Just entering the world of cap and ball

[beeenbag]

Ok guys, I have obtained a steel frame pietta 1858. It will be here tomorrow, I have the cabelas starter kit that came with it, picked up some 11 caps (did not have any 10s) got a brass powder flask with a 25g spout. I picked up some 777 fffg, and some bore butter.

My question is, am I missing anything that will make my life easier or make my shooting more pleasurable? I plan on seeing if the balls that come in the kit work well or not then going from there on purchasing more, or maybe a mold.

 

[Willie Sutton]

A bag to carry it all to the range in, and you ought to be more or less set for a while. These things are not particulary hard to load and shoot.

I would suggest that you grab some real black powder though. You'll do OK with that, uhh... "fake stuff" but the real stuff is mo-better.

The caps will be the big thing. Each manufacturer of caps is a little different and sometimes it takes a bit of time to figure out what fits best. I'm not a "Pietta Man" so others can opine on what caps fit 'em best. A push-stick to fully seat your caps will be a help, all you really need is a wooden dowel to shove 'em on good and firmly.


Have a ball, the 'Remmie copies are always my advice for a first cap and ball setup, and you'll enjoy shooting it. Smear your arbor good and well with grease and shoot away.



Willie

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[Mike OTDP]

OK. Go get yourself a proper powder measure. You'll want to use a lower powder charge. And buy an empty condiment container with a nozzle - it's great for filler.

 

[kituwa]

Like someone said, get you a cpl of those ketchup and mustard squirt bottles and put powder in one and some cream of wheat in the other for filler.A small adjustable powder measure is nice. I dont use them much but some people like a capper. A remington does not work with most capers unless your gun is altered but there are a few that will work on it.And a loading stand is nice, you can make one of those yourself if your handy. After you shoot a bit you will figure out other things you might want to try. Get a big tackle box to put everything in. Do a search here for bullet lube and you can make some good lube yourself that is better than most that you can buy.Some popsicle sticks to put it on with, a few wrags,a tooth brush, nipple wrench,anti seize grease for the nipples, some of that balistol for cleaning.You dont have to run out and buy all of the things you need, much of it you can make yourself to fit your needs.When your gun gets in your going to want to tear it down and degrease the packing grease.There are some good links to deburing the insides in several places that will make your gun smoother to opperate and can reduce wear on your gun and springs. Having a tackle box makes it nice when you go to a range or if you have your own shooting place so everything you may need will be with you already. Ear plugs,tacks for your targets, tape, a marker,a note pad to make notes on, a few screw drivers in case you need to take your gun apart or tighten a screw.A remington will sooner be ready to shoot without as much tune up as a colt and also they usually shoot closer to point of aim than a colt.If you plan on hunting or roaming the woods that brass flask you got is the best way to cary powder for that as is a caper.

 

[waho]

Pick up some Hornady .454 balls, you'll see why when you get the starter kit and you can compare the two.

 

[J-Bar]

Load 5, not 6 chambers. Hammer down on the empty nipple when not shooting.

If you smoke, don't do it while loading. Keep other smokers away while you are loading, too.

Oh yeah, have fun!!!

 

[celem]

Slug your chamber and you're bore. I think you will find that a .451 ball will serve you the best with a Pieta. Also CCI number 10 caps will fit the best on a Pieta. Remington caps are a little big and will have to be pinched and loaded manually. The CCI number 10 caps can be loaded with a capper .

 

[BowerR64]

This is the best thing ive bought since ive been shooting mine. Got it at walmart for $10.

Enough bore butter to help you decide if you like it, grease for after cleaning and what ever is in the bore cleaner bottle is the best stuff ive used to clean with at the range. I keep everything in the little plastic kit and take everything with me each trip.

I usually use it when i get home as well.

