Suggestions fer first cap 'n ball

Federalist · July 01, 2010, 06:38:42 AM

Ya got me hooked, I have ta try it out! I am lookin fer my first cap 'n ball pistol but I want help from the experts. There is a used second generation Colt 2nd model Dragoon fer $500.00 or a used Pietta 1861 steel frame fer $235.00 at a nearby shop. The Colt is alot fer me and the Pietta is more my price range. Am I lookin at the right stuff fer the first time?

Dirty Brass · July 01, 2010, 08:11:21 AM

Personally I'd go with the 1861 Pietta for my first time revolver. Much easier to handle and familiarize with. The Dragoons I have are considerably heavier and require a little more strength to point and aim. Don't get me wrong - I love my Dragoons & my Walkers, but my '51 and '60 models are much easier to shoot. There will always be more Dragoons around later on

litl rooster · July 01, 2010, 08:35:13 AM

the price on the Pietta seems high for a used one

You should be able to find a new one or a Uberti for under $300

Percussion Pete · July 01, 2010, 11:30:27 AM

Have I got a deal for you. First let me tell you that a Pietta is not the quality of a Uberti. No matter what anybody says. I've had both, and there's a world of difference. One step further is a Cimarron Uberti. Uberti makes guns for Cimarron, and the fit and finish is better and they harden some internal parts better. So, for someone getting started. Here's a deal for you.

Cimarron 1860 Colt Army. Antique finish. Except it still has the gloss finish on the wood. Nice looking wood. Everything fits perfect on this gun and it shoots dead straight. (rare for a C&B). It's only 1 month old.

Treso nipples. (much better than what came with the gun)

Flask with proper spout for this gun.

600 Remington #10 caps. Perfect fit for the Treso nipples.

4lbs Goex 3f powder

Loading stand

I'll sell it for half of my investment. $300 + whatever the shipping is.

PM me and i'll give you my phone # and we can talk if you're interested.

Goatlips · July 02, 2010, 11:24:42 PM

Buy it Federalist! Worth twice the price with the extras!

Goatlips

Percussion Pete · July 03, 2010, 10:33:55 AM

That's what I thought, but he seems to have disapperared.

Deal is open to anybody.

Goatlips · July 03, 2010, 11:16:08 PM

Pete, sent ya a PM. Goat

Percussion Pete · July 06, 2010, 11:34:56 AM

I sent you one back with a call to follow.

Dick Dastardly · July 08, 2010, 10:35:18 AM

You could consider the Ruger Old Army as a starter gun. It will deliver the most trouble free shooting for SASS matches of any cap & Ball gun and it will handle any load you can stuff into it. No, it's not period correct, but it is built Tiger Tank tough. I have a brace of them and love 'em. I also have a brace on 1860 open tops. The 60s are very fragile compared to the ROAs. They'll never stand up to the kind of beating that the ROAs will.

Neither will Remingtons.

DD-DLoS

Percussion Pete · July 08, 2010, 02:04:59 PM

Quote from: Dick Dastardly on July 08, 2010, 10:35:18 AM
You could consider the Ruger Old Army as a starter gun. It will deliver the most trouble free shooting for SASS matches of any cap & Ball gun and it will handle any load you can stuff into it. No, it's not period correct, but it is built Tiger Tank tough. I have a brace of them and love 'em. I also have a brace on 1860 open tops. The 60s are very fragile compared to the ROAs. They'll never stand up to the kind of beating that the ROAs will.

Neither will Remingtons.

DD-DLoS

True, but the 1860's will stand up better than the originals.

btw..My deal is sold everybody. Thanks Goat.

Federalist · August 31, 2010, 04:34:30 PM

Pards,

Thanks for all your yer help, suggestions an offers, but life got in the way for a little while an I was'nt able ta git back to ya'll. In the mean time, I did git a deal on a couple of new in the box 1858 Remington Piettas. I luv'em an I jis might git ta shoot em in a match this month! Thanks again everyone!

Noz · September 01, 2010, 09:31:32 AM

Cabela's is running some sweet sales on their cap and balls right now.

Fiddler Green · September 02, 2010, 09:44:28 AM

Good to Cableas.com and order up a new C&B pistol. They sell the Brass frame .44 for $149 and sometimes $129. Great starter gun and you'll still be shooting it 10 years from now.

Don't buy the starter kit as it's really not worth it (IMHO).

Fiddler Green

Sir Charles deMouton-Black · September 02, 2010, 09:55:16 AM

I'm not sure of the price increase, but I'd choose a steel frame revolver. No harder to use and more durable.

Fiddler Green · September 02, 2010, 10:16:20 AM

I'd love to agree with that, but, I've known to many people that owned brass frames and never ahd any of the problems that everybody keeps posting about.

Bruce

kflach · September 02, 2010, 10:35:22 AM

I shot a brass-framed Pietta 1858 for about a year. The manual said use 22-30 grains for the gun and here online people said use "lighter" loads when shooting with brass-framed guns so I shot 25 grain loads of 3f Goex Holy Black powder. It had just over 1000 balls shot through it before it got a little cracked and I replaced it with a steel-framed version of the same model.

Moral: I had a heck of a lot of fun with that gun and don't regret the brass-frame at all, but I recommend even lighter loads than I used. I don't plan on getting one again because if I eventually get a conversion cylinder it won't work with a brass frame. Also, I've since learned that, although the South reproduced some of the Northern guns using brass frames, the Remington 1858 model wasn't one of them so it's not historically accurate.

Fiddler Green · September 02, 2010, 11:10:58 AM

Belive it or not:

I think the Colt Brass frames hold up much better then the Remington Brass frames. Still, 1,000 rounds to learn to load and shoot a C&B pistol, at $150 it comes out to .15 per shot (not counting powder, cap and ball). And, I'm still willing to bet you can get 5,000 shots out of a brass frame Colt. I've got freinds who have and are still going strong.