Cap & Ball without wads or lube?

[Coffinmaker]

Now .... Just a hot second here Monsieur Dastardly   

I be a Gunfighter.  Been one fer a while.  Lots of While.  Some Lustrum(s) ago, I fell down the deep dark well of (Gasp) THE DARK SIDE.  At the same time I also switched to Percussion.  Cap Guns ya know.  Then almost immediately discovered ... Snubbies.  Cap Gun Snubbies.  All the while, was still shooting ... wait for it .... one more second ..... THERE IT IS > > > >  GUNFIGHTER.  Was shooting Frontier Cartridge Gunfighter before we was legal (Lots of fun then).  Shooting Cap Guns. 

Was also playing occasionally at Frontiersman and Plainsman.  Still shooting Snubbie Cap Guns.  Now for the biggie.  The Snubbie Cap Guns I shoot, in Frontiersman .. or .. Plainsman .. or .. Frontier Cartridge Gunfighter have all been built on Pietta Open Top 1860s or 1851s.  I have never own'd a pair or even one of those strange modern Ruger Old Armies.  Silly, big clunky looking things anyway.  Always shot Colt Pattern 1860s, 1851s, never never .44 1851s and even 1861s.  Never Rugers.  SO:

How come you have an aversion to shooting Frontiersman with yer 1860s, yet you will shoot Gunfighter with yer 1860s.  Unless of course, your 1860s haven't been modified to run flawlessly like a cartridge gun.  Like Mine.      What be up wid dat???

Smedley

[greyhawk]

Now .... Just a hot second here Monsieur Dastardly   

I be a Gunfighter.  Been one fer a while.  Lots of While.  Some Lustrum(s) ago, I fell down the deep dark well of (Gasp) THE DARK SIDE.  At the same time I also switched to Percussion.  Cap Guns ya know.  Then almost immediately discovered ... Snubbies.  Cap Gun Snubbies.  All the while, was still shooting ... wait for it .... one more second ..... THERE IT IS > > > >  GUNFIGHTER.  Was shooting Frontier Cartridge Gunfighter before we was legal (Lots of fun then).  Shooting Cap Guns. 

Was also playing occasionally at Frontiersman and Plainsman.  Still shooting Snubbie Cap Guns.  Now for the biggie.  The Snubbie Cap Guns I shoot, in Frontiersman .. or .. Plainsman .. or .. Frontier Cartridge Gunfighter have all been built on Pietta Open Top 1860s or 1851s.  I have never own'd a pair or even one of those strange modern Ruger Old Armies.  Silly, big clunky looking things anyway.  Always shot Colt Pattern 1860s, 1851s, never never .44 1851s and even 1861s.  Never Rugers.  SO:

What took ya so loooooong ?  I thought ya musta got laryngityis in ya typin finger!! 

How come you have an aversion to shooting Frontiersman with yer 1860s, yet you will shoot Gunfighter with yer 1860s.  Unless of course, your 1860s haven't been modified to run flawlessly like a cartridge gun.  Like Mine.      What be up wid dat???

Smedley

[Noz]

I have had 4 chainfires in 13 years of Frontiersman.  ALL came from the FRONT. To make it even freakyer, in all cases the cap on the fired chamber was in place and intact.

[Coffinmaker]

PLUS ONE to Noz

EXCEPT:  I haven't had that many Chain Fire.  Just one.  Same Same observation.  The Chain Fire came from the FRONT of the chamber.  ALL (ALL) of the long term Cap Gun shooters I shot with also mirror that same experience/result.  Those chambers the followed in the chain retained the unfired Caps, on the nipple.

There are/is a bunch of printed information on the phenomenon well worth reading.  Much better than just Parrot.

[Lefty Dude]

Never had a chain fire in all my day's of shooting C&B Revolvers. Started shooting them in the middle 1980's.

Tight Balls, I like Tight Balls !!!!

[Noz]

Mine were tight, just too hard.

[greyhawk]

PLUS ONE to Noz

EXCEPT:  I haven't had that many Chain Fire.  Just one.  Same Same observation.  The Chain Fire came from the FRONT of the chamber.  ALL (ALL) of the long term Cap Gun shooters I shot with also mirror that same experience/result.  Those chambers the followed in the chain retained the unfired Caps, on the nipple.

There are/is a bunch of printed information on the phenomenon well worth reading.  Much better than just Parrot.

I also have had one only - from the front I believe - coulda been from the back - its a long time ago - but was the one and only time I forgot the grease over the ball (or a wad under or something designed to stop that from happening) the major lesson was dont be in too big of a hurry - I had just got my itchy palms on my new little toy (pocket colt in 36) first shot seemed kinda loud and more recoil that I expected - came around to shoot number five and its already done it - empty chamber wid crud in it - oooooops
My comments re caps impacting the recoil shield at the back I reckon are valid - and probably behind a lot of chainfire incidents - BUT - on a coffinmaker tuned gun? not a chance!!! That would be careless !! I reckon if you load a capgun without first checking for clearance at the back - then mother nature will attempt to remove you from the gene pool and at some point she may even succeed

[Coffinmaker]

PLUS ONE to Lefty, Noz and Greyhawk.

