ravenousfishing
40 Cal.
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Just got a Pietta 1851 Reb Navy in .44 cal. What size balls should I use?
Pietta 1851 Reb Navy
- Thread starter ravenousfishing
- Start date
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.451 or .454 diameter roundballs will work just fine in your gun.
The .454's will need more ramming pressure to get them into the chambers so the smaller sized ones should be your first choice if the store has both sizes for sale.
3Fg Black powder is the recommended powder but Pyrodex P or 777 will work as well.
Buy a can of Crisco or some similar shortening to cover the mouth of the chambers after seating the ball on the powder. This serves as a lube and helps prevent a chain fire in the adjacent chambers when the gun is fired.
#11 caps may be a bit loose on the nipples but by pinching the mouth of the cap before seating it on the nipple they also will work in your gun.
Have fun.
The .454's will need more ramming pressure to get them into the chambers so the smaller sized ones should be your first choice if the store has both sizes for sale.
3Fg Black powder is the recommended powder but Pyrodex P or 777 will work as well.
Buy a can of Crisco or some similar shortening to cover the mouth of the chambers after seating the ball on the powder. This serves as a lube and helps prevent a chain fire in the adjacent chambers when the gun is fired.
#11 caps may be a bit loose on the nipples but by pinching the mouth of the cap before seating it on the nipple they also will work in your gun.
Have fun.
jtmattison
70 Cal.
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.454 will work great. You should get a nice lead ring shaved off the ball when you seat it.
HD
HD
Noting that the original post said "Reb Navy" I assume it is a brass framed pistol.
If this is true, it would be a good idea to keep the powder loads on the light side like 20-25 grains of powder.
Because the chamber is very likely to be capable of holding 28-30 grains of powder plus the ball these light loads will result in the ball needing to be rammed quite a ways down.
Many have found that having the ball close to the chamber mouth gives better accuracy but remembering that it is necessary to have the powder compressed a bit raises a problem.
The answer to the problem is to take some corn meal, cream of wheat, grits or something similar along. Then after pouring the powder into the chamber you add the filler until it is about 3/8 of an inch below the chambers mouth.
When the .45 diameter ball is rammed flush to slightly below the mouth of the chamber the powder will be compressed and the gun should shoot at its best.
If this is true, it would be a good idea to keep the powder loads on the light side like 20-25 grains of powder.
Because the chamber is very likely to be capable of holding 28-30 grains of powder plus the ball these light loads will result in the ball needing to be rammed quite a ways down.
Many have found that having the ball close to the chamber mouth gives better accuracy but remembering that it is necessary to have the powder compressed a bit raises a problem.
The answer to the problem is to take some corn meal, cream of wheat, grits or something similar along. Then after pouring the powder into the chamber you add the filler until it is about 3/8 of an inch below the chambers mouth.
When the .45 diameter ball is rammed flush to slightly below the mouth of the chamber the powder will be compressed and the gun should shoot at its best.
ravenousfishing
40 Cal.
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2007
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- 264
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- 47
Thanks for the info. Looking forward to getting to the range. Haven't shot a cap and ball revolver for probably 25yrs but can't wait.
