Black powder revolvers

[oldfb]

Thinkin hard about finding a black powder revolver as a display\novelty shooter. Really want it for the cowboy kid in me.

Saw the 1851 navy round barrel at cabellas online. Looks like for 200 I can get started playin cowboys and indians. I wonder if this will just be another addiction that never ends.

Anyone have any muzzle loader pistol experience they care to share?

For sure this would be an OC gun after I found the perfect quickdraw rig.lol

Are the modern replacement powders better to shoot and maintain than the regular bp?

Are the entry level guns junk? Back in the day I really wanted one of the stainless ruger bp revolverss but now they seem to pricey on GB.

Any suggestions or is it just another road looking for the next fix?

 

[GoBoilers!]

I've owned a .44 BP revolver for many years. I bought my first one as a kit from Service Merchandise (that dates me a bit...). It is a kick to shoot. Ya gotta love the smell of the powder and cloud of smoke. I've not gotten involved in any shooting sports, just do it for fun so I haven't looked into any serious investments or other guns. I also owned a .36 revolver but sold it as it was harder to find the .36 balls.

It can be fun but if you are not sure about it, I'd just look for a low cost revolver to get started. The supplies are not much at all. Balls and caps are cheap. And I used fff powder for revolvers, although Pyrodex is good and cleaner to use if you have it.

Good luck, and have fun with it.
--------
GB

 

[clt46910]

Black Powder Guns can be very addictive to some people. I shot them many years back. Nothing like quail hunting with a blackpower double barreled shotgun. I used the old Black Powder so lots of smoke. Had to wait for the smoke to clear a little to see if you got the quail or not...LOL

The new powders are cleaner burning and not as corrosive as old black powder. With old black powder you had to pretty much clean your gun right after you got done shooting. Otherwise you would be have rust and corrosion setting in. The new powders don't have the problem so much.

If you do get the black powder revolver, learn about chain firing and how to prevent it before you use it the first time. Most of the brand name guns are well build and not junk.

It can be a lot of fun, but if you are one that gets addicted. Start looking for skins for you mountain man outfit, that will be as expensive if not more then your firearms...LOL

 

[oldfb]

Heckienaw my size I need a whole herd to make my get up. I'm not a huge fan of modern revolvers but the old ones have a certain nostalgia with the brass and case hardened look.
probably would be cheaper to shoot than the 1911.
I read up about chain firing and nipple pinching but what other pitfalls?

Probably not a bad shtf backup for when all the ammo is gone.lol

Still it has a certain something about a fire breathing smoke belching piece of history.

Funny is there was an earlier post about kits that I totally missed unless it registered subconsciously.

Ah well thanks for the tips.

Black Powder Guns can be very addictive to some people. I shot them many years back. Nothing like quail hunting with a blackpower double barreled shotgun. I used the old Black Powder so lots of smoke. Had to wait for the smoke to clear a little to see if you got the quail or not...LOL

The new powders are cleaner burning and not as corrosive as old black powder. With old black powder you had to pretty much clean your gun right after you got done shooting. Otherwise you would be have rust and corrosion setting in. The new powders don't have the problem so much.

If you do get the black powder revolver, learn about chain firing and how to prevent it before you use it the first time. Most of the brand name guns are well build and not junk.

It can be a lot of fun, but if you are one that gets addicted. Start looking for skins for you mountain man outfit, that will be as expensive if not more then your firearms...LOL

 

[randyb]

I have several. In the BP revolvers, I really prefer the 1858 Remington. The top strap and sights are better. Maybe not as "sexy" but a better fun. Fun to shoot, the extra cylinders are a nice feature.

 

[dleeharrison]

I shoot a number of black powder revolvers - I have both the Colt open top style and the Remington closed top. The Remington's are easier to disassemble due to their constuction whereas the Colt open top requires that the pin be drifted separating the barrel and cylinder from the frame.

Shooting the revolvers requires the use of a powder flask for storing and dispensing powder along with a measuring spout for charging the powder into the cyclinders. The spout needs to be calibrated to ensure that the correct powder charge is used for the pistol.

The blackpowder revolvers require more care in cleaning due to the corrosive nature of blackpowder. Blackpowder contains sulfur which after firing reacts with moisture resulting in the formation of sulfuric acid. The tried and true method of cleaning the revolver is disassembling the pistol and cleaning in hot soapy water. After cleaning, rinse with boiling water which heats the metal and evaporates the water and oil the assembled pistol. I always run a patch through the pistol two or three days after cleaning and I always find fouling that has developed from who know where.

