Bat's New Toy! Love my revolvers :)

[Batousaii]

My new revolver! An 1858 Remington cap-n-ball revolver in .44 cal, made by Pietta. I mail ordered it from Cabela’s, on sale for a good price, and it came with some tools for black powder guns too. Haven’t had a chance to shoot it yet, but it feels nice in the hand, good fit and finish, and everything clicks and turns as it should. I can get extra cylinders for it too (being a Remington that’s good to have a couple). I took it completely apart, cleaned it inside and out, and re-assembled it to make sure no manufacturing grunge was left behind. I am very happy with it, cant wait to take it out for a day of shooting. I’ll have to get a good holster and pouch setup for it so I can sport it with my Ruger Vaquero, I bet they’d look good together.



Hope everyone else had good Holidays too!

Bat :dude:

 

[kparker]

You can probably find replacement cylinders for it that accept blackpowder cartridges, too, I expect?

 

[fire suppressor]

Very nice! I have the same gun made by the same company I knew exactly what it was the second I saw the picture. It is a really fun cap and ball

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[WalkingWolf]

Congrats, I have a 8 inch 58 plus spare cylinder. I have been considering buying a shorter barrel 58, but I have so many guns I should just stop. I have a 51 navy 44 with a spare cylinder. Not as fast as a 58 for changing cylinders but still not too bad. I can change the 58 in 15 seconds, it takes almost 30 seconds for the 51.

Fire a couple cylinders with primers before loading it. Just to make sure it has a good ignition.

BTW excellent self defense open carry gun, especially if you frequent GFSZ.

 

[sudden valley gunner]

Gorgeous!

 

[Citizen]

Congrats, I have a 8 inch 58 plus spare cylinder. I have been considering buying a shorter barrel 58, but I have so many guns I should just stop. I have a 51 navy 44 with a spare cylinder. Not as fast as a 58 for changing cylinders but still not too bad. I can change the 58 in 15 seconds, it takes almost 30 seconds for the 51.

Fire a couple cylinders with primers before loading it. Just to make sure it has a good ignition.

BTW excellent self defense open carry gun, especially if you frequent GFSZ.

Yep. How many other guns give you a personal concealment smoke-screen with every shot!?

 

[1911er]

Make sure you cap the holes off with grease before firing. I had one chain fire one time scared the sh&t out me.

 

[Batousaii]

Chain Fires - Noooo!

Make sure you cap the holes off with grease before firing. I had one chain fire one time scared the sh&t out me.

:shocker:Scary!

Yeap, familiar with chain fires. I actually started with blackpowder, back when I was 15 I mail-ordered an 1860 Army kit and put it together. I shot more rounds out of that gun than I can remember before I ever got one of those new fangled cartridge arms. I usually put a little grease (or soft wax disc) on the front of the wad, right behind the ball. I find it works just as well and is a bit cleaner. Also loose caps can play a big role in chain fires too. Out of the countless rounds I fired, I honestly never had one, always worked to avoid them from day 1 because the thought scared the heck outa me.

 

[sirpuma]

I have a beat up replica of the 1861 Navy in .44. Not as nice as an Uberti, but still nice. I need to get some .44 ball for it so I can actually shoot it some time. My next big purchase, if it ever becomes available and if I have the money is the Henry replica of the original Henry in 44-40. I was supposed to inherit a real original Henry that was my Granddad's and before that his Granddad's. But my aunt (devil take her soul) decided to take it and sell it at auction for her own profit, even though my Granddad willed it to me on his death bed.

 

[WalkingWolf]

I have a beat up replica of the 1861 Navy in .44. Not as nice as an Uberti, but still nice. I need to get some .44 ball for it so I can actually shoot it some time. My next big purchase, if it ever becomes available and if I have the money is the Henry replica of the original Henry in 44-40. I was supposed to inherit a real original Henry that was my Granddad's and before that his Granddad's. But my aunt (devil take her soul) decided to take it and sell it at auction for her own profit, even though my Granddad willed it to me on his death bed.

If you want to shoot you are better off with a replica, the original 1860 Henry was a rimfire.

