BP Defense Gun Question
- Thread starter KenHulme
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BHP FAN
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BHP FAN
Member
not that I think 11's are wimpy, they work really well, but if I lived aboard a boat, I might get the upgrade.
I agree. You can't have too much ignition with caplocks.
I had wondered which nipples fit the Pedersoli shotguns, and had read that 1/4"x28 fit them, so I tried the nipple from my TC Renegade and it fit perfectly.
I bought a pair of TC nipples to use as spares in the Howdah. #11 caps fit the TC nipples better than the Pedersoli nipples.
The Italian nipples are tapered and caps will often fall off if the gun is held muzzle-up with the hammers cocked. The TC nipples are straighter and the caps don't fall off.
I had wondered which nipples fit the Pedersoli shotguns, and had read that 1/4"x28 fit them, so I tried the nipple from my TC Renegade and it fit perfectly.
I bought a pair of TC nipples to use as spares in the Howdah. #11 caps fit the TC nipples better than the Pedersoli nipples.
The Italian nipples are tapered and caps will often fall off if the gun is held muzzle-up with the hammers cocked. The TC nipples are straighter and the caps don't fall off.
BHP FAN
Member
Having the caps not fall off on a defensive arm would be a good thing.
Cosmoline, from post #16:
From what I understand, for a ship that carried guns (or at least cannons), they were kept loaded and fired on a periodic basis for training and to load up fresh powder. That's age of sail times, though.
jm
From what I understand, for a ship that carried guns (or at least cannons), they were kept loaded and fired on a periodic basis for training and to load up fresh powder. That's age of sail times, though.
jm
Busyhands94
Member
I'm telling you guys, get some nail polish when the wife is out and use it to seal the caps. If you've already got tight fitting caps then you can do this as an extra bit of prevention. I've fired a blackpowder handgun underwater with this method, it shot all five chambers (It was a five shooter) without a problem.
Levi
Levi
BHP FAN
Member
clear nail polish?
Busyhands94
Member
That should work, although I've tried orange nail polish I pilfered from Ma' and it worked just fine.
BSA1
member
How long can I reasonably expect to keep the gun in this loaded state before I will need to pull the charge and reload? A week? A month? Longer?
Probably the most noted gunfighter of his era was Wild Bill Hickok who was reported to fired his revolvers daily, cleaned them and put fresh loads in them. When asked why he did this he reportedly said that when a man needed his guns he needed to be sure they would fire so he wanted to be very sure (I am badly parphasing him as I don't have have references handy). And this was in the middle of the U.S. far from a ocean.
So the question is how sure do you want to be? This is something only you can determine through trial and error.
Also it isn't just the powder in your gun you need to worry about but also the BP in the can and how it is stored.
Probably the most noted gunfighter of his era was Wild Bill Hickok who was reported to fired his revolvers daily, cleaned them and put fresh loads in them. When asked why he did this he reportedly said that when a man needed his guns he needed to be sure they would fire so he wanted to be very sure (I am badly parphasing him as I don't have have references handy). And this was in the middle of the U.S. far from a ocean.
So the question is how sure do you want to be? This is something only you can determine through trial and error.
Also it isn't just the powder in your gun you need to worry about but also the BP in the can and how it is stored.
kBob
Member
Levi
you shot your '63 pocket remmie under water?
Zounds! BTW what load do you use with the conicals cast from the little brass mold?
Back on topic if not a ziplock bag how about a GI ammo can of some sort
with desicant pack?
Boat or not I am not seeing much difficulty here.
I am sitting here looking at some single aught buck and Ill bet either the pedersoli or the Indian 20 gauge with a hefty charge of holy black behind ten or a dozen or so of these little balls in each barrel could get someones attention across the width of a small yatch..
FOr that mater any of the smooth bore .54, .58, .62 or .69 calibers (28 to 16 gauge) single shots might beat the heck out of shouting and shaking a finger at a bad guy. Back in the 1980's when there was some danger of boat jacking in the gulf I recommended to someone they look into one of the stainless/ brushed nickled Mariner type pump 12 gauge guns to repell boarders and a stainless Mini 14 or .30 carbine (if it was proven reliable) to discourage folk that might be threatening from a distance. He went with the shotgun and carbine BTW as he was very experienced with the carbine and did shoot several hundred rounds through the stainless to ensure it worked well enough to suit him then he added a High cap 9x19 crunch-n-ticker for himself and a 6 inch barreled .357 Mag revolver for the spousal unit.
But the OP is in a marina and not out on the flats somewhere being threatened by drug runners. If a BP handgun is what he is comfortable with let us help him make it work as best as it can for him.
-kBob
you shot your '63 pocket remmie under water?
Zounds! BTW what load do you use with the conicals cast from the little brass mold?
