Chain Fires

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reb

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I got a 1851 Navy from my youngest son for x-mas,I am wondering what you use as a grease to put over the loaded ball to prevent the chain fire?Any info would be great.
Thanks Reb
 
I think most any heavy grease is fine plus the corn meal filler between powder and ball makes a good barrier as well. I think that most chain fires are caused by caps falling off and leaving an exposed and open nipple

cheers mooncoon
 
Yup. looking at the wrong end of the cylinder, its the nipple end. The grease is for lubrication. If you shave a ring off the ball when loading it, there ain't no way fire is getting past it.
 
I am using vegetable shortening which I think is the same as Crisco as the temperature increases I will probably add some bee's wax to stiffen it up. Most of the shortening is melted off after a couple of shots and it seems to add to the smoke produced. What kind of 1851 Navy did you get???
How about some pictures...I love those guns. I have a Uberti in .36 and a Pietta in .44 cal.
 
I know it's tradition now to use lube over the chamber, but was this always the case? This wasn't done "back in the day" when everyone was using these guns was it? I've been curious as to how it might work to tumble lube conicals and just load and shoot. Does the Alox work for black powder? Bit of a hijack maybe. . . sorry
 
Back in the day they probably used bear grease if anything at all. I have noticed in the movies when the cowboys use cap and ball revolvers they never have to load them,probably too boring to watch.:D
 
John Sukey said:
Yup. looking at the wrong end of the cylinder, its the nipple end. The grease is for lubrication. If you shave a ring off the ball when loading it, there ain't no way fire is getting past it.
Click to expand...

not so sure on that. I've had chain fires in the past and never one since I started greasing over the end of the cylinder.
 
You can grease the ball end with any non-petroleum grease if it makes you feel better but I firmly believe that chainfires are caused at the cap end of the cylinder. I have only had one and it was caused by a cap falling off the nipple of the adjacent cylinder being fired. I fail to see how a spark can get past a tight fitting ball. Properly fitting caps are much more important IMO.
 
Chain fires can happen from either end. From the back end if a cap falls off or from the front end from using ill-fitting balls without a wad or grease.
 
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