Loading revolvers question.

[user 52142]

Howdy, Did a search but didnt find what I was looking for.

Going to take my 1851 navy to the range for the first time, have a question.

When loading a lubed wad over the powder, under the ball. Do you still need to add lube/grease over the ball to prevent chain fires ?

Thanks !

 

[dave61965]

Howdy, Did a search but didnt find what I was looking for.

Going to take my 1851 navy to the range for the first time, have a question.

When loading a lubed wad over the powder, under the ball. Do you still need to add lube/grease over the ball to prevent chain fires ?

Thanks !

I personally only use a wad, no extra grease, less mess, most importantly make sure the caps you use fit tight on the nipples, the rear is where your chain fire will originate, from loose fitting caps on the nipples.

 

[mushka]

Powder, wad, ball. That's all, no grease needed. Grease just makes a big mess.

 

[user 52142]

Powder, wad, ball. That's all, no grease needed. Grease just makes a big mess.

Thanks Dave and Mushka !

 

[user 52142]

I personally only use a wad, no extra grease, less mess, most importantly make sure the caps you use fit tight on the nipples, the rear is where your chain fire will originate, from loose fitting caps on the nipples.

I ordered and installed better nipples that use #11 caps, but I will still check that they fit tight. Thanks

 

[Versanaut]

I have a couple 1851's in 36cal.

20 grains, Lubed wad, and topped with a .38 ball (Uberti with larger cylinder bores). I get a nice small ring of lead. No grease on top.

+1 @dave61965 , most chain fires originate from caps becoming loose on the back of the cylinder. After capping the cylinder, I push them snug with a wooden dowel. I am still using the original nipples (boo). Will upgrade to Slix or Tresco soon.

 

[user 52142]

I have a couple 1851's in 36cal.

20 grains, Lubed wad, and topped with a .38 ball (Uberti with larger cylinder bores). I get a nice small ring of lead. No grease on top.

+1 @dave61965 , most chain fires originate from caps becoming loose on the back of the cylinder. After capping the cylinder, I push them snug with a wooden dowel. I am still using the original nipples (boo). Will upgrade to Slix or Tresco soon.

Thanks Versanaut.

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

I just add powder & roundball that's all.

 

[Stantheman86]

I played around with using pure mutton tallow in my Dragoon just to keep fouling soft and it worked well, I was able to shoot several cylinders. The Texas Rangers used pork fat from their rations, allegedly, over the bullet in their Walkers to keep them running. Not to stop chain fires.

In my opinion, lube over the ball does not prevent chain fires. It will keep the fouling on the cylinder pin soft.

If I'm not planning on shooting a lot I just pour in powder then stuff a lead ball on top.

Every single photo of period soldiers posing with loaded percussion revolvers that allows a view into the chambers shows a lead ball or bullet with nothing on top of it.

 

[Jason60chev]

I played around with using pure mutton tallow in my Dragoon just to keep fouling soft and it worked well, I was able to shoot several cylinders. The Texas Rangers used pork fat from their rations, allegedly, over the bullet in their Walkers to keep them running. Not to stop chain fires.

In my opinion, lube over the ball does not prevent chain fires. It will keep the fouling on the cylinder pin soft.

If I'm not planning on shooting a lot I just pour in powder then stuff a lead ball on top.

Every single photo of period soldiers posing with loaded percussion revolvers that allows a view into the chambers shows a lead ball or bullet with nothing on top of it.

I sometime wonder about those photographs......if the weapons posed with were props, owned by the photographer or the subjects actual, personal arms.

 

[Stantheman86]

I sometime wonder about those photographs......if the weapons posed with were props, owned by the photographer or the subjects actual, personal arms.

We were on the forum here a while ago , debating the "lube over the ball" thing and someone had a pic of a guy who was a famous member of Quantrill's Raiders, with a revolver kinda facing the camera .... no lube over the chambers. And we said the same thing , a guy like this isn't using prop guns

 

[cynthialee]

I sometime wonder about those photographs......if the weapons posed with were props, owned by the photographer or the subjects actual, personal arms.

probably a little of both

the fella who shows up with his kit isn't going to need props is he?

 

[Khufu]

Powder, wad, ball. That's all, no grease needed. Grease just makes a big mess.

AMEN!

 

[bmcgc1960]

How would the old timers kept moisture out of the cylinder?

