Sealing my cylinder

[burnse]

Okay, I finally got myself some of those brass Magtech shotgun shells for some fun BP shotgun loads, and in researching the loading of these rounds, I read about some people holdling the over shot card with some water glass. I wondered if this is something that could be used to properly and safely seal off the chambers and the caps on a revolver? I wondered if something like this would be a good idea if one wanted to, erm, carry their 1860, so that it may be loaded for a fair amount of time without being comprimised by moisture, or so the rounds do not have any chance of moving in the chamber during daily carry.
Thoughts?

 

[Pancho]

Sodium silicate

I'd read the description in Wikipedia before I used it. It might be hell to clean.

 

[burnse]

Maybe just some beeswax then, huh?

 

[Skinny 1950]

Bee's wax will shrink when it cools and it is hard, I use Crisco vegetable shortening with about 6 parts of shortening to 1 part of bee's wax. Even this may be a bit stiff in the winter so the actual amounts will depend on the season. It doesn't smell as bad as bear fat.

 

[J-Bar]

I feel like I am contributing to delinquency by suggesting this, but a possible solution for you to try...

Use a ball a bit larger in diameter. I assume your 1860 uses a .454 round ball, so use a .457 ball instead. It will shave a larger ring, give more contact with the chamber walls and a more secure fit. I like to use over the ball beeswax/crisco routinely, but have never carried a loaded gun long enough to see shrinkage of the plug. I think the larger ball will solve both your sealing and ball drift concerns. Depending on your particular gun and the hardness of the ball (if not pure lead), you might have to load the larger ball on a separate press.

I have never tried sealing the caps. The right cap on the right nipple should not need it. (Remington 10 on Treso nipple is as good as it gets.)

 

[burnse]

I have tresos at the top of my list, and I already use the Rem. #10 caps, which do fit. Maybe I worry too much, but I feel like Minnesota often has more humidity than it should, considering its location.
When I get the new cones, I'm also getting a cylinder loading press. I chopped my barrel to 4 inches, and still have to get it sent off to Hoof Hearted to get it set up the way I'd like, but the loading lever is already gone, though I can put it in when I need to - it is only one screw, after all.
The balls I use are from Track of the Wolf - .454s. They do seem to seal fairly well, but if a 457 would work better, perhaps I'll pick them up. Down the road, I can melt down the smaller ones and mold them to the larger size myself (I don't have the equipment for that, yet). Besides, if using a .457, doesn't that make for a slightly heavier bullet in the chamber?

 

[Dave Markowitz]

You could also use a drop of nail polish on the capped nipples to seal them.

 

[burnse]

With nail polish, I would think you'd want to clean the area with acetone, is that absolutely safe on the finish of the gun?

 

[faustopph]

nipples

For the nipples a little swipe of melted beeswax. Easy clean-up and it's natural. Candle wax works also , just keep the flame away from the nipple.

 

[NCWanderer]

What's the best way to dribble melted beeswax/crisco on the nipples without it starting to harden prematurely?

 

[burnse]

What about using sealing wax? That stuff that people use to seal/stamp envelopes. It's not the cheapest wax in the world, but it breaks cleanly off of any surface I've got it on. It stays put until you don't want it there anymore, and no tools are required to remove it - just a fingernail. Might this be worth looking in to?

 

[Hellgate]

Before you rely on your gun functioning over the long term, be sure there is ABSOLUTELY NO OIL in your chambers that could leach into the powder. I've kept my Navy loaded for months and has some "floofers" that wouldn't have done the job. So, the chambers and nipples need to be spotlessly dry (no lube wads etc.). The idea of a larger diameter ball to give a better seal is appealing to me. Dripping candle wax onto the front of the charged chambers would certainly seal them and not leach into the powder.

 

[burnse]

By the way, as we, gentlemen of the charcoal, all seem to share an almost child-like enjoyment of these guns, I ask this: am I the only one experiencing a childish enjoyment in talking about dripping hot wax over our nipples?
This is specifically why I've been trying to call them cones these days.

 

[BADUNAME30]

You might want to edit that burnse

 

[J-Bar]

By the way, as we, gentlemen of the true powder, all seem to share an almost child-like enjoyment of these guns, I ask this: am I the only one experiencing a childish enjoyment in talking about dripping hot wax over our nipples?
This is specifically why I've been trying to call them cones these days. Otherwise, I must laugh and snort when I read the black powder threads.

...an elegant weapon for a more civilized age...

 

[burnse]

@Jim, west pa,

Is better now?

 

[burnse]

Attention moderator

Please close thread. I found a wealth of information elsewhere on THR, and found that I do not need this thread. Thank you.