Range report on sixgun

[critter]

I recently came upon a NIB Pietta 1851 Navy .44 caliber. I tried it out on Saturday.

I fired 24 rounds through it using round balls, about 20 grains of triple seven powder. I used a lubed felt wad over the powder on 12 and without the wad in 12 but added a bit of wonderlube over the ball.

No failures of any kind.

It shot a bit high, but grouped quite well. I got a 6-shot group less than a tennis ball at about 25' for the last rounds fired. I couldn't tell any difference in the loads with/without the felt wad.

Great fun! However, not the best tool for charging yanks, raiding Indians or IDPA however. HA (I was WAY slow in getting her stoked up and ready to shoot some more.) BTW the stand made to hold it upright while loading was WELL worth my time to build. Don't know how I would ever managed without it.

Easier than I had thought to clean up after.

 

[scrat]

awesome gun. they naturally shoot high and sometimes to the left. so at closer yards you will have to aim lower. this is so that at 50-75 yards your poi point of impact is right on target.

 

[StrawHat]

critter ... However, not the best tool for charging yanks, raiding Indians or IDPA however...

Which is why many who depended on them to stay alive carried two (or sometimes more).

They are a lot of fun!

 

[ClemBert]

It turns out that 777 makes its own greasy residue "lube" when it burns. Some folks report not needing lube when using 777 in a cap-n-ball revolver.

 

[critter]

Good to know.