Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Shortage of cap and ball revolvers?

Saw on another gun forum that replica cap and ball revolvers are hard to get, very hard. I found that difficult to believe as I have owned 6 of them over the years and they seemed available back in the day, sure enough every place I checked said they were out of stock, or unavailable. Dixie Gun works claimed to have them.

In skilled hands they can be effective, though slow to load and you only get 6 shots. And I recall they were heavy as well. Apparently the gun hoarding is now so bad that people are buying up those old timer guns, you could do worse.

Will be interesting to see if any of these stop a riot in progress.

Never thought I would see the day when Pietta and Uberti would be cleaned out so hard for inventory?!

I have one. I think they were extremely effective when used offensively from horseback. Especially as part of an attacking group.

Used defensively against armed attack. They give something up to modern arms. How much I guess depends on many different things.

They are lethal.
Also very fun. Maybe easier to feed in a drought?

I "never thought I'd see the day" either. A friend of mine has an original '51 Navy that was carried by a forebear of his and I think he said during the War of Northern Aggression. He wanted to get a reproduction to shoot to at least come close to the experience. When he told me there was none out there I was reluctant to believe him. Then, as with HE112, I checked for myself. Son-of-a-gun....there ain't none out there! I didn't check the auction sites. Are they all sold as well or, asking an arm and a leg?

I have always liked the Colt 1860 and once had a poorly made replica that I sold, so part of my checking was to maybe get another one of higher quality, but it could be awhile with how things are going. I also remembered the last gun/ammo hoarding and percussion caps were very hard to acquire. The suppliers of actual black powder in the Austin area is very limited, but I used Pyrodex for many years and it worked fine. Had wanted to try some other alternative powders but sold my guns by then as I got tired of the soft steel the Italians used.

Still having a nice 1860 for static display and taking to the range once a year would be fun. Even a third model Colt dragoon has been on my wish list for many years too.

Hmmm??? I know used ones for sale don’t generally hang around too long.

Edit. Last time I was in Fritztown at Texas Jacks ( last winter) they seemed to have a good supply.

I think at this point there is a shortage of just about everything. Not to mention I've noticed prices have generally gone up 10%-50% across the board as well. Its ridiculous.

I've been looking at picking up a new cast boolit shooter, I've considered everything from a Richard's-Mason conversion to a Uberti Henry, to maybe one of those new Rossi 92s with the 24" octagon barrel in 357. Everything is sold out, or the prices suddently half again what they were 6 months ago.

Powders, primers, bullets, along with tactical/home defense-type guns I get, but everything else, I'm at a loss.

Its ridiculous that the 2nd Amendment is so vulnerable, we have to go through this garbage every year or so, be it due to a shooting or an election.

Pathetic.

I picked up a Traditions 1851 Navy 36 cal. back in June from Bud's Guns. They are showing only an 1851 in 44 available right now.

One possible reason may be that many can become "ghost" centerfires with a conversion cylinder like the Howell. Still slow to load by comparison with "real" revolvers, but still better than c&b. One GB seller has stated that ATF told them that Ruger Old Armys need to be transferred now because it's so easy to make them shoot cartridges. Their words, not mine, so don't start anything.

People are hunkering down, stocking up, and arming themselves.

I can believe it. The nice thing about them is you can buy them over the counter. People are probably getting tired of this horse chidt of waiting a damn week for the background check to clear for a regular firearm.. and yes, they are lethal as hell. Ask the thousands of jackrabbits I slayed with mine. You use them enough and they become like part of your body too. Point and shoot and things go bye bye... I'm down to 1 cap and ball revolver now. It was my grandfather's 36 caliber. Its been so long since I looked at it, I don't even know who its made by... I'l have to dig it out.. My girlfriend would think its a kick in the pants to shoot...

It is my understand that almost all of them are made in Italy, perhaps Covid hammered production.

Two reasons. Firstly, production is way down due to COVID, and secondly, due to an increased perceived need to Have personal weapons in an environment of shortages in firearms desired in that category, folks are looking to cap and ball options, particularly because they can get them shipped directly to their homes without any of the inconvenient laws that apply to cartridge firearms.

Fugg the Nazi ATF. They can’t make Fuqking laws are change them.

Not directed at you Pappy. 🤠

My LGS has several nice used ones right now.

I’d LOVE to have an1860 Colt and a Walker.

The “major” Firearms Wholesaler I worked for for years owned a REAL Walker Colt. He had it laying on his desk side by side with a “faked” replica. Hard to tell the difference. He said there were more fake Walkers than real ones out on the Market.

That would make sense. Also, if I remember correctly, there used to be some obscure law on the books here in TX that a Felon could possess and own a black powder gun for hunting purposes only.
I would bet that Felons purchase black powder guns since there’s no paper work or background check. Sure wouldn’t surprise me.

I’ve had this Signature Series Colt 1860 Army for about 25 years. I shoot it often, along with a very sweet Uberti 1851 Navy .36.



I would have no hesitation trusting either of them with my life. They just plain work.

All the current revolvers that I’m aware of are produced in Italy.

Have y’all started school yet Mike? I need to make a trip down there and get with you on that Marlin Papoose.

Sweet!!! That’s the one I want! 🤠

I agree, but they have, or anyway exercise, a lot of regulatory "discretion". Look at the flip-flops over Contenders and pistol-ARs. I didn't bother to check their website for any changes because it doesn't matter to me. Be interesting to see if the big retailers follow the new "rule", if it even really exists. Could be that GB seller was making it up; they ARE located in Kalifornica.

Cabela's has been receiving large shipments of C&B revolvers lately.
They don't sell them by mail order anymore, so they need to be picked up in the store.
EMF is owned by Pietta and has also received some guns that don't always show up on the website.
The guns are starting to slowly be coming back after the long shutdowns in Italy due to Covid.
It's a world market and the US is receiving its share of guns.
Some vendors have had guns all along but it's because they're prices were always higher.
Midway had a big Uberti sale a few weeks ago and sold most of their inventory but they may already be restocked.
They were accepting backorders during the sale.

I am surprised to hear that there is a shortage of these guns. It makes sense though, with the Corona's impact on Italy.
I keep a couple of these loaded in the house for household defense. I have had a Ruger Old Army for a decade, that is a well made pistol. I also keep loaded a Pietta 1858 Sheriff's model. I bought that 3 years ago and that is a well made and reliable pistol.

I have several other guns for household defense, but these cap and ball pistols are proven man killers. I can just imagine the coroner digging through that corpse, and pulling that bullet out, and saying "That is a damn .44 round ball...."