Back on topic if not a ziplock bag how about a GI ammo can of some sort
with desicant pack?
Boat or not I am not seeing much difficulty here.
I am sitting here looking at some single aught buck and Ill bet either the pedersoli or the Indian 20 gauge with a hefty charge of holy black behind ten or a dozen or so of these little balls in each barrel could get someones attention across the width of a small yatch..
FOr that mater any of the smooth bore .54, .58, .62 or .69 calibers (28 to 16 gauge) single shots might beat the heck out of shouting and shaking a finger at a bad guy. Back in the 1980's when there was some danger of boat jacking in the gulf I recommended to someone they look into one of the stainless/ brushed nickled Mariner type pump 12 gauge guns to repell boarders and a stainless Mini 14 or .30 carbine (if it was proven reliable) to discourage folk that might be threatening from a distance. He went with the shotgun and carbine BTW as he was very experienced with the carbine and did shoot several hundred rounds through the stainless to ensure it worked well enough to suit him then he added a High cap 9x19 crunch-n-ticker for himself and a 6 inch barreled .357 Mag revolver for the spousal unit.
But the OP is in a marina and not out on the flats somewhere being threatened by drug runners. If a BP handgun is what he is comfortable with let us help him make it work as best as it can for him.
-kBob
BHP FAN
Member
''But the OP is in a marina and not out on the flats somewhere being threatened by drug runners. If a BP handgun is what he is comfortable with let us help him make it work as best as it can for him...''
best post yet. thanks for keeping us on track, KBob!
best post yet. thanks for keeping us on track, KBob!
MCgunner
Member
I recently ran an experiment. I loaded 2 cylinders, one with wax over ball and nipples, one with clear fingernail polish over nipple and ball. I let them sit up 3 months in the garage. The wax hangfired a couple, but all fired. The nail polish fired with no hangfires.
Now, I live in Corpus Christi and it's humid all year down here, just as hot and humid ans Florida. I did this in the fall, started about early November, shot 'em out early February. I've decided that if I were to rely on a cap and ball (don't have to, have modern firearms) I would do BOTH nail polish, then wax just the nipples. Why? Well, on my navy, the wax did keep the caps from falling into the hammer after firing. That's a pretty good deal right there as this is a hazard with open tops.
Now, I live in Corpus Christi and it's humid all year down here, just as hot and humid ans Florida. I did this in the fall, started about early November, shot 'em out early February. I've decided that if I were to rely on a cap and ball (don't have to, have modern firearms) I would do BOTH nail polish, then wax just the nipples. Why? Well, on my navy, the wax did keep the caps from falling into the hammer after firing. That's a pretty good deal right there as this is a hazard with open tops.
HAHAHA... given the modern alternatives, IDK why anyone would trust their life to a BP gun! Srsly. Get a $200 shotgun and throw some buckshot in there. Done deal.
I can see the headlines now. "Man kills intruder with muzzleloading flintlock dueling pistol". Thats like a gold star on your man card, but geez its ludicrous.
I can see the headlines now. "Man kills intruder with muzzleloading flintlock dueling pistol". Thats like a gold star on your man card, but geez its ludicrous.
SixxshootinSam
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- Aug 13, 2010
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Have you not read the entire thread sloop? I thought we were already past the 'durrr buy a modern gun hurrr" part. some people's kids....
BHP FAN
Member
on a boat, especially a live aboard there's not a lot of room. my dad, after a nasty divorce lived some of his last years aboard a boat down at Black Point. He left most all of his guns up north with me, keeping only his NAA [cartridge] mini revolver.that's about all he had room for. Oh sure, he could have bought a Mossberg PGO shotgun, or a decent used S&W, but he was broke...after a divorce broke. he already owned the tiny revolver, and the threat level was low. I don't know that he made the right choice, but it was his choice to make.
MCgunner
Member
It's a Jersey thing, right?
I just got through watching South Park. Funny thing, I read this post and was hearing it in Eric Cartman's voice.
W
Sure keep your BP gun in your boat and hope it goes off when you need it. Don't come back and complain when you had to beat some drugged out fool over the head with it when it FTF.
No I didn't read the entire thread because the OP post was pretty out there, all things considered.
Heck i'd rather have a single shot TC encore/contender in like .22LR than a BP gun. At least you can be reasonably sure the thing will go off. If it doesnt you can quickly toss another round in.
Sure keep your BP gun in your boat and hope it goes off when you need it. Don't come back and complain when you had to beat some drugged out fool over the head with it when it FTF.
No I didn't read the entire thread because the OP post was pretty out there, all things considered.
Heck i'd rather have a single shot TC encore/contender in like .22LR than a BP gun. At least you can be reasonably sure the thing will go off. If it doesnt you can quickly toss another round in.
