You got me interested in cap and ball revolvers. I originally started watching your videos to learn how to load and shoot flint locks.......... Now I probably shoot as much cap and ball guns as I do my flint locks
I think you forgot two things. First is anti seize or choke tube lube to use on the screws and nipples. makes a big difference is how often you bugger up the screw head. the second is a small pocket knife. Mainly used for picking out a cap fragment that is wedged somewhere it shouldn't be or cutting a ball flush that was not seated deep enough. Thank you for helping people get started. I always ask other people at the range if they want to shoot my black powder guns to hopefully bring others into this hobby.
he talked about cutting the balls to fit the chamber. as for the screws just turn them incredibly lightly until you feel the screw seat and catch on the threads. dont need lube for that
I made the mistake when i first started with that same traditions nipple wrench. It was so soft I couldn’t get the nipples out and it was ruined and i used crappy screw drivers. The nipples on my uberti 1860 rusted in place and I haven’t been able to get them out to this day and the screws are mangled. The hand is also damaged and jams. I need a new gun. Now it’s just a wall hanger. I was young, dumb and poor and took the cheap way out. Listen ti mike in this video as I’ve made all these mistakes. And buy a ted cash capper. Not a cheap traditions one that doesn’t work i have. Great video mike.
Thanks Mike. Another set of opinions: >Re/caps; CCIs bad. Remington good. >Traditions nipple wrenches bad unless you like to pay for something you then have to rework harden. >Pietta nipples fine for two months then they round off, so budget for replacements. >777 is best for powder substitutes, but don't compress it. It burns best a little loose. >Ballistol is your friend. >Learn how to make your own lube if you live in hot climates or your powder will get contaminated, your gun will be a sloppy mess and you'll waste a lot, but, if you use borebutter to season your barrel your after action clean up will be fairly easy. >Do Not Keep Your Revolver Loaded! Yes, if they've been loaded well the powder will work even after a long time in storage, but cap n ball revolvers are just too easy to make a mistake with. Keep a modern gun for self defense unless you have no other alternative. >Screw the factory metal treatments/bluing/etcetera. Finish the deburring job Pietta and Uberti were supposed to do before they sold you your new gun. You can always retreat/reblue/whatever once it's acting right. (Petersoli customers shouldn't have that problem.) >Pietta hand springs and bolt springs suck. Replace them right away. Their main springs have their uses, but; options. >Don't get frustrated. 150/60 year old designs are not perfect. It's a hobby tool. Not a job tool. >Have fun learning to learn. >Do not forget to clean. $300+ is still $300+. Take care of it.
Mike you are the person who got me into black powder shooting 5 years ago from your videos, I remember you answered my questions i had about the pietta 1858 that i ended up getting as a gift. 5 years later im totally into it. Im glad to see you're still uploading fantastic content. I get the feeling you truly do care about the "beginners" out there who want to get into this side of the hobby.
Your timing is impeccable sir ! I’ve recently received my first Black Powder pistol. It’s a Pietta 1851 Navy ...! This information is gold ! Thanks so much for posting this !
@@SquaficleDude Same for me. I ordered mine from Midway USA by telephone on a Saturday. I received it the following Friday. Six days, I was really impressed with the fast service. I've got to gather the accoutrements. Powder, caps and, .454 dia Balls. Thanks for sharing this splendid video, you answered many questions I had.
Way I hear it, Triple Seven loses power over time while black powder doesn't. And Pyrodex is made of ground-up witchcraft that makes it harder to clean (contains silica to bulk it out, for example) and the fouling is more corrosive. Also understand that the substitutes are easier to find because black powder is classified as an Explosive by the Department of Transportation while the other stuff are classified as Propellants by DoT, and one reason is the substitutes have higher ignition points. Which means it may be harder to set them off with a primer. This is certainly the case with flintlocks and side-firing percussion locks.
Mad respect for your very detailed information, tips and tricks, I am about to buy my 1st 1851 cap and ball revolver .36 cal. and maybe a .44 later down the road. I understand this is more cost effective, and a good learning entry level. What is most interesting is your post are current, other are good too, but most do not post anymore. I think this will be a good Retirement Hooby.
This is so interesting. The different grades of black powder is particularly interesting. I have an old can of FFFF G black powder I used to use for ejection charge for high powered rockets.
Great information as usual. Almost everything I know about shooting black powder revolvers came from watching your channel. I would add another item to the loading list (I've seen you use one in your videos): A small dowel rod to seat the percussion caps on tightly instead of using your finger. When it comes to the cleaning process there are other items that I would add (choke tube lube, bore brushes, etc.). You already have some excellent cleaning videos you can point people to so I don't know if you are going to create a new cleaning video or just point new shooters to one of your existing videos.
3 thousands of an inch. Depending on how hard the materials .003 interference fit can make quite a difference....and if your chambers happen to be cut to say .452 ......a .451 ball will NOT work
Ya but for those of us who don't, Mike is an excellent source of information. I Started in the 1980's before internet. Then, you would read what you could and get started. Mike Beliveau is THE Coach to go to for black powder gun, usage, care and safety. He is a tremendous source for reliable information. He ends the risky guesswork of the old days. And he is entertaining with his period garb and all. His videos are a treasure trove for the sport of Black powder shooting.
Thanks Mike. When I got into shooting black powder revolvers you were my #1 go-to source for info. Some other items I've added to my range kit. A wooden dowel to seat the percussion caps on the nipples, a dental pick to dig out spent caps, and forceps to pull caps off the nipples and from inside the frame.
Thanks Mike this is excellent information. I also use a Tedd Cash snail capper and found it needs some file work to trim the cap end to work on my Uberti and Pietta Colt style guns. Absolutely you are giving excellent information. I am a big fan. Powder Inc. is also another source for powder.
