Navy Arms 1851 Colt Repro
- Thread starter sean69
- Start date
saskgunowner101
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- middle of Sask
You can buy a tin of both caps (#10, #11), one will fit perfect and the other will most likely need a little pinch to oval them up a bit. Trial and error. You should be able to find .451, .454, and .457 round ball if you look hard enough, although I would guess .457 is not what you're looking for. If you can get a handful of .451 and .454, see if the .451 shaves off a little ring of lead when you seat it in the cylinder....if not .454 is probably your best bet.
As for powder, anywhere in the 18-25 grain range of BP or Pyrodex P topped off with cornmeal to about 1/4" of the cylinder top should fit the bill for nice shooting loads recoil wise.
As for powder, anywhere in the 18-25 grain range of BP or Pyrodex P topped off with cornmeal to about 1/4" of the cylinder top should fit the bill for nice shooting loads recoil wise.
Navy Arms was the importer to the U.S. your gun is probably a Pietta, I have one and shoot .454 balls with 24 grains powder and use cornmeal as a filler. The same load is used for the Colt 1860 Army with good results.
Ok, forgive my ignorance but I'm just getting into black powder revolver shooting. I just pick up an 1858 pietta .44, and I'm wondering what's the corn meal for? For my particular revolver would I have to be concerned with running meal? I've been shooting 25 grains of pyrodex and a .454 round ball with bore butter after the ball. By the way gents, first time out and I'm hooked, until the damn hand spring broke and now I'm waiting for parts. 
Yea - thanks again guys, had it out this past Sunday - what a blast [!!pun intended!!]
used a .451 ball [dad happened to have some] started at 18g of 3f and worked it up to 25... well maybe it was closer to 30
Cornmeal worked just great - no farting around with expensive wads or greasy crap & you can pour it straight from a a spare powder horn
@derrico10
The cornmeal is to prevent chain firing, drop your powder charge in, cover it with cornmeal, seat your bullet, cap it - shoot
used a .451 ball [dad happened to have some] started at 18g of 3f and worked it up to 25... well maybe it was closer to 30
Cornmeal worked just great - no farting around with expensive wads or greasy crap & you can pour it straight from a a spare powder horn
@derrico10
The cornmeal is to prevent chain firing, drop your powder charge in, cover it with cornmeal, seat your bullet, cap it - shoot
saskgunowner101
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- middle of Sask
The cornmeal is actually for saving black powder/tailoring your load while keeping the ball up high in the cylinder for less jump to the barrel. The grease is put on the front of the cylinder to prevent a chainfire? from happening IIRC.
The grease is put on the front of the cylinder to prevent a chainfire? from happening IIRC.By the way gents, first time out and I'm hooked, until the damn hand spring broke and now I'm waiting for parts.
The hand spring seems to break right where it is crimped into the hand...probably due to excess pressure applied when crimping. With some careful work the spring can be replaced and if this is possible you won't have to fit the new hand to the cylinder which in itself can be a chore.
Most agree that chainfires happen because of the flashover caused by fitting badly-fitting caps on worn-out nipples - see the many posts on this subject on www.muzzleloadingforum.com. It always makes me laff to see folks greasing up the front of an already swaged-in ball and then pinching the cap - causing a degree of side-flash that might just set off the next chamber.
tac - BP revolver and rifle shooter since the late 1960's.
tac - BP revolver and rifle shooter since the late 1960's.
It was actually the hand, where the spring is pressed into the hand on the small side of the pressed broke away and the spring fell out. Talk about frustrating especially when I just bought it, and it was used, and I only blasted 24 rounds through it. It's like running an old sled, go for a rip and fix for a week. Now I'm hoping I can get the new hand to work when I get it. I take it that a file is your best friend? I thought the bore butter smeared into the cylinder bores were to prevent chain fire plus lubricate the round and to help keep the fouling soft. Like I said I'm new. And I didn't mean to hijack the thread. The help is much appreciated.
saskgunowner101
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- middle of Sask
tacfoley could very well be right, now that I think about it. How does flame jump past a ball that's seated tight enough to shave a ring.....I'd still use the grease (lard cut with a bit of canola oil is my favorite) to keep the fouling soft. I lubricate the cylinder pin, and put a bit down the cylinder pin hole in the cylinder as well.
