.31 or .36 pocket?

[Don]

I have numerous .36 and .44 standard cap and ball guns. I've thought frequently about getting a cap and ball as a tackle box gun, I use a small .32 long revolver or a .38 short revolver for that purpose now. I carry them for protection against rabid foxes and bad tempered dogs. I've thought about the .31 but ballistics seem a little wimpy. A .36 pocket police seems like it would be better suited. What do you all think?

Don

 

[Rebel]

I would take the pocket police. I had a .31 at one time. Even loaded with as much powder as it would hold and still let the ball seat, the rd balls would bounce off trees and come back at ya. JMO

 

[Poor Private]

My son has a .31 remmy pocket pistol. we loaded it with the proscribed amount of powder and shot at a modern coffee can. Guess what we didn't waste the lead. The balls go in one side and spin around , this was at a max of about 10 feet.
I have a .36 police pocket pistol and it is much better to use. Good penetration and doest feel like it is exploding in your hand.

 

[Wes/Tex]

In modern test comparing the actual 'deadliness' of percussion revolvers found the .31 about even with a .22LR pistol and the .36 about even with a mid-range .380 HP. These were with standard length barrels, the Baby Dragoon is obviously shorter than the '51 Navy but the difference is notable.

 

[rebel727]

I'd go with the .36. The .31 is a wimp.

 

[Leatherbark]

When I load my 49 Colt Uberti with all the powder it'll hold it does over 900 fps. With my standard load it does around 750 fps...........I need to try some cans and report back. I know if all I use is that little spout that comes on the little tiny 31 flask it will only do 500 and some fps..............Bob

 

[WV_Hillbilly]

Aside from any legal or logistic reasoning, I assume that you want to carry a cap-n-ball for other reasons. As you are no doubt aware, neither the .32 S&W Long or the .38 S&W are real powerhouses--though either of these cartridges in a decent gun can be quite accurate.

I have shot .31 cal cap-n-ball and they aren't very muscular even at close range. IMO, the .36 would be a much better choice; AND the pocket Navy (or pocket Police) is not all that much bigger actually. The pocket Navy and the .31 that I had were built on the same frame, with the Navy having a longer barrel (5 1/2" .36cal vs. 4" for the .31cal).

The only real advantage I can see in the .31 is the ability to shoot #0 buckshot (.320 diam.) which is much less expensive in bulk. Also the .31 uses less powder--which isn't necessarily a good thing if you are wanting some stopping power.

You don't happen to have one of the "cut-down" versions of the .44 cal guns do you? I know Cabela's used to sell them. OR... if you had (or could get) one of the .44 cal 1851 Navy pistols really cheap; you could cut that one down on your own. (or have a gunsmith or machinist friend do it). Even the (weaker) brass framed gun would be fine for this purpose since shooting a moderate load would have plenty of power for the task you have planned.

Also remember that the .38S&W is throwing approx. TWICE the weight of the .36 cal. round ball, and THREE times the weight of the .31 round ball. IIWM, I'd be thinking about your options a long while before committing to change.

Regards, and choose wisely,
WV_Hillbilly

 

[Don]

WV Hillbilly,

Thanks for the thoughtful response. I like the .32 and .38 because they fit nicely in the bottom of my tackle box and still leave room for my tackle. I do have a .44 colt sheriff but even cut down the size of the frame and grip doesn't make it practical for putting in my tackle box. It would be OK for on my belt but most of the time I want to be discreet because I'm fishing with someone else and I don't want to put forth a wild west sort of mentality if you know what I mean. The .32 and .38 I am confident would deal with a fox or a small to medium size dog without much problem. A big dog may take a few hits. I also considered toting along one of my BP derringers of larger caliber but there I only have one shot and that makes a revolver more appealing. I am confident a full size .36 or my .44 sheriff would do the job but its a matter of space. I figured that like most cap and ball guns the pocket police would hold more powder than the recommended charge. If the pocket police will hold 18 grains of powder than I'm confident it will serve my purpose.

Don

 

[rebel727]

In my opinion you'd be better off with a cartridge gun in your tackle box from a safety standpoint, even if your tackle box is kept a lot neater than mine. If I had a gun in my box it'd prolly take me 30 minutes just to find the dang thing. :grin:

 

[Poor Private]

The next thing you have to consider is the legality of carrying a cartridge gun around in your tackle box. Some states may say that this is a conceald weapon. While other states a BP weapon does not require licenses of any kind to carry.

 

[Don]

Poor Private,

I have a concealed carry permit so thats not an issue for me.

Don

 

[rebel727]

Where I fish it would be a non issue but then where I fish it wouldn't be in the box to start with. :thumbsup:

 

[Zonie]

I didn't see anyone mention it but sense this gun is going to be in a tackle box there might be a good chanch that water will get into it.
Because a cartridge guns ammo is fairly waterproof it wouldn't be a problem, but some water accidently splashed on the nipples and caps of a cap and ball gun could make the gun inoperative.
A C&B gun isn't very water tight.

zonie

 

[faw3]

Good point "Z", myself when I get out around the house in summer,fall because of snakes I carry a pocket REM 31, the only problem is it's so lite and thin I forget it sometimes and go to town, ect and forget I even have it. I got it from one of my stepsons he had it loaded with 4f and 70 gr REM maxie with the sharp point ( the kind they org came with back when) and shot his self in the leg pulling the hammer back on a dead cap( :rotf: )it wasn't and I called him and he said it hurt like :cursing: and getting it out wasnt fun, ( it hit the bone and just about went all the way thru his leg (not the bone). Sooooo? The pocket police holds 23grs and a 36 ball and puts out Mv 915, Me 149 but its not a real pocket gun to me its much thicker longer ect, My 62 Navy is 10 1/12"s and about 1 1/2 pound to the Rems 7 1/2" and under 16 oz's. Fred :hatsoff: