Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Cap and Ball revolvers ?

I have a 58 Remington copy. It is as accurate a handgun as I own, and fun to shoot. I would, however, prefer to wash and wax a large motorhome as to clean it after shooting.

Here in Texas the legendary Ranger Jack Hays could reportedly shoot the head off a chicken across the street with his .36 Colt Pattersons.

I’m wondering what Wild Bill Hickok’s earlier experiences had been with the ‘51 Navy during his earlier days. How many men did he actually kill and when?

The late gun writer Elmer Keith (1898 - 1984) wrote a book, "Sixguns" in the mid 1950s. In it, he included a chapter on cap and ball revolvers.
Keith learned how to load and shoot these revolvers from Civil War veterans when he grew up in Helena, Montana. In 1912, at the age of 14, he began carrying a Colt 1851 Navy in .36 caliber.
Keith recommended FFFG black powder for the .28 and .31 caliber revolvers, and FFG black powder for theh .36 and .44 guns.
He didn't list loads by weight, but he instructed to pour in the powder until it almost filled the chamber, leaving room for a greased felt wad.
Keith punched felt wads from an old hat, and soaked them in a lubricant made of melted beeswax and tallow.

This wad was placed over the powder, then the ball rammed down with it until the ball was slightly below flush of the chamber.
Keith noted, "A percussion sixgun thus loaded will shoot clean all day if you blow your breath through the bore a few times after each six rounds are fired. It will also shoot very accurately if it is a good gun."
"I had one .36 Navy Colt that had a pitted barrel, but with the above load it would cut clover leaves for its six shots, at 20 yards, all day with seated back and head rest and two hands used between the knees to further holding," Keith wrote.

"For its size and weight nothing is so deadly as the round ball of pure lead when driven at fairly good velocity," Keith wrote. "Maximum loads give these slugs fairly high velocity from a 7-1/2 inch barrel gun.
Keith knew two Civil War cavalrymen who had seen an enormous amount of battle in the Civil War. Major R. E. Stratton fought in the Confederacy's 1st Texas Regiment. Samuel H. Fletcher fought in the Union's 2nd Illinois Cavalry.

"Both Maj. Stratton and Sam Fletcher told me the .36 Navy with full loads was a far better man killer than any .38 Special they had ever seen used in gun fights," Keith wrote.
"Maj. Stratton said that for a man stopper he preferred the round ball with chamber full of FFG to the pointed conical bullet," Keith wrote. "Sam Fletcher also told me he preferred a pure lead round ball in his Navy Colts with chamber full of black powder, to the issued conical ball load.
"Fletcher claimed the round ball dropped enemy cavalrymen much better and took all the fight out of them, whereas the pointed bullet at times would only wound and leave them fighting.
"Fletcher stated, however, that when foraging and shooting cattle for meat, the pointed bullet was the best for body shots that had to be taken where penetration was needed. But that on all frontal shots on beef, the old round ball was plenty good and would reach the brain --- even on bulls.

I know what you mean. Love to shoot the old pistols but what a PITA to clean.

Great post, tks

Here’s a thought, a .44 RB contains about 180% of the lead a .36 cal ball does, and even today .44 RBs cost about 40% more. Likewise a full .44 cal charge burns about half again more powder than a .36.

Most folks weren’t rolling in money back then, simple economics combined with inherent accuracy and sufficient performance could explain the longevity and popularity of the ‘51 Navy. More bang for the buck.

Dixie Gun Works is selling NIB Uberti ‘51 Navies for $295, .44 1860 Colt Armys for $310 and 1858 Remingtons for $315. Plus they stock spare parts and extra cylinders.

Any one of these is a good deal IMHO. The 1860 especially is a beautiful handgun. The Outlaw Josie Wales apparently thought so.

Midway has Uberti on sale right now, all the models are right around $300. They do this once or twice a year.

I'd say, never get a brass frame for a shooter

I'd go with Uberti, but even some of the ubertis need some attention, like deburring rough edges, when you first get them.

.36 revolvers are nice, '51 Navy is THE classic.

the pocket models have even more problems with cap jams than the full sized. There are some gimmicks to avoid it, I'm just learning.

There are a bunch of facebook groups dedicated to C&B revolvers, and a bunch of dedicated websites, google for them. Several interesting youtube channels including one from Hungary called capandball.

a bunch of guys are making and shooting the 1850's style paper cartridges, lot of work, but fun. There are tools to form the paper available.

I would never mess with a cartridge conversion cylinder. use your modern guns if you want to shoot metal cartridges.

put ONE HOUR or more into your afternoon/evening schedule to clean up the SAME DAY you go shooting for EACH C&B revolver you shoot that day.

have fun!

Poole

I have two, one is a Colt, 1860 Army, SN says 1862, the other is a New in the Box Colt Black Powder Series 3rd Dragoon. Both could be shot, but just don't want to clean up the mess.

Pietta Remington Sheriff's Model, 1858

For me the problem is that it takes so long to reload the things. That's why I don't shoot mine as often as I would like to.

As far as cleaning them goes after I remove the cylinder I poor hot soapy water through the chambers and bore. This cleans out the fowling fast and for good measure I treat these same areas with T17 Foaming Bore Cleaner. This leaves the said areas clean like new and does not take long at all.

I shoot two replicas. An 1851 Navy and an 1858 Remington. I prefer the Remington replica because it is much easier to take apart for cleaning and shoots to point of aim.

You can get any model that suits you. Make sure it's a Uberti.

Wife's Colt 1851 Navy "squareback" reissue shown with my Grandpa's circa 1900 saddle, my Douglass Kidd holster and the wife's M1860 Cavalry sabre.

Edited to add: Mexican belt courtesy of Walmart.

I've owned a brass-framed .44 cal Navy Arms revolver since 1972 (cost $50, I think) and have shot a bazillion rounds through it. You couldn't blow it up if you tried because [1] it's black powder (very low pressure) and [2] the chambers will (obviously) only accommodate a limited amount of powder. Accordingly, cautionary statements about the durability of steel-framed black powder revolvers are overblown. Brass-framed revolvers are also cheaper to buy and look great as the brass ages.

Black powder revolvers are fun to shoot and, if you see a brass-framed model that you like, buy it and don't look back.

Walker?

Yes.

Williamson .36 brass frame, uses the .380 ball. $49 at Woolworths in 69
Had to change nipples years ago. Soft caps disappear on mine si it seldom jams. Reloading is the least handy oart, i have thought if trying to make paper cartridges
The sights are a notch in the hammer and a brass bead. Since it is a fun only gun there is no reason to load hot or large caliber. I have administered coup on 2 deer with it

Great looking revolver
I ordered one today,along with an extra black powder cylinder.
$353.00 shipped with taxes from Cabellas for both .


Now I have to figure out the best powder to use and what brand and size of caps ,which lube
Make a holster for it and a belt pouch for the extra cylinder.
Maybe experiment paper cartridges.

Get an extra cylinder and a loading tool for it. Those short barrel C&B's can be a biotch to seat a ball in because of the short seating lever.