Cap-and-Ball Revolver Projectile Lubricants

[Lefty Dude]

I don't need no stinky Lube, I use APP in my Colt 1851's.

[rifle]

Logically speaking.....I thunk I can do that or attempt it without damaging anyones emotional status or causing PTSD from Hombre readin this. 

Sure....there are accounts of Raiders charging in hell bent on destruction carrying multiple cap&baller revolvers. Makes a lot of sense to do that in a situation like that.

Thing is all combat situations were not the same. Just couldn't be. There had to be many more situations where the combat was stationary and not centered around Calvary charges or times when the combatants fired till dry and ran away. There are times of "stratigic retreat". At times like that I would imagine Folks would re-load their guns. When holding the "Line" or the "Stone Wall" or the hill (Little Round Top ect.ect. has accounts by those that were there in books),so to speak, people had to be re-loading their guns they had. If a Soldier had a revolver I imagine he would be re-loading it just as the soldiers with the rifles would be re-loading. The soldiers were issued a few boxes of those cartridges fer cap&baller revolver. They weren't just "fer lookin at".

Indian Wars where Calvary were stationary and being besieged I imagine they would be re-loading their guns. Somewhere in the past I read where soldiers ,or whoever, used a spare cylinder to whack a wedge to loosen a barrel to replace a fired cylinder with a loaded one and use the empty to whack the wedge back in.


Anywhooo.....there are many accounts of battles that were rather stationary and the Hombre there had to be reloading their guns to get ready for the next charge or assault or wave or whatever. It would be sorta mute to have an author of those accounts  mention that "the soldiers reloaded their guns". Mention of a "Running Battle" and having to make accounts of Soldiers reloading the guns would be ridiculous.

I'm just saying......people had to be in situations where they had to reload the guns instead of running away or had to reload while running away on horseback or on foot. In many accounts of battles it would just be "understood" that the combatants had to reload guns.

Now.....if there was a feller that thunked up an idea that havin some "tow" or a "wool" wad with a lil lube on the stuff or maybe just some natural lube like,"spit", (which I've read soldiers usin Remingtons where instructed to do(spit on the gun) and some issued lil brass bottle things on the holster belt to put water in to use on a Remington that was getting fouled) that he may do that thing like stick a "fouling contender" in the gun getting ready fer the next charge and want the gun to work a little better after it was fouled to hell. Just maybe could have happened somewhere and not have been recounted in some book. Some Hombre could have went behind some bushes to dig a cat-hole to squat over and load his revolver while doing so and not have that recounted in a book.

I'd be spittin all over the danged gun or urinatiing on it in certain places to keep it working if I knew the Injuns were coming again. I'm not gonna mention what I'd be doin with what was messin up my drawers.

I'm just sayin......there had to be some dumb nut that figgered he would be better off if he used some sort of concoction to make his danged gun keep shootin. He may just pee on it if he didn't have a creek or puddle or pond to submerge the loaded gun into like ole Sam Colt showed could be done.   You know.....loosening up the danged fouling hanging up the revolver.

Anywhooooo.....there had to be instances where Folks had to reload their guns ifin they couldn't run away when it was empty. Not everyone with a revolver was issued several of them to use if it ran out of loads.

Anywhooooo.......again.....if someone like a dumb arse like me could be shootin a cap&baller and get really sick and tired of cleaning the barrel after every shot or cylinder to keep the best accuracy while testing the danged gun and come up with an idea of making some sort of fouling contender then.....someone back in the day probably did the same danged thing. Law of averages would bear that out but not have it recorded in a book somewhere.

I hope my danged dry humor doesn't get anyone riled up. I'm just trying to say something and can't help trying to stick some humor in now and then.     I may be trying to be logical and it may not be working out real well.


Like lrfty Dude I have tried some APP powder. I tried Alliant Black MZ, which comes in only one grain size, and actually liked it. It is made by APP according to Alliant Powder Co. specifications. I like the stuff. Black like real powder. Consistant and doesn't corrode so I can do a quicky clean up and not worry bout it and shoot the next day and the next and not be getting corrosion all over the gun.

