How long do black powder revolvers last?

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I have been trying to wear mine out for more than 30 years now, with no real success. Parts do occasionally wear out or break, much morseo than they do on good centerfires, but the things are so easy to work on...
 
On open tops i only ever wear out the main/hammer spring....and thats rare and have spares to last decades. I used to always wear out and break the trigger/bolt spring but i learned how to remove that part all together and replace it with a custom wire set up where the trigger and bolt each have their own seperate wire spring set up...makes the gun smoother and the trigger/hammer pull lighter without making the hammer strike weaker. With this set up i can cock and uncock my gun all day long for weeks straight (which i have done) without a breaking or wearing anything out
 
Bingo!!!! Spring them more like a cartridge S.A. and they'll last as long as one! Not to mention they are much easier to operate, easier to handle!

Mike

Well I expect you are exactly right. I only have one really good percussion revolver and I expect it to outlast me. God willing I will be able to send you a few and have you make them as good as that one!
 
Well I expect you are exactly right. I only have one really good percussion revolver and I expect it to outlast me. God willing I will be able to send you a few and have you make them as good as that one!

I'd be glad to!!

Mike
 
I’d definitely look into a steel frame, but I’ve shot a brass frame pocket(that was made in the late 60’s) with no “Stretch” what so ever.
I’ve been preaching this for as long as I can remember, brass frames don’t stretch, it’s the force of the back pressure on the cylinder that moves the arbor back from it’s pinned position(under heavy loads)..
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The steel frame revolvers with a top strap are plenty strong enough for standard .45 Colt / 850 FPS factory smokeless loads with a conversion cylinder, so they will likely last a very long time with BP loads.

Well now you've really stepped in it. :D
 
So just follow instructions. Still, would you recommend that I invest in a steel-frame black powder revolver?
Absolutely. The only reason to own a brass frame one is to own one of the CSA copies like the Griswold and Gunnison, spiller and burr, etc, to have for occasional shooting and display. Also the more accurate brass frame CSA replicas are 36 caliber so they should hold up much better in a brass frame.

The 1851 brass frame 44 and the Remington brass frames are NOT any replica of a CSA built gun during the civil war even though some of the vendors will claim. Cabelas description for the Remington brass frame is nothing but an out and out lie. They try and pass those off as a Confederate replica rather than just admitting they are selling you a cheap gun.
 
The steel frame revolvers with a top strap are plenty strong enough for standard .45 Colt / 850 FPS factory smokeless loads with a conversion cylinder, so they will likely last a very long time with BP loads.
Big difference in the recoil pulse tween the two.
Some maintain perfectly safe with loads designed for the Ruger Hawks and Vaqueros.
 
Ladies and Gentlemen, you have all given much to think about. I think that I'll take a look at buying a brass frame, like the Pietta 1851. I like the aesthetics, and that's pretty much the reason why I think I'll go with that. Thank you to everyone who has replied and given me something to think about. Hopefully when the "current situation " dies down, I'll be able to post about my first experience. Again, thank you all.
-Gabe.
 
About a year & half ago Cabela's was blowing out their pietta brass framed 1851 navy in .44 cal. for 150.00 bucks. I bought one and everything I needed to shoot it but still haven't had a chance LOL. hdbiker
 
About a year & half ago Cabela's was blowing out their pietta brass framed 1851 navy in .44 cal. for 150.00 bucks. I bought one and everything I needed to shoot it but still haven't had a chance LOL. hdbiker
Our Gander MTN closed a few yrs ago and they had a bunch of the 1851's with plastic powder flask and ball lube in the plastic displays, they started at $225 and kept going down, till they reached 70% off and someone bought the entire lot of 6 guns. Gander reopened later as Gander Campers World, with a lot less shooting supplies than the original Gander.
 
Love my Pietta Confederate 44s. I bought the pair a Cabela's on a Black Friday sale for $308 for the pair, tax included. Even sequential numbers. Most beautiful grips of any gun I've bought. Well fitted and timed. The only thing I had to do was reduce the bolt leg pressure and polish it and cam ramp.

 
Several lifetimes. Still very occasionally shoot a handed down 1860 Colt Army that was a battle trophy taken from the invading army in the Great War of Northern Aggression. Well worn but still shoots fine. Union army hasn't tried to repo it yet.
 
Couple years ago Cabella's was blowing out 1851 brass frame Navy's for 150 bucks. I bought one but still haven't got around to firing it ... hdbiker
 
Steel, and if you’re concerned about longevity, buy a Ruger Old Army and let your great great great grand kids worry about it wearing out someday.
 
They last too long in some cases. 30 years ago i got a well worn original CW 58 Remington, Seller had taken it pieces. Was told not to reassemble or shoot it as it was a "blood gun". I have come to believe it.
 
Since this post, just under a year ago, i bought my first Black Powder Revolver. I picked up a '76 Pietta 1851 Navy in .44 cal and have loved it dearly. Only issues it has is the bolt timing, and the arbor is just a tad loose (moves about 1/32"). Still can't hit anything with it. I've loved shooting 30 grains of Pyrodex , anxiously waiting to try real black. I've made some leather for it, carried it around my hikes and camping trips.

I ended up selling a few of my other irons, like my rough rider and wrangler, my cz-52. Turns out, i like black powder more than cartridge irons.

Just noticed i never posted about my first experience. It was sucky to say the least, couldn't get anything to fire until it did. Then i got the hand of it and man, do i love it.
 
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What exactly is a blood gun and why wouldn’t you assemble or shoot one?

"Blood guns" have been around in gun show lore for decades. Supposedly a "blood gun" was used to kill maim or otherwise used in some sort of horrific crime or battle action. I did reassemble and it feels weird to me. I have taken it shows and put it amongst other original period pistols. It usually got picked up first and laid back down quick with comments like it felt weird or funny.
 
"Blood guns" have been around in gun show lore for decades. Supposedly a "blood gun" was used to kill maim or otherwise used in some sort of horrific crime or battle action. I did reassemble and it feels weird to me. I have taken it shows and put it amongst other original period pistols. It usually got picked up first and laid back down quick with comments like it felt weird or funny.
Huh. Thought it was something like that. I’ve handled a few blood guns. Apparently I’m not very sensitive, psychically speaking, cause I never felt a thing... well, other than gratitude that they worked as intended.

“It usually got picked up first and laid back down quick with comments like it felt weird or funny.” Maybe try different grips? Sorry, I’m a sarcastic so and so... :evil:
 
I don't believe in ghosts or all that paranoia stuff. But I've had 3 guns in 4 decades that have a certain feel. The Rem 58, Arisaka with two bullet holes and strange dark stains and a Chinese Type 56 SKS with shrapnel embedded in it and the dark stains. The latter two sold first time i took them to a show. Buyers picked them up, made the "weird" or "wow" comments and bought them without haggling. I only kept the 58 Rem for those who would always ask about it when they saw it in the shops display case. It now resides in an outbuilding away from the rest.
 
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