 

[jimnbubba]

I use wads over my powder,put RB in and blow each cylinder with a can of compressed air,don't need bore butter hat way,use lubed wads

 

[Crawdad1]

A nipple pick and a powder measure as already said. Run the pick through both holes of the nipple after so many rounds to clear the gunk, and a powder measure to alter the load some. Then see how she shoots and start buying 'stuff' from there.

Some good 'stuff' here;

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Category.aspx/1

And here;

https://www.dixiegunworks.com/default.php?cPath=22&osCsid=9ttpdpu3rqut664l8hnqkvavr2

There are other great sites to get some good stuff that will hold up to some serious shooting. Just remember these ain't cartridge guns and you'll be working these revolvers hard. You showed good judgment in buying a good quality revolver now get good quality 'stuff' to shoot that revolver.

 

[Texas Moon]

I prefer Remington brand caps over all others.
They are made of slightly thicker metal and don't obliterate on firing like the CCI caps.
Had a lot of trouble with cap pieces getting down into the trigger/sear/hand mechanism and jamming the gun.
Once I went to Remington caps the problem greatly diminished.

I prefer to use a lubed wad between ball and powder.
The old school method of lube over the ball makes a huge mess. Lube gets blasted everywhere.

 

[Dframe]

Lots of good suggestions in prior posts.
Perhaps a nipple wrench to help with cleaning and a small package of baby butt wipes to take to range. They're great for cleaning up your hands and for thoroughly wiping down the outside of the gun at the range. Cuts WAY down on the mess and fuss when you get home.

 

[beeenbag]

A few things, the starter kit comes with a powder measure, of what quality I do not know yet, and I shoot mainly off my back porch, I live in the sticks. How much of a lead ring should be left after seating a ball? Will prolonged use using the right size ball damage the ram rod?

 

[Gatofeo]

Get .454" balls and you won't have to wonder how much of a lead ring you should create by seating the ball. Seating a .454 ball doesn't offer much more resistance over a .451 ball, but it does create a better seal.

The best container I've found for cap and ball sixgun necessities is a plastic fishing box. Get one larger than what you think you'll need, because you'll certainly fill it with other accessories down the line.
I prefer the boxes whose lid opens up and presents at least two drawers for small items. These are handy for screwdrivers, nipple wrenches, Q-tips, patches, etc.

A small 3-1/2" spray bottle will hold enough cleaning solvent for the range. I make my own cleaner with tap water, a drop of Dawn dishwashing liquid and a few drops of alcohol. The water dissolves nearly all of the black powder fouling, and the Dawn and alcohol cut the lubricants I use.

In this section, at the top, is Black Powder Essentials. Open that, and you'll find a wealth of topics for black powder shooters.
Scrutinize my posts, "So You Want a Cap and Ball Revolver?" and "Proper Use of a Cap and Ball Revolver" for much information. Others have also contributed their knowledge and experience too.
Print out these contributions, put them in a binder, and you'll have a ready source at the range and home.
Enjoy that cap and ball revolver. It's a fascinating hobby.

 

[kituwa]

Well, if your shooting from your back door it will be easy to start of with. What you have coming already will do what you need till you figure out what else you want. As long as your gun shaves any amount of a ring it will be fine. I think you will find that .454 balls will shoot best in it though. A gun that has chamfered chambers may not shave a ring at all, it swadges the ball in but a new gun will not be that way.The quality of the powder measure wont matter much to start with. Those round brass flasks with a measure for a spot,or the plastic one that comes in the starter kit, should not be used to fill the chambers. A lot of people do, but if a chamber stil has a tiny ember burning from shooting it, then it can ignite the powder when you are pouring it in making the powder flask into a hand grenade. Thats rare and i have never heard of it actually happening to someone but the possiblity exists. You are supossed to go from the flask to another measure. The first frustration you are likely to have is finding the right size caps that fit your nipples. If too tight the gun may hit the cap and not fire the first strike because the hammer just seated the cap all the way down. If too loose they will fall off. It would be nice if we could tell you a size 10 cap is what you need to fit a Pietta 1858. It doesnt work that way though because a #10 rem cap is a different size than a CCI #10 and so on. Also even if you take several guns of the same model and brand they may have different size nipples. A cpl of years ago it wasnt as big of a deal because you could find all brands of caps in #10 or #11 easily but nowdays it can be hard to find any caps at all without ordering them. The chances are your best bet will be Rem #10 for fit.Cut you a piece of wood dowel about 6 inches long to use to push your caps on the nipples to help make sure they are seated well.

