Question for the Cap 'n' Balling Ladies and Gentlemen

[Tower75]

Hi Guys,

I've recently purchased a .44 Pieta "Colt" Navy/Army revolver and I took it down the range the other day, it was 50 yards – wasn’t expecting much. I just wanted to try it out and, you know, get that warm and fuzzy feeling from using a handgun. I was actually surprised that with a 5 inch barrel the revolver was actually putting holes in the board.

However, my God, it’s a fiddly little thing. I put all the quirks down to user-error. Every 3rd shot seemed to jam because either a cap lodged in the mechanism or the lubricant I was using to cover the chambers -lard- would gunk up the cylinder, and after 6-shots the handgun was caked in the stuff – it looked like some kind of culinary disaster. I’d be the pride of the US cavalry, wouldn’t I?

Maybe I used too much. How much lube do you need, I was making sure that the entire chamber mouth was covered over with lard. Also, how did people of yonder age handle this. I doubt that officers would bother with lubing the chambers after a reload with swarms of enemy brandishing bayonets and a crazy look in their eye were bearing down on them.

What do you use?

Would it be better to use wads behind the balls? If so, what kind?

Regards
T

[Mike357]

Don't use lard, not good. If you must use a grease type lube then buy the dedicated stuff from Kranks etc. That way you will ensure that it will evaporate/disperse as it was designed to.

What I would say is, IMHO, use lubed wads behind the ball. Much easier to administer, less messy and as far as I can determine there is little difference. Kranks will supply them.

As for caps, all I can say is keep experimenting with different sizes/brands until you find a size & brand that fits. If that fails consider changing nipples.

[dromia]

Fired caps falling into a colt action is a feature of the Colt design unfortunately. When I shoot Colt BP I take care to roll the pistol to the side, keeping it pointing downrange, as I cock the hammer to ensure the fired cap falls clear of the action.

Lard is fine but it will help to stiffen it with some beeswax, melt the two together in a bain marie or a tin can in a ot of boiling water adjusting the proportions 'till you get the right consistency. My own mix is beeswax olive oil and some lanolin. Far cheaper than propriety lube and you can make it any consitency from a smear type to firm 'tween powder and ball wads.

[John25]

I don't use grease, lard or stuff. I use a tight ball in the chamber, on top of a felt (or sometimes card) wad. powder in first of course :lol: .

Blow off any loose powder (I use pre- filled phials) and you won't get a flash over.

As Mike says, try different sized caps, I find that number elevens are a tighter fit on my Pietta Remmington.

Make smoke and smile

[dromia]

I've never noticed cap size making any difference to their ability to stay on the nipple after they have been fired.

[dromia]

I like to use a softish grease to help keep the fouling soft, especially if you are using some of the nutty slack masquerading as BP that is going around now.

[Tower75]

Thanks. I'm started to come around to the idea of wads. I've never bought anything from Kranks to be honest. I keep hearing horror stories from people who have dealt with him, but I might give him a call.

I use Remington No10s, but agreed. Every cap I've seen, regardless of No. or brand, falls off after being given a slap.

[dromia]

If you are going for wads then try beeswax sheets, either buy them from bee keeping suppliers or make your own by melting and pouring onto a bowl of water to an appropriate thickness. Loads cheaper. Punches can be made form a suitable 45 calibre case say 45-70.

[Tower75]

That's a bloody good idea, that. Thanks. So, if I want to make my own, I have to pour bee's wax into water? Plus, does it have to be bees'?

[dromia]

No, but its need to be a non petroleum based wax, funnily enough paraffin wax will work fine with BP though.