@@duelist1954 Hello sir,, Question,, can I shoot a 36 cal ball in place of the .451 ball ?? Or is there a safe way to do that ?? In a 54 cal long rifle, can I somehow shoot a smaller caliber.. I was just wondering. Just want to know my limitations.
Hi Mike. A bit off subject but I just finished converting a Pietta 1858 sheriff, 2017 model to 45 Colt using Howells new 6 shot gated conversion cylinder paired with the Kirst improved ejector and the results a bit expensive but very pleasing. Some of your videos have enthused me to do this and I just wanted to say thanks for the enthusiasm.
I have all the old Authentic Colts and their associated appendages. The flasks I like to use. They work v e r y well. The light and heavy pocket flasks throw 8, 11 and 15g. Consistently. The Navy and Army flasks, 15 and 27. The Walker/Dragoon flasks, I have them set to 47 and 41g. They work quite well. I use straight olive oil for cleaning, post cleaning lubricating and lubricating th loaded ball for firing. I ve been doing it for a long time and it works well. Caps,- The various Colts I have actually use the CCI 10s/11s for a proper fit. I also use R10/11/12s. I have been, and continue to fire all my old Colts a lot. I ve gravitated to what works on a simple, reliable and practicable level.
It sure takes a lot of stuff to shoot cap and ball which makes it so much fun . I have a set of Colt Calvary pistols made by Cold I think in 1973 44 cal , I have not shot them due to the public range shut down I admire them so much so I kind of play with them but do not dry fire . The question I have is the cylinder shows a slight wear ring is this caused by being out of time ? , or an adjustment maybe a burr in the control arm I keep it well greased , thanks
Not really. It is tricky to adjust the bolt so it makes no ring, but locks up on time. A good Single Action gunsmith can do it and re-blue them if it bothers you enough.
Have a used Uberti 1861 Navy I picked up couple years ago and have yet to shoot. This is what I needed to know! Also wasn't sure size of the ball I will be casting. Still need to pick up some soft lead for that. But great info on the caps and powder. I was able to pick up some Pyrodex at a show so I'll probably start with that.
Thanks for posting this video. I am new to black powder and muzzle loading and found this video very helpful. So helpful that I wish I would have watched it before I spent too much money trying to make sure I had everything I (thought) I needed. If I had watched this video before trying to get everything during this supply "shortage" I probably would have saved enough money to buy more of the stuff that I actually need, lol. I'm looking forward to more of your videos and learning a lot more about BP. I'm not sure if you posted a link for Graf & Sons in the description but they seem to have a few items that were difficult to find in other places. Great video, liked and subbed. Thanks again.
I always pinch my #11 caps a little before they go on. #10's have never worked well for me. But anyway, I've never used a capper for this reason. Been at it since the 80's, and nothing has changed in my routine. That includes using Crisco over the ball or bullet, instead of wads. If it's hot summer, and I'm out in the middle of nowhere, I'll use a stiffer lube that I cook up, to prevent melting. Other than that, I have had zero, and I do mean zero, problems in all those years with my loads. The problems I have had usually come from the pistol itself, such as sights falling off or loading lever latch pins falling out. Trigger springs can break, hand springs can break, so it's always a good idea to polish these little gems and remove any burrs. I've even fashioned a trigger spring from a paperclip one time when in a bind. As far as loading , I go straight from the flask spout and what it pours, unless I'm doing any real target work. The 51' Navy is my favorite and does not have any major things that are a nuisance, such as being too heavy and eating too much powder like the Walker. Sure, a Walker is fun, but it has a very large hunger. The .31's can be fun by just using 0 buckshot, but they are small and just not enough to them to hold onto. Never had a problem with Crisco, and even it it splatters a little, it makes cleaning easier. I never use substitute powders, and Pyrodex is a no no for me, and the reason is, even if you have cleaned your gun thoroughly and to the best of your ability, no matter if it's oiled down and spotless, if you try to store it for any length of time, the Pyrodex demon will appear in that area and form a rust. Don't ask me how it does this, because I don't know, but rest assured, that is what Pyrodex does.
Ive had to self teach myself how to shoot blackpowder and such over the last few years using the internet, thanks to some of your help. i've ordered and been to stores to purchase real blackpowder of all kinds, goes, swiss, etc... But Mike where the hell do you buy them in those metal cans?
J Graham I buy them in plastic containers, just like everyone else, but I saved about a case of the older metal cans. I decant the powder out of the plastic, into a metal can, as I use it. That way I can use my old pouring spout can lids.
@@duelist1954 Alright, i could have figured that one out. Im a sucker for vintage or classic stuff. And it seems everyone has one but me. Thanks for the reply and keep up the great vids. Also you should try and look for a Lemat cartridge conversion.
Good video Mike.😆 I try to keep most things in one carry bag or for me a plastic tool box. The wads and ball go with the caliber specific gun. Otherwise I ended up carrying a lot of extra weight around. Especially if I take the single shot Lyman .50. Hahaha
Awesome video Mike! Could you do a video on exactly what to look for on a revolver when purchasing it from the store? (How to tell if the timing is right, action smoothness, etc.) I've never bought a revolver and I don't want to get a dud. Thanks!
Mike your videos' are great Sure wish I had found you in the mid 90's . Just now found your must have a good nipple wrench advise . All this time I thought those nipple wrenches I screwed up were my fault . Bought a good one last week The nipples do come off in real life . Keep the good advise coming . Thank you so much for the time and effort you put in .
I made my nipple wrench out of a 6mm craftsman socket using a dremel and round file it works just like the ted cash ratcheting nipple wrench and it was free
Hey Mike I believe I am one of your biggest fans. By weight if not volume, hehe. I was wondering how large your T-Shirt sizes go up to. 5X would be roomy but I might squeeze into a 4X.
