Shooting my Whitneyville Dragoon

[Niederlander]

Gentlemen,  Just got to shoot my Whitneyville Dragoon for the first time.  Great pistol!  I'm going to have to work on it a bit to keep the loading lever from dropping every shot.  Stronger spring, maybe, and cut the notch a little deeper.  Really cool pistol to shoot, though!

[JohnsonBarr]

A stronger latch spring may help. But, I bet you were loading chambers powder full before the ball. Excessive recoil will drop a loading lever every time. Print your pistol on paper and adjust your load for shooting at your intended distance for accuracy. As an example I find my Dragoons will print 3" above point of aim at 20 yds. with 25 grs. 3Fg topped by a 1.0 cc Lee dipper of Quaker Quick Grits and a .451 Hornaday round ball. To give you another example, this past summer at the Grand Muster I used my .45 Colt '72 Open Top loaded with 16grs. 3Fg and a 0.7cc Lee dipper of grits topped by a 160gr. RNFP and scored a 96 of a possible 100 at 25 yds. in the precision pistol stage. 

[Niederlander]

But I LIKE shooting chambers full!  I'm going to try a stronger spring and possibly make the latch notch a little deeper.  I'll probably end up putting a dovetailed front sight on as well.  Fun pistol!

[Niederlander]

My persona for Plainsmen is an early 1850's Texas Ranger.  They liked Dragoons because they'd go right through a Comanche horse and into the Comanche..........so I need the extra power!

[Crow Choker]

My Uberti (Cimarron) 2nd Model Dragoon would drop the lever half the time with anything above 35 grains or so of FFF. Filed the notch and never had any more problems. Now shoot 40-43 grains (FFF) all the time with a .454 ball and felt wad and haven't had the lever drop since filing nine years ago. The Dragoon did take two trips to the operating table before I got it right. Considered the spring treatment if filing didn't work, but wasn't needed. Bought a Uberti Transition Dragoon a little over a year ago and so far haven't had the lever drop, even using my 40-43 grain load. Probably jinxed myself, the next time I take it out, it'll probably drop!! You'll like your gun, love shootin mine.

[Niederlander]

I already like it.  Scored a 56 out of 60 on a B-27 target at 25 yards after I learned I needed to aim at the bottom ring to get in the ten ring.  Should do better once I learn to shoot it!

[Major 2]

Gentlemen,  Just got to shoot my Whitneyville Dragoon for the first time.  Great pistol!  I'm going to have to work on it a bit to keep the loading lever from dropping every shot.  Stronger spring, maybe, and cut the notch a little deeper.  Really cool pistol to shoot, though!

very nice....  cool piece congrats  


   

[Niederlander]

It IS cool, but it's a beast!  You have to lift weights just so you can hold it up with one hand!