Cap and ball revolvers

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Alberta
Hey I'm relatively new to black powder, but when I went into it I chose what I know (colt) I've heard and witnessed some really bad foul ups with the 1851-1860 guns (so have I running both colt 2nd and pietta repros) but I've found using either old eley or cci no 10 caps (eley are best) using Hodgson 777 I've ran them to 90 balls without a cleaning or a malfunction of any kind. I'm currently at 175 balls without a malfunction at the range (most of the springs have failed on the pietta 1851) no other parts. My question is (sorry for being long winded) have other cap and ball revolver fans ran their guns hard and had good experiences? I'm trying to run these repros to death BTW.
 
What I'm saying is I've seen people having trouble with reliability in their cap and ball guns. Don't get me wrong I'm not letting these piettas rust I'm seeing if they will gum up and fail especially if I use 777 vs traditional black. Clear enough for you? Or is there a pitfall I'm not seeing? I always clean my guns thoroughly once I'm home but I am trying to run a lot of shots through them in a day as well.
 
Several members of our club (including me) shoot "Frontiersman" class with a pair of cap & ball revolvers. I shoot Remington .44s and have a lot fewer problems than the guys with the Colt "wedgies".
You do it because you like the challenge. If anything can go wrong with a gun, it will be a cap & ball before anything else. Part of the game. Most of us can get through a 10 stage match without too many issues. That's 100 rds - 10 per stage.

I don't know anyone who shoots anyth9ing but BP in their guns. We gave up on the subs years ago.
 
My Pietta 1860 Sheriff would gum up pretty bad after 2 cylinders of ball and BP. Frustrated me to the point of switching to a 45LC conversion cylinder with very light smokeless loads.

The BP ball amazed me group wise.

The conversion cylinder was equally impressive with 45ACP bullets. Only real problem was that it grouped 10" high at 15 yards.

M
 
You guys use bore butter or wonder wads?

I was using Lard. Rather messy to say the least! And come to think of it now, I'll bet that chunk of Lard is still in the freezer some where.

Also had some over the powder pre-lubed wads, but they didn't shoot all that well.

M
 
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I was using Lard. Rather messy to say the least! And come to think of it now, I'll bet that chunk of Lard is still in the freezer some where.

Also had some over the powder pre-lubed wads, but they didn't shoot all that well.

M
When you say your over powder pre-lubed wad loads did not shoot that well. Were you referring to accuracy or other issues? I have just returned to C&B after about 35 years
and am now using pre-lubed wades and borebutter instead of the CRISCO I used to use. Have not had any issues yet, but wondering if there is something I should be looking for?
 
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