I've been a Pyrodex user since 1998 with very few complaints. only serious complaint I have is no place local carries FFFG equivalent powder that isn't in pellets. don;t get me wrong, the 30grain pyrodex pellets Work. I bought a set "in a pinch" so I'd have powder and they have quite a bit of pep to them considering I usually only load 20 grains of loose powder. HOWEVER for the cost of 100 shots in the pellets I could have 230 shots of loose powder in 30 grains... IF the loose powder was available I've recently started making my own combustible paper cartridges with a cartridge former like what CapandBall sells, but I had to make my own (I've been unemployed for a while and have a 1/2" dowel handy). fun stuff
Very interested in getting into this style of shooting. So much interaction with the firearm is great and they’re beautiful. I’ll save these vids thank you 😉 could you link the second part please I can’t find it
You thought contemporary shooters have it bad with an ammo shortage... Every place I've checked is out of stock for both powder as well as caps, some don't even have a backorder option. Most places have lead ball, but the important stuff that makes 'em go fast down the barrel, not so much. I ordered a 1 lb jug of Pyrodex P to feed my Uberti 1873 and the hazmat charge was more than the price of the powder alone. But, you gotta do what you gotta do sometimes.
Great stuff. Currently using my own bee’s wax-olive oil compound lube along with homemade black powder (don’t recommend unless you’re an expert) on my LeMat. 🇺🇸
Thanks for the video Mike. Been wanting to get into cap and ball shooting for a while now, and this video helped out a lot. Any chance I can get a recommendation as to which gun to start out with? Also keep making excellent content
In every uberti and pietta colt style repro I've found that number 11 Remington brand caps work best. Number 10 and 1075 caps are too tight and hinder the cylinder from rotating unless you do that dangerous dowel pressing method to seat the caps more. However in both uberti and pietta remington style repros the number 10 remington caps fit the best. I've owned about 6 remington style repros of which 3 have been pietta and 3 have been uberti and about 7 colt repros of which 2 have been pietta and 5 have been uberti so I've had alot of experience
I have a Pietta 1851 Navy .36 still running stock nipples and find the Remington #10 or RWS 1075 to provide best fit. The Rem #11's I use on my rifles are a bit loose on the revolver.
Idk why I've always found it to be that the remington number 11 caps fit the best on both of the pietta 1851 navy colts I had plus the 2 uberti 1851 navy colts I had and the 2 uberti 1860 colt army revolvers I had. I never was one to press down on the seated caps for safety reasons so that might explain why. Plus I always would cap off once per nipple before loading after cleaning before loading and also before loading out of the box
I can't find the percussion caps in stock anywhere, and they're regulated so can't be shipped to a home address. Live in Nevada, and everywhere I call doesn't have them.
I picked up the Eras Gone Bullets Johnston and Dow mould and had a lot of fun with my son casting our own bullets. Looks like you have a sample of= those on your table. Is that an okay choice for a beginner, or should I stick with round ones until I've had some practice? I've got pretty much all the gear now, just need to find a place to go shooting! Thanks for a great overview.
Need a ball puller too. I was in a hurry to head out of town and grabbed "everything" in a hurry. Forgot one thing... The thing I would need most later. If your in a hurry loading your revolver and can't remember, no there is no powder in that cylinder.
Sans a ball puller, you can back-load a small amount of powder by unscrewing the nipple and drooping some in (don't try to load it with anything close to an actual shooting charge, because there's no way you can compact the charge) or you can try tapping the ball out with a thin rod.
NOBEL caps fit on revolvers only in black boxes, those red ones are "plus", they have more bang stuf and don't go deep enough on a nipple. Just want to point out from personal experience.
Hey Mike, thanks for the very informative video. I went to the Brownells sight to order those three Magna Tip screwdrivers. They had listed the 180-3 bit. The closest I found to the 240-2 was the 240-3. The closest I came to the 300-1 was the 300-3 bit. Do you think the slightly larger bits will work with my Pietta 1858 New Army? I do not have a bench grinder to grind them down. I suppose I could put them in a vice and use a file to reduce them to size. Is there another supplier who sells the Magna Tip bits?
A dear friend, rid of this mortal coil Lo! these two decades, was an avid charcoal burner (unlike me). He proposed writing his doctoral dissertation on the thesis that, despite the lack of evidence, the Civil War was actually fought using picnic tables.
How critical is using lube when shooting these? It’s always mentioned when shooting cap n ball, but the few times I’ve had the opportunity to do so we didn’t use any lube, seemingly without issue
Lube is a practical convenience, but not a necessity. You will lose accuracy over time as fouling fills out the rifling grooves, but the gun will still shoot no matter how many rounds you fire through without lube. So, the gun works without it. But it works better with it.
I can't remember where I put the paperwork for my 1858. So, is it safe to say the Remington #10 caps are the best choice for a Remington 1858 Revolver??
Olde Eynesford. Made by Goex. It was designed to compete with Swiss. Maybe $3/lb more than goex but far cheaper than Swiss. It is just as good as Swiss, For the same volume as Goex it is a good bit stronger. It burns really clean, better than Goex and the substitutes. If you use a lower amount, for the same velocity a Goex, you really are paying no more than regular Goex, but it is much cleaner. Ignition is more reliable than the substitutes. It is all I use now, I still have a few lbs of 777 and Pyrodex sitting around, I have not found anyone local to give them to. I really dislike cleaning guns that have shot Pyrodex, but it has its place, you don't have to pay the hazardous material fee. That fee will double the cost of real black powder if you are only ordering one pound. You have to split the fee up between several pounds of powder and caps to make it reasonable. Being less regulated in shipping and sales is the entire reason substitutes were created. Real black powder requires the merchants to follow special storage and handling regulations. This hogwash about being easier to clean is just advertising puffery and is not true for me (or anybody afaik). The perchlorate in the substitutes is corrossive, you have to clean them soon. I can get away with delayed cleaning with Olde Eyensford if necessary, though its not the best idea in the long run, because you'll eventually forget to clean it completely.
