Cap and ball revolver newbie

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Appalachiannative

Appalachiannative

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I might be about to win an auction for an EMF Pietta 1851 navy Colt style with an 8 inch barrel and case hardened frame. I've never had anything but muzzle loaded rifles. What kind of stuff do I need to pick up to get started? also when loading, I've noticed some people use a wool patch over the powder and others use a lubed wool patch and others put grease over the ball. Which of these is best? I'm also interested in shooting conical bullets. I know with rifles the different twists favor one type of ammo over the other. Is this the case in revolvers?
 
It’s all been debated here endlessly. Basically you need black powder, a way to measure it in smaller quantities than a rifle , say 15 to 25 grains and the proper size ball and caps. Some 36’s like .375 some .380 in round balls.
Wads and grease are optional. Sam Colt was silent on those issues in his instructions.
The grease keeps the powder fouling soft, as a rifle shooter you use some form of lube for probably the same reason.
It’s debated endlessly if it’s use prevents chain fires.

I personally use lubed wads over the powder it’s cleaner than grease over the ball.
Roundballs for me are more convenient to use and for paper punching more accurate. Personal opinion on that.
Conicals on some guns are difficult or impossible to load on gun and being longer will reduce the powder capacity also. The use of a wad will also reduce powder capacity. The ball has to seat below or flush with the chamber mouth. No endless long rifle barrel here.
 
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I recommend you read this thread:
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...r-revolver-starter-list.901017/#post-12199134

Small point, there are lots of different ways of doing things. Find what works best for you and enjoy. Lots of folks in the Black Powder Shooting Community were taught to do something a certain way and think that is their way is the only way to do it. Take what you can learn from these people but realize there are many ways of doing the same thing.

The only hard fast rule with black powder is... Never use smokeless powder in a black powder gun.
 
As far as what you actually NEED to shoot your gun, it's a pretty short list:
1. Black powder or black powder substitute
2. percussion caps
3. pure lead round ball or conical of the appropriate size
4. some way to measure your powder charge


If you want to make things easier, cleaner, potentially safer, and your shooting sessions last longer, the next things I would consider essentials are:
5. good nipple wrench
6. good set of hollow-ground screwdrivers if you don't already have them
7. suitable blackpowder lube for the arbor
8. Lubed felt wads under the ball OR lube for over the ball (or on the surface of conicals). I prefer lubed felt wads for convenience and the mess factor. Grease over the ball is very messy and IMO the bore stays cleaner using LFW.

The next things that make things nicer may be:
9. Snail capper (look at Ted Cash type)
10. Brass wedge puller/tool
11. Loading stand
12. Blackpowder solvent/moose milk/Ballistol
13. Tuning/timing/action job from Goon's or OutlawKid or @Jackrabbit1957 or another reputable tuner.

Some videos for your consideration:




 
Appalachiannative said:
I might be about to win an auction for an EMF Pietta 1851 navy Colt style with an 8 inch barrel and case hardened frame. I've never had anything but muzzle loaded rifles. What kind of stuff do I need to pick up to get started? also when loading, I've noticed some people use a wool patch over the powder and others use a lubed wool patch and others put grease over the ball. Which of these is best? I'm also interested in shooting conical bullets. I know with rifles the different twists favor one type of ammo over the other. Is this the case in revolvers?
Click to expand...

Did you win?
 
Great! Welcome to the world of black powder revolvers! Try it, see if you like it, get it tuned so it will last you a lifetime. Did you notice the shameless plug for getting it tuned? Enjoy!
 
Appalachiannative said:
Why yes I did! Only gripe I have is the poly grips but oh well at least they look like wood. I hope I got a good deal. After shipping gonna run me about $250. At least it's a case hardened frame and not brass
Click to expand...
Glad you got the 1851.:thumbup: Just curious, do you know when it was made? I am told that the newer (last 10 years or so) Pietta's do not have the short arbor issues. There is a lot of info on THR about the "short arbor" . If yours is newer then you won't have to worry about that. :thumbup: Can't wait to see to see the pictures. Z
 
Zulch said:
Glad you got the 1851.:thumbup: Just curious, do you know when it was made? I am told that the newer (last 10 years or so) Pietta's do not have the short arbor issues. There is a lot of info on THR about the "short arbor" . If yours is newer then you won't have to worry about that. :thumbup: Can't wait to see to see the pictures. Z
Click to expand...
I have no idea when it was made but its new in the box
 
Appalachiannative said:
I have no idea when it was made but its new in the box
Click to expand...
A date code should be stamped on the gun somewhere. Usually 2 alpha characters unless Pietta, like Uberti, actually started stamping them with numerals i.e. my Uberti Walker stamped 21 for 2021. Hope this helps. New in box. Awesome. :thumbup:
 
Officers'Wife said:
One reason to grease over the ball is the act tends to reduce chain fires. It's not fun having two or three cylinders go off when you were only expecting one. :(
Click to expand...
Yea I've heard of that. How likely is that to even happen? Anyone ever personally witnessed a chain fire? I've had a hang fire once so bad that my rifle went off a full three seconds after the cap. Scared the britches off me
 
I am no expert and have not experienced a chain fire. There are some that say that chain fires can be caused by using (loose fitting) percussion caps and chain fire occurs at the back of the cylinder and I've also heard that using too small a round ball can cause a chain fire at the front of the cylinder hence the grease. I use good fitting caps and a ball large enough that it shaves a nice halo of lead when loaded into the cylinder. I only use powder then lubed wad then ball.

 
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I have had one chain fire and that was when I was using prelude felt wads. I believe the main reason for chain fire is poor powder management. With the lubed felt wads an oily film was on the face of the cylinder. Powder would stick to it. I believe the excess powder on the cylinder ignited and set off the other cylinder. I can’t prove that. I no longer use lubed felt wads. I have changed my loading style. Powder, cardboard wad made from cereal boxes, a small amount of soy wax, then the ball. After the cardboard wad is inserted in the cylinder and rammed down I blow on the cylinder to remove any extra powder, then add the soy wax. I have not had a chain fire since changing to this system.
 
I've had several myself, one recently due to loose caps and spilled powder. Last one was with a ASM Walker, it also blew out 2 nipples in the same event one of which hit me in the lip. That one was due to poorly fitted threads on the nipples. I put hotshot nipples on it and it's never happened again.
 
Jackrabbit1957 said:
I've had several myself, one recently due to loose caps and spilled powder. Last one was with a ASM Walker, it also blew out 2 nipples in the same event one of which hit me in the lip. That one was due to poorly fitted threads on the nipples. I put hotshot nipples on it and it's never happened again.
Click to expand...
Hotshot nipples?
 
Thompson Center made a #11 nipple with a hole in the side for their guns called a Hotshot nipple. When my Walker got into the habit of blowing nipples out of the back of the cylinder I bought 6 of them and rethreaded the holes to accept the Hotshots. This cured the problem. Slick shot nipples are pretty much the same thing.
 
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