A friend has given me two of these over the past few years. Actually he was holding onto the first when I was living in a dank, humid basement apartment that was not good for the gun - and last year he gave me the next model.
They are Cabela’s .44 cal black-powder pistols - replicas of Colts circa 1860’s (Civil War). The machining seems pretty good (my father was a machinist - though not a gunsmith).
I’m real tentative about transporting them anywhere - even in my trunk. My understanding is these pistols - when loaded - pack more than enough power to ruin anyone’s day. Of course I’d never move them while loaded. I’ve never loaded nor fired either of them.
Questions: The manual clearly says these are functional revolvers. Does anyone have similar revolvers? Are they sound? Should I bring them to a gun shop and ask for their opinion? I’d like to fire them at least a few times. There’s a couple of outdoor ranges nearby where copious blasts of smoke won’t be much of a problem. I do want the gun (and my hand) to remain intact.
Not an owner, but a muzzloader none the less. Relatively speaking .44 really isnt terribly large for a muzzle loader, i wouldnt worry terribly about them. They will smoke like heck so out doors isnt a bad idea. Your worst fear shouldnt be blowing up your hand, but rather a spark causing all six cylinders to discharge at once, in which case youll have to be very sure not to freak, and to keep it pointed down range. Theyre relatively safe on that point. If youve never loaded before Id recommend doing half charges and learning from somone who owns some sort of muzzle loader.
Have fun
Okay, I don’t know the law where you are, but generally speaking, blackpowder arms, even of new manufacture, are considered “curios” and “antiques”. You can purchase them, without paperwork, through the mail, for example. (If you know of Cabela’s, you know this.)
Assuming they are unloaded and in the trunk, I would wager you’re quite safe, as far as the law is concerned.
If they’re Cabela’s (actually Italian imports) then they’re of recent manufacture and of solid metallurgy. If you have the least question, find yourself a good gunsmith and have him give 'em a glance and see if anything’s missing or damaged.
You’ll need a box of .44 cal lead balls, some patch material, some Crisco, (really) some caps (blackpowder caps, not the paper strip stuff) and a can of FFFg Pyrodex. Which is considered an explosive, so expect to have to show ID and get grilled when you buy it.
Then have somebody who knows blackpowder show you how to safely load, charge and fire 'em. It’s not hard, but there are a few tips- For example the Crisco both lubes the ball and helps stop “flashover” where the smoke and spark of one shot sets off an adjacent charge in the cylinder. This is a bad thing.
You should not need patches to fire blackpowder revolvers. Lubricated patches will help to prevent flashover as psychomonkey says, but there are two other things that will prevent it. First, the balls are slightly oversize. When you ram them into the chamber a ring of lead will be shaved off. The tight seal will prevent a spark from reaching the powder. Second, Doc Nickel mentions Crisco®. Crisco® is a good choice, as it is cheap and will help to prevent fouling, but there are purpose-made lubricants out there as well. Putting grease into the chamber after loading the ball will prevent flashover. Of course, you should take care not to spill powder onto the face of the cylinder.
This is how I load my “charcoal burners”:
After making sure your revolver is clean and free of obstructions, cock the hammer half way to allow the cylinder to spin freely.
Pour a measured amount of powder into the chamber. Do not pour directly from the flask, as this can be dangerous. Spots for powder flasks can be had in different sizes. Fit the proper sout to your flask and put your finger over the end. Invert the flask and work the lever and release the lever. Return the flask to its upright position. You will now have “thrown” an appropriate amount of powder. Tip the powder into the chamber. Erm… I mean, safely put the powder into a transfer receptacle such as a powder measure and tip the powder into the chamber from there. (In other words, do as I say and not as I do.) Another thing you can do is make combustible cartridges out of rolling papers and Glue-Stik. This makes for much faster loading, and I’ll detail how to make them if anyone is interested. (Or you can search the archives where I’ve posted it before.)
With the muzzle pointing upward, put a ball over the chamber you’ve just powdered. If the ball has a sprue mark on it, that should point toward upwards.
Rotate the cylinder so that the ball is under the ram. Draw down the ram to seat the ball into the cylinder. Do not crush the powder, but seat the ball firmly atop it. You will have shaved a ring of lead from the ball. If you do not, you need bigger balls.
Repeat steps 2 through 4 for the remaining chambers, leaving one chamber empty for safety. (You can stop the cylinder between chambers by putting the hammer over one of the safety pins, but the pins may break with rough handling and so it is recommended that the hammer be lowered onto an empty chamber.)
