"Possibles" accessories list for BP revolvers?

[Tallbald]

I don't want to waste anybody's time if there's a site with a list out there that can help me come up with a list of accessories and small tools to carry in a shooting box to the range when shooting my twin ROA's. I know what to look for in a capper ( thanks everyone) , a powder flask (bought a handsome CVA brass cylinder type) , caps (using CCI number 11's) and .457 swaged round balls, and Wonder Wads. I have a loading stand I made. Looking for help such as screwdrivers, picks, spray cleaner, lube, etc. I'd like to cast my own projectiles,and make my own wads but that's a little later I guess. RIght now I need to teach myself the fine points of making them go "bang" each time. A link would be appreciated. Thanks as always, Don.

 

[madcratebuilder]

Don, there's a lot of info right here in the BP section. You have two fine revolvers and it sounds like you are well equipped. I always carry several cloth towels, BP revolvers like to be wiped down a lot, keep the cylinder pin lubed. The only problems I have on my ROA is keeping enough powder and lead on hand.

 

[Tallbald]

Thank you Mad. I know now that I didn't look around thoroughly enough. What a great resource and it was right under my nose. I went looking for an appropriate carry box for all the neat things I will need. Maybe a small toolbox with tray, or I can get a small sheet of birch ply and cobble myself up a custom fitted carry box. That would add a nice personalized touch. My hobby is taking a whole new exciting direction. Thanks, Don

 

[Foto Joe]

Baby Wipes!!!

One of those things that I have found to be essential in my shooting box is generic baby wipes. I will admit that I'm one of those guys who likes crisco, mainly because every time I take a can out of the cupboard, another one just magically appears before I need another one.

Along with the baby wipes, if you use crisco a couple of popsicle sticks to apply it are worth their weight in gold.

Seriously though, a "Good" proper size screwdriver is a must and using it to check ALL screws every few cylinders will save you a lot of headaches. A nipple pic, I use a retractable, is a must and just to save headaches I run it through the nipples after each cylinder.

As far as the spray cleaner and lube, you can kill two birds with one rock on that one. Find a can of Ballistol (non-aerosol). I use a small oiler that I picked up in an antique store for $5 and a 97 cent spray bottle from China-Mart. The oiler is filled with straight Ballistol and the spray bottle is filled with a 50/50 mix of Ballistol and water. The 50/50 will melt BP residue like a hot knife through butter and lubricate at the same time. You'll need the baby wipes for your hands after using it though.

Have fun while you learn how to make these things go bang.

 

[Mike OTDP]

OK. I'd recommend getting a nipple wrench as a top priority. You should remove and clean the nipples as part of the normal cleaning cycle.

For a cleaner, I use Simple Green. About a 50% mix works OK (basically, this means that I have a small bottle for spraying, a gallon jug to refill it). Ballistol is my preferred lube.

A dental pick will be a help in scraping the area around the nipples clean.

A cleaning rod and jag. If you can make it to the North-South Skirmish Association National Matches, you can get one that has slots milled in the side for a patch...these make it much easier to scrub out the chambers.

And replace your toothbrush...take the old one and use it to clean the topstrap and around the barrel.

 

[[email protected]]

Q Tips, Don't forget the Q Tips. I use more of them than anything else!

 

[desidog]

I like pipe-cleaners for cleaning out nipples...and at arts and crafts time!

Also, while you're in the smoke-shop, pick up some of their largest-size rolling papers for making cartridges.

 

[madcratebuilder]

Thank you Mad. I know now that I didn't look around thoroughly enough. What a great resource and it was right under my nose. I went looking for an appropriate carry box for all the neat things I will need. Maybe a small toolbox with tray, or I can get a small sheet of birch ply and cobble myself up a custom fitted carry box. That would add a nice personalized touch. My hobby is taking a whole new exciting direction. Thanks, Don

Getting all the 'stuff' you need to your shooting location is a problem some times. I use a range bag for my powders, caps, lubes and a small tool box for my spares. I have a BP box, pistol box, rifle box, the support equipment takes more space that the guns.