Are conical bullets easier to load into the chambers? I've been thinking about buying one of these for awhile now and I'm not sure that I have the strength to push a round ball into the chamber without much difficulty.
They are the same. Conicals have a heel that goes right into the chamber, but then you hit the driving band, which is oversized, like the ball, and for the same reason.
@duelist1954 From what I'm seeing, the Diamond Noble 1075 caps are a #11. Is that an issue? In the current ammo and gun market, it looks like cap and ball revolvers are being impacted too so it is hard to find the Remington #10.
Cap and ball revolvers require soft lead. If the Hi-tec bullets are Brinell 11 or higher they will be difficult to seat and hard on the rammer. Also, cap and ball revolvers don't require coating as they are low velocity and I've never had one lead up the barrel. If I happened to have some coated Hi-tec bullets I might try one anyway, but I wouldn't buy them just for a cap and ball pistol.
Yes but its not really necessary, flintlocks will work fine if the same powder is used in the flashpan as the barrel. It must be real black powder though, substitutes don't work well at all in flash pans, there is inevitably a large delay in ignition even when it works.
F stands for fineness. In the old days, there were 'C' grade powders for Coarse, but I think they did away with that. The 'a' and 'g' grades start at different points of coarseness, as an FFa blasting powder is a whole lot coarser than any FFg gun powder. For example, a FFFg gun powder is the same granule size as a FFFFFa (5Fa) blasting powder.
I've got a second hand colt navy ,serial number around 15000 the 36 balls are loose in the cylinder , they fit in my other navy and there are some differences in cylinder length , do you think one of these guns is a u berth and the other a pietta? The second hand gun has no makers name on it , it just reads reb navy 1851
If you think about it, you load all powders by volume. If you use a powder measur, like say an RCBS Uniflow. You check it on a scale until it is throwing the weight of powder you want, say 3.5 grains of Bullseye...then you start loading cartridges. That Uniflow is throwing a Volume of Bullseye. The volume it is throwing weights 3.5 grains. B-P is the same. You load with a volume measure that has been calibrated to throw a certain weight og B-P.
Opposite. The volumetric measures are derived from the weighted amounts of black powder. The substitutes have nitro or carbohydrate-based fuels, thus a higher energy density than carbon. They get deliberately bulked out to provide power that is consistent with a volumetric equivalent of black powder, but they are physically lighter as a result. If you charged a gun with Pyrodex by weight, what would weigh 20 grains on a scale would overflow a 25-grain powder measure. If the prescribed charge was 20 grains of black powder, you've overloaded the gun.
Triple 7 is stronger. To get a velocity that is consistent with black powder charges you may be used to, you reduce the charge by 10-15%. Basically, take that first digit in your usual BP charge and reduce the charge by that amount (like take 2 grains away from a 25 grain charge, 4 grains off a 40 charge).
@@BogeyTheBear Thanks.. I have heard that Pyrodex was more potent by a bit than the FF it is a bit confusing but luckily there is a decent safety margin with BP
I like how you specified the brand of your caps. People have so much trouble with caps because a CCI #10 is not the same size as a Remington #10.
Try Cci #11
You got me interested in cap and ball revolvers. I originally started watching your videos to learn how to load and shoot flint locks.......... Now I probably shoot as much cap and ball guns as I do my flint locks
I think you forgot two things. First is anti seize or choke tube lube to use on the screws and nipples. makes a big difference is how often you bugger up the screw head. the second is a small pocket knife. Mainly used for picking out a cap fragment that is wedged somewhere it shouldn't be or cutting a ball flush that was not seated deep enough. Thank you for helping people get started. I always ask other people at the range if they want to shoot my black powder guns to hopefully bring others into this hobby.
I did notice a pocket knife on the table, figure that's what it's for since I include one in my set up for the same reason.
he talked about cutting the balls to fit the chamber. as for the screws just turn them incredibly lightly until you feel the screw seat and catch on the threads. dont need lube for that
I made the mistake when i first started with that same traditions nipple wrench. It was so soft I couldn’t get the nipples out and it was ruined and i used crappy screw drivers. The nipples on my uberti 1860 rusted in place and I haven’t been able to get them out to this day and the screws are mangled. The hand is also damaged and jams. I need a new gun. Now it’s just a wall hanger. I was young, dumb and poor and took the cheap way out. Listen ti mike in this video as I’ve made all these mistakes. And buy a ted cash capper. Not a cheap traditions one that doesn’t work i have. Great video mike.
You might be able to use heat on them. Also there are several chemicals that do good job of converting rust. I wouldn't write the gun off.
You can get a new cylinder from Cabela's. I got a extra one for around 50 bucks a few months ago
Thanks Mike.
Another set of opinions:
>Re/caps; CCIs bad. Remington good.
>Traditions nipple wrenches bad unless you like to pay for something you then have to rework harden.
>Pietta nipples fine for two months then they round off, so budget for replacements.
>777 is best for powder substitutes, but don't compress it. It burns best a little loose.
>Ballistol is your friend.
>Learn how to make your own lube if you live in hot climates or your powder will get contaminated, your gun will be a sloppy mess and you'll waste a lot, but, if you use borebutter to season your barrel your after action clean up will be fairly easy.
>Do Not Keep Your Revolver Loaded! Yes, if they've been loaded well the powder will work even after a long time in storage, but cap n ball revolvers are just too easy to make a mistake with. Keep a modern gun for self defense unless you have no other alternative.
>Screw the factory metal treatments/bluing/etcetera. Finish the deburring job Pietta and Uberti were supposed to do before they sold you your new gun. You can always retreat/reblue/whatever once it's acting right. (Petersoli customers shouldn't have that problem.)
>Pietta hand springs and bolt springs suck. Replace them right away. Their main springs have their uses, but; options.
>Don't get frustrated. 150/60 year old designs are not perfect. It's a hobby tool. Not a job tool.
