Cap and ball.....What's your story?

[MCgunner]

What got you into cap and ball? This statement was made to an inquiry on another thread...

"Obviously, we all enjoy it otherwise we would not be on this forum. But most of us can trace our interest back to an incident where a friend let us shoot one of their blackpowder guns."

This got me to wondering if that's true? Me, I had only one mentor and he wasn't much of a mentor, but a room mate in College who had a ROA. I never saw the thing fired, just admired it. I only had a .22 revolver and a .22 pistol at the time for handguns. This was in 1974. I found a brass Navy at a LGS for 50 bucks, bought it, and I've been hooked since! I GUESS that SORTA follows the above quote, but I literally figured out how to load and fire that thing and all the intricacies of it on my own, never went to the range with ol' Bob as he wasn't a member. He went home to shoot, and home for him was about 50 miles, so that was every weekend.

Anyway, did someone get YOU into cap and ball? Did you just pick it up from a gun you saw or a friend who had one, or did you see one shoot first, get mentored to it? Some might be old enough to have fought in the Civil war if you listen to 'em on this board.......but I seriously doubt it. It's odd that cap and ball lasted only from the late 1840s to 1873 and there were many converted to .44 Henry or some such after the war, but yet they have such a following and interest some 140 odd years later. I mean, it was a transitional era from single shot weapons until the contained cartridge came along, didn't last long at all, yet there's an industry in the billions of dollars even today grown up around cap and ball replicas and, in two of my own guns, modern designed cap and ball. It doesn't make any logical sense, but for the FUN these guns are to load and shoot. They're oddities to others at the range, too. Always cool to be different, I guess.

 

[EljaySL]

I've been interested in BP for a while. Hadn't fired one but had seen various demonstrations since I was a kid, and lately at the range had ended up to next to a guy shooting a flintlock rifle a few times and had chatted with their owners. And then Cabelas had a great sale on the cap and ball revolvers and it just seemed like a great way to get started - not quite so slow paced as patch and ball and just fairly straightforward. Watched a bunch of YouTube videos, got the stuff, gave it a try. Had great fun with my initial outing and I'll hopefully get some kind of plains rifle for Christmas.

 

[MCgunner]

Yeah, now days, Cabelas has been the downfall of many a cap and ball convert.

 

[BCRider]

I was just getting into CAS and found an add on a Canadian gun forum site for a pair of sequential serial number Uberti '58's for a price I couldn't say "no" to. Those were my first. I've now got 4 other C&B revolvers but I think I'm going to sell the two .36's and stick with the .44cals for handgun BP shooting.

 

[Mike OTDP]

I grew up shooting BP. My father was in the North-South Skirmish Association, and shot NMLRA latches as well. Being determined to be an outstanding pistol shot, I started training at 13.

 

[brushhippie]

Shot BP with a friend when I was in the military, he got me into it, we both had the ROA, (25 years ago) now, I have an ASM Remmie an Uberti Walker and Pietta .44 brasser. Love it! Making my own powder, soon to mold the balls as well!

 

[Foto Joe]

I shot competition trap for 15 years, the last few years of which totally burned me out on ANY type of competitive shooting. I put the shotguns in the safe and only took them out a couple of times. But I missed shooting. I've owned a SAA for over thirty years but it was just a tool and I never considered it all that much fun to shoot.

Three years ago I'm looking through the Cabelas catalog and spot a '51 Confederate Navy. I liked the looks of it and knew NOTHING about it or the history of the guns that bring us to this forum.

I suggested to my wife that a particular page in the Cabelas catalog had a mark in it and that Christmas was approaching. My very observant and astute better half took the bait and in the process created a monster.

The family now includes that '51 Fake Navy, 2nd Model ASM Dragoon, '60 Pietta Sheriff, '62 Uberti Police, plus three SAA's one of which is in 44-40 as well as a '95 Marlin all of which feed on a strict diet of Black Powder.

I've immersed myself in the history of these weapons and have an outstanding respect for not only the people who's lives depended upon them in the 19th Century but the innovators who designed and built them.

