First outing with my Uberti 58 New Army

[jon_in_wv]

Well I took my Uberti Remington 58 New Army out for its first trip to the range today. I learned a few things.
1. Don't leave the bore butter in your bag while you shoot you M69 trainer on a 90 degree day then try to shoot your New Army. It was melted into a liquid. Luckily the range office has a freezer in it so I could cool it off and get some shooting done.

2. A cap a ball revolver is a BLAST to shoot. It was really fun. The boom, the smoke, the recoil, even the process of loading it was all a good time. I think I'm hooked.

3. The bore butter the guy at the gun shop sold me was MESSY. I definitely want to find something that will stay a little stiffer and easier to work with. I'll try Crisco next.

4. If you don't have a loading block, GET ONE. Lucky for me I had a universal bipod with me that I clamped on to the barrel and it worked as a makeshift holder for loading.

Below is a link to a video of my first outing. You can here some local in the background commenting about the smoke I was making. Before anyone says it I KNOW I didn't have my hearing protection on then I shot the second time. Like a dummy I thought I had left them on the shooting bench and the camera was rolling so I went on anyhow. When I got back to the bench I realized my headphones were on top of my head. Where I always put them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFGar_g4oCc

 

[pohill]

Just curious - how bad was the noise with no hearing protection?

I use Crisco over the ball, or a lube pill (beeswax, paraffin and Bore Butter) under the ball, but a few weeks ago I tried an odd-ball lube and it worked really well: I used the vegetable spray PAM on the cylinder pin of my Paterson, a gun that locks up tight after 3 or 4 shots without a good lube pill.
Now, I haven't done any scientific experiments with the PAM so I can't say it'll work for anyone else, or that it's even safe (try at your own risk) but I was wondering if anyone else has ever tried it. Basically it can't be much different from Bore Butter.

 

[Voodoochile]

Welcome to the dark side of the shooting bench it sure looks like you had a good day of it.
I've never used a loading block & untill recently have never thought of using a cylinder loader till I got the one from Powder inc., I've always loaded the old fashioned way till I got that.

As far as hearing protection goes, we all do it but as long as we don't do it that often then no damage done, sometimes I'll run a Mag a cylinder, or a few rounds through without hearing protection on to give my subconcience a little knowledge of what to expect when I drop the hammer on that Deer or if I ever needed to defend my home.

 

[Tomahawk674]

Nice video, the shots sound really good for some reason (boom and echo effect or whatnot).

I don't bother with Crisco or any of that; I've been using lubed felt wads over the powder and after dozens of shots the gun isn't a mess by any means. I'm also using 777 so that may have something to do with it.

 

[mykeal]

PAM can burn and become difficult to remove without heavy scrubbing; as to whether or not that will happen in a bp revolver is hard to say. Certainly the temperature behind the ball is sufficient, but whether it gets blown out the muzzle before it heats up is problematic.

The other possible down side is that it can break down outside the can over a long period of time - I don't think it actually goes rancid but it does get a bit funky.

I'd keep using it if it's working, but be sure to thoroughly clean it out before storage.

 

[gw1894]

Nice shooting! Judging by the recoil it looked like a fairly strong load - what type powder and how many grains didja use?

Incidentally, I just shot my Pietta 1858 target last week while up in Maine. Have a few videos posted of that on youtube as well - http://www.youtube.com/user/Falvator

Videos aren't as good as yours, but my nephew wanted to see me shoot the thing so we just took a few quick vids.

Funny story - after putting a box of .38s thru my 1894 Marlin, we went swimming. Some out of town guy from several hundred yards down the shore paddled over in his canoe and just kinda sat there staring for a moment. After I said 'hello', he was all "were you guys shooting a rifle?" I said yeah, a few minutes ago. And he was like "well I'm glad it stopped... other people live around here." I said "oh, well sorry about that" and he paddled off. Mind you this is a rural location, shooting is common, we were shooting in a safe direction and not breaking any laws.