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Tinpan58
Member
If you were to shoot a howdah on a boat, make sure you aim above the water line. I have a howdah make a cartridge using rolling papers, put 3 .319 balls and some lead scraps from casting in there melt some candle wax to hold it all together fold the top and glue it to a dime sized piece of cardboard and ram it on-top of a .600 ball, 35 grains of 777 ff. At close range ouch! game over. But have reliability issues with the howdah cci caps no go, remington fires most of the time, going to have to try some of those tc nipples or maybe the cci magnum.
Where I live in so, cal, I load up cylinders all the time and leave them uncapped some have been sitting for up to 2 months that way, never had a problem, I also keep a couple loaded cap remmys all the time, never had a problem. Make cartridges some sitting for probably 3 months never had a problem. I go shooting 2 times a month, but now I have 12 guns and 17 extra cylinders so some sit for awhile with powder and balls in them. But living on a boat salt air dose bad thing to stuff, you need to experiment.
Where I live in so, cal, I load up cylinders all the time and leave them uncapped some have been sitting for up to 2 months that way, never had a problem, I also keep a couple loaded cap remmys all the time, never had a problem. Make cartridges some sitting for probably 3 months never had a problem. I go shooting 2 times a month, but now I have 12 guns and 17 extra cylinders so some sit for awhile with powder and balls in them. But living on a boat salt air dose bad thing to stuff, you need to experiment.
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bubba15301
Member
Tinpan58 that .454 ball will go thru wall and thru someone elses. do some penetration tests i think you may be surprised at the penetration of the roundball
BHP FAN
Member
lead balls from a cap and ball gun killed plenty of stuff before they came up with cartridges, and they will surprise you, for both penetration and power.
Tinpan58
Member
You are absolutely right bubba I don’t Know for sure what that ball might do, and I hope I never have to find out, so I deleted that comment from my post.
Voodoochile
Member
I agree with the statements of using the weapon of choice as often as one can to keep familiarity & proficiency up but I see the OP's reasoning as well.
First, after you clean your weapon, use 91% rubbing alcohol with a patch to get any moisture out of the weapons barrel as possible, then a dry patch, & then wait 5 minutes before loading.
Second what I would suggest is to use real Black Powder, there are many firearms found still loaded from the Civil War that will still fire the shot with no issues today.
Third is a dry over powder wad or card, this way there is no lube from the wad that can contaminate the powder from long term storage.
Patched Round Ball or Shot of at least BB size.
Since this is a single shot or doubble barrel, after the projectile I would load a lube pill over the projectile.
Now with loading it this way there will be no place that moisture will get into the powder charge & all you have to worry about is the primer.
I would suggest a good make of caps like Remington & seat it onto the cone then you can do one of two things to seal this.
(1) WAX over the cap where its skirt is onto the cone.
(2) finger nail polish over the cap where its skirt is onto the cone.
Either one of these methods will make the round that you loaded just as water proof as modern ammunition & as long as you have good caps "which I would seal the unsused ones in it's tin in a ziploc baggie with a desicant pack."
Loading my Pietta 1860 Army in a similar manner when I was in college I didn't have the chance to fire it for over a year & I would even go out with it to do some farm work which on one occasion it was in the rain with me but after all that it still fired all 5 chambers with the same authority as if I had loaded it that day.
First, after you clean your weapon, use 91% rubbing alcohol with a patch to get any moisture out of the weapons barrel as possible, then a dry patch, & then wait 5 minutes before loading.
Second what I would suggest is to use real Black Powder, there are many firearms found still loaded from the Civil War that will still fire the shot with no issues today.
Third is a dry over powder wad or card, this way there is no lube from the wad that can contaminate the powder from long term storage.
Patched Round Ball or Shot of at least BB size.
Since this is a single shot or doubble barrel, after the projectile I would load a lube pill over the projectile.
Now with loading it this way there will be no place that moisture will get into the powder charge & all you have to worry about is the primer.
I would suggest a good make of caps like Remington & seat it onto the cone then you can do one of two things to seal this.
(1) WAX over the cap where its skirt is onto the cone.
(2) finger nail polish over the cap where its skirt is onto the cone.
Either one of these methods will make the round that you loaded just as water proof as modern ammunition & as long as you have good caps "which I would seal the unsused ones in it's tin in a ziploc baggie with a desicant pack."
Loading my Pietta 1860 Army in a similar manner when I was in college I didn't have the chance to fire it for over a year & I would even go out with it to do some farm work which on one occasion it was in the rain with me but after all that it still fired all 5 chambers with the same authority as if I had loaded it that day.
Billy Shears
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By that logic, you should get a sword. Millions more were killed by swords for century after century before firearms were invented.
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