 

[teddyearp]

I love the smell of Black Powder in the morning . . .

Nice pistol! I have been shooting C-n-B revolvers for about 20 years myself and just about all of them from Cabelas as well. I am more a fan of the open tops, '51 navy, etc., but I had one of those in .36 as all my others are .36 as well. The main thing, as I am sure you know is the proper fit of the cap. Not only for chain fire, but to prevent jamming.

Now on the chain fire thing. I used to use Crisco over the top, sometimes I've used Wonderwads, but the only time I really had a chain fire was while using balls I had cast from wheel weights. Now a days, I don't really use anything but my own cast from pure virgin lead. Just powder and ball.

Oh yeah, stick to Goex, the holy black. IMHO, the imitations (especially Pyrodex) will stretch your frame.

Enjoy!

 

[sirpuma]

If you want to shoot you are better off with a replica, the original 1860 Henry was a rimfire.

I wouldn't have shot the antique I should have inherited. My mom said it was in rough shape and I wanted to put it into a display case along with the flint lock pistol that was made in sometime between 1760 and 1790 that my Granddad picked up when he was stationed in England.

 

[fire suppressor]

I have got into black power in the last few years and I have really enjoyed it. Its a little messy to clean up but worth it. I need to get a new nipple for my 1858 the threads got chewed up so I am down one shot on the cylinder. I love everything about black powder. Everything from their history to the experience you get when you shoot them. I especially love their looks, a cap and ball revolver just looks good.

I have thought about open carrying my 1858. I know they are not the most practical gun to carry but they are just a pleasure to have

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[Batousaii]

<snip>..
Oh yeah, stick to Goex, the holy black. IMHO, the imitations (especially Pyrodex) will stretch your frame.

I've never heard of BP Substitutes stretching a steel frame, not even open top steel, and I always ran Pyrodex or Triple-7. I suppose if one ran max loads all the time it could happen, but in all the years, and for all the stuff I read, it's never been an issue or me (not for steel anyways). I have seen an open top wedge and rod get beat to hell, but the gun was fine once those were replaced . Only steels I seen go bad was from repeated abuse: “Lets see how much it can handle, and then keep doing it.” ~ This often batters the hell out of the back where the pawl sits and can ruin a frame, but takes some doing from what I seen. I am nice to my guns, excessive loads are not for me. I plan to have this gun a long time.

Now Brass frames are a different story, I have seen brass go bad after consistent moderate power loads, they are indeed alot softer. This seems to be more pronounced in the open top revolvers, but can still happen in the full frame too. I would probably never own a brass in 44, and would really only get one for the historical aspect, but t would likely be shot very little. I understand some of the companies use alloys in their frames to strengthen it, but they are just never as strong as steel.

I plan to treat this gun well. It will see some moderate loads, but will likely never be maxed out. For regular plinking I would shoot mild loads, enough to have fun and do some shooting, but I’m not trying to stress test my gun (or any guns I won for that matter).

So, I'm not sayin your wrong, just sayin I never seen or heard of it for steel frames :dude: - I'll do a bit more research in that direction, cause i'm curious what conditions were involved.

 

[FMJ 911]

I sure would love to shoot a Cap & Ball Revolver! They're so darn cool!

 

[teddyearp]

<snip>I have seen an open top wedge and rod get beat to hell, but the gun was fine once those were replaced .<snip> I'll do a bit more research in that direction, cause i'm curious what conditions were involved.

Ahh, sorry. No need to do more research. The rod was what I meant, D'OH! I've got an open top that I used to abuse a little and it is now just a shelf ornament because the frame to barrel fit is pretty sloppy.

 

[WalkingWolf]

There is a company that has been reformed, sorry do not remember their name, that built or builds a open top revolver designed for stout handgun cartridge loads. It is not the design but the steel that is used. A brass revolver is well~~~a brass revolver. The modern made steel replicas are very stout, in fact when converted they handle smokeless standard loading well.

I have a brass 1849 pocket pistol since I was 16. It is a tad loose not because of the rod but because of a peened backplate. I have thousands of rounds through this gun and it still functions. I have two brass 51's that have around a couple thousand rounds each fired from them, still tight. I have two steel conversions that have thousands of rounds through them, still tight. I shoot factory 38 spl loads from them, not target loads, but not +P. Treat them well and they will last a lifetime.

