Black powder in revolvers

[Arrowstorm]

I"m not talking about pyrodex. I'm talking about the real stuff. Now a lot of us shoot rifles and pistols all together. To combat fouling in rifles, we use a patch/ball size combo with our favorite concoction of lube.

When using real black powder in a revolver, though.... other than the ball fitting a little more exact (due to the cylinder shaving off a ring of lead), how does one combat fouling? I've used pyrodex in my revolvers plenty of times and have found that when out on the range, even with pyrodex I can really only shoot about 36 rounds in each of my revolvers before I start to notice fouling and other stuff. But what about with the real stuff? And also... should I use a lesser load? I use about 25gr of pyrodex p in my revolvers. what should I use with real bp?

 

[Russianblood]

I use 44 cal Ox-Yoke prelubed wonderwads between my GOEX FFFg powder and the ball when I load my 1858 Remington. Also, make sure the cylinder pin is well lubed with a product like bore butter before your shooting session. Still, I don't get more than about 3 or 4 cylinders fired before I have to pull the cylinder and clean the pin.

I was thinking about trying some of the new GOEX Pinnacle fake powder in my revolver to see if I can shoot all day without cleaning.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Put a dab of lube over the ball after it is seated. Crisco works fine in cooler weather, but a mix of beeswax and tallow with a little olive oil added is best.
I load 30-35 grains of fffg in my .44 Colt Armies and Remingtons. 25 grains is about right for a Colt's Navy.

 

I can really only shoot about 36 rounds in each of my revolvers before I start to notice fouling and other stuff.

Cap and ball revolvers were designed as personal defense pistols and were never intended to be fired 36 times between wipedowns.

It is the very nature of the beast.

The more you shoot them the crudier they get until the cylinder binds up, small parts try to force big parts into place and something breaks or bends. Then you are out of time and wondering why!

Wipe it down between cylinders. I wipe down my flintshooters every three to five shots so why not wipe down my revolver every six? It's no big deal.

 

[Russianblood]

Good point. I usually wipe off the cylinder pin ever few cylinders and it's no problem.

 

[Toomuch_36]

I can really only shoot about 36 rounds in each of my revolvers before I start to notice fouling and other stuff.

Cap and ball revolvers were designed as personal defense pistols and were never intended to be fired 36 times between wipedowns.

It is the very nature of the beast.

The more you shoot them the crudier they get until the cylinder binds up, small parts try to force big parts into place and something breaks or bends. Then you are out of time and wondering why!

Wipe it down between cylinders. I wipe down my flintshooters every three to five shots so why not wipe down my revolver every six? It's no big deal.

Also by putting grease over the end of the cylinders you will not only prevent "gang fireing" but it will also help keep the fouling soft for easier cleaning.
Though my .44 Remmingtons will handle a charge of 35 + grains of 3F I find I get better accuracy with 20 grains, just my personal prefference your best load may vary.

Toomuch
..........
Shoot Flint

 

[Charley Hart]

Can't get away from fouling. I have to grease my cylinder pin on the rems to keep them from binding (after a few shots) with pryo p, black too.

I think as others have said wiping them down and swabing them is probably best. Good point about them not being made to fire round after round.

 

[2172]

my favorite .36 Remington/Navy Arms would begin to spread shots after 5, so I got in the habit of swabbing the bbl after every 5...as someone said, it's no big deal..Hank