Thinking about a black powder revolver

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The very best quality and most accurate is the Ruger old army It'll cost more than one coming out of Italy but you will never have to upgrade and you won't loose money if you re-sell it They are no longer made and keep going up in price Can be found on gunbroker and other on-line auctions I find mine more accurate than cartridge guns
 
Targa
Heck who knows, like whughett said, there is a 50/50 chance of me having another addiction or just deciding to stick with standard cartridge fired firearms.
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One of the neat things about black powder revolvers (and only the steel frame models), is that many of them can be converted to firing cartridges with the purchase of a new cylinder. That way if you find shooting black powder just isn't your thing you can switch it over to fire mild loads of .38 Special or .45 Colt.
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I have about convinced myself I would like a Pietta or Uberti 1858 36 cal, but of course almost everything is out of stock.
 
brewer12345 said:
I saw that. Wouldn't I want a longer barrel?
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Dixie also has the Uberti .36 Remington iu stock. --->>> https://www.dixiegunworks.com/index...ct_name/RH0630+Uberti+Remington+Navy+Revolver

One Dixie reviewer and one MidwayUSA reviewer mentioned that the .375 balls were a loose fit in their Uberti chambers. --->>> https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1002299098
That would mean that an Uberti owner "may" need to buy .380 cast balls from a caster instead of using .375 factory swagged balls.
.380 balls aren't hard to find, but the possibility of needing them is something to be aware of.
And some folks also load .380's in their Pietta Remington Navy even though it may not be necessary.

It appears that the difference in barrel length between them is 3/4".
The Pietta Navy uses the same frame as their .44, which I'm not sure if the Uberti Navy also does or not.

Spare cylinders for the Pietta Navy may cost less than Uberti spares.
Pietta's cost $57.92 at Old South when in stock and on sale:--->>> https://www.oldsouthfirearms.com/1858remingtonrevolversparepiettablackpowdercylindersteel36cal.aspx
A spare cylinder for the Uberti Navy cost $94 where I can find it. --->>> https://possibleshop.com/pistol-spare-cylinder.html
 
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brewer12345 said:
Thanks, guys. Will have to navel gaze on whether I am ready to part with the cash.
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I think that the difference in barrel length is fairly negligible if shooting at moderate distances.
If someone were a competitor or wanted to fire at longer range, the Uberti barrel length, rifling and ball size may combine to make a difference.
But if shooting offhand at moderate distances the barrel length alone probably wouldn't matter that much.

If the Pietta chambers hold more powder, and had larger capacity for loading conicals, then that could also make the added barrel length a wash.
It depends on personal preference, your expectations and what type of shooting that you intend to do.
And then each individual gun can produce slightly different results.
There can also be a difference with the balance or ergonomics of holding the gun in your hand.

I've struggled with the same decision at times, but IMHO it boils down to personal preference more than any single feature.
For instance, the Traditions Pietta offers a 1 year warranty.
It depends on what a person thinks is more important to them.
Gun cost, barrel length, spare cylinder price, ball size, chamber capacity, ergonomics....personally someday I want one with an adjustable rear sight. ;)
 
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I will be using any such purchase for informal target shooting. If it turned out to be accurate enough, maybe try it on small game. Heck, I have shot a rabbit with a 1940s nagant revolver, why not a cap and ball?
 
I'm a big fan of the 5.5" barreled Pietta Remington .44.
It's handy and balances well in the hand.
I'd like to get a couple more. one to give me a brace of 5.5s, and another to make a bulldog a la Mike Beliveau.
 
Targa - good luck with your new revolver. Best advice is to learn to REALLY clean it right. Watch a few videos, and many will agree you really need a full strip to get the bad stuff out. Also don't be afraid of using water or water based solvents, that is what you need to remove the organic (salt/sulfur) fouling. A petroleum based product won't do it. You rust up in quick order, then you'll really give up. Been shooting them for 25+ years, and with proper care, they all look just like new.

My approach to shouting cap and ball is ONLY go when I have the time to do the proper cleaning, and I have grown to like that experience just as much.

Let us know how things go!
 
Also for what it is worth, I have a CVA 1860 Colt clone, and the loading port is just about right for conicals.
 
OK, so stupid question. The Pietta manual http://www.pietta.us/pdf/Manuale_Avancarica_ENG.pdf on page 18 lists min-max charges of FFFG with a 36 round ball of 9 to 12 grains. I routinely see much higher charges (20) and given that this revolves is built on a 44 frame and cylinder that seems like an awfully tiny powder charge for max. Am I missing something?
 
Those are lawyer loads intended to avoid liability. No one actually uses such a small load that I've heard. 15 to 20 grains is typical. No danger of overcharging the gun.
 
If you ever find yourself without the time to properly clean you can run an oily patch. The oil will absorb into the fouling keeping the moisture at bay. I was given this info and tried it in both revolvers leaving them in my garage in the Texas humid summer for days without an issue whatsoever.
 
rodwha said:
If you ever find yourself without the time to properly clean you can run an oily patch. The oil will absorb into the fouling keeping the moisture at bay. I was given this info and tried it in both revolvers leaving them in my garage in the Texas humid summer for days without an issue whatsoever.
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I’ve done it with everything from olive oil to Eezox and CLP. It works.
 
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