Loading a 36 caliber Colt revolver

[Heelerau]

I use 25grs of Goex FFFg, then just cover the chamber mouths with water pump grease. After reading this thread, think I will try some of these TOW greased felt over powder wads. I have been using water pump grease since the early 1970's and have allways found it pretty messy. Guess will have to reduce the charge some as well. Damn sweet little pistol the Navy, no recoil, and shoots .real well. Going to try this western action stuff next week, hence the interest in grease felt wads.


Cheers

Heelerau

 

[bigted]

pulling this from a long time ago but here goes...

1- im sure that the cylinder chambers were egged out and this is the why of the chain fires.

2- it happened the first cylinder full and every time I shot the crazy thing.

3- every time I shot it the aligned would go and three others at the same time. if you are looking over the sights from behind it was 1 to the left and two to the rite that chained off. recoil was impressive and rotating either of the remaining two into battery would fire them at the same time.

other details would be ...

1- the revolver had been shortened in barrel length before I got hold of it.

2- it had little finish left on it and some rust as memory serves.

3- the cylinder in hind sight was outta time so it would smear lead on the left side of the forcing cone and bind up what was left of the cylinder gap which was a bunch as I remember.

other things are for certain but the most outstanding things I covered and then the ol man making me sell it.

it was a army model 60 and the best thing was the larger grips that fit my oversized hands...tis what took me to buy it in the first place AND it were a 44. ... live and learn I guess.

I hope that nobody else ever has this crazy happen to them ... not sure that any bad would happen but the potential is definitely there.

happy shooting! :idunno: ... :hmm: ... :applause:

 

[crockett]

Sorry- what do you mean by egged out? You are lucky you didn't get hurt.

 

[bigted]

the chambers in the cylinder were oblong in diameter. like someone tried to hone em out but jinxed the job. my dad did the measurement and then was the final verdict ... "sell that dang gun and get something that is useful". the revolver was a cool looking thing but had many issues and the hay money I earned that summer to buy it with was a waste of time...with the exception of the learning experience. think I was 15 or 16 at the time and had a love affair with everything blackpowder then.

didn't even think about it being a rare instance till just recently as I found out that it is and was a very rare thing to happen. I have never had it happen since in the [literally] thousands of rounds ive fired in many different revolvers over time.

I find that any loading with a tight ball or conical and a proper fitting cap ... whether with a greesed over powder wad ,., greese over the loaded ball ,., or just loaded plain with no fuss with anything that would help with the fouling ... that never should there be an instance where this chain fire would ever be a danger. ... considering that the revolver is in decent and safe shooting condition... if in doubt about the condition then please do take it to a qualified gunsmith that has experience with muzzle loading firearms and have it get a checkup and a clean bill of health.

 

[crockett]

Thanks. I got started at about the same time and also at 15. Nowadays I don't know if a 15 year old kid could buy a BP revolver.

 

[M. De Land]

I made some once out of felt from an old hat I bought at a garage sale but never got around to testing how they work. I really am tired of the Crisco mixed with fouling smeared all over my gun and person at the end of each session so will be interested in trying this out.
What is used for a good lube to soak into felt wads to be placed over the powder and under the ball in a revolver?
Elmer Keith used to cut them out and soak them in melted bee's wax I think. That is what I used for the ones I never got around to testing after making them up. I'll dig around in my stuff and see if I can find them.
I wonder how SPG lube would work for melting into felt wads? I have seen it liquify when used on my bullets in hot weather so may not be real good on top of a powder charge in a felt wad. I don't know. Mike D.

 

[M. De Land]

I suppose a wax paper wad could be placed under each felt wad to protect the powder. The ones I made were for .44 cal.
I have some SPG so will give it a try first and report what I find in both .44 and .36 cal. Mike D.

 

[Dickydalton]

Search for Gatefoe #1 on here. Wonderful wad lube.

 

[Heelerau]

MD,
I am picking up some 1/8 hard felt from a mob in Perth on Friday. I am just going to soak a strip in the 5parts beeswax to 1part of tallow by volume lube I use for my Minnie balls and Enfield paper cartridges. As someone else has suggested wads cut from say baking paper placed over the powder would be a good idea if you keep a cap and ball loaded for extended period. I am also having a go at paper cartridges, for these pistols, initially trying cigarette papers.

Cheers

Heelerau

 

[M. De Land]

Where does one buy felt for making wads, a fabric store? I have two (.44 and .36 cal) Fred Cornell style wad punches that go in my loading press to cut them out. Mike D.

 

[Heelerau]

MD,
dial up Durofelt on google, they are in the US. They have 1/8 felt actually marked as for wads !! I am tryin a mob here in Perth Western Australia, its pretty dear locally , so will have yet to work out prices to compare with bringing it in from America .


Cheers

Heelerau

 

[M. De Land]

Thanks, I'll get some coming today. Mike D. Anchorage Ak.

 

[crockett]

I've done some felt wads myself. You save money over the store bought. On the lube- a beeswax/tallow mix seems traditional.
Some "quick draw" guys fire wax bullets. I wonder if just a wax plug would work in place of the felt?

 

[Wes/Tex]

Many old sources recommend punching wads out of felt hats. I can just see what happens when somebody starts punching holes in a 5X beaver Stetson!!! :haha:

 

[M. De Land]

Yeah give it back to them after you have punched out all possible wads , in the same basic shape, only ventilated a bit. :rotf: MD

 

[M. De Land]

Got my 1/8 inch Durofelt material today so will be punching out some .36 and .44 grease wads soon. I think I will melt the tubes of SPG I have on hand and dump the wads into it until thoroughly saturated,pick them out and let cool on a sheet of wax paper.
Sure would be nice to find and accurate load using these instead of smearing lube over the ball and then getting it blown all over everything ahead of the cylinder, including me if shooting into a head wind.
Done it that way so long it will seem nice to load clean if I can still get the same accuracy. Mike D.

 

[Heelerau]

Mike,
just got back from a western action training evening, tried my lube felt wads cut from felt and lubed with the grease I use for paper cartridges, they work fine. Had now amount of trouble capping, looks like I will have to debur the nipples of both the dragoon and navy, cci no 10 caps seem a tighter fit than the rws caps I use to get, and will have to find again. Sure beats grease over ever thang !!

Cheers

Heelerau

 

[Heelerau]

Pulled all the nipples from both pistols, chucked them in a small drill and hit them with a small file, now the capper works a treat on the Dragoon, and not to bad on the navy, still have to seat them but at least they are properly started on the navy so ready for another crack at this western action this Sunday/.

 

[dikman]

M.D., I've been experimenting with wads in my longrifle, and they definitely make loading (and cleaning) easier. I shot 12 straight without having to clean between shots. I'm using 1/4" hard felt, lubed with Gatafeo's #1.

My initial idea was to use them in my 1858 Remington (which I've just got - yay!) but I'm going to use "pills" instead - hard wax pellets, equal parts mutton tallow, paraffin wax and beeswax (felt is expensive here!!). I'm also trying to make my own felt - google felting to find out how - but have a little way to go with this project.

 

[Heelerau]

dikman, you can get it in small amounts from Felt Sales Pty Ltd Perth WA. Located in Cannington. I paid $16 or a useful piece of 3.2mm, which is close to 1/8. Pm me if you want any more details.

Cheers

heelerau