

Thanks very much for the pics garra, that looks real heavy duty. Back in my younger days, I might have had lots of metal parts like that hanging around. Not so much anymore. But, still, I like seeing the designs. They get my creative thoughts flowing in the right direction.

 

[M. De Land]

This one has served me well for about ten years and was cobbled together using nothing but left over steel under my work bench.
Contrary to popular belief you do not need an adjustable cylinder arbor to keep it upright when pressing in a load. The seating ram with a brass seating plug will find it's own center and chamber alignment on the ball it is pushing in with no trouble at all.

 

[necchi]

Well it looks like your quest for a homemade "wood" press is lost

 

[garra]

There is one piece of wood on mine, the plunger that pushes the ball in is made of wood. A lot of pressure is required to push the ball in, that is why I bolt mine down to the bench, beats chasing it around the room.

 

[NaturalPath]

Not so fast necchi, I'm very stubborn and, I'm very good at designing things so, I am not the least bit deterred.............yet.

 

[NaturalPath]

Thanks for the pic M.D. another interesting design. The presses I'm seeing so far are definitely up to the task, as far as durability goes, given the fact that the integrated presses on the guns themselves, are no where near as rugged. But, those integrated presses must have been sufficient since, I doubt that, back in the day, those folks had cylinder presses.

 

[M. De Land]

I'm not one to say (Can't do)either but the pressure required to swage a lead ball into and under size chamber mouth is pretty much past the strength and rigidness parameters of practial wood construction.
I suppose cylinder loading could be accomplished with nothing more than a hard wood dowel and two pound hammer though.

 

[Tinker2]

I'm very stubborn and, I'm very good at designing things

I am sure that if wood is what you want to use, that you can do it.
Will be interested in what you come up with.




Good luck.
William Alexander

 

[NaturalPath]

Thanks William, I'm pretty sure that I will have to use some steel parts, such as at the pivot points but, those parts should be easy to find. I can't really say exactly when I will get to this, I have so many things to do, even though I'm retired. I mean enjoyable things, not work related. But, I will try to post a picture of my press, once I have the time to design and create one.

 

[shunka]

Greetings My Good NaturalPath

Whilst surfing the interwebs I found this wooden loading press, and the designer, J.P. Imandt, even
said make these yourself as long as they are not for sale!

please send me a pm for details

yhs
shunka