NAA percussion pistol, the full cap and ball experience in a small package!

[Bnewberry]

I have shot a lot of percussion pistols, I owned 6 at one time and used all 6 to shoot a “Josey Wales” category at an all black powder Cowboy shoot a few times.

This video is my time shooting this little gun. From a few caps not firing with the first strike to a cap jam and the grin on my face, this little percussion pistol is the full spectrum cap and ball experience!

I used CCI caps as that is what I have, number 4 buck as the ball and 3f Goex.

I will hope to get some Remington caps in the future. I also tried 4f Swiss but honestly I couldn’t tell enough difference to matter between the two powders.

 

[3 eared musket cap]

I have shot a lot of percussion pistols, I owned 6 at one time and used all 6 to shoot a “Josey Wales” category at an all black powder Cowboy shoot a few times.

This video is my time shooting this little gun. From a few caps not firing with the first strike to a cap jam and the grin on my face, this little percussion pistol is the full spectrum cap and ball experience!

I used CCI caps as that is what I have, number 4 buck as the ball and 3f Goex.

I will hope to get some Remington caps in the future. I also tried 4f Swiss but honestly I couldn’t tell enough difference to matter between the two powders.

Have one. Haven't got out to shoot it yet. Enjoyed your video.

 

[dracer]

I have been thinking of getting one , is that a super or regular the 1860 model looks nice but a little pricey

 

[BeardedGunsmith]

I own the Super Companion and love it. I would also get misfires because the first hammer drop would seat the cap. Finally solved the problem with my 3D printed caps. I use triple 7 3f in mine and get some pretty high velocities out of it. It's also one of the few guns that was designed for use with smokeless until the atf scolded NAA and threatened to categorize it as a firearm.

 

[TDM]

Nice @Bnewberry!

 

[SwampBilly]

I have the super companion and I also get misfires. Getting misfires with the rsws and the Winchester magnums and Remington number 10s.

Was having the same problem with my 1863 pocket model but the CCI number 11's have thus far proven 100% reliable with about 40 rounds through it. Haven't tried those in the super companion yet but hopefully I have the same results

4f is so fine it likes to spell some grains out of the back of the nipple when loading. Like you I can't tell much difference between the four and the three.

I know they recommend Remington number 11s and hopefully this fall I might be able to find some. I lucked out earlier in the year at the local gun shop and just happened to find one package of Remington number 10s.

I know the nipples on these are unique but I wish that slix shots could possibly make some for these guns.... Has they seemed to virtually eliminate misfires for all other cap and balls.

Maybe it's just that that little tiny Hammer is hard pressed to get enough Force no matter how fine they manufacture it is?

 

[Bnewberry]

I have been thinking of getting one , is that a super or regular the 1860 model looks nice but a little pricey

This is the Super Companion model.

I think some of the failure to set off the cap is because the CCI caps are a smaller diameter than the Remington.

I tried splitting the skirt of the caps and this helped some. Magnum caps, with more priming compound might also help.

 

[Bnewberry]

I have the super companion and I also get misfires. Getting misfires with the rsws and the Winchester magnums and Remington number 10s.

Was having the same problem with my 1863 pocket model but the CCI number 11's have thus far proven 100% reliable with about 40 rounds through it. Haven't tried those in the super companion yet but hopefully I have the same results

4f is so fine it likes to spell some grains out of the back of the nipple when loading. Like you I can't tell much difference between the four and the three.

I know they recommend Remington number 11s and hopefully this fall I might be able to find some. I lucked out earlier in the year at the local gun shop and just happened to find one package of Remington number 10s.

I know the nipples on these are unique but I wish that slix shots could possibly make some for these guns.... Has they seemed to virtually eliminate misfires for all other cap and balls.

Maybe it's just that that little tiny Hammer is hard pressed to get enough Force no matter how fine they manufacture it is?

I found the same thing which is another reason to use 3f!

