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Waterproof?

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I am heading out on a hike this weekend and the weatherman says "Rain" I plan on packing my 1860 Army. If it is loaded in 5 chambers with a cap, would the charge be waterproof if I use both wad and grease? If it gets wet could I still count on it to shoot a mad grizzly, or should I just count on running?
 
Well you could carry a ball peen hammer, I hear grizzlies hate getting rapped on the nose with those and will turntail and run after a snout tap. :haha:

A tight fitting ball that makes a lead ring when seated will seal the front end. My favorite is a .454 in the chamber, it makes a good ring and the front is essentially sealed.

A wad in front of the powder will give a little more insurance. I am still not sure what to think of over the ball lubricant buttons, but they seem to be beeswax based.

For the cap end I use cap guards, but you could also drip some beeswax over the areas where the cap fits on the nipples or do both. Good tight fitting caps over the nipple is also important, even if using any water resistance methods.

A holster with a flap will also deter to some degree any potential rain issues.

I assume the old civil war holsters were designed that way to both keep the weapon clean and to deter the powder getting wet.
 
If I was worried about an irritated grizzly, a cap and ball revolver would be my last line of defense.

I really like Forrest Gump, "stupid is as stupid does".

Not much else to add, except prayer and life insurance.
 
Colt advertising used to brag about how the charge was hermetically sealed or some such language.

They also didn't recommend grease or wads in their loading procedures. Just a ball that was large enough to swage a ring of lead when loading. Caps were also properly fitted to the nipples.
 
Actually, in over 63 years of wandering this wilderness, I have yet to see any grizzly, in any mood. I just hear that in the spring they are hungry from not eating all winter and in summer they are hungry trying to put on weight for the next winter. I have seen some sign already this spring of lion activity and I know there is a pack of wolves. The wolves I have seen, but they keep their distance.
 
I wouldn't worry about rain messing up the revolver. We had a member immerse a loaded cylinder then he dried it off and it fired. If full immersion of the cylinder in water isn't going to stop the gun from firing then I highly doubt a bit of rain will cause issues.
 
I wouldn't worry about rain messing up the revolver. We had a member immerse a loaded cylinder then he dried it off and it fired. If full immersion of the cylinder in water isn't going to stop the gun from firing then I highly doubt a bit of rain will cause issues.
{Insert witty phrase or saying here}



I would not debate the rain proof-ness of a cap and ball revolver with a irritated bear.

We all get to chose how we wish to protect our selves.
 
robertmcw said:
Watch this video and this should answer you question:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEGdt9KXcbI


RM
:shocked2:

Well that settles it!

Load it up right and tight and don't sweat it.

I don't understand the reluctance so many display when it comes to our smoke poles when we know how reliable they are when in good repair and properly loaded.
I have had less miss fires with my black powder pistols over the years than I have had with modern guns and factory ammo. A miss fire in one of my pistols is so rare that it stuns me when it happens. Just leaves me dumbfounded for a split second. I don't have them when I load as a general rule.
Are folks worried these guns won't have the power to kill effectively in an emergency? Why? The critters I have seen shot or shot myself with BP guns didn't last long after shot. Dead is dead.
as to the bear scenario...
If you are being bear charged you have bigger problems than a single gun will solve in most cases. What you really need is a partner with a gun who has a clear shot at vitals......
 
Last edited by a moderator:
....or a gimp (as rightly stated above!) :blah:

I have heard so many grizzly horror stories I'm thinking not a gun around will save ya if he's withing 30 yds and charging UNLESS you make a head shot that dont ricochet off the skull (or it could knock him out I guess). Lotta guys killed or maimed after emptying the ol' 44 mag into a charging griz. I would try to remember to save a bullet for the wrestling match and hope you can put in in the temple or the open snapping mouth (good luck huh? :idunno:
 
I honestly can't figure out why the bear issue is being taken so seriously?

I honestly don't think this was a bear issue at all, just some light humour.

