My new 1860 snub nose.

[wb78963]

do not understand why the brass rod is no good for loading. I saw a guy on you tube load the cylinder with the rod with no problems. it beats taking the pistol apart all the time

There are a couple of reasons for using a press.
It makes loading faster because you do each sequence for all the chambers at one time. That is charge all, then place on all wads, then seat the balls with equal compression.
It gives a chance to wipe off the cylinder face, arbor, and barrel forcing cone.
It allows a quick swab of the barrel.
I shoot almost every day (retired with a back yard range) and shoot C&B guns very often, I find loading with a press is a lot faster than loading using the loading leve even on full size guns.
The brass rod is used to remove the wedge, pop the barrel off the arbor when the gun gets sticky, seat wads, seat the wedge, and seat caps. It is far from useless it is very handy. tool.
At least this is my way, it may not be the best way, but it works for me.
respectfully
Bunk

 

[SPQR70AD]

I am glad it works well for you I just think after a while you might wear the wedge maybe loosen it up

 

[wb78963]

I am glad it works well for you I just think after a while you might wear the wedge maybe loosen it up

The guns are set up to be off frame loaded. I wish I had kept a barrel record on the Army snubby but right now the wedge just barely clears the barrel on the right side and it has been shot a whole lot. Using a load of 20 grains FFFg shoots to POA with just a bit of front sight in the rear sight and hits KD targets hard.
Good shooting SPQR70AD
Bunk

 

[Bad Karma]

Did anyone check velocity with a chronograph? I have a '51 w/ 3" bbl in .44, and a chrony but I can't seem to get the experiment done. I've read and heard 400's to 600 FPS. Then a guy comes along and tells me he gets 788 FPS. If it were all about target groups it wouldn't matter but to me it does. If nobody has checked out velocity I guess its on me. That will be my next project if it ever stops raining.

The 5-1/2” guns seem to make about 7-800 depending. I would expect a little more than 550 from a 3 inch barrel... I wouldn’t want to be hit by one.

 

[wb78963]

The 5-1/2” guns seem to make about 7-800 depending. I would expect a little more than 550 from a 3 inch barrel... I wouldn’t want to be hit by one.

How FAST it goes is not as important as WHERE it goes as far as I am concerned.
Velocity without accuracy is like an Indy race car without a steering wheel.
Or am I starting a fight here?
Bunk

 

[Bad Karma]

How FAST it goes is not as important as WHERE it goes as far as I am concerned.
Velocity without accuracy is like an Indy race car without a steering wheel.
Or am I starting a fight here?
Bunk

Not at all. Accuracy without velocity isn’t very useful either. Give me useful velocity, enough power to do the task at hand with sufficient accuracy to place the power where it needs to go. Always remember different courses may require different horses.

 

[wb78963]

Not at all. Accuracy without velocity isn’t very useful either. Give me useful velocity, enough power to do the task at hand with sufficient accuracy to place the power where it needs to go. Always remember different courses may require different horses.

Agreed but what my comment was concerning shooters who are velocity obsessed and that is all they want.
You are correct the perfect plan is enough accurate velocity to accomplish the task.
Somewhere in there is reliability I would say.
Respectfully
Bunk

 

[Bad Karma]

Agreed but what my comment was concerning shooters who are velocity obsessed and that is all they want.
You are correct the perfect plan is enough accurate velocity to accomplish the task.
Somewhere in there is reliability I would say.
Respectfully
Bunk

I never thought we weren’t agreeing on the high points... you’re a pretty smart fella!

 

[wb78963]

There are a couple of reasons for using a press.
It makes loading faster because you do each sequence for all the chambers at one time. That is charge all, then place on all wads, then seat the balls with equal compression.
It gives a chance to wipe off the cylinder face, arbor, and barrel forcing cone.
It allows a quick swab of the barrel.
I shoot almost every day (retired with a back yard range) and shoot C&B guns very often, I find loading with a press is a lot faster than loading using the loading leve even on full size guns.
The brass rod is used to remove the wedge, pop the barrel off the arbor when the gun gets sticky, seat wads, seat the wedge, and seat caps. It is far from useless it is very handy. tool.
At least this is my way, it may not be the best way, but it works for me.
respectfully
Bunk

aother thing discovered is using a small wet patch that rod also makes a cleaning rod to wipe out the arbor hole in the cylinder, clean the arbor hole in the barrel, wipe out the chambers, and wipe out the short .44 caliber barrel. It is handy as the handle on a hot cup.