I will try the CCI 11’s if I find some. Thanks for the tip!

 

[BeardedGunsmith]

I took mine to the shop today to mess with it and fire a few in my testfire drum. I experienced my first chain fire. Pretty unpleasant but I'm glad that I was using my plastic percussion caps because the gun doesn't have a recoil shield so the cap blew off in pieces and hit me in the face. That could have been bad if it were a complete, metal cap.

 

[SwampBilly]

I took mine to the shop today to mess with it and fire a few in my testfire drum. I experienced my first chain fire. Pretty unpleasant but I'm glad that I was using my plastic percussion caps because the gun doesn't have a recoil shield so the cap blew off in pieces and hit me in the face. That could have been bad if it were a complete, metal cap.

Yowza !!! Glad it wasn't worse. What do you think may have caused the chain fire?

I only had one chain fire in my life and it was most unusual because it was an 1858 and the chamber that chain fired was not the neighboring one but the one completely opposite. I was uninjured but certainly started paying more attention.
I believe it may have been due to a sportsman's lubricant called Rusty duck that was similar to WD-40 that maybe I failed to clean the cylinder well enough before loading and firing

 

[BeardedGunsmith]

Yowza !!! Glad it wasn't worse. What do you think may have caused the chain fire?

I only had one chain fire in my life and it was most unusual because it was an 1858 and the chamber that chain fired was not the neighboring one but the one completely opposite. I was uninjured but certainly started paying more attention.
I believe it may have been due to a sportsman's lubricant called Rusty duck that was similar to WD-40 that maybe I failed to clean the cylinder well enough before loading and firing

I honestly have no idea. It had to have been from some errant powder in the front of the cylinder. I know it didn't start at the rear because I could tell the powder set off and then popped the cap behind it as it hurled towards my face in pieces.

 

[SwampBilly]

I honestly have no idea. It had to have been from some errant powder in the front of the cylinder. I know it didn't start at the rear because I could tell the powder set off and then popped the cap behind it as it hurled towards my face in pieces.

I take a tiny dollop of my homemade bullet lube consisting of about 75% pure beeswax and the remainder being Crisco and put over the top of the conical bullet when I load my super companion.

Of course there's not much room for any lube but a little bit. Are you shooting the proprietary conicals or number four buckshot?

 

[BeardedGunsmith]

I take a tiny dollop of my homemade bullet lube consisting of about 75% pure beeswax and the remainder being Crisco and put over the top of the conical bullet when I load my super companion.

Of course there's not much room for any lube but a little bit. Are you shooting the proprietary conicals or number four buckshot?

I was using the heeled bullets that NAA provides. Ironically I was going to reply to the chainfire thread yesterday about how stupid it is for people to worry about chainfires when they cut a nice circle of lead when loading. Guess karma bit my ass!

 

[Bnewberry]

Chainfires Can be “exciting”. I had on in a ‘51 navy in a cowboy match once. It hit the end of the wedge on the fight side and then hit a pistol target so I didn’t get called for a miss!

A good lube over the ball can help but on a hot day and a few shots the lube can melt away if it isn’t pretty stiff.

 

[SwampBilly]

Chainfires Can be “exciting”. I had on in a ‘51 navy in a cowboy match once. It hit the end of the wedge on the fight side and then hit a pistol target so I didn’t get called for a miss!

A good lube over the ball can help but on a hot day and a few shots the lube can melt away if it isn’t pretty stiff.

When I was a complete noob to black powder and specifically cap and ball.... I used pure Crisco which was a joke, did nothing but make a big mess.

Now I use about 75% pure beeswax and the remainder being Crisco melted on low heat in a tuna can on the stove.

Works pretty good but the next batch I whip up I may try to replace the Crisco with something more natural, thinking even just olive oil might be better.

I wonder if even just some pure beef fat trimmed off of some raw beef might be good? For that matter maybe even Bacon fat