There are a number of muzzleloading sites on the 'net. One of my favorites that I use is Traditional Muzzleloading Forum Flintlock Musket Reenactor. There is a wealth of information on shooting blackpowder weapons.

 

[Leadeye]

I enjoy BP revolvers and have shot them for years. My mistake with my first revolver 35 years ago, an 1860 Colt repro, was thinking that you loaded it by filling the cylinders with BP and then forcing the ball on top of it. Battered the poor gun badly before I learned differently. It is now a wall hanger and a reminder.

 

[inFALable]

I've shot a Ruger Old Army now for a couple of years. Its alot of fun. I have many revolvers and its definitely one of the most accurate. With balls it shoot into 1.5" at 25 yards easy.

I load mine with 40 grains of 777 with a Remington cap. This gets you about 1200 FPS if I remember correctly. 45 grains was too compressed and was slower than 40 grains.

I'd love to shoot a deer with it but you can't use BP revolvers in IN.

I've tried loading 230 LRN's meant for the .45ACP but could never load them straight enough for decent accuracy. I was getting 1200 FPS with them though. A custom mold with a smaller base diameter would solve the problem.

777 is really easy to clean up too.

I had to replace my front sight with a taller one to zero these heavier loads.

 

[Claddagh]

inFALable: If you're willing to cast your own, Lee still makes nice single and double cavity molds for a conical bullet especially sized and shaped to work well in the Ruger OA. They make them for the Italian .44 repros, too but slightly smaller in diameter. FWIW, you'll probably find that you have a whole lot better luck with them, as the OA's chambers are sized to use a 0.457" RB and most .45 ACP cast bullets run about 0.452".

Personally, I've found that RBs tend to shoot consistently better groups than original-pattern conicals in my repro C&B revolvers. Buffalo "Ball-et" conicals are an exception. A couple of my repro .44's will shoot them better than RBs. I've tried casting my own original-style (both Colt and Remington used a different shape in their factory produced combustible "cartidges") from period molds and precast ones from Dixie Gun Works. Haven't been able to get either to group anywhere near as well as RB's or the Buffalo conicals. A couple of folks I know swear by the Lees, but I've never gotten around to trying them myself.

OP: IIWY, I'd buy and try a factory-made repro C&B revolver first before tackling one of the kits. The difference in price (especially if you shop for a preowned specimen) is negligable and some of the kits will require a whole lot more than just final finishing to work or last as well. Some kit's actions aren't completely timed, nor have the action parts other than the hammer (which usually gets a mostly cosmetic "color" case treatment) heat treated. The 'soft' mild carbon steel they're generally made of tends to deform easily and wear very quickly. You can buy products from Brownell's to do your own true case hardening on them after you've done the final fitting and timing, but it can be kind of tricky to get it right. Otherwise they can get brittle and you end up with another can of worms entirely.

 

[inFALable]

Claddagh, I cast nearly all my revolver bullets and have thought about getting the Lee mold. I just haven't had much luck with the 4 Lee molds I've had.

I'd really like to shoot bullets through my Old Army but its really just a toy since I can't hunt with it. I'm looking into going to KY to use it though.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Heckienaw my size I need a whole herd to make my get up. I'm not a huge fan of modern revolvers but the old ones have a certain nostalgia with the brass and case hardened look.
probably would be cheaper to shoot than the 1911.
I read up about chain firing and nipple pinching but what other pitfalls?

Probably not a bad shtf backup for when all the ammo is gone.lol

Still it has a certain something about a fire breathing smoke belching piece of history.

Funny is there was an earlier post about kits that I totally missed unless it registered subconsciously.

Ah well thanks for the tips.

Just go some place where they know what they are doing and shoot them.

NMLRA - Visit Friendship, Indiana

NMLRA Shooting Opportunities

 

[Jack Ryan]

Claddagh, I cast nearly all my revolver bullets and have thought about getting the Lee mold. I just haven't had much luck with the 4 Lee molds I've had.

I'd really like to shoot bullets through my Old Army but its really just a toy since I can't hunt with it. I'm looking into going to KY to use it though.

I shoot bullets out of mine. I've killed a few beavers with it.

 

[ol' poke]

Hi oldfb,

For "the cowboy kid" in ya, have you ever consider BP cartridge guns?

I have a pair of reproduction 1873 Colt .45s that I only shoot BP out of. Cleanup is easy and does NOT involve complete dissassembly after each shoot. Hot water and Balistol will neutralize any rust-causing components. I tear mine down at the end of each shooting season and wipe the crud out, but no rust!