Would I shoot them competitively? Nope, not my thing any more. I just enjoy making them tell me their stories.

 

[ontarget]

I bought my first just cause it looked cool. It is a '51 Navy in .44. Now I have a whole pile of various BP guns. No mentor for me either. Learned by trial/error, probably more error.(LOL)Thanks a million to everyone here for the good info I've gleaned over the past couple years.

 

[SwampMouse]

We had a 51 Navy years ago that my brother and I shot a bit. I have been a small bore long rifle hunter for about 15 years and I took interest in .36 caliber pistols to go with my rifles. I bought an 1861 four years ago and then a second one this summer. The first is reasonably accurate but the second needs some work still to develop it as a small game pistol.

I started trying to wring the ultimate accuracy out of the two pistols about a month ago and I still don't have what I consider acceptable small game accuracy at 15 yards for either one and hunting season is upon us.
SM

 

[rdstrain49]

In the mid 60s I was shooting International small bore. The rigors of that type of competition became tiresome. For what ever reason I bought a brass frame 51 Colt. Nearly 50 years later I still shoot the Holy Black. ( haven't shot small bore in about 10 years) I'm old and half crippled, but I still ride my horse most every day, and shoot some type of BP weapon even more often. If I'm not distracted building holsters, primarily for BP revolvers, I'm out shooting every day.

I'm sure that black powder is not for every one, but I think I like it. I'll let you know when I know for sure.

 

[Legionnaire]

I bought an 1848 2nd Model Dragoon to use as a visual in a presentation I gave over seven years ago. In the process, I read up on the history of the gun, and how it derived from the original 1847 Walker. But once the presentation was done, the gun got put away unfired.

Last year I was invited to reprise the presentation, and this time I decided I needed to learn how the thing actually worked. No mentor, and no previous experience, I read up on what I'd need, bought the minimum, and headed to the range.

I've been shooting and hunting regularly for 25 years. I've taken handgun courses from Mas Ayoob, InSights, and others. I took the Long Range Rifle courses at Storm Mountain. But the most fun I've had in recent years was learning how to shoot that Dragoon. Since then, I've picked up a couple of Walkers, 1858 Remingtons, and Ruger Old Armies. I have also picked up a couple of Lyman flintlock rifles. I still consider myself a newbie, though, as I shot my Dragoon for the first time less than a year ago.

And kudos to all who frequent this forum. I've learned a lot from you all. Thanks!

 

[Pancho]

In 1964 two things sparked my interest in muzzleloading. The Dixie firearms catalog that I found in a local swap shop and the Davy Crockett series created by Disney.

 

[sltm1]

17 years ago my wife picked me up a 51 brasser for Christmas. I was intrigued and went to a local sporting goods store and bough a Sam Fadalla book. That set the hook, been a fan of the "holy black" ever since. I own and enjoy shooting both repros and originals, pistols, revolvers and long guns.

 

[robhof]

I built a kit gun back in the mid 60's as a teen. It was one of those Kentucky style in 44, also my brother and I bought a .75 cal cannon barrel from DGW and built a carriage as a scout project. we actually carried it on field trips and camping and fired it. Got out of it during my 20yrs un the USAF, but was clearing out the old homestead and found the cannon with powder and fuse, we touched of a load and it fired fine, got rehooked and now 4 long guns and 5 pistols later I'm addicted.

 

[xXxplosive]

Reinacting the F&I WAR....then hunting.....then competition shooting.

 

[robert garner]

I knew what revolvers were of course, always wanted one didn't know anything about cap and ball,till my Dad gave me an ROA for Christmas,studied up and got a mold,powder and caps,it was years till I got a holster, years later sent it back to Ruger for a re-blue, what I got back was the original barrel and frame,everything else was new, grips to cylinder.
Guess who's Ruger's favorite fan? I have owned most makes and models since, none have done their jobs better. Thanks again Dad.
robert

 

[AirForceShooter]

My wife bought me a Piette Remy at a gun show.

One trip to the range and I was hooked.