>Have fun learning to learn.
>Do not forget to clean. $300+ is still $300+. Take care of it.
Mike you are the person who got me into black powder shooting 5 years ago from your videos, I remember you answered my questions i had about the pietta 1858 that i ended up getting as a gift. 5 years later im totally into it. Im glad to see you're still uploading fantastic content. I get the feeling you truly do care about the "beginners" out there who want to get into this side of the hobby.
Your timing is impeccable sir ! I’ve recently received my first Black Powder pistol. It’s a Pietta 1851 Navy ...! This information is gold ! Thanks so much for posting this !
I just bought the same one.
@@SquaficleDude Same for me. I ordered mine from Midway USA by telephone on a Saturday. I received it the following Friday. Six days, I was really impressed with the fast service.
I've got to gather the accoutrements. Powder, caps and, .454 dia Balls.
Thanks for sharing this splendid video, you answered many questions I had.
@@harrisonmantooth3647 What size caps work in it.
What cap sizes are you using?
"They all have fleas", That is the best description of artificial propellants I have ever heard.
What are the drawbacks of them?
Way I hear it, Triple Seven loses power over time while black powder doesn't. And Pyrodex is made of ground-up witchcraft that makes it harder to clean (contains silica to bulk it out, for example) and the fouling is more corrosive.
Also understand that the substitutes are easier to find because black powder is classified as an Explosive by the Department of Transportation while the other stuff are classified as Propellants by DoT, and one reason is the substitutes have higher ignition points. Which means it may be harder to set them off with a primer. This is certainly the case with flintlocks and side-firing percussion locks.
Mad respect for your very detailed information, tips and tricks, I am about to buy my 1st 1851 cap and ball revolver .36 cal. and maybe a .44 later down the road. I understand this is more cost effective, and a good learning entry level. What is most interesting is your post are current, other are good too, but most do not post anymore. I think this will be a good Retirement Hooby.
This is so interesting. The different grades of black powder is particularly interesting. I have an old can of FFFF G black powder I used to use for ejection charge for high powered rockets.
Great information as usual. Almost everything I know about shooting black powder revolvers came from watching your channel. I would add another item to the loading list (I've seen you use one in your videos): A small dowel rod to seat the percussion caps on tightly instead of using your finger. When it comes to the cleaning process there are other items that I would add (choke tube lube, bore brushes, etc.). You already have some excellent cleaning videos you can point people to so I don't know if you are going to create a new cleaning video or just point new shooters to one of your existing videos.
Make sure you apply bluing to the TOTW nipple wrenches or at least apply some oil after each use. All of mine rust like crazy!
9:55 difference between 0.454 and 0.451 is 3 mills which is the thickness of the printing paper
3 thousands of an inch. Depending on how hard the materials .003 interference fit can make quite a difference....and if your chambers happen to be cut to say .452 ......a .451 ball will NOT work
Best item to have for C&B
Is a person to teach you the way do do it correctly.
I taught myself and I still have all of my fingers...
Ya but for those of us who don't, Mike is an excellent source
of information. I Started in the 1980's before internet. Then, you
would read what you could and get started. Mike Beliveau is THE
Coach to go to for black powder gun, usage, care and safety. He is
a tremendous source for reliable information. He ends the risky
guesswork of the old days. And he is entertaining with his
period garb and all. His videos are a treasure trove for the sport
of Black powder shooting.
Its not that hard, pretty much anybody with a little experience with firearms and an IQ slightly higher than a turnip can figure it out.
@@antcri730 I didn't realize the odds were that against us. :D
I would love to hear about the artificial propellants
Thanks! Just got my first cap and ball revolver and this is what I needed to see.
Thanks Mike. When I got into shooting black powder revolvers you were my #1 go-to source for info. Some other items I've added to my range kit. A wooden dowel to seat the percussion caps on the nipples, a dental pick to dig out spent caps, and forceps to pull caps off the nipples and from inside the frame.
Thanks Mike this is excellent information. I also use a Tedd Cash snail capper and found it needs some file work to trim the cap end to work on my Uberti and Pietta Colt style guns. Absolutely you are giving excellent information. I am a big fan. Powder Inc. is also another source for powder.
thanks again for your professionalism. you're great.
Best video on supplies I've seen yet!
Great video, looking forward to the next one. You should add a third video to the series about cleaning after you're done shooting.
Done! ua-cam.com/video/2qtMkLGdZA4/v-deo.html
@@duelist1954
Hello sir,,
Question,, can I shoot a 36 cal ball in place of the .451 ball ??
Or is there a safe way to do that ??
In a 54 cal long rifle, can I somehow shoot a smaller caliber..
I was just wondering.
Just want to know my limitations.
Thanks Mike. Great beginner video!
Hi Mike. A bit off subject but I just finished converting a Pietta 1858 sheriff, 2017 model to 45 Colt using Howells new 6 shot gated conversion cylinder paired with the Kirst improved ejector and the results a bit expensive but very pleasing. Some of your videos have enthused me to do this and I just wanted to say thanks for the enthusiasm.
I have all the old Authentic Colts and their associated appendages. The flasks I like to use. They work v e r y well. The light and heavy pocket flasks throw 8, 11 and 15g. Consistently. The Navy and Army flasks, 15 and 27. The Walker/Dragoon flasks, I have them set to 47 and 41g. They work quite well.
I use straight olive oil for cleaning, post cleaning lubricating and lubricating th loaded ball for firing. I ve been doing it for a long time and it works well. Caps,- The various Colts I have actually use the CCI 10s/11s for a proper fit. I also use R10/11/12s.
I have been, and continue to fire all my old Colts a lot. I ve gravitated to what works on a simple, reliable and practicable level.
Sir, good job. Anything that helps those that are new to our world (BP shooting) with its ways and reasons is a good thing.
