1860 Army

[mec]

I went out to widen my sight notch slightly wound up putting just the right amount of bias to get it on horizontally. My point of aim is just barely into this target at 6 o'clock. another shooter might hit a little higher as that's the way it usually works

I was using .451 balls in .450" chambers and they took very little effort seating. I checked the last round with the rammer a couple of times and was not getting any bullet creep from inertia. Load was 30 gr/vol pyrodex p and it is very mild.

This time, I was careful to wipe all fouling out of the hammer channel and off of the hammer face between every cylinder-full. Also remembered to pick/clear the nipples every time. Function was smoot/ perfect for several cylinder loads with the caps falling off the hammer at the beginning of the cocking sequence. After that, the fouling became significant on the nipples , the rear of the cylinder and the breach and caps began falling onto the hammer or sticking to the nipple area and making the circuit around the cylinder. Smoothness of function fell of a bit but the Army handled the fragments ok even when less than ideally clean.

I ran a moist patch into the bore after every chamber full.
I do believe this one will be extremely reliable as long as it is cleaned very often.

 

[4v50 Gary]

If we ever duel, remind me to bring a rifle and shoot from behind - far behind. That's a very good one handed group and you are to be commended Mec.

 

[mec]

With these black powder guns, I tend to just get a bigger target and not worry about the ones I fling- like those two at 12 o'clock. They came from the last six rounds.

 

[Old Fuff]

If you can, get a .454 or even a .457 lead ball, drive it down the bore from breech to muzzle with a piece of wood dowel that is a slip-fit in the bore, and then measure the ball's diameter. I'm guessing it will come out .454 or larger, but go see.

These revolvers often come with bores that are too large for the ball – after it is swaged in the chamber. This adversely affects accuracy. The original guns matched the chamber size to the bore, which is the reason .380 rather then .375 balls are recommended for use in original Navy Colts . You may find that you want to ream the chambers to .454, depending on what you find the bore size to be, and then use .457 balls.

This may reduce your group to 10-ring size or smaller.

 

[mec]

We have a few around that wouldn't shoot worth beans until we did just that. However; at Uberti, at least for right now, things seem to have changed. It looks like they have taken the heretofore unheard of step of making these guns for shooting instead of just to sell.

I just whacked a ball out until it reached .46" and drove it through the bore as you said. The diameter matched my earlier quick and dirty measurements -.450"
The problem you see in the above picture is that the only way, i'm putting every one into the ten ring is by using two hands or a ransom rest. I can come pretty close to doing that with a K-22 or an 8 3/8 N frame the only single action I can shoot shoot into 95% scores is a long barreled .22 Single Six.

So, It's the shooter, not the gun. This one might shoot better with a .454" ball as it would certainl have a longer bearing surface but I don't think I'd be able to proove the difference.

 

[Old Fuff]

Well that’s an encouraging development. Correct chamber to bore size is something new for them.

Next step: try placing a 1/8†leather or rubber (preferred) shim between the mainspring and frontstrap where the screw goes through, or substitute a spring made for a Colt Single Action Army revolver if it will fit (they often do). Also change the trigger & bolt spring to the music wire kind if the gun doesn’t have one now. Parts are available from Brownells or Dixie Gun Works. This will have the effect of reducing the trigger pull without doing any mechanical work. It should help your one-hand shooting.

 

[mec]

Actually, the single-most helpful thing with my one handed shooting seems to be the sight picture. The Lyman Plains pistol has almost patridge sights

and the Remington/ Uberti sights are a bit easier to pick up than the colt jobs

Interestingly enough the remington has a trigger that started out at just over four pounds and has settled in at three pounds two ounces. the 1860, like an identical one in the case at the gunshop has a very light hammer spring and a trigger pull of one pound eight ounces. its like somebody had set it up for gamesmanship but its entirely factory. I would hate to do anything that would make it lighter.

I'm leaving the trigger bolt spring alone right now just to see how long the current ubertis will last. The Heinie spring is very useful -local reinactors started making them out of piano wire out of necessity to keep their guns working.

 

[Old Fuff]

I didn’t realize how light the present trigger pull was. Again something that’s unusual for Uberti. Anyway under the circumstances I wouldn’t change it.

Sights on these revolvers are often a problem. Old-timers sometimes would dovetail the breech end of a Colt’s barrel and insert a small rear sight with a flat top – which helped.

Since sights are an issue you might consider one of the Remington reproductions with adjustable sights, or go all the way and get a Ruger Old Army. As a shooter I think it can’t be beat.