Cap&Ball "Push Stick"

[CaptainKirk]

Thanks...I would greatly appreciate that. I'm using a straightline capper, but not sure of the make. Like yours though, it's brass extrusion with a single spring on the end.

 

[Flash Pan Dan]

Capt.

I’ve shot CAS with a pair of Pietta Remingtons and in CAS, with Cap & ball, you learn to reload fast and safe. The reason being that not only are you shooting and reloading, but you are also having to be scorekeeper, safety officer, spotter, and recover brass for other shooters. There are so many jobs as a posse member that you have to get and practice your reloading routine very carefully and even then you need the support and allowance of your posse mates to shoot with cap & ball.

That being said I tested and used several cappers and techniques and found that all cappers need to be modified in some way to work with Remington type pistols. What I ended up doing was taking my Dremel tool with a sanding drum and opening up the fences around the nipple on the cylinders on my pistols. It took about 2 minutes for each cylinder and a little cold blue and now my reloads are quick and easy. I know how you feel about the thought of grinding on your pistols, I felt the same way, but the things I found out when I took the plunge were;

Using the sanding drum to open up the fences on the cylinders gives you a very limited chance of screwing it up. The sanding drums with the Dremel tool are the perfect size for doing this job. It naturally goes slow so you can measure often as you go.

And after looking as some original Remingtons and Remington-Beals I realized that the modification I made to my cylinders look more like the originals than before. If you wish to take a little more time you can make the first cut with the Dremel tool and than finish up with a needle file to square up the corners of the cut to make them look exactly like the originals but that is up to you.

Just wanted to let you know this because most everyone shooting Remingtons in CAS makes this modification and it sure adds to the enjoyment of shooting these cap &ball pistols

 

[token tory]

I'm nowhere there on the scale of skillsets & honestly don't intend to go there. C&B is just recreational fun to me.

I can see where modifying the cylinder would be a good idea for competition, but for a plinker like me I'm sticking with the "modify the cheapest, easiest to replace part" dictum. :v

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Capt.

I’ve shot CAS with a pair of Pietta Remingtons and in CAS, with Cap & ball, you learn to reload fast and safe. The reason being that not only are you shooting and reloading, but you are also having to be scorekeeper, safety officer, spotter, and recover brass for other shooters. There are so many jobs as a posse member that you have to get and practice your reloading routine very carefully and even then you need the support and allowance of your posse mates to shoot with cap & ball.

That being said I tested and used several cappers and techniques and found that all cappers need to be modified in some way to work with Remington type pistols. What I ended up doing was taking my Dremel tool with a sanding drum and opening up the fences around the nipple on the cylinders on my pistols. It took about 2 minutes for each cylinder and a little cold blue and now my reloads are quick and easy. I know how you feel about the thought of grinding on your pistols, I felt the same way, but the things I found out when I took the plunge were;

Using the sanding drum to open up the fences on the cylinders gives you a very limited chance of screwing it up. The sanding drums with the Dremel tool are the perfect size for doing this job. It naturally goes slow so you can measure often as you go.

And after looking as some original Remingtons and Remington-Beals I realized that the modification I made to my cylinders look more like the originals than before. If you wish to take a little more time you can make the first cut with the Dremel tool and than finish up with a needle file to square up the corners of the cut to make them look exactly like the originals but that is up to you.

Just wanted to let you know this because most everyone shooting Remingtons in CAS makes this modification and it sure adds to the enjoyment of shooting these cap &ball pistols

I am surprised to read this. I thought that SASS had an entire Division for C&B revolvers. I never knew that you had to be "allowed" to shoot a C&B. I guess that the other shooters tire of putting-up with someone who has to use caps .

I've attended several CAS Matches. The ones that I've been to use wimpy smokeless loads for the most part . I'm not a member of SASS cause I'm not into aliases.

The thought of altering my revolvers with a dremel tool sickens me. I derive some of my enjoyment from overcoming the obstacles of using a device (out-of-the-box) that is deemed by some to be an "abject failure". Loading it ALL the way up with powder (not cereal) and putting the balls into the 10X ring! And I use my thumb to seat the caps! Always have & always will!