It sure takes a lot of stuff to shoot cap and ball which makes it so much fun . I have a set of Colt Calvary pistols made by Cold I think in 1973 44 cal , I have not shot them due to the public range shut down I admire them so much so I kind of play with them but do not dry fire .
The question I have is the cylinder shows a slight wear ring is this caused by being out of time ? , or an adjustment maybe a burr in the control arm I keep it well greased , thanks
Not really. It is tricky to adjust the bolt so it makes no ring, but locks up on time. A good Single Action gunsmith can do it and re-blue them if it bothers you enough.
Thank you I know the Colts were made as a collectors piece but never really increased in price guns were made to shoot as well as admire.
Calvary is where Jesus died. Cavalry are mounted troops.
The new Polish Capper... it is a plastic star that is beyond excellent! cheap too
Have a used Uberti 1861 Navy I picked up couple years ago and have yet to shoot. This is what I needed to know! Also wasn't sure size of the ball I will be casting. Still need to pick up some soft lead for that. But great info on the caps and powder. I was able to pick up some Pyrodex at a show so I'll probably start with that.
Good and concise vid... like this one. a new shooter could use this advice to their advantage.
Goex closed its door. Just what we need now.
Great vid 👍🏼🤘🏼
Great informative video!!😁
Thanks for posting this video. I am new to black powder and muzzle loading and found this video very helpful. So helpful that I wish I would have watched it before I spent too much money trying to make sure I had everything I (thought) I needed. If I had watched this video before trying to get everything during this supply "shortage" I probably would have saved enough money to buy more of the stuff that I actually need, lol. I'm looking forward to more of your videos and learning a lot more about BP. I'm not sure if you posted a link for Graf & Sons in the description but they seem to have a few items that were difficult to find in other places. Great video, liked and subbed. Thanks again.
Nice, I'm thinking about picking up my first blackpowder revolver. I'm interested in an 1862 Colt Police.
Nice choice!
I find rmington caps are excellent for identifying a flinch. When you drop the hammer on the percentage the priming compound fell out of.
I always pinch my #11 caps a little before they go on. #10's have never worked well for me. But anyway, I've never used a capper for this reason. Been at it since the 80's, and nothing has changed in my routine. That includes using Crisco over the ball or bullet, instead of wads. If it's hot summer, and I'm out in the middle of nowhere, I'll use a stiffer lube that I cook up, to prevent melting. Other than that, I have had zero, and I do mean zero, problems in all those years with my loads. The problems I have had usually come from the pistol itself, such as sights falling off or loading lever latch pins falling out. Trigger springs can break, hand springs can break, so it's always a good idea to polish these little gems and remove any burrs. I've even fashioned a trigger spring from a paperclip one time when in a bind. As far as loading , I go straight from the flask spout and what it pours, unless I'm doing any real target work. The 51' Navy is my favorite and does not have any major things that are a nuisance, such as being too heavy and eating too much powder like the Walker. Sure, a Walker is fun, but it has a very large hunger. The .31's can be fun by just using 0 buckshot, but they are small and just not enough to them to hold onto. Never had a problem with Crisco, and even it it splatters a little, it makes cleaning easier. I never use substitute powders, and Pyrodex is a no no for me, and the reason is, even if you have cleaned your gun thoroughly and to the best of your ability, no matter if it's oiled down and spotless, if you try to store it for any length of time, the Pyrodex demon will appear in that area and form a rust. Don't ask me how it does this, because I don't know, but rest assured, that is what Pyrodex does.
@duelist1954 Great photo of you in the frock coat!!!!
Ive had to self teach myself how to shoot blackpowder and such over the last few years using the internet, thanks to some of your help. i've ordered and been to stores to purchase real blackpowder of all kinds, goes, swiss, etc... But Mike where the hell do you buy them in those metal cans?
J Graham I buy them in plastic containers, just like everyone else, but I saved about a case of the older metal cans. I decant the powder out of the plastic, into a metal can, as I use it. That way I can use my old pouring spout can lids.
@@duelist1954 Alright, i could have figured that one out. Im a sucker for vintage or classic stuff. And it seems everyone has one but me. Thanks for the reply and keep up the great vids. Also you should try and look for a Lemat cartridge conversion.
Good video Mike.😆 I try to keep most things in one carry bag or for me a plastic tool box. The wads and ball go with the caliber specific gun. Otherwise I ended up carrying a lot of extra weight around. Especially if I take the single shot Lyman .50. Hahaha
Awesome video Mike! Could you do a video on exactly what to look for on a revolver when purchasing it from the store? (How to tell if the timing is right, action smoothness, etc.) I've never bought a revolver and I don't want to get a dud. Thanks!
Mike your videos' are great Sure wish I had found you in the mid 90's . Just now found your must have a good nipple wrench advise . All this time I thought those nipple wrenches I screwed up were my fault . Bought a good one last week The nipples do come off in real life . Keep the good advise coming . Thank you so much for the time and effort you put in .
I made my nipple wrench out of a 6mm craftsman socket using a dremel and round file it works just like the ted cash ratcheting nipple wrench and it was free
A set of gunsmithing drivers is not bad. Less than 40 bucks for a decent set
Hey Mike I believe I am one of your biggest fans. By weight if not volume, hehe.
I was wondering how large your T-Shirt sizes go up to. 5X would be roomy but I might squeeze into a 4X.
Great video!!!
Awesome and extremely informative like always.
I'd love to see you demonstrate and discuss the use of black powder pellets as an alternative to loose powder!! Love your video as always!! :^)
I've been a Pyrodex user since 1998 with very few complaints. only serious complaint I have is no place local carries FFFG equivalent powder that isn't in pellets.
don;t get me wrong, the 30grain pyrodex pellets Work. I bought a set "in a pinch" so I'd have powder and they have quite a bit of pep to them considering I usually only load 20 grains of loose powder. HOWEVER for the cost of 100 shots in the pellets I could have 230 shots of loose powder in 30 grains... IF the loose powder was available
I've recently started making my own combustible paper cartridges with a cartridge former like what CapandBall sells, but I had to make my own (I've been unemployed for a while and have a 1/2" dowel handy). fun stuff
THANKS FOR VIDEO
Thanks.
