Cap & Ball Shooting

[Ruff]

Howdy all,

I am not sure if I am posting this in the right area, if not please point me in the right direction.

I have 2 C&B pistols that I received in trades over the years. One is a Uberti 1851 Colt Navy and the other is a Uberti 1858 Remington Army with a never used Conversion cylinder.

Besides black powder and balls. What would I need to shoot these? I remember reading at different time about replacing the nipples. What are the best to use? What about cleaning that guns?

[Blackpowder Burn]

Ruff,

There a several different ways to approach it.  All I can do is tell you what works well for me.  I've been shooting cap'n ball exclusively for about 2 years now, and thoroughly enjoy it.  My procedures are:
1. Load the cylinders with the appropriate amount of powder. 
     a.  I urge black powder, and not one of the substitutes.  It's less expensive and actually easier to clean.
2. I use a lubed wad next, then the appropriate diameter ball
3. Shoot, repeat many time.

For cleaning, I like to use what we refer to a "Moose Milk", which is an approximately 10:1 dilution of Ballistol in water.  Spray down the gun liberally with moose milk and clean.  Use moose milk soaked patches to clean the barrel and cylinder.  The nice thing about this is that it is the water in the moose milk that actually cleans the black powder fouling, and when that evaporates it leaves the oil behind to provide corrosion prevention.

Alternatively, if you have one, disassemble the gun as for normal cleaning, drop the parts in an ultrasonic cleaner where the bath is moose milk, and let run for 30 minutes or so.  Run a couple of patches of Ballistol down the bore, blow off the gun with an air compressor, reassemble, and shoot!

The nipples you have on the gun are certainly serviceable to start.  However, most folks end up replacing them with Treso or Slix Shot nipples.  You can get these from companies such as The Possible Shop (www.possibleshop.com) or MidwayUSA (www.midwayusa.com).  If you have problems with the caps jamming the action (more common in the Colt clones) these nipples will help a lot.

I'm sure other folks have other ways of doing things, but this has worked well for me.  YMMV.

[Dick Dastardly]

Howdy Ruff and a hearty WELCOME!

This is the right place to ask your questions.  Before trying to guide you, I'd encourage you to go to a Cowboy Action match and ask questions.  You can find matches easy here. . . http://sassnet.com/.  Scroll down to the bottom and click on Affiliated Clubs.  A map will open and you can click on your state to see a list of SASS Affiliated cowboy action clubs.

You don't necessarily need different nipples if you use caps that fit right.  Cleanup is easy.  I like Moosemilk (1 part Ballistol to 10 parts water)  I like a Bore Snake for the barrel.  A good fitting pill bottle cut off longer than the cylinder will make an economical cylinder spa for your cylinder while you clean up the rest of the gun.  If available, compressed air is a blessing when you are done cleaning.

Happy smokin'!

DD-MDA

[Ruff]

Howdy Blackpowder Burns,

Thanks for the info. I think that I understand what you said. I will have to find a way that works for me.

What is an ultrasonic cleaner? Where out I Find one? Will it work on regular guns?

Hello Dick Dastardly,

Actually it is really a welcome back. I have been a member of CASCity since it was an e-mail list, I also updated my signature line so I don't look like a total newbie. I had to reregister here after a computer change and could not remember my old password and no longer had access to e-mail to get it reset.

Thanks for the suggestions and recipe for Moosemilk.


More questions/thoughts/clarifications:

I know that the 1851 Navy and the 1858 Remington both use a different powder charge. Should I get 2 powder flasks with different measures or an adjustable measure? {I know from reading not to charge directly from the flask.}

Would I be better served by getting one of the shooting/assecoiry kit that Cabela's sells or buy piece meal from Midway, Dixie Gun Works or other places?

I know that there is alot of stuff online, someone in another thread pointed me to U-Tube, Would I learn anything about loading C&B's there or would it be better to stay away?

Any books you would recommend on C&B's?

[Lefty Dude]

I bought my Ultra-Sonic tank fro Harbor Freight. I use a 50% mixture of Simple Green & H20. Cleans a barrel & cylinder in minutes.
For a deep clean I disassemble the piece and every thing goes in the tank. I do not put brass parts, frames, Back straps or Trigger guards in the solution & tank. The Simple Green will etch the brass.

[Ruff]

Howdy Lefty Dude,

Cool I know where two Harbor Freight Tools are and I am always getting coupons in the magazines that I read.

