Shooting .36 cal revolvers

[TomADC]

I see some recommend .375 dia balls and some .380 how do you know which is correct? I thought .375 was right?
This is for both a Colt 1851 and Remington Navy's

[Tomahawk674]

Are they from Pietta or Uberti?

Either way I think .375 ought to work just fine. If that one doesn't shave a ring of lead when loading, go to the .380

[Smokin_Gun]

Measure the chambers of the cylinder and/or the bore of the Rev(slug the barrel) if about .368-.372" dia. they take the .375 ball.
If It's a Pietta, or a Centaure, and I believe the Colt originals they take .375 in .36 cal. ... if Uberti, Colt 2nd, Colt Signature, ASP, Euroarms, ASM, and the like take .380 balls.
That's what I've found anyway...

[Tomahawk674]

I remember when I bought a box of hornady .36 balls without looking it over. When it came time to load, the .360 ball just fell into the chamber lol. That cut the range trip pretty short...

[pohill]

My Spiller & Burr and (Pietta) Paterson take .375.
My 3rd Generations, High Standard Griswold & Gunnison, and Uberti Pocket Police take .380 (.375 is too small but useable)
My Savage & North, Whitney and Colt 1851 (originals) each could use something larger than a .380.

[Das Jaeger]

lead or buy bigger Balls Tom . :D
Oh , and buy ALOT of them , hee hee hee :D

Jaeger

[TomADC]

I have a couple of pounds of Goex FFFg I'm thinking 15 to 18 grs should be okay for both the 1851's & Remington Navy's?

[arcticap]

The Pietta manual indicates 16 - 25 grains of fffg for the .36 Colt when loaded with round balls.

http://www.traditionsfirearms.com/eshop/products/CAP%20%20BALL%20REVOLVER%20INFO%202.pdf

[BHP FAN]

18 gr 3f Goex is my ''go to'' load for the .36's.

[TomADC]

BHP Fan does that pretty well fill the cylinder up? Or are you adding something as a filler?

[bigbadgun]

I have Uberti Pietta and ASM in .36 and they all like .375 about the others I coudnt tell ya

[madcratebuilder]

Measure the chambers of the cylinder and/or the bore of the Rev(slug the barrel) if about .368-.372" dia. they take the .375 ball.
If It's a Pietta, or a Centaure, and I believe the Colt originals they take .375 in .36 cal. ... if Uberti, Colt 2nd, Colt Signature, ASP, Euroarms, ASM, and the like take .380 balls.
That's what I've found anyway...
Sg covered it. You need to know the chamber diameter and go for a ball size about .006 larger. That gives you a nice lead ring when you seat the ball. Smaller and the ball can move from recoil, larger and you can damage the loading lever parts.

[oam]

I use .380 in my uberti 1862 and my pietta 1851. it's fine.
If we live in the same country i could ship you 6 of .380 balls but i too far from you ;-)

[Fingers McGee]

I use .380s in all my .36 cal C&Bs. 2nd Gen Colts, Ubertis, Euroarms & Pietta. The Pietta is a little tighter than the others with the .380s though.

BTW, the recommended ball size for 2nd Gen Colts is .378

[SHIPCHIEF]

Easy;
Set a .375 round ball on the cylinder. If it falls in, it's too small.
If it sits pretty deep, it still might be too small.
Next set a .380 ball on the cylinder. You will be able to tell.
So take your pistol to the local Black Powder shop. He will open a couple of boxes of balls so you can check, that way he can sell you what you need.
Oh, and you should buy something from him, after all he just performed a professional service for you.

PS; My Armsport 1860 Eli Whitney uses .375 round balls too.

[TomADC]

Shipchief, wish it was that easy we have zero Black Powder shops, you can not buy black powder in San Diego county!!
I have a set of ball gages I'll check the cylinder and order something .006 oversize.

[SHIPCHIEF]

Well!
Why didn't you say so!
Ball gauges are probably 'only the best' way to measure.

[NobleSniper]

My 2nd generation Colt 1861 Navy uses .380's. 375 do not leave enough of a ring for me ;)

[BHP FAN]

Tom said:
''BHP Fan does that pretty well fill the cylinder up? Or are you adding something as a filler''?

.36 wonder wad on top ff the powder,under the ball. Puts the ball about 1/8'' inch down in the chamber. In my .44 I use a cork paper disk,a lube cookie and then the .454 or .457 ball.

[Snaggletooth]

Pietta usus .375 and shaves a proper ring. .375 will work in a Colt but they are not tight enough . I use .380

[BHP FAN]

I'd rather have a good seal than an easy load.

[Das Jaeger]

You can use filler if you'd like , or filler if the loading ram doesn't seat the ball on the powder . You don't want an air gap is our point :D
I haven't found that it helps in the accuracy department though , but it does help goo up your gun :D

Cheers , enjoy ! Hopfeully the two more Remngton Navies I just sent ya will be the Bees Knees for ya too !

Jaeger out :D

[StrawHat]

At one time I used to keep 375 and 380 balls around for use in my 36s.. One day out at the range I wound up using 380s in my 375 revolvers. Accuracy was neither better nor worse. That ended my keeping different diameters. All I cast now are 380.