Why is C&B revolver shooting so expensive.?

[badkarmamib]

Harbor Freight hollow punch set, $9

http://www.harborfreight.com/9-piece-hollow-punch-set-3838.html

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

If you ain't spending time, money or both it don't count as a Hobby...

 

[BullRunBear]

"I have not found flintlocks to be cheaper to shoot. Paying 14 bucks a flint and I have yet to get a hundred shots out of a flint."

I don't know where you get a 14 dollar flint. I get the black English flints from TOTW for a fraction of that and can often get 50 shots or more from each one.

Jeff

 

[birdshot8's]

Thanks, BullRunBear, I'll have to look at TotW. I guess I lied, I paid 14 for two.

 

[piettakid]

I For powder I use pyrodex but have recently gotten into Black MZ, which I get for 9.99 per pound from Sportsman's Warehouse when it is in stock.

I too have bought some of that from SW for $10 a pound. An amazing price.

 

[piettakid]

Harbor Freight hollow punch set, $9

http://www.harborfreight.com/9-piece-hollow-punch-set-3838.html

I've been thinking of buying one of those but the 7/16 is too small for a 44 and the 1/2 is too large. Wish they had a 17/32.

 

[badkarmamib]

I had been looking at making my own wads. I already have the set of punches, and was considering boring the 7/16 out with a drill bit. I know there are other ways, but, like you, I try to cut costs with this hobby where possible.

 

[robhof]

robhof

On the flinter, I picked up on Ebay awhile back a flint replacement that uses lighter flints and a disposable lighter roller against the frizzen, best if frizzen is covered with thin leather for grip, not legal to hunt with but so far I've gotten 200+ shots with it and still on the original flint, I did have to mill it down some to clear the barrel and fit back far enough for my smaller lock, it's best used in the larger locks. I got it years ago and forgot what it was called, it cost $15 at the time and with over 200 shots on it, I've already got my money's worth.

 

[rodwha]

I bought the Harbor Freight punches and found it worthless. Wouldn't even cut through the felt.

There's a retired machinist on a traditional forum who makes punches at whatever diameter you choose. He sold them (then - it's been a few years now) for $10 and he sends them with hard leather to show they are sharp and work.

He makes many other things as well...

 

[piettakid]

I bought the Harbor Freight punches and found it worthless. Wouldn't even cut through the felt.

Would a 45 ACP or 45 colt brass casing work?. When they get dull, you just toss it and use another.

 

[badkarmamib]

I have heard about using .45 ACP. Actually set aside a fired case, but never got around to trying it. Honestly, I don't use pads, I load a round ball over 20gr and go. Yeah, I have to clean it more often, but I am one of the few who actually enjoy cleaning firearms...

 

[mr wack]

I've used a 45 ACP case afore, just used my RCBS deburring tool to chamfer the inside and outside to a fine sharp edge,,, cuts wads pretty good and when dull just sharpen it again.

 

[buflow]

Cutting felt wads for my 1858 Rem. 44. I cut the base from a 30/06 shell, put a wooden dowel in the neck to keep it from bending, sharpened where the base was with a round file, cut a slot in the side of the shell to poke the wads out. Put the cutter in a drill press and cut a old felt hat for wads. Several hundred wads and lots of hat left.

Same thing with a 30/30 shell for my 36 cal. 1851.

Buflow

 

[rodwha]

I don't shoot RBs too much anymore, but have been considering trying them as filler to see if it improves the groups any.

 

[Malachi Leviticus Blue]

a piece of a tapered steel tube like on some metal chair legs works great for wads because you can cut it right where the correct diameter is. sharpen and get it mounted in a drill chuck to cut lots of wads.
I cut card board wad for my muzzle loading shotgun and Howdah pistol that way. I prefer the fairly dense board of the New Belgium 12 bottle boxes like from Ranger, or Fat Tire. Those boxes never get thrown away here.

 

[rodwha]

Nice choice of beer and great use for the boxes!

I'll have to check those out (long necks) for that purpose but repurpose the short neck boxes as I brew and bottle in them.

 

[desidog]

It's a labor of love. Just think about the extra time you have to spend cleaning a BP gun over a smokeless .22... Do you send yourself a bill for man hours? Or expense the tea kettle? Come on, if you don't like BP enough to pay the associated costs, stick to your .22. The rest of us will be happy to accept your donated BP guns for public education of others... every time I introduce a hoplophobe to BP, I've seen an instant conversion.

 

[sandhills writer]

Being in Nebraska, you should be able to find stones that you can hand knapp into flints. I have been doing it since the 1970s, have to look a little, but I seem to be able to find them where ever there is gravel. I live in central Nebraska, so know you can find some somewhere, plus it is a learning experience, and fun.

 

[loose noose]

Took my grandson out doing informal trap shooting using a double barrel flintlock 12ga. shotgun. Used two flints (black English) and shot over 100 rounds with out any problems. In fact the flints are still in the gun and shower the pans every time. I do believe quite few years ago I paid under $5.00 for 6 of them and still have at least 3 left. I do place the flints in leather, however.

Again quite a few years ago when I was shooting in SASS in the Frontier Class, I used two Remington 58 Army's using real black powder, that I purchased from the Powder Horn umpteen years ago. In fact I ordered 50#'s of mixed FF,FFF, and 2#'s of FFFF, I still have about 7#'s of mixed powder left, including a # of FFFF.

As far as caps go I bought 5000 tins of Remington and CCI #10 and Number #11, and still have quite few of both caps left. I've always made my own wads using felt and a cork type material using a punch I believe I got at TOW, and using Thompsons Bore Butter for lube. As far as cost goes, now days I don't have a clue as I poured my own balls from pure lead that I got for free, from a plumber friend. At the time it was below $.05 a round.

 

[piettakid]

Just bought a piece of "felt" from wally. It says "100% polyester fiber made from recycled post-consumer plastic bottles."

But it was only 23 cents for a 9x12 sheet. It actually looks and feels pretty good though i can't get a 45 ACP brass casing to cut thru it, even with a hammer.

 

[ofitg]

Next time you buy eggs, get a dozen in the "paper mache" carton. That material works pretty well.

 

[rodwha]

Polyester will melt from what I understand.

 

[piettakid]

Next time you buy eggs, get a dozen in the "paper mache" carton. That material works pretty well.

You mean the gray cartons? I just tried that and it seemed to work well. I sharpened up a 45 ACP and punched the wads out. Made 40 using just the section that encased 3 eggs. So i guess a full dozen carton should give a little less than 4 times that - say 140.

The 45 punch seems to give wads that are a perfect size. Just slightly larger than the chamber itself.

 

[piettakid]

Polyester will melt from what I understand.

I think you're right and i'm not gonna use the walmart phony felt. I bought it because it was just 23 cents.

 

[ofitg]

You mean the gray cartons? I just tried that and it seemed to work well. I sharpened up a 45 ACP and punched the wads out. Made 40 using just the section that encased 3 eggs. So i guess a full dozen carton should give a little less than 4 times that - say 140.

Yes, that sounds like the right stuff. It's a paper product, sort of a "spongy" cardboard.