So just how much of a PIA are BP Revolvers to run?

pageophile

pageophile

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Hello Gents,

I keep going back and forth on this topic in my head.

Would like to get into Black Powder Revolvers (Cap & Ball).

I like my handguns a lot and figure it would make a great outdoor range gun.

From what I've been reading, BP Revolvers seem to be a ton of work if and when they work properly. Then you add in the clean-up.

I've also read about people really, really digging the BP experience.

So which is it? A real PIA or am I putting on my frilly undergarments about the whole thing?


Thanks for reading,

Page
 
it depends on HOW MUCH you want to "get involved". since my range prohibited b/p , mine has sat for years, but it was great fun when i did -follow the rules and the most you'll ever have is a faulty cap- which is easily replaced- as far as the cleaning goes, nobody says you HAVE to use hot water and soap- there's COMMERCIAL PREPARATIONS on the market, just like there's SUBSTITUTES for black powder, so the only considerations are 1) do i want to make my own bullets if necessary?
2) am i prepared to CLEAN MY GUN AFTER EVERY SHOOT
3 ) do i want a COLT or REMINGTON COPY-
i CLEAN my guns except for 22s as a matter of course WITHIN HOURS of LEAVING THE RANGE
i get my lead from the scrap dealer and use an old coleman 2 burner WITH A TORCH to melt it- and i have welder's gloves to handle the heat
i can also use HARD CAST COMMERCIAL bullets,b/c it's an RUGER OLD ARMY, which is nothing more than a BLACKHAWK adapted for black powder
and if you go STAINLESS, it's almost as easy to clean as smokeless
so it's only SLIGHTLY more trouble than a c/f smokeless- NOT NEAR what you may have been led to believe- i got mine in 74, and quit using it about a couple of years ago now- and ONLY b/c the range PROHIBITED b/p
 
They're fun. The issues you read aren't all from the same gun - one gun may have one issue, but seldom more than that. Reading all the problems at once makes it sound like they're all barely functional :p

There's a bit of a learning curve to what you're doing simply because shooting them is different from newer guns. That said, it gives you far more control over what the gun is doing, how it's loaded etc. A big plus is that the guns can be cleaned with hot soapy water in a bucket or from a tap. Hard to get easier than that!!
 
basically, the b/p thing at my FORMER range was prohibited b/c a bunch of fudds didn't like "all that smoke and smell " at the firing line- you get a bunch of cap & ballers and a bunch of b/p rifles together and it just wasn't "fitting" so a vote was took and we lost- plus we had some members making their own "cake" if you know what that means
 
I don't think revolvers are any worse than single shots to clean; when I had one, I used warm water in the laundry tub. Reliability was never a problem for me and the only caution was that with a Colt, don't tip the muzzle up like John Wayne when you are cocking the gun or the cap stands a good chance of falling into the slot for the hand. #### the gun with the muzzle pointed down and it should not be a problem. I also used #11 caps and pinched them a bit to make sure they stuck on the nipples. If they fall off, replace them so that you do not get a chain fire.

cheers mooncoon
 
if you like to tinker and take care of your firearms, they are great, if not, they can be worse than a cranky two year old to keep happy. Just remember, all your reloading is done at the range and two hours range time dissappears fast. However if you like it, the grin takes about a week to get off your face!!!!
 
tigger said:
if you like to tinker and take care of your firearms, they are great, if not, they can be worse than a cranky two year old to keep happy. Just remember, all your reloading is done at the range and two hours range time dissappears fast. However if you like it, the grin takes about a week to get off your face!!!!
Click to expand...

and about 3 days to get the soot out of the pores if you're burning the real cake- sometimes all the scrubbing in the world won't take the black circles off- you've got to SWEAT IT OUT
 
Anybody that would prohibit BP guns because of the stink likely wasn't much of a shooter anyway, and if they COULD shoot, they were snobs!:50cal:
BP revolvers are fun and not a lot of hassle, just be prepared to keep them clean , but that is half the fun, fussing with them and all!:)
Cat
 
as far as cleaing the hot soap and water is so easy i just run it down the bore of my other long rifles a few times then hot water till its clean. after that a bore brush and gun seal and its good to go. I just picked up a .36 1851 colt replica and cant wait to shoot it.

Mclean
 
I have two BP revolvers and have had a number of problems but have managed to work them out, the only lingering issue is with the caps and I have some on order which I will try.
The range I go to allows BP revolvers,I don't know about rifles except on the first Sunday of each month.

Here are a couple of pictures of my guns:
BPDayatrangeFeb2011003.jpg


Pietta44CalApart004.jpg


1851UbertiPiettatogether002.jpg
 
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