Loads the same as black with a little more pep.  Just enough pep to be satisfying.

I tested it and was hittin and gettin close all the time shooting at a oil qt. jug for many shots. Havin a good time and hittin good at around 40 paces.  My neighbore came over to visit while I was doing that.Atually he wanted a ride to the Auto store again and to borrow some tools. Anywhoooo asked what I was shootin. Cap&ball revolver I said. What'sthat he asked. I said like they used in the Civil War. Showed him the engraved faux ivory gripped blue Navy I got from Cabelas. He was sorta floored. Thought the gun was beautiful.

Anyway he shot it,not being a pistol shooter, usin two hands annd.....was shootin the qt. jug 40 paces away as good as I was(almost ha ha ha ).  The gun had been fired many times....stopped usin lube pills a good while earlier andthe gun was still accurate and working good. I like Black MZ by Alliant. Sold in most gun stores and even saw it at Wal-Mart once or twice. It's good powder. Best of the subs maybe.

Anywhooooo.....I try not to be bias or predudiced about some Dude like Lefty Dude using some fake powder because......I like some of those. I'm a Danged hipocrite I guess. I'd never stop shootin the Holy Black though. I like the authenticity of it fer one thing and it works good too. The best if the fouling can be contended with.

[PJ Hardtack]

Think of the early Texas Paterson where you had to remove the barrel and cylinder to reload.

I've owned two Paterson revolvers, and while I liked their pointability (is that a word ... :>) and folding trigger, they were a real pain.

Later models had a loading lever and the recoil shield had the cut out to facilitate capping.

[rifle]

I have a Uberti Paterson. Love that gun. It shoots good with the eleven grooved barrel.  It has the loading lever. I do have a cylinder or maybe two spare for it so I could reload just changing the cylinder. I never do though since the flask and the balls and caps go to loadin fast fer me if I can get to everything easy. I load standing on my hind legs and even while walking sometimes....stopping to set the cap on though but not always. I don't like cleaning cylinders let alone two of them.

The trigger being forward a good bit is hard to ignore and just deal with it. I can deal with it though.

One feller writting an article in a Gun Mag long time ago disliked the trigger being where it was somuch that he milled the frame and a new screw hole and stuck the trigger where it was in contact with the hammer and fixed a trigger guard to the gun too.

He liked the modification a lot. Had some difficulty fixing the trigger guard to it.

I know I read somewhere that the Texas Rangers at some point were issued TWO Patersons to carry. It may have been the time the Rangers got the best of an enemy that out numbered them quite a bit.

Someone once put on a forum somewhere that once the Rangers shot the Patersons they had to go all the way back to camp to reload.
I mentioned that there were the loading tools that were used to reload by taking the barrels off and also the Paterson powder flask that charged all five chambers at once.

[Bruce W Sims]

Bruce, I think that you bring many valid points to the discussion. Personally, I also don't see the sense in trying to "improve" obsolete technology when the whole point of using old tech is to master its operation while negotiating with its technological shortcomings. Keep in mind, I focus on historical shooting and living history so to me, modern enhancements to old technology is like redesigning the candle after the light bulb has already  been developed.

..........

-Dave

Great Post.... I think yer exactly right! Maybe its a cultural thing, but it seems like our country is ever looking for technology to make things better. What I find is that using obsolete technology forces ME to do better. There was an interview on National Public Radio (NPR) with a neuroscientist who has written a book on how modern technology is starting mess-up our problem-solving skills since we are always being given new toys to solve problems for us. I'm not making a case for going back to pre-antibiotic days, but I AM wondering how we ever got so lazy that we need a cellphone recoding device to make a Saturday shopping list. Sheesh. How long before we have a cellphone APP to record and score our performance on the range? ;-)

Best Wishes,

Bruce

[rifle]

That quote by Dave makes my head spin. Makes my knarled weather beatin leather faced bearded head spin.

Makes no sense. Trying to improve the operation of old tech (cap&baller revolvers)  IS mastering and negotiating. Like that quote is saying it makes no sense doing it when all you should do is do it.

