Is the black powder revolver industry dying out?

[PNWtrekker]

Washington

 

[AlexB]

I am just about to start doing this. I looked at the instructions that came with the kit - but then I saw someone else who made the caps, put them in a tray that large rifle primers had come in, and then took all of the components including the liquid acetone, mixed it all together and used an eye dropper to fill the caps. 100 caps produced in about an hour. And if you carry them around in that same former large rifle (or pistol) primer container, they don't rattle around and start coming apart.

He had two misfires, one misfire I'm guessing because the liquid priming compound had a bubble in it he did not notice - so that cap went off but without enough power to set off the charge. In another case it seems he just missed a cap as it had nothing in it at all. Personally, I'm good with 98%.

Otherwise you have to mix three powders and use a tiny scoop to fill each cap, then tamp it down, then add a drop of acetone anyway. Too much work.

But so far I have only seen one person do it this way. As it is literally less than half the work, I really want to know if anyone else uses this method.

I don't use the tan bag at all.
I put the other three bags into a pill bottle after finely crushing and tumble mix.
I use tweezers and grabbing two caps at once I scoop load then tap on side of pill bottle to settle and knock off excess.
Place into pill bottle lid to tamp to not lose powder then one drop of acetone and duco cement at 10:1 by weight.
Overnight to dry then ready I have to crush them to make the charge fall out.
Threw a half full tin on the dash and drove for a week over our washer board roads with barely any dust in the tin.

 

[PNWtrekker]

Washington

 

[CaptainVane]

Yeah, the Gunbroker prices are kind of crazy. I got a 1849 Well Fargo for a reasonable price, but otherwise things keep going too high. That's why when Midway had Uberti 1860's on sale for $319.99 I had to jump on it!

I stole my ‘48 on GB in March. $240. The no lever model, almost no bidders. I think most didn’t know what it was.
PS. I won on GB the famous Lyman Remington.36 6.5” barrel mint condition, 1971 never fired for $350 including shipping. The one everyone seems to be looking for.
With GB ya just gotta find the hidden gems.
An 1851 Colt Navy .36 is so popular the prices get nuts, so i gave up and got brand new when M&M had on sale for $340. Cheaper than used.
BTW. All are Uberti steel. No Pietta brass for me.

 

[nkbj]

I used a scrap piece of plastic and drilled out the holes to hold my caps. I then use a spent small pistol primer with a piece of wire super glued on as the handle delivering perfect amount of Prime all per cap. I then add a drop or two of acetone mixed with single base powder as the binder.
Haven’t tried them on a pistol yet but I did pop a couple on the pavers using a hammer out back and were extra loud creating quite a bright flash.

View attachment 228263

Cool!

 

[sheriff john]

Doubt there will be a new series as popular as "Gunsmoke", "Daniel Boone", "Have Gun Will Travel", etc., but it's interesting to see the old series being resurrected lately. Going back to the 1950's & 60's, it was the popularity of TV westerns that revived the single-action revolvers and Davy Crockett - style firearms for many people. Jerimiah Johnson, Last Of The Mohicans, and The Patriot were also helpful - but it's been a long time.

Were a series or even memorable movie to surface featuring historically correct muzzle loading firearms, we might also see something of a revival in interest. Otherwise, doesn't seem to be much happening.

 

[Relic shooter]

The small, gem-like percussions like the little .36 Police and the tiny .31's, are attractive in the same way as a nice old-style watch; fun to handle, beautiful mechanics, and pleasing to the eye.

Your spot-on SA, the 1862 .36 Police models are easy on the eye, just a smaller version of it's 1860 big brother.
This is my old original with a 6.5" barrel, still locks up tight & has a perfect bore.
Hopefully our muzzleloading sport will survive today's anti-American turmoil & muzzleloading will live forever

 

[Bad Karma]

If you’re going shooting with your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, it will never die completely. Of my progeny, most are shooter, my son and daughter, three of their children and two of my great grandchildren are blackpowder shooters. Some use inlines but my great grandchildren love grandpas “old guns“… we have to work at this, although, at the time it‘s purely a pleasure.

 

[Bad Karma]

Wonder if those dealers are gonna keep checking in with the buyers and make sure they don't get conversions for them !! Do they not understand that you can change just about ANY cap gun to a cartridge shooter?



First time I've ever heard that one!! Don't think that's it though.



You got a .41 mag for less than $400. 00 ? If you already have an 1860 then you can make it a convertible for less!

