Charleville

[the priest]

I've read and researched about everything there is to on this site regarding the Charleville pistols and still have a couple of questions. If some of you gents would be so kind,....

I have been thinking about picking up one of these in kit form for small game use and some casual plinking. I've read they shoot fine with both shot and roundball but, specifically,....how effective would it be at say 25yrds??

Where I'm lacking is; 1. I have no idea how much powder/shot a person could load safely in this pistol, 2. how the patterns turn out at this range.

Just guessing i'd say 50-70 grains and an ounce or so of lead shot would make a pretty fun pistol for rabbits and squirrels. Given the bore size I'm thinking this is the closest a person come to a true short barreled shotgun,....could be fun. :hmm:

Any thoughts appreciated.

 

There ya go Priest. Load that pup up with that load and hang on tight. I remember shooting a load similar to that in a .58 caliber pistol and it wound up in the dirt and the ramrod was sticking up out a the dirt BEHIND me. :shocked2: :blah: Have fun but I would start with a lower charge and work up. :rotf: Ya got ta remember that a hand held pistol don't weigh as much as a shoulder arm and the way you hold it is different too. The muzzle of that pistol may give ya a new part in your hair. :haha:

 

[Zonie]

First, I'll say I have never owned one, but if we are talking about the Charleville Pistol that Dixie sells, I have heard they leave a whole lot to be desired.

They are made by Palmetto/Italy, a company which is infamous for the poor quality of many different guns they have made.
In the case of the Charleville this includes pan frizzens that don't fit the pan and triggers that take great amounts of force to move.

Perhaps they have improved reciently but if so, I haven't heard about it.

zonie

 

[the priest]

There ya go Priest. Load that pup up with that load and hang on tight. I remember shooting a load similar to that in a .58 caliber pistol and it wound up in the dirt and the ramrod was sticking up out a the dirt BEHIND me. :shocked2: :blah: Have fun but I would start with a lower charge and work up. :rotf: Ya got ta remember that a hand held pistol don't weigh as much as a shoulder arm and the way you hold it is different too. The muzzle of that pistol may give ya a new part in your hair. :haha:

I've got a couple that will do that already. In fact, my brother in law who took one for granted has a small scar to prove it. :haha:


I actually didn't intend to START with that load,....just wondering what it could or couldn't do safely. that load is about the equivalent of a 12 gauge going off the best i figure,...but in a two pound package. I have a couple BP handguns that I shoot 50grs regularly from and some modern handguns that scare the panties off most who've shot them,....kind of used to it I guess.

Zonie,

Thanks for the thoughts. I've heard before of palmettos poor reputation and the poor frizzen design specifically on this model. pretty sure i can fix it though. (as i cross my fingers)

Back to the original question,....has anyone shot or hunted with one of these?

 

[the priest]

Or,...........any other smoothbore pistol with a BIG FAT BORE for that matter!!!! :v

 

[wulf]

Priest..A good rule of thumb is to start off with
grains of power that is the same as the caliber of the rifle and one half the caliber for a pistlol..and work up or down from there to get the
best results..I shoot a 62 cal Miquelet and find
that 30 grains is a bit too stout... I have a Harpers Ferry that shoot great with 20 gr..and it is a 56 cal. so it is best to start off small and
build to tolerance.

 

[Rick Davis]

I assume you're referring to the Palmetto 1777 pattern like this:



If so, the only point you should be aware of is they all seem to have a congenital pan gap issue. The "frizzen" (okay, "hammer" for all you purists) to pan alignment's off, it appears the frizzen pivot hole is drilled about 0.060" too high on mine. The result of this is the front of the pan isn't covered when the frizzen's down. On the 1777 pistol, the pan is already inclined forward, and could result in the pan emptying out with the slightest forward incline. Palmetto and Dixie are aware of the problem, and there aren't any plans to fix it that I'm aware of. The only other drawback to this pistol is the cleaning rod is easily lost, as it can slip out of its bore in the frame unnoticed.

I could go on at length about what I like, ( :yakyak: ) it's a BIG pistol bordering on a short barreled shotgun. It's 69 caliber, so it may be possible to standardize ball shot with a 69 caliber musket. My pistol came with a great trigger, and otherwise well made. The triggerguard is also large, which would make operation with a gloved hand easier.

I was aware of the pan gap issue when I ordered mine from Dixie, and had the fix already planned when it arrived. The pictures should give you an idea of the problem, and the fix. I fashioned a horseshoe shaped brass shim that matched the top edge of the pan, then soldered it in place. After cooling, I filed the shim until the pan gap was completely gone. Then I filed the edges flush, then wet sanded the file marks out and finally polished all the brass to match. I had a frizzen spring vise when I did this, it made the job MUCH easier. The pictures should enlarge if you click on them.



And yea, I did cavest into temptation and polisheth the pan cavity.



I recommend this pistol for anyone that wouldn't find the pan gap objectionable, or could fix it themselves. Also, Dixie has a bunch of reviews that may include other fix techniques.