Thing is bunches of fun and really gets attention

AFS

 

[MCgunner]

I started trying to wring the ultimate accuracy out of the two pistols about a month ago and I still don't have what I consider acceptable small game accuracy at 15 yards for either one and hunting season is upon us.

I don't know that you'll ever get "small game accuracy" out of a Navy. I get minute of yankee's chest accuracy out of mine, but not good enough for rabbits I'm afraid. My old '51 was of similar accuracy. The sights, or what passes for sights, don't help on those things. My Remmy '58 and my Ruger Old Army, however, are fully capable of putting a .44 caliber ball in a bunny's head at 15 yards and beyond. Perhaps you should expand your collection?

 

[Voodoochile]

My first ever hand gun that I shot was my Great Great Grandfathers 1851 Colt Navy that my Grandfather had.
I thought it was the coolest pistol around & after learning how to clean & shoot the Marlin .22 Bolt rifle I wanted to learn on that one.
Finally got to shoot it in 1978 & I was hooked ever since.

 

[Zengunfighter]

My dad LOVED the old Colt's. Growing up in the 30s-40s they were readily available.
So, he got me started at a young age, in the early 70's.

Currently have repos of a Dragoon, Navy, Army, and Pocket.
I drag them out every few years for a range session, in memory of the guy that gave me the gunbug

 

[ofitg]

Forty years ago I was in the Air Force, living in the barracks.... one of the other barracks rats showed me his repro C&B revolver, and that was what it took to get me hooked.

 

[Armored farmer]

I shot competition trap for 15 years, the last few years of which totally burned me out on ANY type of competitive shooting.

Me too 'cept more like 35yrs. I have had a AA average for almost all of those years. Unfortunately I had gotten to the point that if I didn't break a 98x100 or more I was mad at myself. Most of my shooting buddies were from my father's generation, and they were dropping like flies. i still go to some bigger shoots.

I answered an ad in the local paper for a used Uberti '58 Remington for $100.00. I have been hooked like a fish ever since. Casting balls, making lube, felt wads, etc,etc.

 

[Noz]

For those of you that have burned out on competetive shooting sports, do yourself a favor and attend a cowboy shoot.

No pressure, no prizes, no money awards. Just fun. Some of the nicest people you'll ever meet.

I was shooting Modern Class CAS several years back. I had finished my stage and had my back to the next shooter. There was a god-awful boom. I turned around to see only a hand and an 1858 Remington sticking out of a ball of smoke. I shot the next shoot with black powder and haven't looked back since.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Fired my first as a boy scout.


Didn't BUY my first cap n ball revolver until Colt came out with the "Signature Series" and I had to have one.

A year or so later I bought a Pietta 1860 "Outlaw" branded for Cabela's because the price was just too good to pass up. ($125 at a gun show).

Had always wanted a BP shotgun since my scouting days and found a Pedersoli on sale for the right price. (Think that was around the same time as the revolvers.)

Bought my Hawken to try BP hunting for the first time.

 

[Tallbald]

Well I'm not really sure just how it came about. As a teen in the 70's on a limited budget, I thought about an ROA really seriously, but Daddy was a die-hard P35, 1911, PPK and Smith 28 man. I tended to go with Daddy's love, so we could enjoy together. BP held no fascination for the main man in my life, but when Daddy passed away 1978 (God dear Daddy I love and miss you) I started to think a little more for myself where guns were concerned . Fast forward to the new century, 2005. I was looking for a new way to enjoy the sport, aside from all the Ruger .22 Single Sixes, MK2's, .357 Blackhawks,and GP100's I had accumulated. At a LGS an ROA stainless with .45 Colt conversion cylinder, Eagle buffalo horn grips, box and papers showed up for $350 out the door. Darn that was a good deal! Bought it, tweaked it and the rest is personal history. Daddy you missed out on a blast of fun, but I understand that as a child of the 40's and 5o's you had other fascinations. Me? I'd rather spend an afternoon with an ROA and a friend than burn up a brick of .22's. Reloading "on the fly" as I call it is my love. Don