Put grease into the end of the chambers to prevent flashover. (I’ve never heard of it happening with modern guns, but I don’t omit the grease step.)
Put percussion caps (probably #11 for your gun) onto the nipples.
Now you’re ready to fire.
Since I have several BP handguns of different calibres, I’ve made this loading chart. I took the data from the manual that came with my Colt Blackpowder 1851 Navy. (That’s it in the background picture.)
I’ve also added this to the bottom of the page:
Obviously this disclaimer applies here, and to the Chicago Reader and to the message board as well. Firearms can be dangerous if mishandled, and blackpowder needs special attention because the fuel is not contained within a cartridge. If you have any doubt about the safe operation of a blackpowder or other firearm, hie thee to your local gun range for professional instruction.
It is said that “you can’t overload a blackpowder revolver because you can’t put enough powder in it and also seat a ball to do any harm”. Maybe. But a lighter charge will be more accurate. It will also cause less wear and tear to the revolver (especially if it has a brass frame). Maximum loads are generally thought of as “showing off”. Modern metallurgy in modern firearms is probably well capable of handling the maximum load – or overload – of blackpowder. But why risk it? Also, remember that Colt’s 1847 Walker revolver had a habit of blowing up (i.e., the originals 150 years ago) and that’s why they went to the slightly smaller Dragoon.
Never, never, NEVER use smokeless powder in a blackpowder firearm. It will explode and cause bloody dangling gobbets to hand from the bones of what was once your hand.
Use only FFFg blackpowder (or modern blackpowder substitute) in your revolver.
Again, the loading data on the chart I linked came from the manual provided with a modern Colt revolver; but it is for my own use and if you choose to use it it is entirely your own responsibility.
Never carry a loaded blackpowder firearm in your car. At least in California, it’s illegal. Canada also has strict laws about the possession of blackpowder firearms. As always, check local laws for ownership, transport and places to shoot. Note that around here blackpowder is not allowed in indoor ranges. (I think that’s range policy, but due to the amount of smoke and the chemicals in it, it may fall under clean air laws.)
I use similar replicas in competition. The Cabela’s pistols are all made by F.L. Pietta and the quality is okay but I’m a bit more picky. I prefer Uberti pistols which are sold under several different importers and prefer Cimarron.
I don’t use patches but do use a wad and lubricant. I’ll typically shoot 60-80 rounds in a match and can’t afford to have guns freeze up from black powder fouling. I load a 30 grain charge of Elephant FFFg powder then a hard card wad from Circle Fly wads. On top of the wad I put a bit of crisco dispensed from a medical irrigation syringe. Top with one pure lead swaged ball. Cast balls are too hard and thye sprue imperfections can cause gaps. There are pre-lubricated wads but they are expensive if you shoot a lot and can contaminate powder when the lube melts in the heat. With the wad and lube arrangement I use the chambers stay clear so it’s easy to seat the balls and the burt powder fouling and crisco mix stays soft and doesn’t bind things up. Ballistol is the only lubricant I use on the gun.
I think you’ll find that Remington #10 percussino caps fit the Pietta nipples perfectly. I suggest you use the Ted Cash capper that Cabela’s sells. Get the one shaped like snail/amoeba/paisley rather than the in line one.
Careful, these things are addictive. I started with a '51 navy from Cabelas. That was followed by a Cimarron/Uberti '51, a pair of Cimarron '60 armies, an EMF/Uberti second model dragoon and a Cimarron Walker.
They are very real guns. The '36 caliber navies are considered petite but the deadliest gunfighters in the old west favored them for nasty business. They are not firearms as defined by the 1968 gun control act. That means that the ATF does not regulate them and you can buy them mail order in most juristictions with no problem. They are still weapons by most legal defintions though so it’s not as if you can bring them anywhere firearms and other weapons are prohibited.
I had this debate with a young clerk at a gun shop. He remarked that he would not need a form 4473, my ID and concealed carry permit as the Walker I was buying wasn’t a “real gun.” I jokingly remarked I should load it up with 60 grains FFFg and a round ball, blow a hole in him as big as the sky and give him another chance to tell me it wasn’t a real gun. The Walker was considered the most powerful handgun available until the .357 magnum came out in the thirties.
No matter how hard I ram, . . . my balls are always left outside. Why would I want bigger balls? I get plenty of spam proposing to enlarge my membership but never proposing to enlarge my balls. Maybe I’m missing something?