A real bear attack I'm sure would be one of the worst things that could happen.

Considering how fast a bear can close distance when it's peeved, a person's best option would be prayer, or at least lots of luck (slower limping person only acceptable in some cases).

As far as I know, the jokingly offered ball peen hammer suggestion was based upon an actual event.

The bear probably figured the potential meal that just hit it on the nose with the hammer was probably insane and made of tainted meat.

So if this human was crazy enough to hit it on the snout with that kind of hammer, the meat from that human would be high risk and so it decided to run away.

Of course the bear probably really ran away because it hurt like hell.

I think this post was more a question about waterproofing than bear proofing.

Just a good seal on the cylinder chamber and capped nipple is needed and if there is doubt the suggestions above would still provide extra insurance.

I have always wondered if the old fulminate caps provided a better chance of ignition in damp environments.
 
I grew up in southeast Texas near Beaumont.It rained so much the joke was we had webbed feet! I packed a Colt 3rd model dragoon in the woods for years with over ball grease, dripping wet, never had a problem. No grizzlies to worry about, just the occasional wild hog, never had to shoot one with BP, but killed 2 with 000 Buckshot :shocked2: . Good luck with the bears, they scare the sh-aving cream out of me! And we only have blackies here in the Ozarks :blah:. I hope :shocked2:. Cheers,Treestalker
 
The best way is to keep away from bears.
BUT -----
I have a loading stand now. It seems IF you use a loading stand, why not pull the nipples and clean really them well and use a pick to make sure the nipple is clean and press the caps with a wooden dowel and then seal the cap on the nipple by dripping some Paraffin wax about the nipple. Then clean the excess wax and make sure the seal is just right. Then install the nipple/cap and then use the nipple wrench with some anti-seize stuff and then use your tool to make sure the nipple is tight and THEN charge the cylinder? I would get some clear plastic tubing (1/8th or so) from the auto store and cut the tubing of the short of the length of the nipple to make my home made cap guards to be installed and would not get the fragments get stuck into the works. I have always used a wonder wads but we could cancel that step if we use some more Paraffin wax inside the cylinder to seal the ball ”“ assuming you use the right size ball and you seal the ball right so it would not creep when shot?
I have used 777 for years but now I see after six months or so 777 is not as good as BP so I ordered some 3FFF Swiss and I use that now. If the cylinder is sealed the gunpowder could not get damp or wet and the cylinder should be good to go for a few years or better.
I would NOT charge the cylinder on the gun ”“ only with a loading stand.
I would NOT use a flame ”“ I would melt the wax with pan with water bath and melt the wax inside a metal can.
THEN get a second cylinder for fun and keep the one we just fixed up in a pouch so when the first one fails we have a spare that will work, assuming we can find it or we felt we would be outside in the rain and we could swap the cylinders then.
Any comments?
RM
 
Yeah... I kinda forgot to mention no flame being around during the dripping of the wax part. My bad?

Still, for cap and ball I really would not consider game with it much bigger than a small meat hog, then I would probably use heavier conicals; even then I might consider it pushing my luck.

I have buffalo bullets at 180 grains, and home cast as well. I have heard of the Kaido bullets being good for meat sized hogs becuase they weigh in much heavier.

For bear, if you do not hit a vital, it will be the 'Am I right with the maker?' moment, but you would definitely be better off with a 44 mag or better yet a well aiming friend with a .30'06.
 
I know with grizzly, would have one empty chamber. 4 to fire at the bear and save the last one for myself.
:rotf:
 
If you're worried about grizzles, you need a RPG and lineman's climbing spikes...carry one and wear the others and stay near very tall trees!

Also, my thanks to Robert for finding the M.1860 underwater video...I was just going to hunt it up since it seemed so appropriate to the subject. Wonder if the Confederate Navy had a UDT section? :wink: :rotf:
 
The Confederates did have the Hunley, a submarine. I suppose they never thought to mount a couple of Colts on the outside.
 
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