Very interested in getting into this style of shooting. So much interaction with the firearm is great and they’re beautiful. I’ll save these vids thank you 😉
could you link the second part please I can’t find it
Thanks mike great video very informative
You thought contemporary shooters have it bad with an ammo shortage...
Every place I've checked is out of stock for both powder as well as caps, some don't even have a backorder option. Most places have lead ball, but the important stuff that makes 'em go fast down the barrel, not so much.
I ordered a 1 lb jug of Pyrodex P to feed my Uberti 1873 and the hazmat charge was more than the price of the powder alone. But, you gotta do what you gotta do sometimes.
Thanks!
Another great video!
Great stuff. Currently using my own bee’s wax-olive oil compound lube along with homemade black powder (don’t recommend unless you’re an expert) on my LeMat. 🇺🇸
Great content. Very informative. Thank you.
Thanks, Mike!
Thanks for the video Mike. Been wanting to get into cap and ball shooting for a while now, and this video helped out a lot. Any chance I can get a recommendation as to which gun to start out with?
Also keep making excellent content
I'd like to see a video about making a front sight like the one on that '51
Mike posted a video on that a while back: m.ua-cam.com/video/77glOqaBIA4/v-deo.html
THANK YOU
In every uberti and pietta colt style repro I've found that number 11 Remington brand caps work best. Number 10 and 1075 caps are too tight and hinder the cylinder from rotating unless you do that dangerous dowel pressing method to seat the caps more. However in both uberti and pietta remington style repros the number 10 remington caps fit the best. I've owned about 6 remington style repros of which 3 have been pietta and 3 have been uberti and about 7 colt repros of which 2 have been pietta and 5 have been uberti so I've had alot of experience
I have a Pietta 1851 Navy .36 still running stock nipples and find the Remington #10 or RWS 1075 to provide best fit. The Rem #11's I use on my rifles are a bit loose on the revolver.
Idk why I've always found it to be that the remington number 11 caps fit the best on both of the pietta 1851 navy colts I had plus the 2 uberti 1851 navy colts I had and the 2 uberti 1860 colt army revolvers I had. I never was one to press down on the seated caps for safety reasons so that might explain why. Plus I always would cap off once per nipple before loading after cleaning before loading and also before loading out of the box
I can't find the percussion caps in stock anywhere, and they're regulated so can't be shipped to a home address. Live in Nevada, and everywhere I call doesn't have them.
Hi Mike.
I picked up the Eras Gone Bullets Johnston and Dow mould and had a lot of fun with my son casting our own bullets. Looks like you have a sample of= those on your table. Is that an okay choice for a beginner, or should I stick with round ones until I've had some practice? I've got pretty much all the gear now, just need to find a place to go shooting! Thanks for a great overview.
Need a ball puller too. I was in a hurry to head out of town and grabbed "everything" in a hurry. Forgot one thing... The thing I would need most later. If your in a hurry loading your revolver and can't remember, no there is no powder in that cylinder.
Sans a ball puller, you can back-load a small amount of powder by unscrewing the nipple and drooping some in (don't try to load it with anything close to an actual shooting charge, because there's no way you can compact the charge) or you can try tapping the ball out with a thin rod.
NOBEL caps fit on revolvers only in black boxes, those red ones are "plus", they have more bang stuf and don't go deep enough on a nipple. Just want to point out from personal experience.
Should i get a capper? I heard capping by hand can be dangerous
Piettas seem to fit better with no. 11 caps.
Do you have a video showing how you make your pre-lubed wads?
I use both greased wads, and grease on the cylinders.
Mike what about the linear cappers, mine works in my Ruger old army, just like you said the other type doesn’t work well in a full framed revolver.
Hey Mike, thanks for the very informative video. I went to the Brownells sight to order those
three Magna Tip screwdrivers. They had listed the 180-3 bit. The closest I found to the 240-2 was the 240-3.
The closest I came to the 300-1 was the 300-3 bit.
Do you think the slightly larger bits will work with my Pietta 1858 New Army?
I do not have a bench grinder to grind them down. I suppose I could put them in a vice and use
a file to reduce them to size. Is there another supplier who sells the Magna Tip bits?
Do you prefer Swiss or Goex for cap and ball? How about for .45 Colt or .44-40 cartridges?
I use 50 cal sticks just cut the end off to leave space for the bullet
How did you get those remingtons no 10, ive been looking all over and havent found one that isnt 100 dollars
A dear friend, rid of this mortal coil Lo! these two decades, was an avid charcoal burner (unlike me). He proposed writing his doctoral dissertation on the thesis that, despite the lack of evidence, the Civil War was actually fought using picnic tables.
My asm walker almost needs .490's. tolerance must not have been that good 40 year's ago 😊
You mentioned making your own wads. Do you already have a video on this? [Is going to search, too. If I find it, will come back and reply]
I found it. If anyone is curious it's
ua-cam.com/video/YgNVPC2wmWI/v-deo.html
How critical is using lube when shooting these? It’s always mentioned when shooting cap n ball, but the few times I’ve had the opportunity to do so we didn’t use any lube, seemingly without issue
Lube is a practical convenience, but not a necessity. You will lose accuracy over time as fouling fills out the rifling grooves, but the gun will still shoot no matter how many rounds you fire through without lube.
So, the gun works without it. But it works better with it.
Where do you get the cap with the spout on it?
I can't remember where I put the paperwork for my 1858. So, is it safe to say the Remington #10 caps are the best choice for a Remington 1858 Revolver??
Yes they are.
@@duelist1954 Thank You, Sir.