I haven’t gotten around to taking pics of the rest of my BP collection. The whole lot consists of two Colt Blackpowder 1851 Navies (one 2nd generation and one Signature Series), three Uberti 1851 Navies, two Uberti 1849 Pockets, an Uberti 1847 Walker, a Colt Blackpowder 1862 Navy (Signature Series), and an Uberti 1862 Navy. The “Colt” Colts have Colt Blackpowder presentation cases and accessories.
I used to have little balls but as much as I loved my navies the guys poked fun at me so I had to upgrade. Bigger balls will make your piece buck harder in your hand but you should still keep your shots on target. Examine and feel your balls for imperfections. I prefer that my balls don’t have sprue holes. Your balls should not be too big or you risk bending your rammer when you press down on it. Not a pleasant thing. Your balls should be just slightly larger than the hole they go into. Ramming your balls into the hole will shave a small ring of metal from around them. Do not be alarmed when this happens.
This disturbingly Freudian moment brought to you by the NRA with inspiration from an article in The Onion.
Wait a minute… I think one of the 1849 Pockets is a Colt Blackpowder Signature Series, and there is only one 1862 Navy – an Uberti. Jeez, I need to look at these again! (If they weren’t behind four locks and a bunch of other stuff!)
[sub]Should I admit that I typed the “bigger balls” line on purpose for its comedic effect? Nah… I’ll leave 'em guessing.[/sub]
I’m suprised none of us mentioned it but aside from maybe a few pepper boxes there is no such thing as a muzzle loading revolver. Revolvers are directly into the chambers of the cylinders, never the muzzle. Correct term is percussion revolver or cap & ball revolver.
Continuing the topic of “bigger balls” and blackpowder…
Last weekend I have the wonderful luck to run into a fellow at our local gun range, who was firing his Bowling Ball mortar.
I have photos.
Twelve-pounds and eight-and-a-half-inch caliber, powered by six inches of cannon fuse and three ounces of Fg Pyrodex. Do NOT try this at home!
Suffice to say the ball went howling downrange and cleared the 500-yard treeline by probably another hundred yards. I’m guessing a 400 to 700 fps muzzle velocity, probably the lower. Anyone want to compute the Hatcher’s Index of that projectile?
Heck, I had a quickie HTML page whipped up to show my board regulars that night. Enjoy!
Mods note- The page is really just a report on this guy shooting the thing, and not a “how to make” description. I don’t think it violates board rules…
I have a standing offer with the fellow, whom it turns out I knew vaguely back in my oil-patch days, wherein if I supply the bowling balls, he’ll bring the pipe and the powder.
And I hope to have a digital video camera this time, too.
From what I understand, he’s making a mortar to fire the bowling pins as well: you load them in tip first, and the weighted base and quasi-aerodynamic shape make them fly surprisingly well. Or so he’s told.
Oh, and Padeye is right, a revolver with movable chambers but a single fixed barrel are percussion revolvers, not, technically, “muzzleloaders”. Quite so.
I fired an old Uberti (the name of the Italian company I couldn’t recall) Dragoon copy a few years back- my one and only hands-on with blackpowder arms. I must say, when it takes about eight to ten minutes to charge the weapon, you damn well make those six shots count.
[quote]
I must say, when it takes about eight to ten minutes to charge the weapon, you damn well make those six shots count.
[quote]
*My very first pistol was a cap and ball Colt
Shoot as fast as lightnin’ but it loads a mite slow
Loads a mite slow and soon I found out
It can get you into trouble but it can’t get you out *
– Steve Earle, Devil’s Right Hand, from Copperhead Road
Combustible cartridges make loading much quicker because the measuring and pouring of powder is done at home. All you have to do is put the cartridge into the chamber, ram it down, add the grease, and then cap the nipples.
Quick note: I called it a Muzzleloading Revolver as that’s what the F.LLI PIETTA manual calls it. The most accurate name would be Cap & Ball Revolver, as Padeye said. It’s definitely loaded directly into the cylinder.
BTW, the Cabelas box calls one of them ‘1860 Army Steel cal .44’ My friend has been holding onto the other one - the main difference being this one has a slightly longer barrel. Possibly this one is known as the competition revolver.
Doc, that ‘punt cannon’ is cool! No chance of firing one of those around here, but I’d like to see the videos if you post them.
The Walker was considered the most powerful handgun available until the .357 magnum came out in the thirties.