Anywhooooo.....that's all they seemed to do back in history is try to improve things. Take Elmer Kieth using wool wads made from old hats and putting some lube and wax on the wad to stick under the ball so the gun would "work" well. Did he learn that from the Civil War Veterans he talked with or figure that out on his own? Did the Veterans just stomp the ball on the powder while in battles or did they do it all the time versas using a wad with wax/lube under the ball when they had time?

I've never heard of anyone before Elmer Kieth using a wool wad but that doesn't mean someone didn't do it earlier. People knew to use lubes on the patches of rifles and single shot pistols. This lube or that depending on what they had to get their hands on.

Can anyone dispute the fact that lube patch stuff didn't carry over to six shooters where it was needed even more than with single shots?  A ball can't be patched when shoved into a revolver chamber because it would be a real error to do that but a patch with some lube/wax on it could go in first before the ball .....to insure water proofed chambers and help with the fouling.

They knew back in the day to put lube wax on bullets in the new fangled cartridges. Who can dispute the fact they may have done the same with bullets in cap&ballers?  I know I'd read where some paper cartridges were dipped in wax to water proof them.

Anywhooooo...I don't think using some lubrication in a load chain fer a revolver chamber would be improving the old technology. People had to have done it back in the day.

Wild Bill used his Navy revolvers to show off his skills and hit everything he aimed at. People attest to that. Think he had some kind of magic black powder that didn't foul his barrel rifing and not render his revolvers accuracy gone to hell? There was some reason he had such consistantly accurate revolvers and some reason he discharged his revolvers every evening and reloaded again. That would not be needed if he had just powder and a ball in there.........unless the weather was cold and going in a warm building could create condensation in the chambers.

Anywhooo.....what Elmer Kieth did with wool wads probably came from word of mouth handed dowm from earlier times. He may have thunked it up on his own. I did way back in the earlier eighties when I got tired of shootin a cap&baller revolver that shot like a sick dog when it was fouled and it fouled fairly quick.  Later from readin GUN MAGS I learned people did the grease cookie thing in revolver cartridges shootin black and smokeless powder to reduce leading. Where did that come from?

Anywhooooo.....my thunked up withered ole opinion is......people back in the day playin with their cap&baller revolvers propably did all the same things we do today. Like stepping into the world of cap&baller revolvers back then and today was exactly the same. People would step into the world of cap&baller six shooters and evolve there the same then as today. Do all the same things and try all the same things. Just seems to make sense to me. We learn the basics and go from there. Some would evolve and some wouldn't. Some would shoot naked and some would make use of the lube thing.

[Tsalagidave]

Rifle, you didn't get my point. I wasn't attacking using grease in your revolver. I just personally prefer doing it the way they did and yes, I field test whatever I claim.  I have period accounts of them oiling their tubes so I don't have a problem with that. The anachronisms I don't care for are things like modern sights, non period ammunition designs and other non preiod enhancements because it takes away from the experience  of dealing with challenges the way the old timers did. The reason I don't grease out on the desert trail comes from real life experience growing up tracking in the mojave desert. If you personally  want to use modern ammo, synthetic grease or he'll, even put a leupold sight on a Brown Bess  or desert storm camo grips on  on your navy six, I won't take offese; it's just not my bag of chips but I haven't an interest in ruining another shooters fun. I was just giving an opinion on how I do it. You do it your way  however you want as long as I'm not down range of you. As long as you're having a good time out there, I'll be happy for you my friend.

[wildman1]

Rifle I believe you are probably right, people did what they had to do to get it done. They used lubed patches in front stuffers, had grease or lube grooves in conicals. It doesn't make sense that they would suddenly not use lube of one kind or another in capnball revolvers when they could. Sure there are accounts of fellers loading and shooting flintlocks on the run without lubed patches but that was not the norm, it was done because that was what was called for at the time.    wM1

[rifle]

I get it Dave. I ain't woofin on ya. Just havin an interesting time conversing with some interesting Hombre's.