 

[ClemBert]

It was easier for me to just open up my BP carry kit, pull everything out, and take a pic and post it here.



If you have any questions about what you are looking at let me know. The wood box on the upper right is my powder magazine. It holds loose powder, lead balls, caps, powder scoop, powder measure, and a wood dowel for setting caps if necessary. The powder magazine obviously doesn't fit into the tackle box.

 

[Texas Moon]

I use a fishing tackle box with the fold out trays.

 

[goon]

I second the nipple wrench. I was putting off buying one but I had to buy one when my nipples started coming unscrewed. Couldn't figure out why I was getting so many misfires...
Even if you can get away with cleaning without the wrench, you'll eventually need it.

 

[madcratebuilder]

ClemBert, that looks a lot like my setup. Did you get that wood box at Mitchells?

 

[ClemBert]

Did you get that wood box at Mitchells?

I seem to recall the wood box came from Marshalls/TJMaxx/HomeGoods or similar type place. Kind of looks like it could have been targeted as a low end humidor or maybe a fancy cigar box.

 

[Shultzhaus]

Gander Mountain sells two sizes of a thing called a dry-box. They have a tray inside, and a compartment in the top. I think Cabela has something similar. Smaller one for revolvers, and the deeper one for rifle stuff. Works for me

 

[Tallbald]

Thanks so much again for all the helpful information all. Clembert I really like your accessories box. Many of the tools and such I can rob from my small shop. I showed my wife your pictures and she too was impressed. I made a fixed position loading stand some years ago when I got my first ROA but your folding version looks so much more practical. I think I'll try to make one for myself. The tool boxes I've looked at at the big box stores so far are not the heavy plastic I'd hoped for. Will keep looking. I expect to have a total knee replacement in the next few weeks, so shop and range time will be really limited, but by golly I can still enjoy this new hobby vicariously thru this board during recovery. Don

 

[ClemBert]

The grey plastic box is a fishing box from Walmart. It has a pull out top tray.

 

[Gatofeo]

I vote for the fishing tackle box with fold-out trays.
Buy one larger than you think you'll need because you'll surely fill it with doodads over time.
Among the items in my box, set up to shoot .31, .36 and .44 calibers:

Lead balls of various sizes (.321, .380, .454 and .457 inch)
Conical bullets of various sizes.
Gatofeo Bullet Lubricant (a recipe posted by me years ago all over the internet, and now referred to by my nom de net).
Popsicle sticks for applying lubricant.
CVA Patch Grease (out of production, so better go with Bore Butter)
Greased felt patches in round, sour-candy Altoids tins. They seal airtight; the Altoids mint tins do not.
Q-tips
Nipple wrench
Various screwsdrivers
12-inch length of 7/16th dowel, in case I have to tap a projectile out of the .44 bore. For the .36, use 5/16th dowel; 3/8ths is too big to fit down a .36 bore.
Toothpicks, to hold the nipple while scrubbing it.
Various small brushes to clean inside frame (found at gourmet stores in the cake decorating and kitchen aisles).
Notebook and pens
Thumbtacks for targets (backup to the stapler in my shooting box)
Percussion caps
Flask of Goex FFFG black powder
Various measuring scoops for powder
Brass funnel to fill flask or chambers
Loading stand
Patches for cleaning
Cleaning rod
Cleaning jags and brushes
Target pasters (white and black)

the list goes on and on. My box weighs about 20 pounds ...

 

[Wolfebyte]

Baby Wipes!!!

I did kinda sorta like that...

bought a vehicle pack at a local store.. opened them up and left them on the dash of the truck and allowed them to dry out.. then put them in a small sandwich tupperware dish with a healthy dose of Number 13 to saturate them..

Work great and don't leave fuzz balls like the cotton towel did..