[Shawnee McGrutt]

Ruff, the starter kit that Cabela's sells are on the cheap side.  They were giving these away last summer with the purchase of c&b.  The flask is plastic.  They and DGW also sell the measures and flasks that are better made reproductions for Colt or Remington.  If you find a capper that works on a remy, let me know. 
For cleaning I use Hoppes #9 for BP .  Have not been able to get the Ballistol, around here to try it.
Keep your powder dry
Shawnee

[Ruff]

Howdy Shawnee,

So the kit from Cabela's is out. I know that DGW's at one point, last catalog of theirs I had was 3 years ago. Had a capper that was listed for the Remy, I will check it out and let you know. I like the look of the flasks from DGW, the old styles were nice. The scenes were cool, too bad they don't make things like that any more. Everything is so generic.

[Major 2]

Dixie is fine, but I suggest you might want to peruse Track of The Wolf

there you will find Powder flasks made by an original maker G. & J.W. Hawksley ~ Sheffield, still making them today.

and much more for C&B adventure 

[Ruff]

Howdy Major2,

I will check out Track of the Wolf.

[Blackpowder Burn]

Ruff,

I use the powder flasks made by Ted Cash and sold by The Possible Shop or MidwayUSA.  You can buy different size nipples to go on the flask for whatever powder charge you want to measure.  I do charge directly from the flask using the proper nipple size.

I also use the "snail" capper by Ted Cash for Colt and Ruger cap'n balls.  You'll have to get a straight-line capper for the Remington.  All available at the same two vendors, or Track of the Wolf as Major mentioned.

If you use Moose Milk in the ultrasonic cleaner, you can put any part of any gun in it with no problems.  You can order Ballistol from MidwayUSA, also.

[Shawnee McGrutt]

Major2, thanks for reminding me of Track of the Wolf, they do have a lot of good items.
Blackpowder Burn, The Possible Shop, has the capper I have been trying to get for my Remington, unfortunately it is out of stock.   .
Did find quite a few items that I could not live without.  So if I can't pay my taxes, it is on you boys.
Keep your powder dry
Shawnee

[Major 2]

After my Barn/shop fire of 2012 I lost my flasks, they went BOOM 

I bought the G. & J.W. Hawksley ~ Sheffield pocket flask... I'm very happy with it... I think I may buy of of the leather closeout models too...

[Ruff]

Howdy Shawnee,

I will help you pay your taxes, I will give you a dollar per gun and a quarter for holsters, belts and accessories. 

[Shawnee McGrutt]

Gee Ruff, I don't think that will cover all the postage that it will cost to send all the paperwork to the Inferno Revenue Disservice. But thanks for the offer.
Keep your powder dry
Shawnee

[Ruff]

Howdy Shawnee,

Anything to help. I hate the IRS they should be abolished.

[GunClick Rick]

Can ya take them apart and put in the dishwasher

[Shawnee McGrutt]

GunClick Rick;  only if they are marked as dishwasher safe.  That is they way I do mine.  I love that lemon fresh smell in the morning. 
Keep your powder dry
Shawnee

[hp246]

I'm new to the game and have been trying to get my equipment sorted out.  Am interested in trying C & B, but haven't seen anyone shooting them at the matches I've been to.  How do you facilitate loading between stages?  Do you have extra cylinders or do you just reload the cylinder without capping them?

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

hp246;  Are your revolvers Remington style or Colt?  The ease of removing cylinders from the Remington closed frame style allows using cylinder loading stands and/or spare cylinders. The Colt style requiring drawing out the wedge and removing the barrel group makes it more involved, but not impossible. With Colts, the best strategy is to streamline your loading techniques.  Pre-measured charges, lubed wads, cappers, and practice, make it possible to keep up with the posse, and allow you to do your duty in the smooth operation of said posse.

Though not common, I use .357 cases as pre-loaders, with the ball pressed on top of a pre-measured load for 36's, and .44 cases for the .44's. I wrap 5 or 6 of them in tinfoil tucked in a leather cap pouch. My wads are egg carton pulp soaked in lube. I have a number of cappers I can choose. I can load from my gunbelt without too much fiddling around. It took me awhile to get to that point, and a chaotically full plastic toolbox was my first reloading aide.

Not having any mentors at your local club is a drawback, but you will improve with some thought and lots of practice