No Lube?!

[steelbird]

Hey Dwave,

You don't have to go to extremes to get that cylinder pin off. Had the same problem with my 58, and I found that using a shot of CVA's Barrel Blaster at either end of the cylinder helped to loosen it up without having to beat on it.

 

[Foto Joe]

This has been one of those posts that has been extremely educational.

I'm one of those Crisco people but I'm startin' to re-think this whole thing. Last week I finally got around to loading 45LC with black powder, needless to say my days of smokeless are behind me now.

I stuck an Ox-Yoke dry-lubed wad between powder and ball with 33gr 3f in the 45LC brass. I only shot 12 rounds to test my loads but the difference in what happened to the gun versus using Crisco was astounding. Lots of soot on the cylinder but that was about it. The barrel cleaned up VERY easily using Moose Milk (Ballistol 50/50 with water).

Submersing a Peacemaker in water means full dis-assembly if I clean it the way I do my CB revolvers so using Moose Milk has its advantages.

I guess I'm gonna have to forget the Crisco on my next outing with the CB's and see what happens. I think I'm still going to lube the arbor with Ballistol though. I've never had a binding problem with a Colt Replica using this method and it's not the mess that Crisco causes.

Anybody out there load cartridges without "ANY" lube between the powder and ball?? I think that will be my next experiment with the 45LC and maybe I'll get a few more grains in it.

 

[Hellgate]

Foto Joe,
You will need to get a bullet with large lube carrying capacity. See biglube.com
I don't work for theguy.

 

[sonier]

Ive shot my 357 magnum python with BP loads there fun to shoot but i did have issues with blackpowder getting in the cylinders on the case walls, and making it rather annoying to get the shells out. the lube wad between bullet and powder sounds like a great idea though, ill have to try it

 

[arcticap]

When it comes to lube, it doesn't have to be all or nothing. Placing just a little bit in a chamber or two could be good enough to keep it running.

 

[dwave]

You are probably right steelbird, but I live in the middle of no and where, and I wasn't going to go anywhere for something to get the pin out. I tapped it alternatively on each side and it slowly worked its way out.

 

[BHP FAN]

I load my .45 LC with 30 gr.3f Goex , a cork or fiber gasket, a Wonder Wad, and a 230 gr RNFP home cast lead bullet.

 

[mykeal]

When it comes to lube, it doesn't have to be all or nothing. Placing just a little bit in a chamber or two could be good enough to keep it running.

Very wise counsel, well worth considering.

 

[Bluehawk]

This morning I came across another Colt patent (from England) dated 1860...the details of which are an interesting invention of a collection of small tools used in conjunction with the frame/barrel assy. of what appears to be the Colt 1860 Army revolver, (cylinder removed), for reloading metallic cartridges. In other words...using the revolver frame and rammer as a reloading press!!!!! In the description/instructions it mentions using a lubed wad between powder and "ball" (showing a conical bullet). This is the first time I have seen mention of lubrication but it is for a self-contained metallic cartridge...not cap & ball loading!
Colts .45 caliber cartridge used 40 grains of powder under a 250 grain bullet....just for general info for those who might want to duplicate the original load.

 

[Oyeboten]

Hi Bluehawk,


Really interesting...


Do you have a link to that info?


Present day .45 Colt Cartridge Cases will not hold as much Powder as did the early 'Baloon' Cases...they have much stronger and thicker Cartridge Heads and base areas now. But, 35 Grains 3F BP is do-able...maybe a little more, but not much more than that...and at that, one is hanging the Bullet out a ways..!

 

[Bluehawk]

Oyeboten

I don't know if it's a conversion or the open top metallic...it appears to be an 1860 Army from the line drawing. There is no link...it's in the huge book I have on the Colts that was printed in 1940. I can scan it and the patent papers that went with it if ya desire.

 

[Oyeboten]

Hi Blurhawk,


If the mood strikes to scan it, it's sure be fun to get to see it..! Thank you!

How curious they indicate the Loading Lever could be used for seating/compressing with Metallic Cartridge re-loading. This implies a Shooter wouold have to own a similar Caliber Cap & Ball Revolver, to their Metallic Cartridge Revolver, in order to be able to do that.

Conversion Guns, far as I recall, would no longer have a Loading Lever, but, a long Cartridge Extractor installed instead...even as was the case with the 'Open Top' Model which preceded the SAA as we know it today.

I have heard a few mentions of Lube Wafers being used both in Factory Ammunition and in Home re-loading, at the dawn of the reloadable Metallic Cartridge era.

This does make one wonder about the Percussion era, and why no mention of interior Lube methods seem to occur.

Of course, the early Metallic Cartridge era is associated with 'Outside Lubed' Bullets, usually 'Heeled' kinds...but yet we also have these occasional period mentions of Lube Wafers being used inside the CArtridge itself, situated between Bullet and Powder.