When my friend's brother came down and heard about the whiney canoeist, he was p*ssed! I'd planned on breaking-in the Pietta up at his cabin a little bit later, but he was so indignant about it that he insisted I load up the revolver - said if I didn't he'd go get one of his guns!

We shot off about 42 rounds I guess. Tons of fun! Loading was easy and not a pain at all with the loading stand. We didn't have targets handy so we shot an old cooler lid and a section of fiber-board. The 26 grains of APP were so mild, a few rounds didn't even make it thru both layers of plastic, they just rattled around in there.

I was satisfied with the accuracy. Wasn't trying real hard and didn't have a bullseye to put the sights on, but from a rest I had a 3/6 cloverleaf from maybe 25 feet.

This was my first time shooting BP, and I'm totally hooked! I haven't been to a local range in a few years - based on the expense of ammo/range time, and the fact that the range I used to go to only allows centerfire rifles to be shot at 100 yards. Fine for scoped long rifles, but it wasn't much fun for me, being fairly new to shooting and only having a couple short barreled carbines with iron sights.

Needless to say, I plan on getting to the range more often now that I have a couple remington repros.

Oh, and the whiney canoeist didn't come back to complain again.

 

[jon_in_wv]

The first few shots I was using 25 grains of Pyrodex. I used 30 for the second part. Recoil wasn't bad. It just rocked nicely back in my hand.

The BP revolver makes more of a low boom than my 9mms but I definitely wouldn't wan tto shoot it much without my hearing protection.

The acoustics where I shoot make the report sound really cool. The range is nestled into a valley and the sound echos back at you. The 50 cal inlines sound ridiculous. I thought it was a cannon going off at first.

 

[1858rem]

pam smells good too, ill try it out Friday. but a can would probably be inconvenient anywhere but the shooting bench... but if it works it might be worth it. i wonder how Teflon, like on cooking pans, would work.... takes a lot of heat very well, and i guess its permanent cause you don't have to keep puttin it on, you just buy it already coated, and it lasts. btw nice pics gonna check out the vid in a sec too. 777 can be tricky sometimes, far as attaining good/consistent accuracy. 27g seems a good load 35g and up are lots of fun too.

 

[Sagetown]

joh in wv, that was a great flick. I've never noticed my 60 rocking like that, but watching you, its bound to have, cause I've used up to 40gr of Pyrodex in times past.
Sage

 

[mtngunr]

On hearing protection, damage happens with every unprotected shot....period...it's cumulative.

On lubes, simply buy beeswax, melt it in your microwave, and add olive or vegetable oil...let cool and check consistancy....if too stiff, add more oil...if too soft, add more wax....this varies by season....I don't recommend any petroleum by-product, whether petrolatum (vaseline) or pariffin.....organics work much better...ever tried seasoning a skillet with a petroleum product?

Was just out today shooting some BP loads in my .45 Colt sheriff's model....also tonight.....those things really light up the countryside, and the boom echoes for miles.....fun stuff, blackpowder....deadly stuff.....glad to see other folk having fun.

 

[jon_in_wv]

Thank You Sagetown. I'm finally trying to use a little editing to make my vids look a little better.

I'm not sure what you guys are talking about the recoil. I thought it was a real pussycat. You can see the powder sitting on the bench in the first part of the video. It was 25gr for the first part and 30 for the second. Thats all.

I was probably just letting the gun rock back and it exaggerated the look of the recoil. It wasn't really that bad.

 

[Sagetown]

jon in wv wrote: I was probably just letting the gun rock back and it exaggerated the look of the recoil. It wasn't really that bad.

I'll buy that, cause you look stouter than I am, so when I saw that, I thought ~ Wow ! what's he shootin?

Sage

 

[pohill]

As far as the PAM - it was one of those "what the heck" type things. I had thought about it for quite awhile but never tried it. The Paterson is about the worst fouling BP gun that I own. Without lube pills I cannot shoot all five rounds off without it grinding to a halt. I was out of lube pills, so I tried the PAM. It was amazing - the cylinder never stopped rotating due to fouling.