And as an added bonus, they can handle factory smokeless as well!

Just gotta love the smoke & flame of BP pistols.

You might want to attend a local SASS match - there is always someone shooting BP in pre-1900 model guns, and often some open-tops as well.

ol' poke.

 

[WLW]

I have several. In the BP revolvers, I really prefer the 1858 Remington. The top strap and sights are better. Maybe not as "sexy" but a better fun. Fun to shoot, the extra cylinders are a nice feature.

I'm with you on the 1858 Remington. I own an 1851 Colt w/o the top strap... and I'm fine with that, but there is something about having that top strap that makes me feel a little better about durability (I know probably just a mental thing).

The cool thing about the 1858 is you can get .45 Colt cylinders for it and shoot regular cartridges in it if you so prefer.

Smoke poles are fun (just see my Avatar)!!!

 

[Delmar]

I'm with you on the 1858 Remington. I own an 1851 Colt w/o the top strap... and I'm fine with that, but there is something about having that top strap that makes me feel a little better about durability (I know probably just a mental thing).

The cool thing about the 1858 is you can get .45 Colt cylinders for it and shoot regular cartridges in it if you so prefer.

Smoke poles are fun (just see my Avatar)!!!

The Colt design is plenty sturdy in a steel frame model, if the parts fit together right, as they did in the original Colt. Problem is that the Italian reproductions are not know for that kind of fit. I would have zero problem with a steel frame 1860 or 1851 but you need be willing to do your homework and make sure any problems with the wedge/arbor fit are corrected right away. If not the 1858 is a better choice. I happen to think the 1858 is a prettier gun as well, but not everyone agrees.

 

[Snake Eater]

i love my 2 1858 s

 

[Delmar]

Thinkin hard about finding a black powder revolver as a displaynovelty shooter. Really want it for the cowboy kid in me.

Saw the 1851 navy round barrel at cabellas online. Looks like for 200 I can get started playin cowboys and indians. I wonder if this will just be another addiction that never ends.

The 51 is a great value, for what it is. It depends what you are looking for. If you don't mind shooting lighter loads you might be very happy with that pistol.

Anyone have any muzzle loader pistol experience they care to share?

For sure this would be an OC gun after I found the perfect quickdraw rig.lol

Are the modern replacement powders better to shoot and maintain than the regular bp?

Are the entry level guns junk?

Non of the BP revolvers that Cabela's has on sale are junk, but if you are the kind of guy who like loading 35 grains and getting the big boom you would turn a brass frame 1851 into junk pretty quickly. If you think you would like the big boom go for a steel frame 1860, or 1858.

Back in the day I really wanted one of the stainless ruger bp revolverss but now they seem to pricey on GB.

Any suggestions or is it just another road looking for the next fix?

Since Valpo is only about 40 minutes from Hammond, I would advise going to Cabela's and inspecting the pistols in person. See what looks good to you and which one fits your hand the best. It is my understanding that the stores don't have the online sale prices, but if you write down the sale price the store will match it. If you go with an 1851 or an 1860, have them show you how to take the wedge out. I have heard a lot of horror stories about Pietta "Colt clones" coming with the wedge pounded it so hard that it won't come out easily.

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

I've got two of the navies, one in 44 and a 36, and both are a lot of fun to get out when the kids and I meet out behind granpa's barn for some fun. The traditions brass frame navies are fine, and durable. However, if you want a lifetime keeper, look at the Ruger armies. They are something else as far a durability. They are more expensive up front, but with care they last forever, and are a hoot to hunt and target shoot with.

 

[Jack Ryan]

I think a bowling pin shoot for C&B revolvers would be a blast.

 

[oldfb]

my daughter really likes the 1858 but doesn't like the high polished trigger guard or the frame in high polish brass either. I figure antiquing it wouldn't be too hard. What does the wedge do? Is that how you remove the barrel?

You guys are determined to turn a 250 day into 600 aren't you?
Unless accuracy really will suffer I am not really looking for a big boom. Especially for her. I really need to find someone local with a home range that will barter usage for brass and steel targets or other shooting setups like a shooting stand or similar.

We just never have time to shoot when my back or her leg isn't giving her grief everything is closed or not open yet.

Any private ranges besides porter county cc close to chesterton?

PCCC sounds nice but I just am too embarrassed about trying to join without being able to meet their service requirements and I can't handle sitting through their monthly meeting to find a sponsor.