Santa Barbara .44

[dicklegg]

New to the Forum.Hope I can elicit some of your opinions.
A Santa Barbara .44 has just returned home from my sons house where it has been stored for nearly 10 years. (Ex didn't want guns around while the kids were young) I purchased it in the early 80's, I think. Never fired it. Now I want to. I've had BP experience but it's dated so I have some questions. First, what do you think about the formed powder shapes instead of pouring it into the cylinder? Faster, dirtier, easier or what? Second, I'd like to buy an extra cylinder.A friend suggested I get one chambered for .45 ACP ammo. There has to be some issues I do not see, and I live in Connecticut which has just passed some pretty stupid laws on guns and ammo. Any thoughts?

 

[Wes/Tex]

Not sure what Santa Barbara made but from what you describe it's either a Colt or Remington copy. Those pre-formed powder thingies appear to be convenient but I've never convinced myself I wanted to use them and all the possible problems with mashed and compressed synthetic powder. Black powder is much easier to ignite , play with and clean up. More details will really help and conversion cylinders for cartridges are verboten here! hotoSmile:

 

[bpd303]

A Spanish copy of the 1858 Remington. A very well made replica that hasn't been made in over 20 years. I would only shoot real black powder in it.
From Numerich arms forum.

Santa Barbara has been around for around 500 years and is the primary weapons maker for the Spanish military. They stopped making the Remington 1858 model about 20 years ago. It was made from the best steel and is the finest of the reproductions. It is far superior to the Italian reproductions,

 

[Zonie]

dick41

The pellets look good to someone who is new to black powder guns but they have several negatives going for them.

First off, they cost a lot more per shot than buying loose powder.

Since they are pellets, if you want a weaker or more powerful powder load for your shots your out of luck.

Buying the loose powder and a simple adjustable powder measure made for black powder you will have the versatility of selecting the powder load you want and save money doing it.

Extra cap and ball cylinders are available but they might not fit your gun without some modification.
We don't discuss cartridge conversions but if we did I would say don't even consider it.

These guns are made out of low carbon steel and are designed for the low pressures black powder (and the substitute black powders) make.

Under no circumstance should any kind of smokeless powder be fired in them.