Keep in mind that the Ruger New Army can handle limitless heavy loads without noticeable wear. It is the fact that Ruger uses the same grade steel in the Armies that they use in the Blackhawks. If a manufacturer made a open top with those same steels one could shoot them with black powder forever.

At some point since silver solder is harder and stronger than brass I will build up the backplate and machine it to make it like new again. Just have not got around to it yet.

Found the name, Merwin Hulbert.



[video=youtube;0b5rlvggPbc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b5rlvggPbc[/video]

 

[Batousaii]

Ahh, sorry. No need to do more research. The rod was what I meant, D'OH! I've got an open top that I used to abuse a little and it is now just a shelf ornament because the frame to barrel fit is pretty sloppy.

hehe, no probs. Looking around I wasn't finding much except beating up the back plate. Is your open top a brass frame? or were you really giving it the third degree? Usually steels are fairly tough for the for the powders they use so I'm always suprized when I hear about them being worn out, so I'd be curious how it got there, did it take a long time over years, or was it an older gun with softer steel?

<snip>
I have a brass 1849 pocket pistol since I was 16. It is a tad loose not because of the rod but because of a peened backplate. I have thousands of rounds through this gun and it still functions. I have two brass 51's that have around a couple thousand rounds each fired from them, still tight. I have two steel conversions that have thousands of rounds through them, still tight. I shoot factory 38 spl loads from them, not target loads, but not +P. Treat them well and they will last a lifetime.

"Treat em well" has always been my formula as well. I know brass you have to use a load lighter, I've always heard "half the caliber in grains" for Brass; so a .36 cal would max at 18 grains, most would go 16 grains, and drop an extra grain if using substitutes. With steel they can run about 3/4 the caliber consistantly without any drawbacks. full power all the time will wear anything out, Black powder, modern guns, stereo speakers, cars and motorcycles not excluded. On the flip side, treat em right and they will usually last a suprisingly long time, even the cheap ones.

Merwin Hulbert - Interesting

 

[WalkingWolf]

One of the reasons I like open tops is the interchangeable barrels. I have two brass frame 51's and two steel frame, plus two cartridge conversions. The great thing about the 51, as long as you stay with the same manufacturer, is buying extra barrels. Even if I wear out my brass frames I can still use the barrels on the steel frame guns. If a person can find worn out brass frame they can get more barrels for a steel frame.

My barrel lengths are 3 inch, 5 inch, and two 7 inch. I may give away one of the seven inch to a friend for a home defense gun, haven't decided for sure yet. Or I may cut it to a 6 inch barrel and use the ramrod from the 3 inch that was once a 5 inch. I don't care much for the 7 inch barrel for carry and use the 3 inch a lot, sometimes the 5 inch. A 6 inch might still be comfortable the 7 is not, unless in a shoulder holster.

 

[teddyearp]

hehe, no probs. Looking around I wasn't finding much except beating up the back plate. Is your open top a brass frame? or were you really giving it the third degree? Usually steels are fairly tough for the for the powders they use so I'm always suprized when I hear about them being worn out, so I'd be curious how it got there, did it take a long time over years, or was it an older gun with softer steel?

No, I've never owned a brass frame. The one I'm talking about is a .36 1860 Army Police replica (though I have yet to see an example of an original) offered by Cabela's. I know it is my loading habit that probably wore it out as I shoot the things for fun and the BOOM! Meaning I don't use a powder measure, I just fill it visually. With Pyrodex, I know I overloaded it probably more times than not since Pyrodex will compress more that Goex. And I gave it the third degree many other ways I think, using whatever lead I could find to cast balls with, even tried playing with dippping .357 HP into lead to 'fill up' the gap from .357 to .375. This abuse also lead to the alignment pins between the frame and barrel getting broke or damaged. Too bad though, because over the years the color case hardening has gone to a real nice patina look, almost like a black chrome . . . .

But I was intemperate in my youth . . . . I treat all my others better now.