Mike

Interesting that Midway has a current sale on the Uberti 5,5” Remington .44 and right there on the page is an advert for the conversion cylinder yet midway doesn’t ask for an FFL unlike the fools on Gunbroker and some of our own “friends“… God hates a coward.

 

[sheriff john]

And, just as this thread appears, an entire hour show featuring the NSSA appears on the Boob Tube ! Great coverage of the revolver matches proves there are still devotees of civil war revolvers. So ...there is hope. Yay.

 

[TDM]

And, just as this thread appears, an entire hour show featuring the NSSA appears on the Boob Tube ! Great coverage of the revolver matches proves there are still devotees of civil war revolvers. So ...there is hope. Yay.

That is good news!

 

[Hawk54]

Interesting that Midway has a current sale on the Uberti 5,5” Remington .44 and right there on the page is an advert for the conversion cylinder yet midway doesn’t ask for an FFL unlike the fools on Gunbroker and some of our own “friends“… God hates a coward.

The majority of dealers on GunBroker still ship to your home if legal in your state but I think with the way the winds are blowing more and more are probably going to go down that same CYA road.

 

[Sam squanch]

Many ads I see for unmentionable firearms sold by private individuals say they will I’m only sell to a CCW or go through an FFL.

 

[BBGun]

Seems there's just not much interest especially online except in small websites like that. Really can't even find black powder revolver a in bigger outdoor stores either. I know it's real big in Europe because from what I can tell they aren't allowed much else. But here in the u.s it's a different story. Most gun owners i feel don't pay these things much mind. Responsible felons seem to like them to have something at least. Only a few places I feel sell replacement parts. So is it dying out or getting bigger? Or stagnant? I love black powder by the way

Taylors and Company have parts for the 1858 (Uberti and Pietta) as well as others if you ever need something.

 

[RB POWELL]

Seems there's just not much interest especially online except in small websites like that. Really can't even find black powder revolver a in bigger outdoor stores either. I know it's real big in Europe because from what I can tell they aren't allowed much else. But here in the u.s it's a different story. Most gun owners i feel don't pay these things much mind. Responsible felons seem to like them to have something at least. Only a few places I feel sell replacement parts. So is it dying out or getting bigger? Or stagnant? I love black powder by the way

Powder and cap shortages come and go. Manufacturers continue to produce revolvers, and flint pistols. I think some people are purchasing these items, and putting them away for a rainy day. Can't imagine why...

 

[RB POWELL]

I like BP revolvers in the abstract. But using them is fussier than I want to deal with. And if something wakes me in the night what I have within reach is a S&W cartridge revolver.

I hide under the bed until I can figure out where my body armor, "ears", IR illuminator, helmet, gas mask, combat boots are. Then I go back to sleep.

 

[Gtrubicon]

It’s the shooters that are dying out.
And so is black powder shooting in general.

I’m 47, I ain’t dying out anytime soon. If we don’t want this style of shooting to die out, it’s up to you old cotters to step out of your comfort zone, go to your local range and spark some interest with some newbies. If they are at the range then they obviously like shooting. If you shoot at home, as I do. Invite someone over to shoot. It’s good for the sport in general, no matter what you prefer to shoot. I find percussion revolvers to be a great complement to centerfire revolvers.

 

[Craig Ziegler]

Speaking strictly from personal, anecdotal experience, my friends' interest in black powder firearms, especially pistols, peaked about twenty years ago. Most of the younger shooters I know think that shooting black powder is just way too much trouble. My main interest was in having firearms for which I could cast my own bullets and make my own powder in the event the government tries to ban cartridge guns or ammunition somehow. But the sticking point is primers. It's possible to make your own primers, but it is definitely not easy to do.

 

[AlexB]

Speaking strictly from personal, anecdotal experience, my friends' interest in black powder firearms, especially pistols, peaked about twenty years ago. Most of the younger shooters I know think that shooting black powder is just way too much trouble. My main interest was in having firearms for which I could cast my own bullets and make my own powder in the event the government tries to ban cartridge guns or ammunition somehow. But the sticking point is primers. It's possible to make your own primers, but it is definitely not easy to do.

Aint that hard to make caps with a bit of practice.

 

[BBGun]

Aint that hard to make caps with a bit of practice.

If it don't go boom then it's just a cute paperweight so making your own caps is kind of a necessity if you want to be self-sufficient.