Carl N. Brown
Member
Another point is that a lot of actual Rebel revolver frames were made of bell metal (another bronze alloy similar to gunmetal tougher than pure brass). Church bells were collected for the purpose. The genuine Rebel "brass" revolvers were often made in simplified versions of 1851, 1858 or completely different designs in small lots of a few hundred.
Gun powder was a problem for the Rebel side in the unCivil War. There was enough cottage industry BP production for seasonal hunting purposes. Military production required drives to collect urine for nitrates (much like WWII drives to collect used kitchen oil to make explosives). The urine collection drives included ditties about patriotic Southern belles raising their skirts to shoot Yankees.
I got into cap'n'ball kits early in the 1970s- "colonial belt pistol", pepper box, deringer, CVA Kentucky rifle.
I mail-ordered a cheap FIE 1851 brass frame .36 revolver and bought used a cheap FIE 1858 brass frame .44 revolver. I remember reading warnings at the time to not use heavy loads in brass framed replicas. I loaded mine light, about 2/3rds the load specified for a steel frame replica. I rammed .375" balls in the .36 revolver cylinder, .452" balls in the .44, topped the chambers off with Crisco. They eventually shot loose. I used them in the black powder cartridge matches at the gun club until I developed BP loads for my Ruger .357, C96 Mauser, and Webley Mark IV cut for .45 AR.
Gun powder was a problem for the Rebel side in the unCivil War. There was enough cottage industry BP production for seasonal hunting purposes. Military production required drives to collect urine for nitrates (much like WWII drives to collect used kitchen oil to make explosives). The urine collection drives included ditties about patriotic Southern belles raising their skirts to shoot Yankees.
I got into cap'n'ball kits early in the 1970s- "colonial belt pistol", pepper box, deringer, CVA Kentucky rifle.
I mail-ordered a cheap FIE 1851 brass frame .36 revolver and bought used a cheap FIE 1858 brass frame .44 revolver. I remember reading warnings at the time to not use heavy loads in brass framed replicas. I loaded mine light, about 2/3rds the load specified for a steel frame replica. I rammed .375" balls in the .36 revolver cylinder, .452" balls in the .44, topped the chambers off with Crisco. They eventually shot loose. I used them in the black powder cartridge matches at the gun club until I developed BP loads for my Ruger .357, C96 Mauser, and Webley Mark IV cut for .45 AR.