Author Topic: Took my new 51 Navy to the range today (Read 2481 times)

crgator · « **on:** July 17, 2010, 01:28:12 PM »

I'll tell you what, those guys back in the day must have been sure of their shots. Don't want to "spray & pray" with one of these and then have to reload in a hurry. It takes a while to reload. And, hopefully one day I'll learn how to cap the thing. I think it took me longer to get six caps on than it did to powder and ball the thing. But, I'll tell you, regardless of how long it takes to reload, that was the most fun shooting a gun I've had in a long time.

The first six, I did have problems, though. I kept getting caps stuck and couldn't turn the cylinder. But, after the first six, no issues at all (once, that is, I got the caps on).

I was very pleased, too, with the accuracy. I read it shoots high, so I started of aiming low, and got reasonably close to what I was "aiming", since my POI was a bit higher than POA. I must confess, I'm not that good of a shot, but I was pleased with my results.

I used a 20 gr load of Pyrodex P, no wads (because I don't have any yet). I did use Crisco over the balls though. That's a bit of a mess. Going to have to get some felt, and mix up that special formula posted here on this forum. However, with a light load, I was going to, but didn't, use some corn meal for a filler. Any ideas on how much to use, and is it necessary? Oh yeah, it's a Pietta, brass-framed Colt 1851 Navy.

To sum it up, it was hot as you know what out, but I had a ball.

FourBee · « **Reply #1 on:** July 17, 2010, 05:42:34 PM »

crgator; Glad you enjoyed your 1st time out. When I saw your post 1st thing I thought was the heat we had today.
I don't like that grease over the ball. It gets all over me and the gun. I use a lubricated wad between the powder and ball.
Don't use to heavy a load with that Brass gun, and it will last a long time. I've read that the .44 calibers were sighted in for 75 yards. So they will shoot high at close range.
Hope you liked your capper.
4B

His lordship. · « **Reply #2 on:** July 31, 2010, 08:54:17 AM »

I have an Uberti steel framed 1851 Colt. I want to be easy on the gun so I only put in 18-20 grains of black powder, I get good groups with this load. I normally use Crisco grease to seal the cylinders, but on a hot day I have had this stuff melt and not give me the protection that I need. I have commercial felt wads that I will use instead as it should hold up in the heat., otherwise it is Crisco city!

My guns shoots high and I have to aim alittle to the right to center it. I now pinch the caps to give them more grab on the nipples, had too many of them fly off if I don't get em' on tighter. I also roll the gun up (barrel up) to allow spent caps to fall out of the gun when cocking it, my 1860 Army was more forgiving of the smashed caps getting into the frame and hammer, but not my smaller Navy, jambville if I don't.

simonkenton · « **Reply #3 on:** July 31, 2010, 04:45:58 PM »

Sounds like you had a good day on your first time out!

I have never used the Crisco on top of the cylinder, sounds like a nasty mess to me.

I use well-lubed felt wads.

Welcome to the world of cap and ball revolvers, they are great!

All Hawks Kill · « **Reply #4 on:** July 31, 2010, 05:44:58 PM »

Glad you had a good time your first outing. The get very addictive and before long you won't even think about shooting any other type of handguns....

No Crisco for me though, I use mainly lubed wads, but if I don't have any I use Bore Butter. It is about the same consistancy as Crisco but comes in a tube that is much handier. It also works even better if you mix it with some bee's wax, generally 2 parts bee's wax 1 part Bore Butter. I'll put some of this mixture on top of the ball and around the cap if I'm going to keep mine loaded for any length of time.

powderman · « **Reply #5 on:** July 31, 2010, 06:03:52 PM »

I have 2 piettas, 1858, and 1860s. One simply will not keep the #10 caps on so I use the #11s. I got real felt from a fabric shop, real felt, no acrylic. I use a fired 45 LC case to cut my wads. Deprime, then use a pocket knife to sharpen the inside of the case. I put the felt on cardboard before cutting the wads. Simply punch them back out with a nail or wire. I asked on the other thread and will ask here again for the lube recipe as I'm almost out. I too use nothing over the ball, just the greased over powder wad. I did substitute crisco for the tallow and it works fine. POWDERMAN.