I try to learn whatever I can from anyone conversing bout "how they do it". Already been thinking about how I could make a "Super Wash" paper cartridge. Even while using wads/lube stuff under the balls a "wash lube" barrel cleaner cartridge could be a cool idea.
What if I made a paper cartridge to load in with the other five loads whereas the paper cartridge has a projectile but an over abundance of oil or wax/lube or whatever? Maybe a Big Lube Bullet to boot? My "Super Wash" paper cartridges.

If the coyote came fer my hound dog Buddy and I came a-runnin to lend him a hand with the coyote pack I could stillshoot at them with the chamber loaded with the "Super Wash" paper carrtridge. Ifin I hit the target it would be with a bullet and a bunch of lubey stuff. 

Thanks fer makin me thunk again Dave. I even have been thunkin on makin some Lee Conicals made of WAX/LUBE to shoot down my barrels now and then. 


Anywhoooooo.....I get it now Dave ole Buddy. I get it. Thanks fer the input. I've been wondering what would come up if I started to search the net for authentic original lubrication of percussion revolvers. Might find something cool.

[Crow Choker]

I agree with a little of what all has been posted, esp, of shooting your favorite cap and ball with whatever means it makes you happy and gets the ball/bullet downrange. I've been shooting a capper since somewhere around '72. Started out smearing vasoline, grease, Crisco, etc over the balls. IMO that method is a PITA!!! As T...dave posted, that means makes a nasty mess after the first shot. In hot weather the stuff is goo and here in the NorthCentral regions of the Union, unless ya carry your grease for doing so under your armpit, the grease will get might stiff.
Around 10 years ago I went to using over powder felt wads, makes the whole loading and shooting procedure to cumulate in having a "more harmonious outcome". The wads I have purchased (by the 1000) are sort of dry lubed. I've never worried about them contaminating the powder  as they are never loaded that long. I have taken the same wads and soaked them in a concoction of mutton tallow, paraffin, and beeswax. They work well, keeping the bore clean and cylinder pin well lubed.  I shoot both Colt and Remington revolvers. In the super hot days of summer, I use a factory as lubed patch as the after-lubed ones can get a little greasy, unless I use some that aren't super soaked with lube. Winter time shooting needs as is factory wads or ones that arenot lubed heavy as they can get a little stiff.

Not long ago I bought some punches and wool felt from Durofelt and plan on punchin' out my own wads. I have loaded and shot 'naked' or just rammin' a ball over the powder, capped and shot, but don't feel real comfortable doing so. Have read of problems with not using wads or grease, even witnessed a chain reaction to a friend unleashing his .36 cal Navy. A lot of reports say it's because of the caps not fitting properly, I'll play it safe with using wads in lieu of having a unwanted 'pepperbox' going off in my hand. The lubed wads do help in keepin things clean and lubed.

What the boys did back in the 1800's??? A lot of speculation. I checked my Colt books by Serven, Wilson, and Haven and all they mentioned was the Sam Colt approved method of ramming a ball onto the powder. No grease or wad mentioned. Mike Cumpston in his book penned that he has never read in any of his research of percussion revolvers of any 1800 methods of using wad or grease, but didn't mean they didn't. I did what Rifle mentioned and searched the 'net' for any mention of how 'they' did it back in the day. All I could find was reprints of Colt's procedure and modern day methods, ie wads, over the ball grease, lubed conical bullets, and various methods in-between. Typed in search's written such as '1800 era procedures for loading percussion revolvers', '1800 US Army manuals for loading percussion revolvers' and various other titles. All that came up were as we do it today, using wads, greasing balls, and doing nothing. Gotta be a old book or manual out there somewhere that will answer the 'big question'. Not to many boys out there that were there if any to ask.