 

[Pancho]

Kituwa brings up a great point about revolver shooting and that is nipples. If you find that you are being frustrated by bad fitting nipples PLEASE consult us on The High Road there is a lot of help here.
I've found that factory original nipples are crap and should be thrown away ASAP and replaced with aftermarket nipples. The Italians must use some criteria to machine their nipples but none of us have ever figured out what it is.
I've had my best fortune with Track of the Wolf, I was able to talk directly with the machinist and he was able to tell me to what cap manufacturer's cap they designed their nipples for.
My advice is to try what you have but if they are too tight and don't seat or too loose and have to be pinched don't give up on the gun replace the factory nipples with aftermarket and order them by phone asking them first what cap they recommend for their nipple.

 

[Jenrick]

A pair of needle nose pliers that fits into the hammer notch to get spent caps out. Can be the difference between calling it a day and being able to keep shooting.

-Jenrick

 

[Dframe]

Excellent point jenrick!! The really tiny needle nose pliers you can often find at the "tool table" at gunshows are great.

 

[ZVP]

Get an adjustable powder measure it makes consistant loads possible every time
Pour from the flask into the powder measure each chamber. Get a nipple prick.
Easiest to buy a plastic range box to carry tools and stuff, You will end up with all sorts of tools like a wooden dowel to push caps on. balls carry wasiwe in a range box, build or buy a loading stand. it holds the gun and you don;t spill powder/filler/ balls all over, It also makes a nice display stand. B
Buy a good nipple wrench the cheapies just break or strip.
I shoot .451 balls inmy '58s. One prefers that I use filler (Crem of whet) one dosen;t like fillers. I use a wad between the powder/filler and ball.
Remingtons are soe of the best revolvers, keep em clean and you can count on em!
HTH.
BPDave

 

[BullSlinger]

Beanbag, how did it shoot?

Just wondering if you have fired your new cap and ball revolver?
Welcome to the addiction.

 

[Armored farmer]

Beenbag
you chose a nice gun. The 8" Rem has a strong frame and nice long loading lever. I prefer to tote and shoot the 5.5" version but it has a short lever(less leverage).

I bought a nice sized plastic toolbox to keep my gun and gear in.

 

[Spitdog]

This is the most important.

Learn how to take it apart and clean it good before you shoot it.

Get good screw drivers.

Utube has some good videos on how to take apart and reassemble your revolver.

 

[BowerR64]

Slug your chamber and you're bore. I think you will find that a .451 ball will serve you the best with a Pieta. Also CCI number 10 caps will fit the best on a Pieta. Remington caps are a little big and will have to be pinched and loaded manually. The CCI number 10 caps can be loaded with a capper .

+1

This helped mine big time! it didnt make since at first but i get it now.

 

[beeenbag]

I shot all 30 of the .451 balls that came with it, settling on 26g of triple seven fffg. It shot well, I tried lubed wads between the ball and powder but it seemed to shoot a little better with no wad and over ball grease. I ordered some hornady .454 balls and will determine which I like better then buy a mold. Once I develope a load I plan on sticking with I will have to file the front sight to POA since it shoots low. Clean up wasnt as bad as expected, the wife did not like the use of the kitchen sink and the oven to dry it all up well but she understands my addiction lol. I guess I found another money pit.

 

[Armored farmer]

I guess I found another money pit.

......so true.
I have always said that b/p shooters are true gun nuts because b/p takes so much more time and knowledge and effort than simply buying a cartridge gun and a box of ammo.