Been away for awhile, but I'm back!
Just got a (Pietta) Navy Colt, 1851 replica cap and ball revolver from Bass Pro and wanted some ins and outs from the brain trust here before shooting.
I did some research and the 1851 was only made in .36, but the replicas come in .36 or .44 for some reason. I guess because .44 is a popular size, bigger ball, more stopping power, whatever.
Anyway, I bought the .44, since I'm not going to be in any authentic period shoots or anything with this gun, and because if I have a choice, I'll nearly always go bigger.
So, my question is,.....
Who shoots em? What do ya think? Hints, tips, etc?
I had the .36 1851 but also had two.44's, the1860 Colt and 1858 Remington. The area I hunt is closed to everything but shotgun, archery and muzzleloading and they eventually ruled that cap-n-ball revolvers were't muzzleloaders so I never replaced them after they got stolen. Sure were fun to shoot though and they all did fine work on anything coyote size and smaller within 25 yards.
Main thing to do to keep from having problems is to keep it clean.Aftershooting3-4 cylinders full, or wheneverthecocking action starts feeling stiff,take the gun down and clean fouling off the cylinder and cylinder pin. DECAPANY UNFIRED CHAMBERS FIRST!!I always kept a small wooden hammer, a rag and small bottle of black powder solvent in my shooting bag just for this. The gun will freeze up if you let it go too long between cleaning off the gunk, and it's much better to clean it before it freezes than after. I'd much rather take down a gun with an empty cylinder than having to do itwith loaded but decappedchambers. Put a healthy coat of bore butter or similar lube on the cylinder pin when you put it back together.
Keep in mindI'm talking 20 years ago, so things might have changed since, butfired CCI and Remington capswere kinda bad about dropping into the action and jamming the works. RWS caps weren't as bad about it,but that is something that will happen. When it happens, just hold the gun upside down, pointing in a safe direction of course, and thumb thehammer back and forth until the spent cap falls out.
On my guns, I got a 90 degree countersink and chamfered the chamber mouths slightly, about .015", to keep from shaving lead off the balls when I loaded them.
If you use less than full power loads, don't run the ball too far down the chamber. Use corn meal for a fillersothe ball won't be seated deeper than just below the face of the cylinder. A lubed wad between the powder and ball is also a good thing to do. Fill the end of the chamber with lube after the ball is seated, put on the cap and you're ready to go. I used Crisco shorteningfor the lube topping for a long time but it's kinda dumb to do that when we've got such great lubes now.
The South made a copy of the 1851 Navy in .44 cal, usually brass framed but not always. So I guess they make the .44 version to be sort of correct for a Confederate officer reinactor.
A little advise.. use American Pioneer Powder 3f when you shoot the revolver. The clean up is a lot easier, the accuracy is fine, and lots of powder. I shoot the 1858 Remington New Army in .44 caliber. I load 30 grains of APP 3f, then a bore button, then a .451 ball, and finally I grease the cylinders.
That is a 2" plank that I was shooting through. I was impressed that the revolver was able to blow through that so easy. All the shooting was done free hand at 25 yards. Since you have a 1851 revolver without the top strap, I am not sure of the max powder load it might take. I suggest that you check the manual real close.
These are a lot of fun, and with the APP powder clean up was a snap... I will never shoot anything but APP in that revolver anymore.
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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, a total wreck, screaming Yahoo, with a big smile on your face."
Hey cayugad, Good to talk with you again. I don't know if you get the APP local or if you order, but I haven't seen it here. I'll boogie on down to BassPro today and check them out.
My manual (the "leaflet" that came with the revolver) claims 30 gr as the max load. I reckon I'll try 20 first and see what we've got.
Arther, Thanks for the words of wisdom. I didn't know there actually was an 1851 made in .44, that's good to know. I'd rather have something beginning with a "4" in my hand than a "3" anyday.
who shoots the 1851 Navy replicas?