What cowboys, soldiers, defenders of life and liberty did in a fight. I doubt almost 100% that they took time to grease/wad a percussion revolver, unless there was a lull in a fight. Just common sense. I've shot percussion a lot along my favorite shootin spot, along a wooded area with a river runnin through it (good name for a movie!!). Many times I've reloaded on the run (just walkin) and it takes havin all your powder, balls, wads, and caps in order. It 'ain't' like reloading a revolver with brass ammo for sure. Takes long enough when you have a loadin table or something nature provides (rock, tree trunk, level ground, etc) to reload six rounds. If you were back in the 1800's and had bullets or arrows whizzing at ya, the stress and such of being in a fire fight would be much different than shootin at tin cans, varmint's, and anything else that presents itself as a worthy target. Back when I was a LEO and started in PPC and Combat shooting, being under a timer was a lot different than casual shooting. Until I got my 'buckfever' under control, I shot a lot different. I saw a lot of good shooters under shooting stress turn into average or rotten shots due to the stress. Any of you who ever has been in any firefight under combat conditions know what I'm talking about, if you haven't, ask any vet who has. As I typed before, I'd bet those 1800 era pistol wielding shooters poured powder in, rammed a ball, and capped during a gunfight. Also go with the post mentioning a brace of at least two if not more loaded revolvers were carried on saddle or even on person. I've carried up to three hoglegs around my waist, maybe one in shoulder holster when 'riverbankin', if I fell into the water I'd have sank like a rock, but I'd have not gone down without a fight!!!!!!!!!

I'd better close, didn't start out to be 'windy', enjoy all your posts. Rifle--If the dirty little secret is known, I was just tryin' to post a message longer than any of yours. Heh Heh!!!! Hey, just kiddin-enjoy all your gems of knowledge ya post. Keep it up.  Yers, Crow Choker 

     

[rifle]

That was a good read Crow Choker. You write(typpe) well. Yer a Gentleman and a Scholar. Yer walk about place by the river seems like a good place to meditate...while shootin blackpowder.

That danged Dave(Tisalagidave) has got me thunkin. Now I'm  wanting to cast some Lee conicals made of Wax/lube. Use them fer "washin the barrel" from time to time. Thing is...wax/lube would stick to a mould like young women stick to me when I splash on the ole Spice after shave stuff. Can't get em  off.

I wonder how an Hombre could make some wax bullets? Daves fault. Telling us about drippin some oil on the conicals of his paper cartridges now and then.

I should just make things easy fer myself and use Alliant Black MZ powder like they did back in the old days.....last week.

[Crow Choker]

It is Rifle, it is. Been campin, huntin, shootin, fishin, horse ridin along a 1/2 to a 1 mile stretch of that area since a young lad, part is family owned. Tree lined river with woods, rock bluffs, ponds, pasture, etc. When I get to the promise land, I hope the Lord just gives me a chunk of land like my area, that would suit me perfect!

[rifle]

When I use wool wads I learned that to keep them from getting clobbed up too much with lube I get the wads hot in the wax/lube in the microwave and twizzer them out and shake em off a lil and lay them on paper towels. I tried just dipping them wads in the lube wax and they got all the lubw wax on the outside and were not usable.

The pills of lube wax punched from a sheet of the stuff works best fer me. I get brass tube from the hardware store that makes the right size (cose enough) wads when punched out. A short(3/4th inch) piece of that size slides in the next size bigger tube fer a perfect fit.Soldering the short piece to the long piece is easy. Idea is that the short piece cuts the right size and is short because the wax/lube pills drag in that piece so it's short and the wax/lube pills can slide up the bigger tibe with no friction or sticking that squashes them when the tube is getting full. The pills come out the top and when it gets filled to a certain point I use a dowelor pencil to push them out.If careful they stay ntogether in a long-ish row and sliding them side ways has them come apart. They can be in a row like that fer years and still slide apart. I stack then in a tin box fromthe "Altoid" candy from the drug store.

It's fun making theml ube pills. They come out all pretty looking and stack well in boxes or sandwich bags or whatever. Pouring the right amount of wax lube on a boiled hot water in the pan(cookie sheet or whatever)pan has the wax/lube float and find it's own level so the whole sheet of wax/lube makes uniform thickness lube pills. Let it solidify and and the sheet can come out(sometimes sticking it in the freezer fer a number of minutes stiffens it up to handle and come out nice and lay out and go to room temp fer punching the wads/lube pills out.

