My Cap & Ball Revolver Collection

[tpelle]

Modest and nothing unusual, but I like 'em.



The two 1860 Army replicas are date code CH (on the left) and CI.

The Remington is date code CD.

The 1851 Navy, my "problem child" (see http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=737688), is date code CL, and is only a few weeks old.

I think I have the 1851 pretty well sorted out now, at least as far as mechanical functioning, and assembly/disassembly issues. Haven't shot it yet, but today may be the day.

I really like these cap-and-ball revolvers. Making them work with some measure of reliability takes knowledge, technique, judicious selection of components, and sometimes a little shade-tree gunsmithing, whereas a "modern" firearm means just stuffing the thing with the right ammo and pulling the trigger......Ho hum.

 

[whughett]

Real nice start............like Lays potato chips can't have just one.

 

[BowerR64]

Nice collection!

Looks like you favor the colts?

I really like the color and finish of the newer grips. I like the dark red and i like that they arnt layered with a ton of clear coat. I have a couple of newer ones like your with the same color and finish ont he grips and i love how they feel.

careful sitting your guns on bare concrete like that, you will be kicking yourself when you nick em up.

 

[Hellgate]

The 1860 Armies are the most graceful, beautiful revolvers ever designed. My C&B collection is down to "only 15 or so" 36s & 44s. I've owned 38 over the years but those I didn't shoot much were sold.

 

[BHP FAN]

not enough Remmies...but the Colt 1860 Army .44 is one of the most elegant revolvers ever made.

 

[jaxenro]

Nice collection

 

[RPRNY]

Needs a Walker or Dragoon next! Looking good.

 

[tpelle]

Each to his own, I guess. I bought the Remington to see what all the fuss was about, and while I admit I do like its better sights, and its more modern and businesslike look, overall I prefer the Colt pattern. One of the biggest advantage to the Colt design is the ease of cleaning. I just push the wedge out (if you have to drive it out, then you need to take a file to it) and remove the barrel and cylinder and drop 'em in a pan of hot water. Wipe the frame down and hit the recoil shield with a wet toothbrush, then use a rod and patch to pump water through the bore and cylinder. Dry everything off. Oil it with Ballstol, and reassemble.

The design of the Remington makes it impossible to pump the water through the bore unless you first remove the grips and detail strip the frame first, since the whole grip end of the frame has to go into a bucket.

On my Colts I find it unnecessary to do a detail strip every time I shoot, so why go to the trouble. I can't believe that they did that "back in the day".

 

[bannockburn]

I have one of the "newer" Colt Model 1860 that they came out with awhile back. Still one the most stylish designs of any revolver from the black powder era.

 

[huey148]

I bought one of the 1851 Navys from Cabelas this past summer when they had the sale that included the starter kit... Its been solid out of the box.. Guess I am lucky like that... I have been shooting using 15 grains or so just to be safe without any issues so far.... Next purchase will be a self measuring flask to make loading faster... then the dragoon!.. Gotta love these "old" guns

 

[EljaySL]

Time to go big or go small... or both! Get a Walker and a pocket Colt or Remington and then fill in from the edges.

 

[tpelle]

Been lusting after a pocket Remington, but I hear stories of the loading levers breaking. But they are a lot smaller than the pocket Colts.

 

[Hanshi]

I love those c&b pistols but am currently without one and I don't like it.

 

[swathdiver]

Been lusting after a pocket Remington, but I hear stories of the loading levers breaking. But they are a lot smaller than the pocket Colts.

Not with soft lead and properly sized balls. Trying to stuff a .330 into a .315 chamber would stress a loading lever if not break the screw first. Use .319 or .320 balls and you'll be fine.

I prefer to reload them off the frame anyway. I had Dick Dastardly custom make me a jag and arbor pin for a Remington New Model Pocket for use with the Tower of Powder cylinder loading stand.

 

[EljaySL]

The lever doesn't look that robust and with the Remington design usually I'm popping the cylinder out occasionally to relube the pin anyway so loading off the gun isn't a big deal.

I have the same loader. Just used a .31 jag for the top - it takes regular jags which is very handy. For the bottom pin I've just been holding it by hand. It's not ideal, and probably at some point I'll measure the thread and whip something together.

Anyway, it's CRAZY small and it shoots pretty well (but high). Definitely fun to bring to the range now and again.

 

[Skinny 1950]

I fell in love with the 1851 Navy then the 1849 Pocket then the 1860 Army then the 1873 SAA then the 1911...where will it end???

 

[BowerR64]

I fell in love with the 1851 Navy then the 1849 Pocket then the 1860 Army then the 1873 SAA then the 1911...where will it end???

It ends when you say i love looking in my gun safe full of guns!

 

[kBob]

On the pocket Remington I load the hard buckshot I salvage from 12 gauge shells off the frame using a rubber mallet as a starter. I just hammer those puppies in level so as to allow me to put the cylinder back in the gun and then finish loading with the loading lever (the bullets having been sized by the hammering) and then cap.

Tried to get Busyhands to make a larger version of the pliers loader for the NAA mini revolvers BP models to fit the Remington, but he seems to have other things going these days

Still have not chronoed either the Remmie or a Colt '49.

-kBob

 

[Crawdad1]

Great collection!!! I'm like you I love the Colts. Just reading the history of them and all the fights they were in both civilian and military dating back to the mid to late 1830's is enough for me.

 

[BullSlinger]

Kbob, I really like the idea of a loading pliers for the 31/32 cal cylinders. If you get him to make one or more I would be interested.

 

[tpelle]

On the pocket Remington I load the hard buckshot I salvage from 12 gauge shells off the frame using a rubber mallet as a starter. I just hammer those puppies in level so as to allow me to put the cylinder back in the gun and then finish loading with the loading lever (the bullets having been sized by the hammering) and then cap.

Tried to get Busyhands to make a larger version of the pliers loader for the NAA mini revolvers BP models to fit the Remington, but he seems to have other things going these days

Still have not chronoed either the Remmie or a Colt '49.

-kBob

Musta' discovered girls.

 

[Dframe]

Nice collection. My inclination is nearly always to go for the unusual so mine includes a couple of Rogers & Spencers, a Spiller & Burr, and a second generation Colt Pocket Police.