Do you like goex or the Swiss powder better. Just wanting to know
Olde Eynesford. Made by Goex. It was designed to compete with Swiss. Maybe $3/lb more than goex but far cheaper than Swiss. It is just as good as Swiss, For the same volume as Goex it is a good bit stronger. It burns really clean, better than Goex and the substitutes. If you use a lower amount, for the same velocity a Goex, you really are paying no more than regular Goex, but it is much cleaner. Ignition is more reliable than the substitutes. It is all I use now, I still have a few lbs of 777 and Pyrodex sitting around, I have not found anyone local to give them to.
I really dislike cleaning guns that have shot Pyrodex, but it has its place, you don't have to pay the hazardous material fee. That fee will double the cost of real black powder if you are only ordering one pound. You have to split the fee up between several pounds of powder and caps to make it reasonable.
Being less regulated in shipping and sales is the entire reason substitutes were created. Real black powder requires the merchants to follow special storage and handling regulations. This hogwash about being easier to clean is just advertising puffery and is not true for me (or anybody afaik). The perchlorate in the substitutes is corrossive, you have to clean them soon. I can get away with delayed cleaning with Olde Eyensford if necessary, though its not the best idea in the long run, because you'll eventually forget to clean it completely.
Well, it's your fault. I ordered a Uberti Colt Navy today.
I'm looking to get a Remington new model army in .36 with a 6.5 inch barrel is this historicaly accurate length and caliber wise?
Are conical bullets easier to load into the chambers? I've been thinking about buying one of these for awhile now and I'm not sure that I have the strength to push a round ball into the chamber without much difficulty.
They are the same. Conicals have a heel that goes right into the chamber, but then you hit the driving band, which is oversized, like the ball, and for the same reason.
@duelist1954 From what I'm seeing, the Diamond Noble 1075 caps are a #11. Is that an issue? In the current ammo and gun market, it looks like cap and ball revolvers are being impacted too so it is hard to find the Remington #10.
Res 1075 caps are about the same as Remington #11 caps. They will fit Italian C&B revolvers just fine.
So your saying my old butter knife isn't a good screwdriver substitute?
Fantastic Mike - Enjoy your content ;o)
Just got a pietta 1851 navy... 375 or 380 balls?
.375 will work, .380 are better.
On the other side of coin, a Uberti _needs_ .380 because .375s don't shave a ring of lead when going in.
What about the Hi-Tek polymer coated bullets for use with black powder?
Cap and ball revolvers require soft lead. If the Hi-tec bullets are Brinell 11 or higher they will be difficult to seat and hard on the rammer. Also, cap and ball revolvers don't require coating as they are low velocity and I've never had one lead up the barrel.
If I happened to have some coated Hi-tec bullets I might try one anyway, but I wouldn't buy them just for a cap and ball pistol.
thank you !!!!!!!!!
Mike originally I owned a blued Ruger old army in .44 cal, but my newer one is stainless and .45 cal. Do you know why they did this ?
No. Sorry.
So what type of powder would I use for the primer of a flintlock? A finer grain for the primer and the ffg for the barrel?
Yes but its not really necessary, flintlocks will work fine if the same powder is used in the flashpan as the barrel. It must be real black powder though, substitutes don't work well at all in flash pans, there is inevitably a large delay in ignition even when it works.
Hi Mike! Will the Ted Cash capper work with the .44 Ruger? Thanks!
Yes it does.
Mike, what does the "F" and the "g" actually stand for in "FFFg"? Is it "Fine" and "granulation"? I've never seen it defined before.
The "g" denotes a gun powder, as opposed to the "a" powder grades (Fa, FFa, etc) which are for blast charges.
Then what’s the F?
F stands for fineness. In the old days, there were 'C' grade powders for Coarse, but I think they did away with that.
The 'a' and 'g' grades start at different points of coarseness, as an FFa blasting powder is a whole lot coarser than any FFg gun powder. For example, a FFFg gun powder is the same granule size as a FFFFFa (5Fa) blasting powder.
I've got a second hand colt navy ,serial number around 15000 the 36 balls are loose in the cylinder , they fit in my other navy and there are some differences in cylinder length , do you think one of these guns is a u berth and the other a pietta? The second hand gun has no makers name on it , it just reads reb navy 1851
Without examining your gun, I really can't tell you much. I'd try .380" balls, if you haven't already
I thought it to be, black powder by volume and propellants by weight?
If you think about it, you load all powders by volume. If you use a powder measur, like say an RCBS Uniflow. You check it on a scale until it is throwing the weight of powder you want, say 3.5 grains of Bullseye...then you start loading cartridges. That Uniflow is throwing a Volume of Bullseye. The volume it is throwing weights 3.5 grains. B-P is the same. You load with a volume measure that has been calibrated to throw a certain weight og B-P.
Opposite. The volumetric measures are derived from the weighted amounts of black powder. The substitutes have nitro or carbohydrate-based fuels, thus a higher energy density than carbon. They get deliberately bulked out to provide power that is consistent with a volumetric equivalent of black powder, but they are physically lighter as a result.
If you charged a gun with Pyrodex by weight, what would weigh 20 grains on a scale would overflow a 25-grain powder measure. If the prescribed charge was 20 grains of black powder, you've overloaded the gun.
do you know where i can get any pre cast conicals for a ruger old army?
CarlS. Sorry, but
I don’t know of anyone who is casting conicals commercially.
Isn't the substitute a bit more potent than real BP?
Triple 7 is stronger. To get a velocity that is consistent with black powder charges you may be used to, you reduce the charge by 10-15%. Basically, take that first digit in your usual BP charge and reduce the charge by that amount (like take 2 grains away from a 25 grain charge, 4 grains off a 40 charge).
@@BogeyTheBear Thanks.. I have heard that Pyrodex was more potent by a bit than the FF it is a bit confusing but luckily there is a decent safety margin with BP