 

[Smokin_Gun]

Without lube pills I cannot shoot all five rounds off without it grinding to a halt.

Pohill, fer the Ell of it try a tiny bottle with a squirt like a Vizene bottle of water keep it in yur pocket. When you fire 5 shots in that Paterson squirt the cyl. pin when you load it, turn the cyl. anbd it should run free. Got that trick from Wayner... and it works.

Well I took my Uberti Remington 58 New Army out for its first trip to the range today.

Jon good choice on the Uberti 1858 Rem.44. Sounds like you had a fun and that's what it's all about. Definately do the lube pills and use the bore butter or if more frugel like me, Olive/Soy Oil at yur Super market for a lube.

SG

 

[g.willikers]

On a tip from one of the forums, I tried wads (between powder and ball) made from gasket paper, the type from the autoparts store. They can be cut to size using cylindrical cutters available from hardware stores.
Using 777, it seems to be as good as the felt wads. About the same accuracy and general results.
They seem to work as well dry as lightly lubed, too.
Very easy clean up, no mess and really cheap.
That's all I use now.

 

[sundance44s]

Here in the South on hot days I use a home brew crisco / Beeswax mix for a over ball lube in the winter cheap crisco ....I don`t like my lube running all over my gun leather ...Normally I only lube over the first ball in line to be fired ..it will leave behind enought lube for the other shots ...Might take lubeing over 2 chambers if the gun is new .

 

[jon_in_wv]

Where the heck are you guys getting beeswax? Is there a commercial source? Do you think its acceptable to use the lube over a wad and behind the ball rather than over the end of the chamber. It is so messy when I shoot.

 

[arcticap]

Some outfits sell firm wads that are already impregnated with lube that are placed behind the ball. (Cabela's sells some already lubed).
Lube pills are put behind the ball too, although folks have tried putting them in front of the ball and reported lesser results.

See post #7 for one example:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=249746&highlight=lube+pills+ingredients+recipe

So if you want to try putting lube behind the ball, it's an experiment where you're in control and you can judge the performance results for yourself.

Bulk Beeswax is sold by 100's of outfits. Just Google beeswax and keep clicking on producer's websites until you find the best price.
Maybe you can find some on ebay if you can't find it locally. Look up the names of local beekeepers or local honey suppliers.

Here's some outfits:

http://www.ingredientstodiefor.com/item.php?item_id=197&category_id=37

http://www.rudyshoney.com/beeswax-candles.htm

http://www.beeswaxco.com/multipurposeWax.htm

 

[jon_in_wv]

I just bought a pound of beeswax off ebay. That should last a little while.

 

[Pulp]

jon, enjoyed the video. But one little very nitpicky comment. You might consider moving the bottle of Pyrodex a bit farther away from where you were shooting. A stray spark could generate some serious stray sparks.

I noticed you found a couple of hot caps in the palm of your hand too. Been there, done that. Still got one little scar.

 

[1858rem]

funny question, kinda...but are you sure your using pyrodex? cause thats a can of 777 sittin on the bench right next to ya, and 777 would kick a bit more w/25-30g of powder. just wondering

 

[jon_in_wv]

Yeah, it was 777 and I KNOW It could have been a little further away. It was tightly capped though. I'm new to BP shooting so I may need a little help with my terminology. THanks, 1858REM,

I was waiting for someone to chime in about the powder. One more thing no one noticed is that on both cylinders I had to stop shooting and get a spent cap off of my hand. When I cleaned the gun I noticed that one of the nipples wasn't installed properly. I took it out, inspected it and put it back in. All is well now.

 

[Pulp]

"I noticed you found a couple of hot caps in the palm of your hand"

Wanna bet???

I got a new blister today, first time shooting a new '51Navy and sure enough, off came a cap and rolled right down into the palm of my hand.

 

[jon_in_wv]

Pulp, You your the first to notice. I actually found out when I cleaned the gun that one of the nipples was not screwed in all the way. I screwed it in and the problem was solved. I posted another video on Youtube of me shooting my 58 again. No hot caps on my hand this time!!