Load data for 1861 Colt

[Gvilleddie]

Just pulled out my Navy Arms 1861 Colt .36 cal revolver. Haven’t shot it in many years. What is a medium powder load for punching paper? Any idea of the value of this like new, 1970’s era revolver? Thx, E..

 

[springfield art]

Just pulled out my Navy Arms 1861 Colt .36 cal revolver. Haven’t shot it in many years. What is a medium powder load for punching paper? Any idea of the value of this like new, 1970’s era revolver? Thx, E..

There's such a panic buying atmosphere now, it's hard to state values on most anything! All the new stock is sold out at dealers. I bet most guys will reply that 20 grains of 2F or 3F is what the manuals state. Why some guys try to 'over-load' the darn things is beyond me. They aren't Magnums!

 

[ZUG]

A powder load between 15 to 18 grains of 3F should do nicely.

 

[Whughett]

Actually there’s no set amount. Balls will allow more powder. Conicals not as much and then if you use felt wads ……. . I use Lee dippers instead of powder measures. A 1.0 cc throws. 16 grains of 3F leaving room for a 1/8th felt wad and 375 roundball. I like a little more flash and smoke so a 1.3 cc will throw 20 grains and still take the wad and ball.

 

[Gvilleddie]

If you use felt wads do you still need to seal the cylinder with lube?

 

[Musketeer]

If you use felt wads do you still need to seal the cylinder with lube?

Everyone has their own methods, but I've never sealed with grease/lube when using lubed wonder wads in my revolvers. No issues.

 

[CaptainKirk]

If you use felt wads do you still need to seal the cylinder with lube?

No. That's the reason for using the felt wads in the first place...to stop from blowing lube all over your gun and making it a bear to hold on to.
As for loads, I would recommend 18-20 gr 3F to start with if shooting a round ball.

 

[Whughett]

A proper sized ball that shaves a ring of lead seals the bore. It’s controversial if chain fires originate thru the mouth of a chamber adjacent to the one being fired or thru a missing or improperly fitted cap. lMO greasing the chamber mouth functions only as a way to lube the projectile and keep the powder fouling soft.

 

[smoothshooter]

If you use felt wads do you still need to seal the cylinder with lube?

A proper sized ball that shaves a ring of lead seals the bore. It’s controversial if chain fires originate thru the mouth of a chamber adjacent to the one being fired or thru a missing or improperly fitted cap. lMO greasing the chamber mouth functions only as a way to lube the projectile and keep the powder fouling soft.

There is never a need to “ seal “ the chambers with anything.
If you like adding a big greasy mess to your shooting, grease the chamber mouths.
If you want some lube in the bore without the mess, seat greased felt wads under the balls in the chambers.
BTW, the wads DO NOT have to be of chamber diameter, or even round. Undersize or even square ones work just fine.
Trust me on this.

 

[Bad Karma]

There is never a need to “ seal “ the chambers with anything.
If you like adding a big greasy mess to your shooting, grease the chamber mouths.
If you want some lube in the bore without the mess, seat greased felt wads under the balls in the chambers.
BTW, the wads DO NOT have to be of chamber diameter, or even round. Undersize or even square ones work just fine.
Trust me on this.

Oversized wads work very well...

 

[Whughett]

There is never a need to “ seal “ the chambers with anything.
If you like adding a big greasy mess to your shooting, grease the chamber mouths.
If you want some lube in the bore without the mess, seat greased felt wads under the balls in the chambers.
BTW, the wads DO NOT have to be of chamber diameter, or even round. Undersize or even square ones work just fine.
Trust me on this.

Shooting the ROA this am I ran out of wads. As I keep an old shoe polish tin of the same lube as in the wads I resorted to that for the last 30 shots. I mention this as my kit did have 36 caliber wads, did not occur to me that I could have used those under the .457 ball.
I under stand the logic as the hot gases are going to vaporize the wax and lube and distribute it in the bore just never occurred to me to use them.
To the OP. To check if you are using the right amount of lube look at the “grease ring” at the muzzle, a slight ring should be apparent.

 

[B P Arn]

The proper load is fill the chamber to within the diameter of the bullet from the top of the cylinder, ram in a ball, apply a little bit of a non-petroleum-based grease. Done. Works for any and all BP revolvers.

 

[Major Tim]

If you use felt wads do you still need to seal the cylinder with lube?

I use 15 grs with overfill and a wad. Works great for me.

 

[Bad Karma]

The proper load is fill the chamber to within the diameter of the bullet from the top of the cylinder, ram in a ball, apply a little bit of a non-petroleum-based grease. Done. Works for any and all BP revolvers.

That’s a good technique but “The Proper Load”??. I thought you’d been around here long enough to know there are at least several hundred proper loads! Next you’ll tell us the proper way to clean up after shooting…

Most of the time my proper load is 30 grains 3f Swiss a thin card wad and a 200-240 grain conical lubed with SPG/Stihl HP synthetic. No leading, accurate and powerful.

 

[Steel Guitar]

Mr Gvilleddie, I like 25g of 3f but 20 is a medium load.
Does your pistol have the small diameter barrel? If so, keep it as I think all of the new ones use a 44cal barrel blank for a 1860/44 cal and just cut out a 36cal bore, this ruins the balance of the gun.

 

[Whughett]

That’s a good technique but “The Proper Load”??. I thought you’d been around here long enough to know there are at least several hundred proper loads! Next you’ll tell us the proper way to clean up after shooting…

Most of the time my proper load is 30 grains 3f Swiss a thin card wad and a 200-240 grain conical lubed with SPG/Stihl HP synthetic. No leading, accurate and powerful.

Historically speaking wouldn’t a proper load be a paper cartridge with about 28 grains and a lubed conical bullet. At least wise civil war speaking it would have been.

 

[Bad Karma]

Historically speaking wouldn’t a proper load be a paper cartridge with about 28 grains and a lubed conical bullet. At least wise civil war speaking it would have been.

I need to give the paper cartridge a try..

 

[Whughett]

I jumped into it big but it’s so tedious I’ve all but given it up at least for the summer. Bought the 44/36 kit from Guns of The West, bullet molds for the authentic bullets of the civil war era from Eras Gone even an aluminum mandrill and former for the ROA.
I must say they are nice at the range. LOL rate of fire vastly improves.

 

[Desperate Lee]

In 44 cal Pietta SS '58 it is 30 grns Goex (measured), my grease cookie, .454 Hornady swaged rb, and Remington #10 nipples. Fun, accurate, has a little kick, and lots of SMOKE. The 36 cal i am still working on. My 44 brass framed Pietta '51 Colts i drop down to 25 grns Goex and same ball, cookie, cap as before. Love them all. I have 2 ASP '58 Beals style Remingtons ( small grips, no barrel thread showing) these two I use 20 grns Goex for less kick because they play hell on my middle finger under recoil. They are still 2 of my favorites. One a '77 factory gun, the other an '80 kit.

DL

 

[nkbj]

Bought an 1861 in the middle seventies and immediately set about trying to duplicate the military loading. attacked a Lee aluminum 9mm mold with a 3/8" drill and created castings that I could roll a rear side bevel on to get them to load in the .373" diameter chambers. Used the maximum amount of FFFg that I could get beneath the bullets, crammed them in and smeared lube on the front.
Amazing accuracy and power for a little old .36 revolver.
That became my standard load because it's what works.