Pietta 44

[Mike in FL]

I once had a Ruger Old Army that would shoot 1" groups at 25 yards using 18 grains of 3F under a .457 ball. I used cream of wheat for a filler and a felt wad on top. Many years ago. So wanting some of that glory back and not being able to get another Ruger, I bought a new Pietta. The same load will just barely stay on paper. I know load development is time consuming, but what might I try now to get the Pietta at least within a 3" group? I bought it NIB, gorgeous and seemingly flawless, no indication of defective timing. Based on info here I loaded with .454 balls. New nipples from Track of the Wolf recommended for this new revolver. I was hoping to have a "trail gun" for shots at whatever while hunting with my BP rifle plus a revolver for the range, but with the groups I'm getting it is all but useless.

 

[Ed C.]

I have one that used to be dead on accurate but now is going downhill. When it was good I was using 22 grains of FFFg, a 1/8 durofelt wad soaked in 50/50 beeswax/olive oil, and .454 RB's. TOTW nipples.

 

[Freedom]

Most Remington's have bore restriction where the barrel screws into the frame. Until the restriction is lapped out they will not shoot well.

Drive an oversized ball down the barrel from the muzzle with the cylinder removed.

Now put a little oil on the ball, and carefully realign the rifled ball at the muzzle, and push it down the bore with a wooden dowel. You will feel any tight and loose spots.

 

[45D]

Most Remington's have bore restriction where the barrel screws into the frame. Until the restriction is lapped out they will not shoot well.

Drive an oversized ball down the barrel from the muzzle with the cylinder removed.

Now put a little oil on the ball, and carefully realign the rifled ball at the muzzle, and push it down the bore with a wooden dowel. You will feel any tight and loose spots.

Sounds like another plus for an open top . . .

Mike

 

[Freedom]

Sounds like another plus for an open top . . .

Mike

Maybe.. and it does help when I have you on the phone. But it takes a lot less skill to sand out thread restriction on a Remington. Little twist of the barrel will bring your windage into perfection. Easy to have a Colt completely screwed up in a matter of seconds with a file. Arbor length, frame fit, and wedge alignment, cap jams, ect,..seems to take a lot more skills for Colts.. pretty easy to screw up a Colt...then it'll still hit 8" left and a foot high, LOL.

 

[AlexB]

I shoot 30 or 35 grains of pyrodex behind .454 roundball or the eras gone kerr.

 

[TDM]

My standard Remington loading is the same as @Ed C.

 

[Mike in FL]

Thanks, I will try that load next trip to range. Hopefully today.

 

[Zapadach]

Maybe.. and it does help when I have you on the phone. But it takes a lot less skill to sand out thread restriction on a Remington. Little twist of the barrel will bring your windage into perfection. Easy to have a Colt completely screwed up in a matter of seconds with a file. Arbor length, frame fit, and wedge alignment, cap jams, ect,..seems to take a lot more skills for Colts.. pretty easy to screw up a Colt...then it'll still hit 8" left and a foot high, LOL.

I like them both, though the looks of the Colt is definitely more elegant. However, a few years ago Mike Bellview entered a cap and ball revolver challenge with a few other youtubers, and he is a pretty good shot with a colt. He did not win, although he placed well. The shooter who took first place was shooting a 1858 Remington, and his score was quite impressive. I do not remember who the winner was or if the revolver was a Uberti or a Pietta. The resulting accolades from those who commented was the the Remington was generally a better shooter and more accurate than a Colt.

 

[45D]

I like them both, though the looks of the Colt is definitely more elegant. However, a few years ago Mike Bellview entered a cap and ball revolver challenge with a few other youtubers, and he is a pretty good shot with a colt. He did not win, although he placed well. The shooter who took first place was shooting a 1858 Remington, and his score was quite impressive. I do not remember who the winner was or if the revolver was a Uberti or a Pietta. The resulting accolades from those who commented was the the Remington was generally a better shooter and more accurate than a Colt.

Yap, Mike was using an "incorrect build from the factory" revolver (but easily corrected) against an "easy to produce correctly" build (why they look familiar today) . . . of course Mike doesn't believe the "correct setup" amounts to anything so there ya go. Then again, this is old news . . .

Mike

 

[maillemaker]

I once had a Ruger Old Army that would shoot 1" groups at 25 yards using 18 grains of 3F under a .457 ball. I used cream of wheat for a filler and a felt wad on top. Many years ago. So wanting some of that glory back and not being able to get another Ruger, I bought a new Pietta. The same load will just barely stay on paper. I know load development is time consuming, but what might I try now to get the Pietta at least within a 3" group? I bought it NIB, gorgeous and seemingly flawless, no indication of defective timing. Based on info here I loaded with .454 balls. New nipples from Track of the Wolf recommended for this new revolver. I was hoping to have a "trail gun" for shots at whatever while hunting with my BP rifle plus a revolver for the range, but with the groups I'm getting it is all but useless.