Dave
Competitive Black Powder Cap & Ball Shooter at (3) Clubs

 

[Pete Gaimari]

There is a class for C&B revolvers. It's called Frontiersman. (my class)

 

[Flash Pan Dan]

Smokin 50.

I should clarify my statement what I meant by ”˜allowance’ is that I mostly am the only person in the posse that is shooting cap & ball pistos and I take a little longer to load and so my posse mates are kind enough to allow me the extra time to do that and they do so without complaint. But I understand that I do slow them down. I shoot Gunfighter class and I think they enjoy watching my shoot the course with two sixguns blazing away. CAS shooters are as nice a folks as those on this board and in the muzzleloading community.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Yeah,

That's what I thought, just couldn't remember the exact name of the division. Thanks for the clarification.

Dave

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Too bad that we're 3K miles away from each other. I'd love to see some smoke being made by NICE folks. Around these parts it's mostly wimpy smokeless :idunno: and I'm not into that.

I suffer from "the cart before the horse syndrome". Not sure IF I want to really get involved in CAS, and I'm not buying a bunch of clothes to shoot a match and not be welcome cause I'd be the only one using C&B in the local group that does SASS matches. Wish I could shoot a match just to try it out BEFORE buying the outfit and jumping-in whole-hog :haha: . Your group sounds like a nicer bunch of "Pards" :thumbsup: .

Dave

 

[nilo52]

I too, have used only my fingers to cap my 1858 remmy. I've never had any problems. I am not aware of any happening "in the old days" either. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, heck ANYTHING can happen !
nilo52

 

[Pete Gaimari]

You want some smoke at a CAS event?

Watch this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rq42cc6ZYKg&feature=related

 

[CaptainKirk]

Yeeeehah! :thumbsup:

Now, THAT'S what I'm talkin' 'bout! :hatsoff:

 

[CaptainKirk]

3,000 miles apart, and I'm stuck here in the middle... :idunno:

I'd love to shoot with either of ya. Not much interest in the C&B's around here. I get lots of looks at the local BP "Wilderness Range" from the BP Long Rifle crowd. I sure have a weak spot for my pistols! Some folks think I'm crazy :youcrazy: but I know what I like!!!! :wink:

 

[Flash Pan Dan]

Capt. I don’t know what your experience has been with SASS clubs and CAS in general. But I have never been to a local club shoot or practice where folks didn’t fall all over themselves making me welcome and making sure I had all I needed to shoot and that I knew all about how to shoot safely at the event. I encourage you to contact a local club and ask questions and I think you will find out that you and your Remy will be more than welcome to shoot with them.

Now I ain’t trying to recruit you into SASS but I sure wouldn’t want you to miss out on shooting your Remy as fast as you can aim it and make that steel target ring like a bell at least once. All that smoke it sure gets into your blood

 

[CaptainKirk]

Dan, my experience has been zip. Not even sure if there are any local chapters near here. I'll do a little net surfing and see what I come up with. Sounds like fun....with a Remmy and two open-top Colts, I could find plenty to do, I'm sure!
Thanks for the heads-up!

 

[Pete Gaimari]

You'll need a period correct shotgun and a rifle too.

 

[nkbj]

Left a box of RWS #11's in my jeans and my better 2/3's gave them back to me this afternoon washed and dried. They work. Who'd a thunk.

 

[CaptainKirk]

Good thing they didn't "work" in the dryer...... :hmm:

 

[CaptainKirk]

You'll need a period correct shotgun and a rifle too.

Is that in the "rules", or just a testosterone thing? :idunno:

 

[Pete Gaimari]

That's what CAS is. Two revolvers, shotgun, and a rifle.

You shoot them all at each station. Usually 5-6 stations.

It's not cheap shooting.


This is one of the fast guys. They shoot light loads and smokeless for speed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1BwUJ4--Qw&feature=related

 

[Pete Gaimari]

Now that you've seen the side of CAS that I don't like. Meaning..do anything to be fast.

Here's the side I do and love. Shoot like a real cowboy. C&B revolvers and nothing but black powder.

Way slower, but way more fun.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J2xlV_J7BU&feature=fvsr