FourBee · « **Reply #6 on:** August 01, 2010, 10:28:02 AM »

Quote

posted by: powderman I have 2 piettas, 1858, and 1860s. One simply will not keep the #10 caps on so I use the #11s.

Hey powderman; Just a thought here, when I read your statement : "Somethings ain't right. Both the Pietta Remington 1858 (all), and Colt 1860 use the same 6mm x .75 nipple. So, the #10's oughta fit on the Remington if they still have the original nipples. But, on the otherhand, I've heard that from others too. UBERTI is different. Both of their guns wear the 5.5mm x .9 nipple.

powderman · « **Reply #7 on:** August 01, 2010, 01:21:17 PM »

FOURBEE. NOPE, both Piettas. Don't remember which is which but one will not use the #10s. BTW, I'd love to have an 1851, always been my favorite. Maybe someday. Will somebody please post the lube formula??? I promise to write it down this time. POWDERMAN.

All Hawks Kill · « **Reply #8 on:** August 01, 2010, 01:40:45 PM »

Both my Piettas (1851 and 1860 Colts) using #11 caps as well.

crgator · « **Reply #9 on:** August 01, 2010, 04:28:17 PM »

Quote from: powderman on August 01, 2010, 01:21:17 PM

FOURBEE. NOPE, both Piettas. Don't remember which is which but one will not use the #10s. BTW, I'd love to have an 1851, always been my favorite. Maybe someday. Will somebody please post the lube formula??? I promise to write it down this time. POWDERMAN.

From: http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,3932.0.html , Proper use of a cap and ball revolver

The recipe is:
1 part paraffin (I use canning paraffin, found in grocery stores)
1 part mutton tallow (sold by Dixie Gun Works)
1/2 part beeswax (available at hobby and hardware stores)
All measures are by weight, not volume. I use a kitchen scale to measure 200 grams of paraffin, 200 grams of mutton tallow and 100 grams of beeswax. This nearly fills a quart Mason jar.
Place the Mason jar in a pot or coffee can with about 4 inches of boiling water. This gives a double-boiler effect, which is the safest way to melt waxes and greases.
When the ingredients in the jar are thoroughly melted, stir well with a clean stick or a disposable chopstick. Remove from water and allow to cool at room temperature (trying to speed cooling by placing in the refrigerator may cause the ingredients to separate).
This creates a lubricant nearly identical to a well-known black powder lubricant sold commercially.
To use, place a small amount of the lubricant in a clean tuna or cat food can. Melt in a shallow pan of water. Drop your revolver wads or patches into the can and stir them around with a clean stick until all wads or patches are saturated. Allow to cool then snap a plastic lid (available in the pet food aisle) over the can and store in a cool, dry place. This keeps dust and crud out and retains the lubricant's natural moistness.
I don't bother to squeeze out the excess lubricant from patches or wads but use them as-is.

Is this what you're looking for?

powderman · « **Reply #10 on:** August 01, 2010, 04:37:05 PM »

CRGATOR. Yes it is, thank you very much. POWDERMAN.

Pat/Rick · « **Reply #11 on:** August 04, 2010, 08:14:39 PM »

2 F.Pietta colts and 1 F.Pietta remmie, all three take #11 caps. Sooooooo much fun!

Instant time machines!

coyotejoe · « **Reply #12 on:** August 09, 2010, 05:00:42 AM »

Quote from: FourBee on August 01, 2010, 10:28:02 AM

Quote
posted by: powderman I have 2 piettas, 1858, and 1860s. One simply will not keep the #10 caps on so I use the #11s.

Hey powderman; Just a thought here, when I read your statement : "Somethings ain't right. Both the Pietta Remington 1858 (all), and Colt 1860 use the same 6mm x .75 nipple. So, the #10's oughta fit on the Remington if they still have the original nipples. But, on the otherhand, I've heard that from others too. UBERTI is different. Both of their guns wear the 5.5mm x .9 nipple.