 

[Eutycus]

We were on the forum here a while ago , debating the "lube over the ball" thing and someone had a pic of a guy who was a famous member of Quantrill's Raiders, with a revolver kinda facing the camera .... no lube over the chambers. And we said the same thing , a guy like this isn't using prop guns

I read there was candle wax over the chambered bullet in that "Quantrill Picture".If we're referring to the same picture . What is meant by candle wax, Bee's wax or paraffin? There were many forms of candle wax. Plus I suppose tallow could also be considered?

 

[bmcgc1960]

In 88 I was deer hunting with a muzzleloader on the WA coast. I was sitting on a stump in waist high brush. taking a rest. About 30 yards from me a Buck stood up, I had a perfect shot. It had drizzled all day, everything was wet, no wind. I took careful aim and pulled the trigger. SNAP, the cap sounded like a firecracker, the gun did not fire. I got three more chances before the buck ambled off into the brush. Two more caps and on number 6, the gun finally shot. I had a piece of plastic wrap and a rubber band over the end of the barrel in an attempt to keep the powder dry, I had been out about an hour when I had my chance. That was the only shot I had that year and I missed it.

 

[hawkeye2]

I read there was candle wax over the chambered bullet in that "Quantrill Picture".If we're referring to the same picture . What is meant by candle wax, Bee's wax or paraffin? There were many forms of candle wax. Plus I suppose tallow could also be considered?

They would have been beeswax or tallow and tallow would be most likely. The common tin candle molds we think of as period correct were for tallow and won't work with paraffin or beeswax. Paraffin was only coming into use post 1870.

 

[Wildrangeringreen]

[QUOTE="hawkeye2, post: 2028621, Paraffin was only coming into use post 1870.
[/QUOTE]

That's funny, because one of the chief ordnance officers was insistent on cartridges supplied to the US army be dipped in paraffin during the civil war. Army Ordnance ended up accepting beeswax-tallow and paraffin dipped cartridges during the war. Paraffin isn't new, it's been around since the 1830's. The reason why Ordnance didn't go along with demanding only paraffin dip on cartridges was that there weren't large scale production facilities until '67, so putting all the army's eggs in the baskets of a handful of small chemical firms was too much risk to be acceptable.

Colt didn't recommend loading a wad in his revolvers, and if your bullet is oversized, there's really no way you can have a flash-over without a damaged chamber mouth. So long as you have snug caps and oversized balls, you're not really going to have chainfires. The only real difference between .45 SW and percussion revolvers is that the priming on .45 SW is force-fit into the primer pocket on the case, and keeps it from falling out of the case (firing cone in the case of percussion revolvers). You don't generally load a wad into .45SW cartridges.

 

[Stantheman86]

[QUOTE="hawkeye2, post: 2028621, Paraffin was only coming into use post 1870.

That's funny, because one of the chief ordnance officers was insistent on cartridges supplied to the US army be dipped in paraffin during the civil war. Army Ordnance ended up accepting beeswax-tallow and paraffin dipped cartridges during the war. Paraffin isn't new, it's been around since the 1830's. The reason why Ordnance didn't go along with demanding only paraffin dip on cartridges was that there weren't large scale production facilities until '67, so putting all the army's eggs in the baskets of a handful of small chemical firms was too much risk to be acceptable.

Colt didn't recommend loading a wad in his revolvers, and if your bullet is oversized, there's really no way you can have a flash-over without a damaged chamber mouth. So long as you have snug caps and oversized balls, you're not really going to have chainfires. The only real difference between .45 SW and percussion revolvers is that the priming on .45 SW is force-fit into the primer pocket on the case, and keeps it from falling out of the case (firing cone in the case of percussion revolvers). You don't generally load a wad into .45SW cartridges.
[/QUOTE]
I've been saying this for years, whenever the "chain fire" topic comes up.....when you load a percussion revolver , the chamber becomes the "cartridge". Seating a bullet or ball firmly into the mouth of the chamber with a ring of shaved lead is no different than a bullet being seated into a brass cartridge.

Some people feel that loose powder on the cylinder face can cause a chain fire, as if the flash can get past a firmly seated ball?

 

[hawkeye2]

"paraffin dip on cartridges was that there weren't large scale production facilities until '67"

Exactly, and that's why there wouldn't have been many (any?) paraffin candles around.