Colt 51 Navy loading tool

[Smokinhydes1]

I appreciate the warm welcome I've gotten here. I am gearing up to shoot a couple 36 cal 51 Navies in CAS, and I would like to find a loading tool. Where to look? Also, my guns are Italian EIG's....will extra cylinders interchange from brand to brand as long as I check timing? Thanks in advance for your help!

[Dick Dastardly]

Ho the fire,

I have loading stands on my web site.  www.biglube.com

Hope this helps.

DD-DLoS

[Cactus Cris]

The loading tool that DD has are the Cats Meow--Best thing ever!!  Now ya know that to use the tool your gonna have to punch out the wedge, pull the barrel off, remove the cylinder.
  IF ya don't want to do that, a loading block that holds the pistol with barrel pointing straight up is the way to go.  I have these made for each pistol by caliber and type.  Will send a pic to you with particulars and price if ya send me your email addy.   Mine look similar to the ones in Cabelas BP section of their cat, except mine are lined with leather and have a hinge so they lay flat when not using.

[hellgate]

Are you thinking of a loading stand for the entire gun to rest on while reloading or just one for the cylinders only? I haven't used a loading stand in the 13yrs I've been shooting CAS with C&Bs. I know folks that do use & like them for reloading as it frees up one hand. I just hold the gun upright and charge 5, wad 5, ram 5, grease 5 and holster. I then cap at the loading table. To me, it is overkill to get a bunch of extra cylinders that require knocking the guns apart repeatedly and reassembling them all the while getting your hands incredibly dirty and the guns worn out when it is not necessary. Also you can get a tight gap and a gummy gun reassembling in a hurry by over tapping in the wedge. There are shooters who advocate getting a whole bunch of cylinders so you can load up leisurely at home and just swap out cylinders and cap during the match. Unless you have a very small posse I have found there is plenty of time to recharge between stages. You can always "work" the unloading table while restoking the pistolas. I concede that charging the cylinders at home without distractions will all but eliminate the occasional "dry balling" of a chamber.

What I recommend is getting a third gun for the occasional 5 or 6 shot "reload" stage where you are allowed to stage a fully loaded (but uncapped) pistol and when the time comes you merely cap & shoot. Plus, if one of your main match guns breaks, you have a spare. Let's say you decide that C&B is a big hassel and (heaven forbid!) you decide to go to suppository shooters. Now you are stuck with a whole bunch of cylinders to sell for a small fraction of what you paid. A 3rd gun will hold it's value better.

Don't count on off lable cylinders to fit the arbor or be timed the same. To be sure & reliable, stay with the same manufacturer. Also I would recommend Remingtons if you are dead set on getting a bunch of cylinders as they are much easier to swap out of the gun and don't require a dowel/mallet to remove & replace a wedge. I've even had trouble with cylinder allignment on the guns they came with.

I have shot in several "True Grit" type matches where it is 20 pistol, 20 rifle and 4-8 shotgun shots per stage. I used 4 revolvers per stage. Two Remingtons all charged & capped in holsters and two Colts staged where the "reload" was to take place. Worked fine. I never got behind to where I delayed the posse or held anyone up who was waiting for me to reload/recharge my guns. I worked briskly but it was/is doable.

Even if it does take you a long time to carefully restoke your revolvers, other shooters will cut you a lot of slack. You are already handicapping yourself with the percussin' ignition system so don't worry about being a burden on anyone. A fair number of shooters probably feel sorry for us anyway but we have the biggest grins when everything comes together.

[litl rooster]

Even if it does take you a long time to carefully restoke your revolvers, other shooters will cut you a lot of slack. You are already handicapping yourself with the percussin' ignition system so don't worry about being a burden on anyone. A fair number of shooters probably feel sorry for us anyway but we have the biggest grins when everything comes together.

It's so true

[Steel Horse Bailey]

BIG grins!

[Paladin UK]

Like Hellgate says................

we have the biggest grins when everything comes together.

So true Pard!!! Sooooooooooooo True!!!

Paladin (What jest lurvs the Holy Black ) UK

[44caliberkid]

As for your question about cylinder interchangebility, I tried a Pietta cylinder in a Uberti pistol once, and it felt weird, extra effort cocking, felt like a bind, so i didn't do it.  Get cylinders for the brand you are using.