Bees wax or soy wax and paraffin and tallow in equal amounts then....adjust with more  paraffin when it's hot and more tallow when it's cold. If you mix it right the pills can stay in a chamber fer a really long time and not leach tallow or whatever and not riun the powder.

Ya just play around with the stuff and get what you think is right fer handling the lube pills and what works best fer keeping fouling down.

I'm thunkin on making some real thick lube pills to use like a wax/lube bullet to shoot thru the gun now and then to lubey it up good. Making a conical bullet from a mould won't work since the wax/lube would stick too much to the mould. Thick lube pills would be like wad cutter bullets.

When I use lube pills shootin balls the barrel stays fairly clean with some wax stuff staying in there looking dirty black but....it's thin like the ball ran it over and thinned it and...if I get some of the black lubey stuff between fingers it melts right off. That means there is lube in the barrel fer each shot going down it.

I couldn't get consistant accuracy testing revolvers unless I swiped out the barrel all the time and that is apain. The lubey wax stuff keeps the accuracy pretty good. I hate it when a revolver can't even shoot as good as me since I add human error and if a gun can't keep up there is something wrong since a gun should shoot better then the shooter.

Anywhoooo....I've posted bout this lube pill thing or wool wad with lube thing a million times. When I see in a gun magazine where a Hombre is testing a cap&baller revolver and states a wool wad with lube in it is under the ball I just get a lil smile. I know the test is better that way. Way back everyone testing or writting about shooting a cap&baller would say they put greasy stuff over the balls. Now-a-days it's the wool wad with lube  under the ball. Never the "lube pill/grease cookie" under the ball. I'm waitin to see that in a Gun Mag someday. Maybe someone testing the cap&ballers for a Gun Mag article will use the OxYoke Wonder Seals they make now.

Come to think of it I don't ever recall anyone doing an article testing cap&ballers with Big Lube Bullets.I thunk I saw an article bout black powder cartridge using the Big Lubes.

I guess Folks haven't the fortitude or whatever to go thru the trouble to make a sheet of wax/lube and punch out some lube pills.

Thing is.....lube pills work even better then the wool wads with lube in them. Lee used to sell punches fer makin grease cookies and I still have one. Got it in the earlier eighties. Still works good. Just the right size. The brass tubes in the hardware have one size a tad small and the other a tad big. When I made and sold ,in my Little Shop, the lube pill punches I sold the 45 size that made a pill a lil loose in a chamber. It works well.

Now.....I admit I use wool wads from time to time. I got a coupla wad cutters from "Buffalo Arms" that go in a loading press. I cut strips of wool and run it under/thru the cutter in the press and make some really nice wool wads. BA's has different sizes so you can get the right size to go in a cap&baller revolver or in a cartridge case. The punches that go in the press cost a bit but are precision works. Folks claim that the stiff wool scrapes out the barrel each shot. I don't know ifin I agree or not with that since the wool wads conform to the shape of the back of the ball and may not rub enough to scrape. Wool wads works though......if enough lubey wax is in them.

I get the stiff wool from Durafelt instead of cuttin up my old western/huntin  hats like ole Elmer Kieth did. I never hardly ever give up on an old western type hat. The older they get the better they fit and....might look a lil dirty and out of shape but....that's when they are just broke in.  Some Folks look at me a lil funny and some Folks give me compliments on my western type hats. Started wearin them fer huntin keepin the rain,snow,sun offa me and keeping that danged snow fallin off lil branches from going down my neck .

Funny...women call me "honey" or "sweetheart" more when I wear a western type hat. Can't be cuttin them up fer makin wads when the girlies are nicer to me when I wear them.
Nuther funny thing......when I have a load of receipts in my wallet makin it bulge out a lot....women call me "sweetheart" and "honey"  more often. I should try puttin my wallet in my front pocket.

