Navy Arms Boot pistol

[nessmuk1953]

My son-in-law picked this up for me and I am hoping someone could give me a recommendation for a load for it and some info on it. It is a Navy Arms 36 cal smoothbore. It has a brass frame, percussion hammer on top, stainless barrel and a brass band at the tip of the barrel (no sights) The barrel tells you to go to the website for info, but none is there. I have searched the web and can find nothing on this piece. It doesn't look like it was ever an expensive item and he picked it up for next to nothing he said. He just thought it might be fun to plink with.

 

http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/223970/

 

[nessmuk1953]

OK, thanks.. Here is a try at posting a picture of it.

 

[nessmuk1953]

It looks clean as a whistle. No idea though what sort of load to start with to try it out.. The only markings on the frame are a poorly stamped 1799.

 

[bingo1952]

15-25 grains of 3F should work fine.

 

[nessmuk1953]

I kind of thought I would start with 15 grains.. The barrel says to look on their site for a manual, but half of their links don't work. Aside from the fun of plinking it does not look like it is very useful. Since I have a box of 100 lead balls for it might as well have some fun

 

[rafterob]

It would be plenty useful for its original design intentions. Close range self defense, might make someone drop their knife.

 

[D. Buck Stopshere]

I could be wrong, but the pistol appears to be made by Classic Arms Company, and known as the "New Orleans Ace".

Classic Arms was purchased by Navy Arms, who then sold it to Deer Creek Muzzleloaders in Waldron, IN near Indianapolis.

Irwin Fagel was the Proprietor. His booth was next to mine at Commercial Row at Friendship, IN.

It was available rifled or smoothbore.

Decent gun for the money.

 

[Don]

I have one of these pistols. They are very cheaply made in China items. I had to reshape the nipple to get it to pop caps reliably but it does fine now. The max charge stated in the literature that came with it said 16 grains 3f. Might be able to push it to 18 but for some reason I don't think I'd go any higher than that. There is no half cock and the main spring is located in front of the trigger. Make sure the trigger gaurd screw is tight or else it won't stay at full cock. Accuracy is OK for what it is. I load mine with 16 grains of Pyrodex P and a .350 ball with a .020 lubed patch. Its a fun novelty and might make a good coup d' gras pistol for small game.

Don

 

[Zonie]

I don't believe this pistol is an Ace.
The "Classic Arms" "Ace" doesn't have a "cannon" barrel and it doesn't have a trigger guard.

With that small grip I would think that a 15 grain charge would be more than enough.

This kind of pistol was called a "Boot Pistol" because some folks hid it in their boot.

While the subject of Classic Arms came up it allows me to tell anyone who is thinking about buying one of their pistols, "Think again". :hmm:

Although I've seen where some folks have some fun shooting the Ace, in my opinion, the rest of their guns aren't worth carrying home.
This is especially true of their Pepperbox.

 

[torn moc]

and think again and again....

 

[nessmuk1953]

Just got back to the thread. Thanks to one and all for the information. Funny that finishing off small game came up... my son-in-law saw it at the store for only a few bucks and that was his thought. He told me I can deliver the coup-de-grace with it to anything that I shoot with my BP rifles :wink:

 

[nessmuk1953]

Well, I found a site that sells the things. It is called a Richardson Boot Pistol. One place wants $80 dollars for one. A little more than they are worth I would say.

 

[Don]

I picked mine up for less tha $60. Zonie, I have 2 N.O. Aces and both required tinkering with the nipple to allow reliable ignition. Accuracy is poor but the 122 grain ball can achieve well over 500 fps with 20 grains of Pyrodex P for 80 ft/lbs energy. I also have the twister which also required tinkering. Over all the Classic Arms pieces are not very good quality. Fun but not great.

Don