A few newbie BP questions

[Livefast123]

I'm in the last throws of my probationary period at my target club and have decided that I will definatly be getting a black powder revolver as it ticks all the boxes that I enjoy in shooting......involvement, history, smoke and a loud bang! The choice of equipment for a newbie is overwelming and i'd like to get a shortlist of equipment I have to have as i'll be shooting on a budget. I already have an FAC so i'll be putting in for a variation ASAP as soon as I get the membership. This is my list so far.

Pietta Remington 1858 .44 in nickel
777 powder
Caps
Ball
Wads
Powder flask and measure
Cleaning equipment

I'm going to go for the 777 as the Mrs hates gun cleaning in the sink and she doesn't like the idea of 'gunpowder' in the house, as if that makes any difference with the other stuff I have

What kind of load should I be looking at with the .44 and 777 and when I fill in my variation do I need to find the exact caliber of the gun or will .44 suffice.

Cheers

[Smokeless Coal]

.44 will do nicely

my own view is forget the wads and go for an inert filler, semolina or couscous works well.

Brave man to have chose 777 from the start. Go for aloxing your balls and no other lube is needed. far far cleaner. quick wash with water and a spray of wd40 so much easier.

[Livefast123]

To be fair I don't really know what i'm talking about and though 777 sounded good as it is easier to clean etc.....I guess there is a few problems with it then, I know you need hotter primers and you have to reduce the load a bit?

So if I fill with semolina I won't have to use a wad, is that as effective at preventing cross fires? What is alloxing my balls could you explain as being a BP newb im a bit clueless.

Cheers

[john paul]

I use 24g by volume of 777 in my .44 Remington i.e. 24g powder nozzle via a powder flask. 777 roughly 20%more powerful than black powder.

You will find you will want to experiment after a bit using fillers as Smokeless has suggested.

You might want to consider felt wads on top of the powder - see your local gunshop or you can make your own as I have tried.

After a fair bit of experimentation, I just use the aforementioned charge and put a blob of Trex over the balls.
Trex - see Tescos, Morrisons etc. Got this idea via the Cowboy Action sites in the US, that's what they use. They call it Crisco or something same stuff though - veg fat.

[Livefast123]

Thanks for that

What caps are you using with the 777 and do you find it easy to use? I think to start with i'll go with the over powder wads and some Trex as this is the combo most at the club use. I'll have plenty of time to experiment in the joys of black powder.

[john paul]

I use Number 11 Remingtons. The Magnum version of CCI also fine. Normal CCI caps I have encountered problems.

Number 11's work fine on my Pietta Colt and on my Euroarms Remington. Possibly before going out and buying 100's of caps ask another club member if you can try 10's.

Probably don't need to say this, but recently saw someone do this - NEVER dry fire a b/p as it damages the nipples.

[Livefast123]

Yeah I saw some guy do it to the club gun and get a talking to, it mushrooms them out doesn't it? I thought No 11's would be the case but as said will try 10's first.

Do they give you a load guide with the gun or do they leave it down to some ol' wild west magic. Can't wait to get started with my own gun but it's alot more involved than loading a magazine. Think i'll be doing some serious reading up.

Are Kranks about the cheapest place to buy guns?

[tacfoley]

Are Kranks about the cheapest place to buy guns?

Only if your name is the Duke of Westminster or Donald Trump.

Let's just say they are somewhat adventourous in their pricing police - my local dealership undercuts them by around 15%.

Mind you, since all sales are face-to-face you might find that popping down the road to Krank's uses a lot less fuel than the saving you'd get driving and buying here.

BTW - if anybody here can tell me how a ball that has been swaged to fit the chamber of your gun on an individual basis can leak flame around it, please provide evidence. It has been shown that leakage around the worn nipple is what causes a chainfire.

Also, the Ruger Old Army is the one BP revolver that CAN be dry fired - the hammer does not make contact with the nipple at all - only the thickness of the percussion cap fills that gap and ignites when the hammer strikes it.

tac
ROA
Walker

[Livefast123]

Only is your name is the Duke of Westminster or Donald Trump.

LOL at least I know now!! Its probably as far away as possible from me, I'm from around the Bristol area.

All advice about this fantastic arm of shooting is greatfully recieved

What are the new Euroarms guns like?

[Smokeless Coal]

Ask at your club if theres any second hand ones for sale, I've gotten pristine guns from members because they try it and dont like it.

Alox is a lube coating we use on bullets used for reloading, it dries like a varnish coating so no snotty mess.

Half an inch of filler or a coated wad along with a good fitting ball, I cant see a risk of chain fires. As said it seems to mostly happen at the nipple end.

[cowboy1403]

LOL at least I know now!! Its probably as far away as possible from me, I'm from around the Bristol area.

what club did you join

[tacfoley]

My advice to you is to get ahold of a copy of Gun Mart and see who is in your vicinity. For sure nipping over to East Anglia could be an adventure for you guys from Brizzleshire but will be expensive on fuel.

As the previous but one poster notes, buying s/h is always a good plan, as many bite, but don't get bitten. After a while the constant tinkering that some seem to encounter gets a mite tedious - me, I've never had any problems like that, but at my age any kind of tinkering could be taken as fun.

Just do me [and you] a bit favour, and wear protective eyeglasses. Bits of cap can go in surprising directions, and after two, you run out of eyeballs.

Just sayin'.

For the last forty-something years I've been using a dermalogical hand and skin preparation called E45 as a chamber seal - not only is a great sealer and lube, but is is kind to your paws as well AND because it is an emulsion it washes right off, taking all the grunge with it. Get it from any pharmacy like Boots in a big tub. Better still, develop contract dermatitis or eczema and get it on the NHS. Do not use ANY petroleum/hydrocarbon-based lubricant or grease - it reacts badly with BP residue and forms an almost immoveable crud that seems to be welded to the gun part.

tac

[Livefast123]

I'm a probationary member at the Bristol and District Rifle and Pistol Club, Eyewear is essential and have already seen a few caps flying off, luckily ears and eyes are manditory on our range.

There seems to be so many different variations on lube etc I guess i'll just have to try them all out. There was some sort of .36 black powder pistol for sale secondhand for £25 at the club the other day, unfortunatly I can't get a slot for one yet!

[Smokeless Coal]

You could buy it and have an RFD hold it for you.

BP and Pyrodex NEED lube, it keeps the residue soft and easier to clean. 777 is a modern powder the lube it needs is to stop lead fouling in the barrel so Alox is good

[Livefast123]

Didn't think of that, so 777 with alox sounds good and a lot less messy.

Wish me luck, I think i'll need it!