.31 No more cap jams

[Trinidad Bill]

I had horrible cap jams on my ‘48 Colt .31. So I did what Blackie on utube said about filing smooth all the rough edges and sharp points on the hammer cap groove.
Just got back from the range and not one cap jam of 80 rounds fired. None, nada, zip.
Rem #11 caps.
It’s like a completely different pistol. What a pleasure to shoot it now. I could quickly fire 5 with no hesitation and since this is my EDC I now have full confidence in it.
I am happier than a pig in whatever pigs are happy in.
Back in June I posted about the fix on my .36, finally got around to the .31.

I also just did this on my Uberti 1862 Pocket Navy, .36. I have watch Blackie's video but got a bit more out of the one by Duelist1954. After polishing the hammer face I was finally able to fire 5 shots from my pocket pistol without a stopping cap jam. Slixstring nipples were also a great help, Treso not so much, they jammed my cylinder up as they were a bit too big. Now off to the short arbor problem!

 

[pacanis]

Didn't Duelist also recommend JB Weld in the hammer face notch? Or maybe that was another C&B...
And I know someone recommended using two mainsprings to keep the hammer from bouncing during ignition.

Admittedly I have not shot my 1849 pocket yet, but I'm armed with methods to fix the potential problem.

 

[ernbar]

No one insulted you. You segued from a .31 caliber cap n ball remedy to carrying it for self defense.

All we did was tell you it's very likely illegal to carry a black powder cap n ball revolver, concealed on your person, to circumvent carry permit laws.

This is true all over the country. In fact, some counties have taken it upon themselves to ban carrying cap n ball revolvers.

Open carry may be a possibility. Depends on your locality though.

Say what you will, folks were just trying to keep your azz out of the slammer and away from spooning with Bubba.

No insult intended and agree with Springer. I speak from experience from being a LEO for over 30 years and now retired. Sorry if you took it the wrong way.

 

[ernbar]

Didn't Duelist also recommend JB Weld in the hammer face notch? Or maybe that was another C&B...
And I know someone recommended using two mainsprings to keep the hammer from bouncing during ignition.

Admittedly I have not shot my 1849 pocket yet, but I'm armed with methods to fix the potential problem.

I saw that video and tried it but the JB Weld came off after shooting a few cylinders. I also rounded all the sharp points and edges on my Pocket Police which helped.

 

[Trinidad Bill]

Didn't Duelist also recommend JB Weld in the hammer face notch? Or maybe that was another C&B...
And I know someone recommended using two mainsprings to keep the hammer from bouncing during ignition.

Admittedly I have not shot my 1849 pocket yet, but I'm armed with methods to fix the potential problem.

I did see a video with the two mainsprings. They indicated they were implementing a Duelist recommendation. In fact I ordered and received a second mainspring with the intention of trying it.

The polishing of the hammer face and Slix nipples have done such a good job I haven't tried it. Actually was going to replace the old mainspring with the new one first just to see if that made a difference.

 

[pacanis]

In fact I ordered and received a second mainspring with the intention of trying it.

I took it a step further. I installed the second spring. That heavy hammer cock would not have been enjoyable to shoot at all.

 

[Trinidad Bill]

I took it a step further. I installed the second spring. That heavy hammer cock would not have been enjoyable to shoot at all.

Yea, I wondered about that! My Uberti Remington .44 is tough enough for my old hands.

 

[Steven Worden]

No one insulted you. You segued from a .31 caliber cap n ball remedy to carrying it for self defense.

All we did was tell you it's very likely illegal to carry a black powder cap n ball revolver, concealed on your person, to circumvent carry permit laws.

This is true all over the country. In fact, some counties have taken it upon themselves to ban carrying cap n ball revolvers.

Open carry may be a possibility. Depends on your locality though.

Say what you will, folks were just trying to keep your azz out of the slammer and away from spooning with Bubba.

Within 20 feet, the caliber doesn't matter much.

 

[azmntman]

Ah I dunno. I have a .31 and had it maxed with powder and shot a ponderosa pine and the ball was visible in the bark. Not a whole lotta power there to stop a guy (especially an "altered" guy, ie meth/pcp etc).

 

[Eutycus]

That video by Blackie is this "filing on sharp hamme edges" just for pocket models or does it apply to other cap and ball models as well?

 

[M. De Land]

That video by Blackie is this "filing on sharp hamme edges" just for pocket models or does it apply to other cap and ball models as well?

It's helpful to smooth them all after fitting them back so as not to strike the hardened nipple.
I wouldn't use a double hand spring but rather just make a new one with thicker spring stock. Some times all that is required is to take some of the bend out of the existing spring and re heat treat it.
A lot of the trouble though in open frame guns stems from the hammer face contacting the hardened nipple and deforming. In open frame guns the hammer needs to be fit so as to stop back mid hammer against the frame over the arbor thread area so that the hammer face cannot contact the nipple.

 

[user 33697]

That video by Blackie is this "filing on sharp hamme edges" just for pocket models or does it apply to other cap and ball models as well?

I've filed and polished the sharpe edges of the hammer face for all my BP revolvers regardless of caliber. Never had a cap jam.

 

[smoothshooter]

It's something that should never ever under any circumstances be carried in black power reproduction revolver form.

I have two percussion revolvers I would have no qualms about carrying for social purposes if they weren’t so big and heavy ( 1851 Navy & 1860 Army ) compared to my unmentionable EDC guns.

 

[Eutycus]

I have two percussion revolvers I would have no qualms about carrying for social purposes if they weren’t so big and heavy ( 1851 Navy & 1860 Army ) compared to my unmentionable EDC guns.

Same here but they are "Big Irons"

 

[hanshi]

I think of the .31 as being at least the equal of the modern .25 acp, or maybe better. Hickock proved how potent the .36 was.

 

[Sam squanch]

The little .31 loaded with 4 f does a little better. And it’s better than nothing.

 

[No second place]

Let me guess, you live in a state that either doesn’t require a carry permit or hands them out like candy on Halloween.

Otherwise known as a "Free State"...Or just a Red state sometimes...c

 

[CaptainVane]

The little .31 loaded with 4 f does a little better. And it’s better than nothing.

I know you right, but 4f is hard to get here and i wont pay the shipping hazmat fee. I use T7 3F. Local shop has it, just bought 2 # yesterday.
On side note, i ordered a mainspring for the .31. I read/saw that doubling the mainspring is a good fix to help with weak cap fires and keeping caps on nipples after firing.
Just got back from range, love this time of year, all alone, nobody there. Young guys all working and too cold for the old guys.
On another note, a while back I had reported a problem with RWS caps not firing on first hit. With new Slixshots.
Today I took RWS, CCI, Rem11 and did some experimenting. Maybe the nipples needed to get broken in but the RWS fired every time. So here what I observed…
RWS .. based on sound had the weakest BANG and occasionally had a delay like a flintlock, tended to come off nipples after firing.
CCI … Loudest BANG of the 3, tended to come off nipples sometimes after firing.
Hopefully a second mainspring will hold them on.
REM11 …Middle of the BANG. Instant fire, no delay. Stayed on nipple the best after firing until it got to the fall-off port.
This was on a .31. Will experiment with .36 on Thursday but I suspect the bigger pistol wont really give a shat and do fine with all 3.
40’ ….

 

[CaptainVane]

Oh! On another note. About a month ago. Some poster had a difficult time getting caps. Well, being the nice guy I am, and having enough, i bundle up a bunch of caps, wrap in alum foil, and mail in envelope. They never arrived.
I have bought a lot of caps from folks who mailed to me in original tins and always received.
What you suppose happen to them? Anybody here work for the USPS?