[Bruce W Sims]

Excellent post, Rifle...... may I also add that I had to be careful in the felt that I bought.
BION some felt I found at JOANN Fabrics is made from spun plastic which I think could be
problematic, IDK. I made sure that the felt I bought was either cotton or wool (can't remember).
I splurged a bit and bought a Jen-u-whine punch from TOTW and may go all out and buy one of their little
brass patch boxes to keep the product in. Of course, being a retired teacher I have all those big
retirement buck from my pension so I can afford all sorts of toys. Wanna see my collection of Shiloh Sharps rifles? 

Best Wishes,

Bruce

[rifle]

Bruce I'd like to see yer Sharps rifles. Pretty they are......so are the Ballards and the Remington Rolling Blocks.

That's good advice about making sure the felt is organic and not synthetic. Synthetic melts.

I the wiki thing at 1860 Colt in "operation" there is a mention,"Also, as with many 19th century civilian shooters, modern shooters use a lubed wad between powder and ball". I thinkI remembered it exactly at least real close.

Under 1860 Colt Army revolver "operation".


I saw on the "COLT" forum where an Hombre states he is the only one to ever use paper towel discs saturated with beeswax only to lube his cap&baller and says it keeps the gun running nall day with clean barrel and all that. Plain ole beeswax. Says the paper disc burns up completely. Anyway it's a current posting.

[will52100]

I've shot a lot of balls and conicals from cap guns.  I've tried felt wads and grease over the ball and everything in between.

What I've come to realize is Colt had it rite to begin with.  Powder, ball, cap and shoot.  A swipe of crisco on top of the ball will keep fouling soft and lube the cylinder to keep accuracy up for multiple reloadings.

I did an experiment a while back.  Basically I fired cylinder after cylinder with no wads or lube over the ball until the gun fouled to a stop.  What I found was somewhere around the 3rd cylinder full accuracy started to go south fast.  If I remember rite I got 6-8 cylinder fulls before thumbing the action became difficult, not impossible, just a lot of drag.  When cleaning there was a lot of hard fouling in the bore.  The gun used was a Uberti 1860 Army, full 30 grain loads of 3F Graf's black powder.

The idea of a chain fire from the front of the cylinder is mostly bunk.  IF, IF the chamber mouths are round and the edge of the chamber mouth has a slight chamfer to aid in wedging the ball or conical in.  Most chain fires come from the rear of the cylinder, a cap falls off, is proud and gets banged against the frame during recoil, ect.

I do use a dab of crisco on top the balls at matches and at my range, but it's only for repeated loadings.  If I was to go woods walking with a cap gun I'd leave the lube off and cary paper cartridges for a single reloading and wouldn't worry about lube.

[Mogorilla]

I agree with Will552100.  The only pistols I own are Cap and ball (still do not think this cartridge fad will take off, but i did take a sip of the Koolaid and purchase a R&D cylinder for my Remington).   Anyhoo, I have tried it all, wads, glopped lube on the end and one time by mistake thinking I had found a deal on wad, little discs of wax/lube.  I did not like smearing the glop on the end of the cylinder because Missouri can be 105 or -5, sometimes I swear within a day or two, so you never know what to expect.   I also agree on the shooting it unlubed.  I lube the cylinder pin pretty well and I can get 3-4 cylinders all hitting where I aim.  After that, the pattern gets wider and some odd ball (pun not intended) fliers start going.   By about 8 there is a lot of fouling and even with a well lubed cylinder pin, at 12 cylinders, it takes a bigger gorilla than me to thumb it.  Now, add wads or those little discs of wax, I can go to about 8-12 cylinders or more before I see any change in point of aim, and pretty much can shoot 20 cylinders without woring about fouling.   Take the time to wipe it down and reapply cylinder pin lube and you can shoot all day.   
Now, I have tried the rolled paper cartridges, you definitely need to nitrate them, or you run the risk of smoldering paper in the cylinder.   They are handy, and when you wrap them correctly, look real period.
I would also concur that at the time, they shot one cylinder, and either moved on to another pistol, or ran like he77.   I knew this feller, Bill Anderson.  Boy was he touched, but he carried about 6 pistols on his person and another 8 to 10 on his horse.  By the time he was done shootin, it was either time to watch the yankees heading over the next ridge, or to be doing that his own self.     Being touched, it all caught up to him, as things will.