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Pietta 1858 New Army

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Should I carry some possibles with me? I don't plan to hunt with it. Maybe carry it as the final put down if needed or small critter that comes close enough. Thanks!

Does your game department allow for the use of a ball that size for hunting, even for use as a final put down? You've got five rounds if you carry with one chamber empty or six if you rest the nose of the hammer in the notch between chambers. You should be good.
 
We don't have an actual muzzleloader season here anymore. They call it alternative methods and allow center fire pistols, atlatls, long bows, muzzleloaders etc. I would assume if a guy could take his 9mm to hunt, I could use this as a put down, but I will check with my agent and see.
 
We don't have an actual muzzleloader season here anymore. They call it alternative methods and allow center fire pistols, atlatls, long bows, muzzleloaders etc. I would assume if a guy could take his 9mm to hunt, I could use this as a put down, but I will check with my agent and see.
Read it carefully. Ours when the term "muzzleloader" is used refers specifically to and defined as being "loaded at the muzzle of the barrel." That makes a revolver not legal means.
As far as possibles. I would at least carry some extra primers and a means to clear nipples.
 
I always carry caps, balls and powder and or another charged cylinder... but I like to shoot so walking out the back door for a stroll often turns into shooting at pine cones or rocks.
 
Oh for crying out loud. My Uberti (a .36) favors round ball over slugs. Has very deep seven groove rifling. I have a Euroarms 1860 Colt that has VERY shallow rifling, but is VERY accurate with ball. Have never tried a slug. A matter of trying different things, loads, projectiles, etc, for Pete's sake.
 
And...one wouldn't carry any other six-shooter with just what's in the cylinder, I'd want at least six reloads if packing it as a hunting sidearm. But 18 is a better/taditional number for a six-shooter. Hey, might get lost, have to make a fire and spend the night in the woods, shoot a wabbit in the head for dinner. Or fight off a pack of wolves. Ya never know.

Yeah, in Washington State, you can't use a side arm for a coup-de-gras shot, unless that sidearm is legal for hunting that game. That's why I'm liking my Plains Pistol, it qualifies for big game, based on barrel length, caliber, etc.

Not that my Remington Navy never put down a not quite dead deer. Nope. Didn't happen. Nobody saw me do it. Just a rumor.
 
The older Piettas have 1:30” twists. My 2013 has 1:16” and shoots a ball no differently than my 170 and 195 grns bullets, both short for caliber. My grooves are .452” and the lands are .442”. My chambers were reamed to .449” and chamfered and I use .457” balls as I have a ROA as well.
 
Read it carefully. Ours when the term "muzzleloader" is used refers specifically to and defined as being "loaded at the muzzle of the barrel." That makes a revolver not legal means.
As far as possibles. I would at least carry some extra primers and a means to clear nipples.

This is how it reads:
Screenshot_20191105-140148_Chrome.jpg
 
The older Piettas have 1:30” twists. My 2013 has 1:16” and shoots a ball no differently than my 170 and 195 grns bullets, both short for caliber. My grooves are .452” and the lands are .442”. My chambers were reamed to .449” and chamfered and I use .457” balls as I have a ROA as well.

Well, for pity’s sake, you reamed them to .449? I was under the impression that they came that way, Piettas anyway...

Btw, do you know what rate of twist was used in the Pietta “shooter” NMA? It’s supposed to be progressive rifling but I’m curious about the final rate.
 
And...one wouldn't carry any other six-shooter with just what's in the cylinder, I'd want at least six reloads if packing it as a hunting sidearm. But 18 is a better/taditional number for a six-shooter. Hey, might get lost, have to make a fire and spend the night in the woods, shoot a wabbit in the head for dinner. Or fight off a pack of wolves. Ya never know.

Yeah, in Washington State, you can't use a side arm for a coup-de-gras shot, unless that sidearm is legal for hunting that game. That's why I'm liking my Plains Pistol, it qualifies for big game, based on barrel length, caliber, etc.

Not that my Remington Navy never put down a not quite dead deer. Nope. Didn't happen. Nobody saw me do it. Just a rumor.
For the love of Mary! It’s not unheard of to leave the house with two pistols and reloads for both... the Mexican reload is the fastest available to us anachronistic types. Plus, some folks will pay good money for a weight vest for conditioning... feeling punky? Slide another holster on your belt and go for a stroll...
 
Well, for pity’s sake, you reamed them to .449? I was under the impression that they came that way, Piettas anyway...

Btw, do you know what rate of twist was used in the Pietta “shooter” NMA? It’s supposed to be progressive rifling but I’m curious about the final rate.

Actually a fellow who goes by Fly was interested in my custom bullets and proposed the work as a trade. I’d like them to be closer to the grooves. My understanding is that they come .446”.

I’ve also heard the Shooter’s Model has progressive rifling, but I don’t have a clue where it begins or ends.
 
I put grease over the balls once, years ago... because you're "supposed to".... the biggest dat burned mess you could imagine. Grease blown everywhere. I decided to put an end to that practice pretty quick. ;)

I'll second that! And its protecting against chain fire is a myth; chain fires come from the rear end. Original Colt loading instructions make no mention of grease.

I use .457 balls - I like a definite ring cut off the ball. And I won't even cook with Crisco.

Richard/Grumpa
 
The felt wads are a tremendous help in fouling control. I have done a side by side, wads vs no wads, and the difference is telling. Not only does it makes end of day cleanup faster, it preserves accuracy greatly. For commercial wads, Ox-Yoke brand are about the best. You can also easily make your own from hard wool felt and any of a number of natural based lubes. I use 1/8” hard felt from Durofelt and a mixture of mutton’s tallow and bee’s wax. It keeps the fouling very moist and “fluffy”. One patch through the bore cleans nearly ALL of it out even after multiple cylinders.

I have used Crisco and wonder lube over the balls in the past but I find it doesn’t help nearly as well with fouling and as mentioned, it’s a huge mess. The only time I use anything over the ball is when prepping a cylinder for long term loaded storage. I usually melt beeswax and fill it atop the ball. Provides some lube when fired and makes totally sure there will be no air penetration into the powder. With the caps sealed with a little clear fingernail polish, you can keep a cylinder stored for basically ever and it will be fully waterproven.

If you’re someone who just loads powder and ball, no lube, I’m sorry but your wrecking your accuracy potential. Sam Colt made no mention of it in the original instructions most likely the average user was not going to shoot multiple cylinder fulls. But greasing over the balls and even felt wads are NOT a modern invention. Elmer Keith writes of making wads from old felt hats in his youth, during the very early 20th century, and he certainly can’t have been the first to have tried it.
 
Smokey,
I agree with what you say. My comments on grease were in reference to putting it over the ball to eliminate chainfire.
I have some "all natural" Wonder wads, very lightly lubed, which I bought some years ago, that go UNDER the ball to help control the build-up of hard fouling.

Richard/Grumpa
PS: I consider Elmer Keith a mentor, although I was not fortunate enough to actually meet him.
 
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