A Pietta .44 should shoot fairly well with .454 round ball and 18 grains of 3F Foex, with 11 grains cream of wheat filler under the ball and lube over the top of the bullet. This is my N-SSA competition load.

 

[OldSmoky1967]

I shoot 30 or 35 grains of pyrodex behind .454 roundball or the eras gone kerr.

30 for me

 

[Crow Choker]

Mike in FL----Maybe your problem is not using enough powder. With any firearm increasing or decreasing powder (black, wanna-be black or the other stuff that has no smoke) can tighten or expand your groups. FWIW when you had your Ruger Old Army IMO 18 grains of FFF was a mouse-fart load. I never go below 30 FFF in mine and that isn't a big whopping load. I shoot up to 40 most of the time in my ROA. My 51 Pietta 44 caliber and Uberti 1860 Army 44's get 28-30 FFF with good accuracy all of the time and recoil isn't any problem. My two 36 calibers (51 Navy/61 Navy get 18 grains of FFF and you are trying 18 grains in your 44. Why not just get a 36 caliber percussion capper ifin ya don't want to burn much powder.

Filler IMO is a PITA to deal with. Just one extra step in shooting a cap and ball that isn't needed. Load what they were designed for and enjoy. If you're doing nothing but shooting with a table or pickup tailgate for loading and have all of your items needed well ok. I do most and alot of shooting walking along a river, through timber, and plinking at this and that carrying what I need in a bag and in pouches around my waist. More enjoyable than punching holes in a paper or tin cans all nicely lined up. Having to carry filler and mess around loading it after the powder would be a pain. Even at a load table or off a tailgate is a 'NOT' for me.

Anyway, increase your powder volume, weight, grains however ya want to call it, not all guns are the same, you might improve your accuracy. These 1800 era revolvers are not in the same class as a modern day cartridge revolver. Sometimes to many cap and ball shooters seem to think they are or can do as well and get disappointed. As far as accuracy, it can be a yes sometimes, but the higher percent of the time it's a no. I'd forget about that filler too.

 

[tom in nc]

Most Remington's have bore restriction where the barrel screws into the frame. Until the restriction is lapped out they will not shoot well.

Drive an oversized ball down the barrel from the muzzle with the cylinder removed.

Now put a little oil on the ball, and carefully realign the rifled ball at the muzzle, and push it down the bore with a wooden dowel. You will feel any tight and loose spots.

If one determines, using your method to test, that there is a restriction in the Remington, how do you fix it, please? Do Blackie Thomas or Mike Bellavue, or someone else have a vid on the problem & the fix?

 

[Sam squanch]

You cannot compare a ruger old army with Italian stuff….. they made the old army as a SHOOTER- not a holster filler.

 

[AlexB]

I must have been exceptionally lucky with the 2 Pietta 58's we have.
Both just needed cleaning out of the box and were good to go.
Didn't replace any springs or nipples didn't have to "fix" a thing.
Did have to make some front sight adjustment for windage and file some of that off for elevation.

 

[nick_1]

Not a fair comparison. the Ruger is a modern revolver. the 1858 is a replica of a 165yr old system that was new and innovative for its time but far from perfect. without the growing pains of the cap and ball era the modern revolver would not exist.

 

[45D]

Didn't replace any springs or nipples didn't have to "fix" a thing.
Did have to make some front sight adjustment for windage and file some of that off for elevation.

Except for "fixing" the front sight.

It's funny how " inexpensive
revolvers" are expected to be "perfect" out of the box when a $2,500 Freedom Arms isn't necessarily "perfect" out of the box (or a Colt SAA or any other SA for that matter).

A Yugo might get you from point A to point B . . . but a Porsche will put a bigger smile on your face doing the same thing.

Mike

 

[Flint1]

I got my Remington New Model Army back in 1980. I don't know how many shots I have put through it, but it has been quite a few over the years. My question is would shooting over a number of years serve to lap out that constriction mentioned? I was told by the seller that it would use a .451 ball, so I bought the Lyman molds and handles and that is all I have ever fired in it. I know a number of the guys here work on revolvers, so have y'all noticed the older .44 Colts and Remingtons from Pietta favored a .451 over a .454?

 

[springfield art]

I like them both, though the looks of the Colt is definitely more elegant. However, a few years ago Mike Bellview entered a cap and ball revolver challenge with a few other youtubers, and he is a pretty good shot with a colt. He did not win, although he placed well. The shooter who took first place was shooting a 1858 Remington, and his score was quite impressive. I do not remember who the winner was or if the revolver was a Uberti or a Pietta. The resulting accolades from those who commented was the the Remington was generally a better shooter and more accurate than a Colt.

I always wondered about a pistol where the barrel is removed every time you re-load; I keep thinking that tiny area where the receiver and barrel touch could lead to the barrel "aiming off center" a tiny bit. The whole "wedgie" thing; but I love both types.