Unfortunately there seems to be no standard as to cap sizes or nipple sizes. The thread size has nothing to do with the cap size, one can get a 6x.75mm nipple to take musket caps. Many revolvers take a #10 while others take a #11 cap. The caps themselves also vary with different brands. I've replaced all of my revolver nipples with Tresco/Ampco brand just to get one standard size because I was tired of going to the range to discover that the caps I had that day didn't fit the gun I had that day. Now all of my guns, revolvers, pistols, rifles and shotguns all take the CCI #11 cap, which is the most commonly available cap in my area.

FourBee · « **Reply #13 on:** August 09, 2010, 05:35:59 AM »

Quote

by coyotejoe: " Unfortunately there seems to be no standard as to cap sizes or nipple sizes. "

coyotejoe; from all evidence born by black powder users of Colt type Revolvers, I believe you're right.

Could be PIETTA may have added some new tools to help keep up with production, and they are not in sinc with the older tools. Hence the various sizes of nipples on the same threadbase.

Range Rider · « **Reply #14 on:** August 19, 2010, 09:24:16 AM »

As for a lube. I am too lazy and lack the talent to cook up lubes. I buy the Mobile One lube at Auto Zone. This stuff is bright red and will not melt in your holster or blow out while firing. If you don't want your 51' to fill your CW Flap holster up with Crisco like a deep fryer try Moble 1. Avoid that awful grease stream down your leg.

fistmil · « **Reply #15 on:** August 21, 2010, 02:19:29 AM »

I have a Uberti 51 Navy and it also shot high. About 8 inches high at 25 yards. I had a gunsmith friend of mine take a brass rod of the same diameter of the front sight and replace the sight. The rod was left tall so I could file down to the POI. The gun shoots fine now and the front sight looks original.

rbertalotto · « **Reply #16 on:** January 14, 2012, 02:29:05 AM »

Quote

I'll tell you what, those guys back in the day must have been sure of their shots. Don't want to "spray & pray" with one of these and then have to reload in a hurry.

Just finished reading the book "American Rifle...A Biography". It makes reference to the data that during the Civil War something like 50 bullets were used for every dead enemy..........in the Vietnam War this number went up to 70,000!!!!

FourBee · « **Reply #17 on:** January 14, 2012, 03:38:36 AM »

Quote from: rbertalotto on January 14, 2012, 02:29:05 AM

Quote
I'll tell you what, those guys back in the day must have been sure of their shots. Don't want to "spray & pray" with one of these and then have to reload in a hurry.

Just finished reading the book "American Rifle...A Biography". It makes reference to the data that during the Civil War something like 50 bullets were used for every dead enemy..........in the Vietnam War this number went up to 70,000!!!!

Excitement during battle contact can cause you to hold the trigger down. That will empty an M16 w/20 round clip rat now.

ironball · « **Reply #18 on:** January 14, 2012, 06:22:40 AM »

Those bullets were quite a bit bigger in the 1860s than they were in the 1960s. Plus, many soldiers died from infections and wounds that are entierly survivable in modern times.

For my revolvers, I got my hands on 10 tubes of CVA grease patch for a buck a piece, so I'm using that up when I am loading and shooting right away. Not messy at all. If I'm going to carry the gun, I use the wads under the ball.

FourBee · « **Reply #19 on:** January 14, 2012, 07:19:26 AM »

10 tubes? How many in a tube?
All I use in my revolvers is the wad like you said.

ironball · « **Reply #20 on:** January 14, 2012, 07:42:44 AM »

It's actually a patch grease. 4 oz. in a tube. I got it on a closeout somewhere. It's easy to squirt out into the cylinders, and a lot cheaper than bore butter.

FourBee · « **Reply #21 on:** January 14, 2012, 04:41:47 PM »

OK; I gotcha. Yeah, I don't care for the bore butter or crisco sealing the cylinders. To messy. P
Using the correct lead projectile will properly seal the chambers from powder flash, unless the firearm is in questionable condition.

ironball · « **Reply #22 on:** January 14, 2012, 07:02:01 PM »

It's not just about the chamber seal. Cross firing is something like an old wive's tale. It doesn't come from the front of the chambers.

If you plan on extended firing, you need to keep the bore fouling soft. That takes a considerable amout of lube. If you don't keep your cylinder pin lubed, you might also experiance index fails after less than a couple dozen shots.