[Mogorilla]

I shot this weekend.  No lube or wads.   Other than a blasted spent cap falling into the works, all went well.  I was just off the 2nd place score and might have beaten them if the cap had not occurred, as that target was toast.   There were at least 6 other C&B shooters.   At James farm that day and nary a chain fire to be had.   We had a mix of Remingtons and Colts and a mix of lube, wad and nothing.   

[Bunk]

the loading information on the label inside a case set says to fill the chamber half full of powder and seat the ball.
this, I would imagine was a combat or self defense load Oddly enough that is what I use in my .44 1860 with a lube was added for the barrel fouling to continue firing more than six shots. I guess in the old days if six shots did not serve the purpose pull another gun or run.
Bunk

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

the loading information on the label inside a case set says to fill the chamber half full of powder and seat the ball.
this, I would imagine was a combat or self defense load Oddly enough that is what I use in my .44 1860 with a lube was added for the barrel fouling to continue firing more than six shots. I guess in the old days if six shots did not serve the purpose pull another gun or run.
Bunk

In my former gunclub, the IPSC/IPDA guru called the second gun a "cowboy mag change"!

[Lefty Dude]

It was not unusual for the old timers to carry 4 or more C&B revolvers, on the person, cantle bag, saddle bags, etc.

[Coffinmaker]

Way Back inna Wabac (Sherman and the Professor), things were done somewhat differently.  I always manage to run into some "Thread Counter" whom wants to interrupt my reloading procedure to inform me, our ancestors "didn't reload like that" with an accompanying condescending sneer looking at my Tower of Power.  And ..... Thats Entirely True.

OUR ANCESTORS DIDN'T RELOAD AT ALL!!!  PLUS ONE to LEFTY DUDE!!

Our Fighting Man ancestors invented Pommel Holsters,  Shoulder Holsters and all sorts of methods of toting their pistols.  ALL of their pistols.  In a fight, there is absolutely NO WAY there is time to reload a Percussion Pistol.  Those whom tried .... died.  When A pistol ran dry, it was dropped and another pulled out to continue the fight.  It was not uncommon for fighting men to have at LEAST 6 pistols handy.  If you were on the winning side, you went back and picked up your empty pistols.  If you were on the losing side and still alive, you RAN.
Pretty simple, NO??  Oh, and guys on the winning side picked up your empty pistols too 

[Lefty Dude]

They also perfected accuracy. No 14 or 16 shot splatter-matic, for spray & pray. Each shot was carried out in an accuracy manner of perfection.

I just recalled that recent shoot out scene on TV recently. The Cops shot over 200 rounds, and hit no one !

WOW ! and we pay some of  these people to Protect & Serve.

The Police Dept. used to take pride in the training and marksmanship of the officers. Now they just give them splatter-matics, lots of mags. The training now is shoot till you are out of ammunition.

No disrespect to any LEO here who might Protect & Serve. We know you know your stuff, Pards. But Come on, those other Dudes

[Bunk]

that is one of the correct things about The Outlaw Josey Wales other than they were cartridge conversions I think.
Bunk

[litl rooster]

Been away awhile-  seems this is a reoccurring. Good to know ya'll are here to help.

[cyborgfairyprincess]

Hi  I literally signed up for this forum to comment on this particular thread. I been shooting 1858s since 2004 and I have never once had a chain fire. I stopped using lube and wads in 2005, it only took me a year to realize that wad and lube fouls the hell out of the gun. I been using a #11 cap pinched onto a #10 nipple with about 30 or so grains of pyrodex and a .454 round ball for over a decade and I have never ever had a chain fire. The oversized ball is the key, you can't chain fire with a .454 round ball. Many people say using an oversized cap will cause a chain fire but I never found that to be true. I've shot over a thousand rounds with a pinched #11 cap on a #10 nipple and have never had a chain fire. I think sealing the front end of the cylinder with an oversized lead is more important than the size of the cap. If it was, I woulda had chain fires a decade ago. As it stands I've had 15 years of cap and ball shooting without a single chainfire. Also, leaving the wad and lube out of the equation reduces fouling significantly. By an extreme amount. It's worth noting that any added material to the catalytic reaction will add more material fouling. Less is more. All you need is a cap, powder, and an oversized bullet.

[cyborgfairyprincess]

Also, I've carried these guns loaded in every environment from rainforest downpours to desert heat and the 1858 has always been dependable in every condition. Even despite months of neglect the 1858 Remingtons are above and beyond my expectations. They take a lot of abuse and can hold up and still shoot in the dankest of conditions. Simple is better. Just the cap and powder and a .454 roundball is all you need for these guns. They're designed for a rugged life. Don't treat them too softly, they're powerhouses designed for war.

[Coffinmaker]

Dually Noted   

[Coffinmaker]

  OK.  I'll Bite.   

Whom is this .... Really      Spoofin be fun