brass is stretching

[freekforge]

so my 1858 has less than 100 rds through it and the brass is already stretched out :cursing: have always used lighter loads but last time I shot it after cleaning I noticed the cylinder has a considerable amount of play so it looks like I wont be carrying it anymore

 

[RADeO]

:shocked2: :shocked2: :shocked2:

Less than 100 rounds? You mentioned "lighter" loads, but what loads have you been shooting? Also, what company made your revolver? Something seems badly amiss here, especially if you have been following the manufacturer's load recommendations.

Please give us some more info.

 

[bpd303]

Definitely something amiss. I have been shooting my '58 brass frame FIE Remington since 1962 with some pretty stout loads and not a sign of stretching or unusual wear.

 

[M. De Land]

Pull the cylinder, mic the gap, record it and check again in another 100 shots. You probably are just breaking in and smoothing things out from being newly manufactured.
Black powder revolvers need more cylinder gap than does smokeless guns to operate without loading up from fouling. I would not be upset with a gap of .012-.015 if it shot well and didn't grow any bigger.
Contrary to my smokeless revolvers that I will set back if they are over. .006-.008. Mike D.

 

[loco6725]

Same here, I have a brass 1858 that my dad carried and shot for many, many years. I shot it as a kid. No issues at all!!

 

[freekforge]

usually 20-25 grains but I have shot 30 grains a few times if the gun wasn't so old I would be raising all kinds of he!! with pieta (its about 20 years old but only had less than 100rds through it) I will measure the gap next time I unload it. But if you shake it back and forth you can hear the cylinder rattle.

 

[trent/OH]

But if you shake it back and forth you can hear the cylinder rattle.

Ahh! That's the problem! If you can hear it rattle, put your earplugs back in.

 

[bpd303]

Take a feeler gauge & check the gap between the front of the cylinder & barrel forcing cone. I think you will be surprised. I have not noticed any change over all those years. If you hear the cylinder rattling you need to use a heavier lube (grease) on the cylinder pin.

 

[Don]

Can you see any indications that the recoil shield is being hammered or damaged? If you see a star shaped impression on the recoil shield then that's an indication that you have over loaded it and it may well be stretched. Pietta brass frames are funny. I have the 1858 in brass and use 25 grains of Pyrodex P in it but have had no problems with damage to the frame. I also have a brass framed version of the 1861 Colt navy and it was damaged by 20 grains of Pyrodex. Maybe some batches of brass are softer, I don't know.

Don

 

[Billnpatti]

As others have said, use a feeler gauge to determine the gap between the cylinder and the barrel. This will tell you if it is within specs. If you have been shooting the proper loads for your revolver and not trying to make it a magnum, you should not have any gap greater than about .015. But the rattling that you hear when you shake the revolver sounds to me like the cylinder pin. They are made a bit undersize to allow for the unavoidable fouling build up. The cylinder pin needs a good coating of grease. If you are using an oil rather than a grease on this pin, that could well explain the rattling when you shake the gun. Put a good coat of a grease such as bearing grease on the pin and see if that solves the problem. Some prefer to use bear grease or some HC thing but bearing grease works quite well and is usually easier to find.

 

[freekforge]

I plan on taking it out to unload it on Wednesday or Thursday (its my carry gun so it stays loaded for a week at a time)after I unload it and clean it I will measure the gap something about sliding a piece of metal in front of a loaded chamber scares me. Luckily I just found my feeler gauge and put it in the machinist's chest.

 

[Paul_R]

I plan on taking it out to unload it on Wednesday or Thursday (its my carry gun so it stays loaded for a week at a time)after I unload it and clean it I will measure the gap something about sliding a piece of metal in front of a loaded chamber scares me....

And yet you'll stuff it down your pants loaded.
:haha:

Sorry, just strikes me as funny is all. :hatsoff:

 

[bigted]

pull the caps and have at it with the feeler gauge. nothing to go wrong there. as others have said...use a heavy greese on the pin for the cylinder. you will be surprised at how tiny the gap is im bettin. that rattle will surely go away with a good thick synthetic greese like mobile one or ams-oil greese. these will last a good long time with a tube of greese and if in a greese gun it will stay clean and easy to use in just small amounts every time.

kinda interested in the why of using this cap-n-ball for an everyday carry? it would not be my first choice if interesting times seem inherent to happen...other iron is going to be a better choice when hide n life hang in the balance.

no need to explain but I for one would be interested if you should decide to explain. :grin:

 

[freekforge]

It is my edc because I haven't got my license to carry a hand gun yet and IC35-47-2-19 says you can carry a blackpowder gun without a ltch so until I get my ltch I carry my blackpowder guns

 

[cynthialee]

I also have a BP revolver for security reasons.
Why?
My spouse has made it 100% clear that modern guns are not welcome in our home. She sees them as war weapons and that we have no legitimate need for them.
The selling point to the BP revolver for her was the fact that it is so complicated to load. Not just anyone can take our pistol and load it to shoot.
So I got a BP revolver because it has more than one shot.

I am very careful and meticulous in my loading regimen. I have 100% confidence that my pistol will fire on every cylinder if called on in an emergency.
If you use one of these guns for self defense you best be sure that you use quality components, be sure that your gun is in good serviceable condition and you know its' quirks.
Also, as a BP shooter you are going to be assumed by the law to be a bit more proficient and knowledgeable about guns than the average person. If you have to shoot someone, you better be sure that you have the right and god on your side.

 

These days, depending where you are standing in the United States, the law is on one side and the Eternal is on the other.

 

[cynthialee]

These days, depending where you are standing in the United States, the law is on one side and the Eternal is on the other.

there is all that...

 

[PRM]

Why carry them??? Because I started out shooting C&B revolvers back in the 70s. Always had good luck and fond memories with them. I own other guns, but some days I just feel like carrying my old friends. Also, depends on what I'm doing. On the farm or range, they are a lot of fun. I live in a small town and so far we havn't had a lot of shoot-outs at the SONIC over cheeseburgers. If that ever starts happening, I always got a shotgun behind the truck seat.

 

[MacRob46]

Good for those who carry BP revolvers for self-defense. However, I will stick to my Combat Commander in .45 ACP.

 

[M. De Land]

I once read but do not know if it is true that in the old west the concussion from a black powder pistol would put out every light in a saloon when a gun fight erupted. Imagine that and then the room filled with powder smoke in a shoot out! Every one would be on the floor gasping for breath and crawling around looking for the door.
Must have been a real interesting experience with many innocents struck by wild shots.
It would be hard to hide out in .45 acp smoke,no? :rotf: Mike D.